Guest Spot: Jan Havlas

I met Jan this August at the beginning of Fall semester at the University of Oslo. We were organized together in a "Buddy Group" set up to allow international students to get to know one another. In addition to having a class together, Jan and I traveled to Bergen with a handful of other international students in October. Jan also kept a blog while he was in Norway- it is written mostly in Czech but, as he reminded me more than once, Google Translator is a beautiful thing. You can find it here.


Where is your home university?
I study cartography at Masaryk Univeristy, in Brno, the second largest city in Czech Republic. 


Why did you choose Norway?
Norway was the best choice due to the limited choices from my department. I wanted to study English and Norway was the only suitable place. Nature and sports are a part of my lifestyle and Norway is simply the best in such things. 


What were your expectations before you went abroad?
Academic benefit is for sure an important part of study abroad. Independence (to be able to care for myself) and life experience in a  foreign country (multicultural benefits and a wider scope) were my highest expectations before I went abroad. I can't forget to mention improving language skills, traveling and making new friends! 


What were the biggest challenges for you? What surprised you the most?
Surprisingly, it was quite easy to care for myself in a foreign country and to balance some kind of "culture shock." The biggest challenge was to organize my time so that I didn't miss all the things I wanted or had to do, like school, socializing, events, sports, traveling, etc. I have never lived in such a "hurry" before. I was surprised by how fast the time went.


What was the biggest lesson that you got out of your time in Norway?
I have no doubt what it is- my stay abroad taught me to live more active than I was used to living before. Opportunities have to be taken and "shaken." It taught me to be active, live active.


What suggestions would you have for people who are thinking about studying abroad?
I have just one. Just go study abroad! It doesn't even matter where. Don't hesitate. It is going to turn into priceless life experience!


Any other comments?
Norway is a paradise for those who search for sports, nature and the balance with human being. If you are in search for high socializing or high culture, go a bit more south (Spain, for example), although Oslo isn't weak even in that stuff. 


Thank you, Jan!


What is this "Guest Spot" thing? You can find the introduction to the project here.

Røyrivannskoia

What is the best way to spend a March weekend in Norway, you ask? I think I've found the equation: days filled with sun, teaching newbies to ski, a "super moon" and a handful of good friends!

Six of us spent the weekend on skis in Østmarka, the eastern part of the forest around Oslo. I was joined by two charming Spaniards on the ski into the cabin. Despite it being one of the girls very first time on cross-country skis, she had an incredible attitude as we covered more than 20 K, skiing well into the night! She was a shoo-in for the "Good Sport of the Weekend" Award. We arrived to a warm cabin prepared by the other half of our group, who we assumed we would arrive before...

A few of us went back out on the trail after dinner for some moonlight skiing. The moon was at it's biggest since 1983, so it goes without saying that there was no need for headlamps. My high school ski coach rates night skis by how much writing on your skis you can read. This night escapade took it to the next level- I could see my shadow in the dead of night. There is nothing quite like a night ski on a frozen Norwegian lake under clear star-scattered skies.

Our ski back the next day took much less time than the trip in, and we spent most of it with sunglasses on and sleeves rolled up. I'm refusing to use klister until I absolutely have to, and I got by despite melty conditions. I'll take a little snow melt if it is accompanied by a little Vitamin D...

Those faces obviously haven't seen the sun for far too long...

Stay tuned for more... we are headed back out into the woods for another hut trip this weekend!

Guest Spot: An Introduction

The Institute of International Education (IIE) reports that over 260,000 students from the United States studied abroad during some part of the 2008-09 school year. They claim that "U.S. student participation in study abroad has more than doubled over the past decade." With the numbers continuing to rise and the destinations for students becoming more diverse every year, I want to know- what is the draw to studying abroad? What expectations do people have when they start out and what do they learn?

