Posts from November 2009

Thanksgiving

Posted by kari 1 Comment
Nov 29 2009
First of all, I apologize for the italic font-apparently my computer won’t let me change it at the moment. 
I drudged up an interesting article in the archives of Aftenposten online written by a Norwegian who was curious about the American Thanksgiving tradition.  Siri, en sytten år gammel jente (a 17 year old girl), thought maybe she was jealous of Americans having so many fun helligdager (holidays, such as Valentines Day and Halloween), so she did a little research.  During her research, Siri discovered that there was actually an historical reason for the existence of this helligdag.  As most of us know, Thanksgiving was a tradition that started in the 1600s after the pilgrims arrived to the United States.  The exact date of the first Thanksgiving is unknown, but it is known that Thanksgiving began as a religious holiday to give thanks to
God for the harvest.  Over time, Thanksgiving has become a secular holiday that most Americans celebrate. 
Siri made an interesting comparison to her own country, Norway; Norway has a similar holiday-høsttakkefest.  Since 1899, the State Church of Norway has celebrated høsttakkefest (literally fall-thanks-party) by welcoming fruit, vegetables, and flowers on the altar to represent and give thanks for the good avdeling (crop).  Høsttakkefest is not as recognized a holiday as it once was due to the decreased number of Norwegians who driver med jordbruk (farm).  Those churches who celebrate the helligdag pick a day in oktober that is suitable to bonder og kondisjoner (farmers and conditions). 
A typical amerikansk høsttakkefest (American Thanksgiving) consists of kalkun (turkey) med brunsaus (with brown sauce or gravy), flere slags poteter (several kinds of potatoes) slik som (such as) potetmos (mashed potatoes), and søtpoteter (sweet potatoes) eller kanskje (or maybe) au gratin.  We also eat tranebær (cranberries), usually in a relish or saus, stuffing, og andre grønnsaker (and other vegetables) or salat (salad).  Til dessert spiser vi (for dessert we eat) gresskarpai (pumpkin pie), pekanpai (pecan pie), eller en annen slags pai (or another kind of pie)-this year my dad made søtpotetpai (sweet potato pie).  Thanksgiving is definitely the best helligdag for food-good eats.  I think it will always be around in the U.S., but as for Norway, it sounds like the tradition is dying.  Enlighten me!

Geography, resources, and health

Posted by kari 2 Comments
Nov 25 2009

Norway’s location and climate, as well as natural and monetary resources are characteristics of the country that impact the general health of the population.  These effects can be positive or negative.  Norwegians’ mental and physical health are impacted by things like the availability of fresh seafood, the intensity of the sun due to it’s polar location, and the finding of oil in Norwegian waters, which are all examples of how geography and resources affect the health of Norwegians. 

Because of the abundance of fresh seafood in Norwegian waters, the seafood industry is one of Norway’s biggest.  Norway exports a large percentage of fish (the 3rd biggest export behind oil and gas), but Norwegians also consume a very healthy portion of it themselves.  Fish contains high levels of vitamin-D and  omega-3 fatty acids, two things that are proven to improve physical and mental health, specifically for the heart and the brain.  Vitamin D is known to decrease the risk of dementia and depression and improve bone health.  Omega-3 fatty acids decrease the risk of heart disease.

Whether it is the lack of sun in the winter and the abundance of it in the summer, the position of Norway in relation to the earth’s tilt certainly affects the mental and physical health of Norwegians.  During the summer, people are generally in much better spirits than they are in the winter, when it is so dark.  Sun deprivation means lower levels of vitamin-D, which increases the risk of depression.  The summer sun means higher vitamin-D absorption and happier people.  Folks that live in northern Norway are affected by the sun more than those in the southern part of the country.

On a different note, as a result of a wealth of oil found in the North Sea decades ago, Norway can financially support the social welfare system in place to take care of the Norwegian population.  Norwegians have a high standard of living and there is a low income gap.  They pay hefty taxes and in return receive inexpensive health care and more leisure time than most of the rest of the world and thus, tend to be a healthier population.  Whether it is summer or winter, Norwegians cherish outdoor activities year-round. 

There is no question in my mind about why Norwegians are one of the healthiest populations in Europe!

Akershus festning

Posted by kari No Comments
Nov 23 2009

Akershus Fortress, the protector of Oslo.  Built in the 1290s in response to a prior attack by a Norwegian nobleman, the compound has served as guardian in many battles and as home to prisoners from time to time.  It’s proximity to the water is a crucial factor in it’s success as the majority of Norway’s commerce was conducted at sea until fairly recently.  The location of the fortress is so strategic that whoever ruled Akershus ruled Norway.

Most of the military battles that ensued at Akershus were with the Swedes.  Akershus was never captured by a foreign enemy in battle; however, in the face of German occupation, Norway surrendered in 1940.  While under German control during World War II, several people were executed at Akershus.  On May 11, 1945, the Germans surrenedered back to Norway and Akershus was again under Norwegian control.  Shortly thereafter, 8 Norwegian traitors (including Vidkun Quisling, a Norwegian Nazi puppet–consult another blog entry for more details on Quisling) were executed at Akershus.

Throughout Norway’s history, Akershus festning has housed many Norwegian criminals.  It was even considered appropriate at one time to use prisoners as slaves for rent to do work in the city.  One particular event, the Kautokeino Rebellion of 1852 led to the imprisonment of many Sami at Akershus.  The revolt was caused by several factors including a new movement by the Sami that was at odds with the priest and the merchant, as well as Norwegian law (more on this in another blog…).  Following the rebellion, all of the Sami men involved were sent to Akershus accept the two men who led the revolt, who were beheaded in Alta, northern Norway.  Lars Haetta, one of the survivors of the rebellion who spent many years at Akershus used his time to translate the Bible into North Sami.

