Dan Sadowski in Norway

Concluding blog posts

2009-07-16T21:43:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,

Please see below for my final blog posts, including the second half of our journey to Northern Norway, a side trip to Dublin, the Rotary International Convention in Birmingham, and a few shots from our jug fishing trip when I got home. I recommend starting at the 'Harstad, 8-9 June' post and going up.

It has been a pleasure sharing my experiences with you over the past year. I look forward to traveling around the state of Iowa next semester while conducting the field research for my masters program. Then I'll be bouncing between Oslo and La Salle the spring 2010 semester while I draft my masters thesis to graduate in June.

Best,
Dan

A couple farewell pictures from Norway

2009-07-09T09:45:00.000-07:00

My host Rotarian, Trond, me, Jack (friend and Rotarian), Travis and Lucas at the end of our Rotary Ambassadorial Scholarship term.

My Italian floormate, Francesco, and I at our student housing

Trailer gathering and jug fishing, 27 June

2009-07-09T09:28:00.000-07:00

Upon my return home to Illinois, I headed out to our family trailer for an evening of catching up with family and friends and jug fishing. Jug fishing involved dropping a good number (30-40 for us) of empty, sealed plastic jugs with lines connected, complete with hooks and weights. We toss them from a small fishing boat and cruise up and down the water looking for the ones bobbing, signaling we've got a catch. State regulations permit jug fishing only from sunset to sunrise, so we use a large flashlight while guiding the boat and checking the jugs.

The master chefs: Jim and my Dad

My brother Paul and friends Urb, Debo and Jake

Ryan showing off the frog we also happened upon in the night

A successful evening with 6 nice catfish in total from a few hours of juggin'

Rotary International Convention in Birmingham, 20-23 June

2009-07-09T09:24:00.000-07:00

I was privileged to attend the Rotary International Convention in Birmingham, England and was joined by a Rotarian and friend of the Holmenkollen Rotary Club of Oslo. Jack and I enjoyed the convention and a quick trip into the city of Birmingham. I found this to be a great opportunity to witness the diversity and magnitude of Rotary as an international organization reaching across the world.

The opening ceremony, with a speech delivered by United Nations Secretary General Ban Ki-moon

The theme of the convention was 'East meets West', with the Rotary International President from South Korea and the Convention being hosted in the UK

The city of Birmingham

An advertisement that caught my attention. It appears it is not just the Americans who celebrate on the 4th of July. These creative retailers played on the homophones 'independents' and 'independence'.

Dublin, 17-19 June

2009-07-09T08:39:00.001-07:00

I made my way over to Dublin, Ireland on a cheap RyanAir flight for a few days between returning home from our trip to Northern Norway and the Rotary International Convention.

St. Patrick's Cathedral

At the Old Jameson Distillery

Atop the Guinness Brewery enjoying a pint

A funny advertisement claiming the health benefits of Guinness

Empty beer kegs were strewn all about the city outside of pubs

Bodø, 14 June

2009-07-08T15:25:00.000-07:00

We were on the last leg of our journey here, and Travis had to leave us a day earlier to get back to Oslo for a course with his masters program. Lucas and I took a ferry to the mainland of Norway to the city of Bodø and stayed the night before our 18-hour train ride the following day down to Oslo. Another gracious Rotarian welcomed us into his home for our night in Bodø. We enjoyed dinner and a fishing trip with Dag and his wife, Evy, during our brief time in the city. They brought us to an area known as Saltstraumen, which is a sound with the strongest tidal current in the world, and renowned for its excellent fishing. We did well that night...

Lucas was the master fisherman this evening, but I liked posing with the many large cod he caught. I did catch one of these, however.

We fished until late into the night, after which we proceeded to Dag and Evy's house to cook up some of the fish for a late night snack.

Moskenes in the Lofoten Islands, 11-13 June

2009-07-08T15:13:00.000-07:00

An island further south in the Lofoten region, Moskenes, was our next and final stop around the Lofoten Islands. We camped, fished and enjoyed a noteworthy 10-hour hike during our days here.

Hiking along, joined by my fishing pole tucked in my bag

Travis enjoying the random, beautiful sandy beaches we found along the way

A panoramic view from the top of the mountain we hiked up and down...then back up and down on the way home. The island of Moskenes is relatively narrow at the point we were hiking, and we came from the east side (right side of the picture) and headed over the to west side. Interesting to note how the island is rather symmetical in this area, with a lake and the ocean on either side of the peak in the middle.

Travis and I hoofing up the steep peak

The lake on the west side, with a small river flowing from it leading into the ocean

An unexpected encounter: when we got to the west side of the island along the hike, we bumped into two fellow students from the University of Oslo, pictured here with us.

More dried stockfish on wooden racks

The heads and entrails are removed before hanging

And here are the heads

Hurtigruten and Svolvær, 10-11 June

2009-07-08T14:41:00.000-07:00

We hopped on the Hurtigruten, the coastal express liner that travels along the western and northern Norwegian coast, to the town of Svolvær. The Hurtigruten travels northbound from Bergen (west coast of Norway, about the same latitude as Oslo) and heads all the way up and over to Kirkenes, situated near the Russian border in the far north. We took the ship for just a small segment of its southbound journey from Harstad to Svolvær.

Kong Harald, named after King Harald V, current king of Norway

Our route took us on a brief side trip into the Troll Fjord, a beautiful sight with the drastic scenery of tall and steep cliffs plunging into the water below.

The Troll Fjord is relatively short, and the ship drove into this bay-like section and pulled a 180 degree turn to proceed out after everyone on board had their opportunity to marvel at the surrounding natural beauty. It was impressive seeing the massive ship turn around in such tight quarters.