This blog has allowed me to share my voice about my own expectations and experiences, but my story is not the only one! I have asked some friends from different parts of my life to share their perspectives on the study abroad experience. Some are friends from high school, others I met at Humboldt State, and a few are folks I met in Norway.


Each week, I will present a guest who has graciously answered some questions about their time abroad. I want to show that everyone comes to the experience from a different vantage point and each individual gets something different out of the adventure.

Stay tuned! The first Guest Spot is coming up soon!

Night at the Opera

For my birthday, I was given the generous gift of a show of my choice at the Oslo Opera House. I took myself out to the theater tonight to redeem my birthday present. I was really lucky to go to a show in this beautiful venue. The Opera House opened in August 2008 after almost a decade of construction. It was awarded the World Cultural Building of the Year in 2008 and the European Union's Prize for Contemporary Architecture in 2009. It sits right on the harbor and the unique architectural design and slanted walkways make it appear as if it is coming out of the water. In the snow-free months, visitors are able to walk all over the building, including the roof! When I was there in September, there were sculptures scattered along the sloping roof tops that visitors could interact with. This building is much more than a venue.

I saw "Bewitched- With a Magic Wand in the Opera." The show was geared towards children, which was perfect since my Norwegian language skills are at the child-level. Plus, theater is always more fun when the majority of the audience is excited kids! The play was not the American 1960's Bewitched story line, but a tale of a classroom full of kids who get a first-hand lesson about opera through a spell-casting witch of a substitute teacher. They are transported into the world of opera and have to find a way to return Susanna to Figaro (en frisør, the barber, of Seville). It was a great show, complete with a Norwegian-sweater-wearing giant and a flying witch!

Thanks Chris and Charlie! It was a generous and much appreciated gift!

A Taste of Oslo Life

If only this was reality... although the World Championships were pretty darn close.

"Sleep in the Snow"

I spent the weekend on a snowy getaway, joining 60 other international students in a hut in Nordmarka. I was here in October as well during the Autumn version of this trip. 

Studenterhytta in March

Studenterhytta in October

Most people chose the shorter walking path, but about 20 of us strapped on our skis and trekked from Sognsvann. The weather was beautiful- the snow was cold enough that we avoided a Klister-y mess but the sun provided the cheer necessary after days of wet snow/sleet. It was the best of spring skiing, and everyone seemed to be in good spirits. 

We were greeted with a warm bowl of soup upon arrival, and met up with the rest of the group. The afternoon was filled with extreme sledding, card games and tea. 

The highlight of the trip was the Northern Lights sighting! (Photo documentation was impossible with my point-and-shoot camera, so you will just have to take my word for it.) A few people who had checked the Aurora Forecast reported that there was going to be activity that night. Oslo is far enough south that sightings don't happen that often, so this was my chance! The sky was clear so the equation equalled great viewing conditions. They appeared around 11 at night, a dull green on the horizon, and shortly after I was able to see three or four beams of green light shooting upwards. It was, by no means, a vibrant show, but that didn't make it any less spectacular.

A handful of us decided to take the long way back the next day, over the hill to Kikutstua then along the river back to Sognsvann. The day proved to be just as gorgeous as the previous one, and our team of adventurers was up for anything. 

Another successful cabin trip under my belt, and two more on the schedule before Spring officially arrives. Takk for turen!

Oslo 2011: Folkefesten, Kollenbrølet and the Spectator Experience

The FIS Nordic World Ski Championships in Oslo, Norway have come to a close. This is the Super Bowl of Nordic skiing. Some athletes would put it on the same level as the Olympics. Cross-country skiing is a somewhat obscure sport (or well kept secret, depending on how you look at it) in the United States and is easily shadowed by mainstream sports like football. But the story is much different in this snowy Scandinavian nation- Norway is the birthplace of the cross-country skiing and the Norwegian people whole-heartedly embrace the ski culture.

