Elverum, Halloween, Countdowns

Elverum


I went with Hailey on Monday of last week to Elverum to visit the Travelers Museum. The Travelers are what the Romani (Gypsy) people are called in Norway and Sweden. The museum was nice, not very large, but interesting. Apparently the Travelers that live in the area were very hesitant to have the museum made and requested that it highlight the culture and positive aspects rather than the way the Travelers were oppressed. They were apparently concerned about the discrimination would come back if people reminded of it. Though the few panels they did have about the oppression were mind boggling, it changed my view of Norway as this perfect country.

We also went to Elverum on Wednesday to give presentations on how our countries view conflict resolution. First though we were treated to a lovely dinner.

Then we went back to give our presentations, but no one showed up to see them. So we gave them to each other and to Steinar, who works at NAMAS (The Namibian Association) (which is where we were presenting/who took us out to eat). It was actually really fun and allowed us to really talk about things rather than just presenting them. Steinar also told us a lot of things about Norway that we didn't know before, like that Norway supplies around 1/3 of the weapons used by NATO in the war in the Middle East. And that they make this one bomb that you shoot into a building and it sucks all of the oxygen out then replaces it with poison gas. Norway as a Peace Nation? Maybe not...

NAMAS also has a second hand store attached to it, it was great, I got an awesome pair of boots that are really warm and waterproof!


Halloween


So for Halloween Kate and I decided to be Greek Goddesses. We decided upon this because of our limited supplies.

Things needed to make a classy Greek Toga: White Sheet, some sort of belt, leaves

This is me ripping up a sheet to make belts

Finished Project 

And again

Then we walked to Hydranten (the student pub) then walked back to the dorms to get Kate's ID. We met up with Gonzalo and walked to met everyone else at the dance club. Here are a few photos of more costumes...

Hailey and Catherine as hippies

The boys as... businessmen? 

Gonzalo and I on the walk home

Gonzalo Gabriele and I, a perfect rendition of each of our personalities

Countdowns

4 Days until we are done with classes

9 Days until Maryn (Kate's friend, and my soon to be friend) comes to visit

17 Days until I head to London to visit Austin

24 Days until Kate and I go to Brussels

31 Days until we turn in our final papers

39 Days until Kate and I go to Bergen

43 Days until I'm back in the States 

I love it here, 43 days sounds like way to few. I miss home, but I know that I am going to miss everyone here as well... Too bad you can't have it all