In the early 17th century, the fortress was modernized to resemble a renaissance castle, which is how it looks today.  Today, the fortress still occupies a military role, but it is also a historical point of interest as well.  In addition to the grounds of the fortress, the Norwegian Armed Forces museum and the Norwegian Resistance museum area open to the public daily.  I attended an excellent tour of Akershus when I lived in Oslo.  It was perhaps the coldest day I have ever experienced too-but was well worth the discomfort of walking around in the aggressively cold wind.  Our tour guide was phenomenal.  A good tour guide really makes a tour.  I highly suggest making a trip Akershus.�

spar penger!

Posted by kari 1 Comment
Nov 18 2009

Save money!  If you are planning a trip to Oslo, save money!  Business Week and ECA International have named Oslo the 7th most expensive city in the world.  Some of the things they look at prices of movie tickets, washing machines, rice, and mineral water. 

Nordea’s cheif economist Steinar Juel explains Oslo’s place on the world’s most expensive cities list with the high cost of living.  Food, transportation, and housing are all quite expensive in Norway.  While Norway is self-sufficient in many ways (i.e. the oil, hydropower, and maritime industries), many commodities must be imported.  Importation, as well as high taxes, means high costs.  Also, an important thing to understand is that while other countries experienced (and are still experiencing) a dramatic decline in the housing market, Norway’s housing market has remained stable. 

Here are a number of prices of items in U.S. dollars (source: Business Week):  keep in mind that some of these items may be more expensive and some may be less expensive, as BM pointed out.  I got the information from Aftenposten online and it came from Business Week.  So, in short, some of the numbers may not be exactly right, but you get the idea-most things are quite expensive.

Movie ticket: 12.84
Quick lunch: 32.65
Washing machine: 808.01
Kilo of rice: 4.40
Can of soft drink: 2.07

And here are a few tips to help you save money when you are in Oslo:

-avoid tour guides for sight seeing.  Either guide yourself or have a friend/relative show you around.

-if you plan to go out for the night, have a few drinks at home.  Alcohol is extremely expensive at bars and restaurants!  I paid nearly $20 for a beer one time on Karl Johans Gate.

-avoid taking taxis.  Use public transportation or walk.

-cook your own food for the most part.  It is very expensive to eat out.  Also, meat is very expensive at the supermarket, so limit your intake, as hard as it is!  I ate a lot of rice, beans, bread, and cheese.

-buy produce at immigrant markets-it’s worth the trip on the Tbane to the east side of Oslo for this.

-If you have a visa and it allows you to do so, get a part-time job!

-be aware of discounts, especially student discounts.

I lived in Oslo for about 9 months and I was very wise with how I spent my money.  It is definitely do-able to live cheaply.  Make a budget!

Roald Amundsen (1872-1928)

Posted by kari No Comments
Nov 16 2009

AKA the last of the Vikings, Roald Amundsen was a heroic Norwegian explorer of the polar regions.  He was the first to reach both the north and south poles and the first to traverse the Northwest Passage (the stretch of Canada between the Atlantic and Pacific oceans).  His success in these endeavors is even more apparent considering the failure of those before him.  Amundsen made quite the name for Norway in terms of exploration of extreme regions.  Unfortunately, his last whereabouts were on a rescue mission of 3 other explorers who crashed on their way back from the north pole. 

Amundsen, one of four brothers, was born into a family of Norwegian shipowners and captains in a small town called Borge, which lies between Fredrikstad and Sarpsborg.  While his 3 older brothers entered the maritime industry, his mother’s desire was to keep Roald out of it; she wanted him to become a doctor.  Being the good son he was, he kept his promise to his mother until she died when he was just 21 years old.  At this point, he left the university and took to a life at sea.  Amundsen’s secret desire was fueled by Fritjof Nansen’s (another famous Norwegian explorer) crossing of Greenland in 1888. 

When Amundsen was 25 years old, he was first mate on a Belgian Antarctic Expedition on a ship called Belgica, which became frozen in sea ice off of Alexander Island near the Antarctic Peninsula.  The crew endured a tough winter and barely survived to return home. 

Since the time of Christopher Columbus, he and others had attempted to traverse the Northwest Passage.  It wasn’t until 1903 that this mission was accomplished by Roald Amundsen with a small crew in a seal hunting ship called Gjøa.  The trip took several years, during which time Amundsen learned important survival skills from the natives, including the use of sled dogs and animal skins (rather than a cumbersome parka) to keep warm.  It wasn’t until December of 1905, after having successfully traversed the Northwest Passage and on his way back, that Amundsen was able to send a telegraph to Norway announcing his triumph.  At this point Amundsen was informed of the dissolution of the union between Norway and Sweden; Norway was fully independent with her own king!  Amundsen was ecstatic and fueled his drive even more to explore new territory as a proud subject of the king of Norway.

In 1910, Amundsen left Oslo heading south for Antarctica on Fram, the ship that Fritjof Nansen had used in an earlier expedition.  After one failed attempt to reach the pole, Amundsen’s success was made public on March 7, 1912.  The expedition certainly did not happen without hardship.  Of the 52 dogs the group originally started with, only 11 survived the trip. 

Amundsen endured other polar adventures throughout his life, and as mentioned earlier, the arctic claimed his life when the plane he was in went down while flying over the Arctic Ocean on a rescue mission (1928).  He had always said that he wanted to do in the arctic.   

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