I came into the World Championships from an interesting perspective. Although I've lived in Oslo for six months, I still consider myself to be a foreigner to this scene in many aspects- I wasn't born here, I have only minimal Norwegian language skills, and I have never been to a professional cross-country ski race before a month ago. In other ways, however, I feel at ease- I have spent a lot of time skiing on the trails that the athletes were racing on, I can easily navigate the city to find the in-town events, I'm able to understand enough Norwegian to get the gist of directions or announcements, and I can recognize the Norwegian athletes and know their racing histories.

"Folkefesten" was the buzzword of the week. The translation isn't too difficult; it means "festival of the people." The term incorporates that atmosphere along side the race course, in town during the medals ceremony, and in the woods, where thousands of people camped out. "Kollenbrølet" is another term that was thrown around during the competition. It refers to the roar of the spectators at Holmenkollen, and it's no myth. In fact, when the wind was just right, the Kollenbrølet echoed off the buildings of the student village where I live, 4 km away as the crow flies. Don't believe me? I wouldn't have either before I was part of it.

There is no doubt that the events at Holmenkollen during the FIS Nordic Ski World Championships were incredible. Let's take a look at the numbers:

• 2,000+: The number of volunteers helping to coordinate the events
• 20: The number of medals that host country, Norway, earned over the course of 11 days
• 10: The number of medals that the runner-up country, Austria, earned over the 11 days

• 275,000: The number of tickets sold for the championships.
• 300,000: The number of spectators who watched from the forest.
• 650,000: The number of people who attended the Medals ceremonies during the course of the competitions. (Twice the number that organizers expected!)

• 2 hours, 8 minutes, 9 seconds: The finishing time of Petter Northug, winner of the 50K skate competition
• 44 seconds: The amount of time that Therese Johaug won by in the 30K skate, besting teammate Marit Bjørgen. This was Bjørgen's only loss of the entire championships. She came home with 4 gold medals and one silver.

The scale of the event really sunk in when I was standing beside the trail last Saturday. The crowd had continued to grow since I arrived and secured my spot, and I watched the enthusiastic Norwegians find their places along the race course. I was shoulder to shoulder with Norwegians, all of us trying to keep warm with thermoses of hot drinks. The slope opposite from me was completely covered, with only specks of white snow peeking through through the sea of Norwegian flags and snowsuit-clad, face-painted children. You know that you are part of something incredible when the athletes who are previewing the course come by taking a video of the crowds!

When NRK asked Norwegian readers what the most memorable moments of the Championships were, there were only two complaints: Tåte and T-bane (translated: Fog and Metro). The foggy conditions made headlines but didn't cancel any of the events, even the ski jumping. It didn't make the best spectating conditions, but that didn't stop fans from heading to the woods! Below is a video of the leaders of the women's pursuit race on one of the foggiest days at Holmenkollen.

Ski parking at Frognerseteren

The T-bane made the list because the transportation network struggled to handle the flood of spectators. It's no small job to accommodate for half of a million visitors while trying to keep the rest of the city running as well! Overall, my experience with the transportation sector was fine- there were some delays and packed T-bane cars, but nothing outrageous. That wasn't the case for everyone. Some people missed the competitions that they had tickets to because the subway was so overloaded. My solution- ski to the events! But others had figured that one out. The trails were almost as busy as the T-bane lines, but at least we were breathing fresh air and had some elbow room...

It was an incredible experience to be part of the World Championships, and to have it hosted in Oslo made the experience that much better. I savored every moment that I was standing along the course, commuting the the race via ski trails, and sipping hot chocolate with fellow Norwegian fans. It was not only the athletic performances that stand as memorable moments but the atmosphere and enthusiasm of the Norwegian spectators. I will look back fondly on this experience for years to come!

