Nordlyset

EVS Volunteer in Norway

[nordlysetyr]

Impressions from Askvoll - A burning sky

[nordlysetyr]

Changing the plan

My plan for this year was to not go back home to Germany at all, to not go home for the whole EVS. It was a challenge I set myself, because I really wanted to feel the experience of being abroad for a long time. 

Well, that plan has changed – for the worst possible reason. Something has happened in my family that just requires me to be with them, mentally and physically.

I really do feel at home here in Norway. When I’m leaving from work I am going ‘home‘. But now I am returning to my home in Germany.

I dont feel bad about changing my plan, dont feel like Im failing the challenge – not under the circumstances. Right now I am just counting the hours to fly back home, but it feels like time has been slowed down and is moving in slow motion. I can’t wait to see my family again, especially now. Being with my friends and family for some time will hopefully feel soothing and give me new strength, which is something I really need right now.

However I am also scared that I will not feel as at home returning to Norway, as when I left it. I hope it won't be too hard to be back here, but I will probably miss everyone a lot. I also hope I dont get homesick again, because of my trip. This I can’t know at the moment, but it is a new challenge created by the situation - and I am willing to take it on.

[nordlysetyr]

YES - experiment with an open mindset

Lately I have been trying to say YES more. So if someone invites me to go somewhere or to do anything, I will say Yes, before I can think as much about it as to say no. Before I can even find a reason not to do it.

So far, this mindset has led me into very exciting new adventures – most oft he time. In Balestrand, for example, I spontaneously joined some friends to go swimming in the Fjord at 1 am and 10°C outside. In Bergen I ended up on a secret “Nachspiel“ (Bergen Slang for Afterhour), after going on a Techno Cruise with new friends.

Last Weekend I travelled to Solund to help at their Lysfestival. So when Ira asked for help with her show there, I just said yes.

It turned out to be a fire-show, where I had to assist her by lighting different torches, manipulate the fire and dance with it a little bit. It was really cold and windy that night, but the torches and the excitement of performing in front of people without having practiced with fire kept us warm!

On my own, I would never have started to dance with fire – ever – but with Ira it was not that scary and actually really exciting. Now I even want to learn how to eat fire myself!

All in all I hope this little word “Yes“ will keep on helping me to try new things and experiment a little more this year.

[nordlysetyr]

Why Norway-EVS on-arrival seminar in Balestrand. 

This Video was made by Amalia Pop about our on-arrival seminar.

For me it shows bits and pieces of memories about that week; for you it could give an impression about our time there. In general I just really like it. ^^

[nordlysetyr]

A picture from my frist solo hike here, back in october. It felt really good to go on my own and just be with my thoughts.

[nordlysetyr]

Dealing with expectations so far..

66 days, a little more than nine weeks, a good two months – thats how long I have been living in Askvoll now. I have had my Up‘s and Down‘s and I have definetly been homesick, but so far I can say: I like Norway and I am still excited for the rest of this year.

In some aspects Norway is how I expected it to be:

The nature is stunning. The fjords and mountains are incomparible to any other place I have ever seen; after two months of living here I still stop and stare at the view from my kitchen window whenever the light slightly shifts.

The weather is bad. Most of the time it’s raining and 23°C with sunshine are considered “a hot summer day“.

And of course the food is very expensive – especially chocolate.

In other ways it is very different:

Learning “Norwegian” is rather difficult, because there is not ONE Norwegian to learn. Instead there are (at least) two official languages, Bokmål and Nynorsk, and countless dialects. So even if I am learning Nynorsk in school, what I hear outside of class sounds totally different.

Also Norwegians (at least those I encountered so far) are not as open to strangers as I thought. The people here are very nice though – once you get to know them a little, which is a little hard because most of the time they won’t make the first step.

Other than that I tried to stay open minded and to come here without fixed expectations. I believe this is a great advantage for me enjoying my time here: I don’t have to try to meet any standarts. I can just experience everything totally unbiased and be content with the events as they happen. 

This makes it very easy to have fun while working in my project and I hope it will stay this way.

[nordlysetyr]

I know that new situations can be intimidating. You're looking around, and it's all scary and different, but, you know, meeting them head on, charging right into them like a bull -that's how we grow as people.

Rick and Morty; S1/E1

This summs up my feelings and motivation for this year so well!