Additional Links:

FasterSkier's spectator experience article
NRK's picture slideshow

Oslo 2011 Day Eleven: Men's 50K Skate

For the last day of the World Championships in Oslo, the sun was out and a record number of spectators flocked to Holmenkollen to see the 50K Men's race, arguably the most prestigious race in the nordic skiing world. Organizers estimated that more than 100,000 fans came out to the race today! Talk about a lively atmosphere... If I was racing 50K with the fastest athletes in the world, I would depend on that crowd to get me through! 

Petter Northug was the 2009 World Champion and 2010 Olympic Champion in this event and had a target on his back during this race. Not only was he defending his 50K title, he was also defending his actions from Day Nine's relay, when he snowplowed to a stop right before the finish line and waited for rival Marcus Hellner in a teasing gesture that sent hard feelings to many Swedes. Would these antics make life on the race course difficult during the last race of these Championships? It sure didn't seem that way. Northug, as expected and celebrated by Norwegians across the country, skied his way to the top of the podium and secured his title as "King" of the World Championships in Oslo.

Teammate Tord Asle Gjerdalen took bronze the bronze medal. Sjur Roethe, also of Norway, was fourth. Only one man could break up the Norwegian trio: Maxim Vylegzhanin, who took home the silver medal. Even after 49K, Vylegzhanin had some kick left in him and challenged the lead pack on the final climb before entering the stadium. Northug followed, kept pace, and made his move where he has all week. Victory came shortly after.

Noah Hoffman was the big star of the American team today. He stuck with the lead pack a long time, even making his way to second place at one point. I was a bit worried that he was going to blow up completely, considering the distance still to go, but he stayed within striking distance of the leaders well into the race. He finished in 30th. Lars Flora was 39th, and Tad Elliot only three seconds behind in 40th. Billy Demong, an Olympic gold medalist in Nordic combined, stepped up to the starting line after Kris Freeman decided to sit out. Demong finished in 51st place.

Additional Links:
Full Results
Recap of Day Ten: Women's 30K Skate
Inequity on the Course- Why don't the women race 50K?
FasterSkier's report on today's race

Oslo 2011 Day Ten: Women's 30K Skate

Quite the day in Oslo! Therese Johaug earned the gold in a stellar preformance, outpacing teammate Marit Bjørgen and Polish superstar Justyna Kowalcyzk. Johaug had never won an individual championship or World Cup, so it goes without saying that this was a big victory.

First lap, lead pack: Bjørgen, Johaug, Steira, Kalla, Kowalcyzk

It was clear who the big players were from the early stages of the race. When the racers first passed me, Bjørgen was leading, with Johaug, Charlotte Kalla from Sweden, and Kowalcyzk on her heels. Gradually the lead pack disintegrated as Bjørgen, Kowalcyzk and Johaug moved away. Around 15 km, Johaug applied enough pressure to creep away from the other two ladies, opening a gap that she continued to increase as the race went on. She spent the second half of the race out in front, excelling on the climbs where she is strongest and maintaining her intensity on the flats. Therese came across the line 44 seconds before Marit, a feat that many were unsure was possible from anyone. Kowalcyzk was third, finishing over a minute and a half back from the golden finisher.

Johaug, out in front

The American women put in a strong performance today and had the results to prove it. All four athletes placed within the top 25! Liz Stephen was the fastest finisher in 16th place and Kikkan Randall was two positions behind in 18th.  Morgan Arritola was 21st, and Holly Brooks finished in 25th.

American women working together- In black: Arritola, Brooks, Randall

Congrats to all the competitors! These athletes put in one heck-ova' performance this week, and this race was quite the finale!

Additional Links:
Full Results
FasterSkier reports on the American women's results
FasterSkier reports on Johaug's win

Oslo 2011 Day Nine: 4x10K Men's Relay

Norway is back on top! The men's relay skied to victory this afternoon at Holmenkollen in a race that kept us all guessing until the last kilometer. Various European ski superstars all had their chance in the mix, from Alexander Legkov of Russia to Marcus Hellner of Sweden and many in between. While Hellner couldn't quite keep up with Petter Northug's kick at the end (more on that below), the Swedes still walked away with a not-too-shabby silver medal. Team Germany was third. North America was represented as well, with the Canadians in 12th and the American team finishing in 14th place.

How does the relay work? Each leg is 10K. In this "mixed" relay, the first two racers ski classic technique, and the final two competitors skate.

The race went back and forth constantly. The play-by-play would be way too much for the casual reader, but if you are interested, you can find it here. The "newsworthy" section comes down to the last kilometer. Northug had been sitting back during his entire 10K leg, letting the others do hard work in front. On the final climb into the stadium, he made his infamous move, regaining control over the field and turning on the afterburners that the Norwegian fans had been waiting for all day. Northug had enough of a lead that he was able to ham it up with the crowd, mimicking Alex Harvey's "Shush" to the crowd from Day Seven's team sprint. The real stunt was as Northug was about to cross the finish line. Instead of the classic arms-up celebration, the feisty Norwegian slammed on the brakes, snowplowed to nearly a complete stop and waited until Hellner was almost beside him to step across the line. (See video here.)

Of course, a media frenzy broke out over the move. A Swedish TV Commentator said that Northug is "a wolf along the tracks, but at the finish, he is a pig." Others claim that if he was strong enough to have that much time to spare, he deserves to have his fun at the finish line.

My opinion? I was really starting to gain a new respect for Northug! I felt like he was busting his way out of the bad-boy persona that he had been pigeonholed into, especially with his gracious comments toward Hellner on the first day of the Championships. But I just can't feel good about this move. All it was missing was a stuck-out tongue and a "Na-na-na-na-boo-boo!" There is plenty of ways to celebrate a great ski, especially when you are on your home turf with thousands of spectators cheering for you. In the sake of good sportsmanship (and common decency), grow up.

There is only one more men's race- the 50K on Sunday. We will see if these antics will make it any easier for Northug to get a little help in the tracks. Something tells me he will be fighting an uphill battle. Others agree.

Additional Links:
Full Results
FasterSkier's play-by-play
Video of the final climb and finishing antics
Recap of yesterday's Women's relay
Recap of Day Seven: Team Sprints (Women and Men)

Oslo 2011 Day Eight: 4x5K Women's Relay, Men's Ski Jumping

The Norwegian ladies reclaimed their spot on the top of the podium today, winning the relay by over 30 seconds. Sweden took second and Finland was third. The American women took ninth place. Team Norway consisted of the same line-up that took Olympic gold in Vancouver last year, and their win was no surprise. That fact didn't make the spectators any less excited to see Bjørgen come down the finish stretch first, proudly waving the Norwegian flag.

How does the relay work? Each leg is 5K. In this "mixed" relay, the first two racers ski classic technique, and the final two competitors skate.

A friend of mine had an extra ticket for the Men's Ski Jumping (Large Hill), and graciously invited me to join her! I had never seen a ski jump event before, and both of us were a little foggy on the specifics of the sport, but that didn't stop us from appreciating just how incredible these athletes were. Our conclusion about the sport: It must take a lot of guts and physical strength, and you sure don't want to crash. According to my Wikipedia research, scores are not only awarded by distance jumped but also factor in wind conditions and style points. Aerodynamics, athlete weight and specialized technique has a lot to do with jump success, but my knowledge stops there. (If you know a good source for information about ski jumping, leave a comment!)

The fog continued to hang over Holmenkollen and it was so thick when we first arrived that we couldn't even see the hill! Eventually, we were able to make out the red line at the base of the jump, then the OSLO written in the center, and finally the jumpers themselves. The fog rolled in and out and we made sure to see every athlete we could while the clouds were away. For most of the event, we had no idea who was jumping or what constituted a "good" jump, but it was fun to be part of the action and watch the flying competitors do their thing! Austrian skier Gregor Schlierenzaur won the event, and fellow countryman Thomas Morgenstern was second. The bronze medal went to Simon Ammann from Switzerland. Peter Frenette, the lone American, finished in 35th place.

Additional Links:

Full Results: 4x5K Women's Relay

Full Results: Men's Ski Jumping

Recap of Day Seven: Team Sprint

FasterSkier's article about the U.S. Women's relay

Oslo 2011 Day Seven: Team Sprints

The Canadian men were the stars today at Homenkollen! Devon Kershaw and Alex Harvey took gold in the team sprint, followed by the Norwegians, Petter Northug and Ola Vigen Hattestand. The Russian team, consisting of Alexander Panzhinskiy and Nikita Kriukov, took the bronze medal.

How does a team sprint work? Each team is represented by two athletes who tag off after completing loops of the course. The  competitors each skied the 1.3K (women) or 1.5K (men) course three times.

Alex Harvey in the individual sprints earlier this week

The Canadians have proven their strength: Harvey won the 30K Pursuit during the U23 Championships this January, then took the bronze medal in the sprints at Drammen the weekend before coming to Holmenkollen. Devon Kershaw doesn't have shabby results either: he won the sprint in Toblach, Italy in January and took bronze in Oberstdorf Germany a few days later. They were expected to do well, but the Norwegians were, without a doubt, the favorites to take the gold. As we should all know by now, anything can happen in the sprints.

Harvey pulled through in the finishing stretch, double-poling past Hattestand to upset the Norwegian expectations. Harvey put his finger to his mouth to "shush" the roaring Norwegian crowds, acknowledging that he had snuck up on the Norwegian team, and that they would be disappointed.

In a post-race interview, Devon Kershaw's comment that "the 2,500 people that follow cross country skiing in our country will be pretty excited" caught the attention of the Norwegian press. It is such a stark contrast to Norway, where thousands of fans have filled the stadium everyday of this Championships.

The American team was Andy Newell and Torin Koos. They finished the day in 10th place.

Heja Sverige! (Go Sweden!)

While the North American men mixed it up on the podium, Scandinavians were dominant on the female side. It was the Swedish team, Charlotte Kalla and Ida Ingemarsdotter, that walked away with gold for the ladies. Kalla is one of my favorite skiers, and although I still hold a little grudge against her teammate, Ida Ingemarsdotter, for causing Kikkan Randall to fall during the quarterfinals of the individual sprints, I was happy to see the Swedes finish first. Aino-Kasia Saarinen and Krista Lahteenmaki from Finland took the bronze, and the Norwegian duo, Maiken Caspersen Falla and Astrid Uhrenholdt Jacobsen were third.

The Canadians team, made up of Daria Gaiazova and Perianne Jones, came across in sixth place. The Americans (Sadie Bjornsen and Kikkan Randall) were ninth.

Additional Links:
Full results: Men
Full results: Women
NRK's report of the Canadian win
Recap of Day One: Individual Skate Sprints

Oslo 2011 Day Six: Men's 15K Classic

Norway came home with two medals today, but no one could touch Finnish skier Matti Heikkinen's performance. Finishing over 13 seconds ahead of the field, there is no question that he deserves the gold medal. Norwegian skier Eldar Roenning took the silver, and teammate Martin Johnsrud Sundby earned the bronze.

Lukas Bauer from the Czech Republic showed up ready to race at Holmenkollen. He has a history with this event- he earned the silver medal in the Olympics in Torino 2006, and took bronze in at the World Championships in 2009. Bauer looked strong throughout the entire race. Not many tall men can make classic skiing look graceful, but Bauer pulls it off! He finished in 7th place today.

Kris Freeman lead the Americans, coming in at 24th. Noah Hoffman was 29th and Lars Flora was 39th. Simi Hamilton rounded out the US contingent in 51st place.


Additional Links:

Full Results
Recap of yesterday's race: Women's 10K Classic
FasterSkier's report of the day