Lucas showing off our article in the local Vesterålen newspaper from our time with the District 2270 Conference

Believe it or not, those are all fish hanging in the distance

The quintessential A-frame wooden racks for hanging fish to dry in the Lofoten Islands.

Dried stock fish

At Magic Ice, a tourist attraction in Svolvær with various ice sculptures and an ice bar

Our boat in ice form

Enjoying a local drink in a chalice also made of ice.

Harstad, 8-9 June

2009-07-08T14:20:00.000-07:00

From Sortland, we headed a bit northeast to the city of Harstad, also in Vesterålen. We met a wonderful Rotarian at the District 2270 Conference, Berit, who kindly invited us to stay with her at her home for a few days. Upon arrival to Harstad from Sortland, we met with Berit and headed over to the Harstad Rotary Club meeting. We rented a rowboat our second day and did some fishing, then checked out 'Adolfkanonen' in the evening. Berit and her husband, Lars, were gracious hosts and fed us all sorts of delicious foods...including some hard-boiled sea gull eggs, a local delicacy :)

The five of us, left to right: Lucas, Lars, Berit, Travis and me

Excited for the sea gull eggs...

Left to right: homemade cured trout, shrimp, the sea gull eggs, and a thinly sliced lamb deli meat

At the Harstad Rotary Club meeting exchanging banners

Our workhorse on the rowboat

Not cod...

The evening's catch

The region of Vesterålen is known as the 'Land of Contrasts'. This scene is from just a bit outside of Harstad, northwest of the city.

At the port in Harstad

Lucas, Travis and Berit in front of 'Adolfkanonen' or 'The Adolf Canon'. This heavy artillery is claimed to be the world's largest land-based canon.

Inside the Adolf canon. There was a total of 7 of these canons constructed around the area during World War II by the German occupying forces.

Our tour guide explaining where the 7 canons were constructed, the types of shells that could be used, and the range of the shot...an impressive 56 km (35 miles).

Posing in front of the 40.6 cm (16 inch) caliber barrel

This Adolf Canon's name is actually Barbara, after the patron saint of artillery people.

Sortland, 5-7 June

2009-07-02T17:27:00.000-07:00

From Tromsø, Travis, Lucas and I headed southwest over to Sortland, in a region called Vesterålen. Sortland was the venue for this year's Rotary District 2270 Conference. We had been in touch with District Governor Rolf Johnsen and made arrangements to join the conference. DG Rolf and others graciously welcomed us with them for the weekend and we sincerely appreciate the wonderful hospitality and goodwill.

The city of Sortland is known as the 'Blue City' as many of its buildings all around town are painted blue. Here is the Norwegian Coast Guard base in Sortland where we stayed during our time there.

At the conference

Me, DG Rolf, Lucas, and Travis with a banner exchange

The midnight sun.

We met these two special people at the banquet dinner Saturday night. Øyvind and Silja mentioned they had plans to go out on their fishing boat the next day, and our eyes lit up. We let them know we'd be very interested to join.

The boat

The captain

Birds loved coming in to feast on the fish parts thrown out while cleaning them.

A pollock (or saithe) on the left and a cod on the right

We caught a lot of large pollock on this trip

Big ones

There is about 200 lbs (100 kg) of fish in this bucket. We had fun filleting them later that evening.

Tromsø, 3-5 June

2009-07-02T17:25:00.001-07:00

From Svalbard, Lucas and I headed down to Tromsø, the largest urban area in Northern Norway, where we met our friend and fellow Rotary Ambassadorial scholar, Travis. Our time in Tromsø was brief, but we were able to check out the city and pay a visit to the Tromsø Syd Rotary Club. Their presentation that evening was on hospital reform in the region so I was particularly interested.

Tromsø on a foggy day. The noteworthy Artic Cathedral with its unique design is the white structure in the photo.

We finally managed to see our polar bear. We found this guy on a visit to the Mack Brewery, touted as the northernmost brewery in the world.

Fishing was an essential part of our trip north. Here you see Lucas and I trying our luck. One nice thing about fishing this far north in the summer is that it never gets dark. I think this photo was taken around 10 p.m., and we didn't stop fishing until around 11 or midnight.

Travis was the lucky one our first evening fishing, though. He caught all the fish we ate that night.

A successful evening. We cooked up these cod on the grill back at our campsite for dinner.

Svalbard, 31 May to 3 June

2009-07-02T17:10:00.000-07:00

Our journey began in the city of Longyearbyen on the island of Spitsbergen in the Svalbard archipelago. Svalbard is situated in the Artic Ocean about midway between the North Pole and mainland Norway. The flight from Oslo to Longyearbyen lasted about 4 hours and brought us 1,266 miles north to 78 degrees latitude. We began our journey from the top.

Some nice aerial shots of the Svalbard terrain from the plane

Still plenty of snow and ice flows, even in June!

No economy lodging was available in this small town of 2,000 people, so we decided to utilize the nice summer tent we brought with us. The summer tent's well ventilated design allowed for plenty of the crisp artic air to keep us cool around the clock. Average evening temperatures at this time: 30-34 degrees F.

Found some whale bones lying around

We called our tent the 'Base Camp'

The town of Longyearbyen below. The industrial looking complex is part of the coal mining operations that have been a vital element of the local economy since the beginning of the 20th Century.

They have 'isbjørner'--polar bears that is--but sadly/luckily (?) we didn't bump into any during our stay.

We took a number of hikes around the area surrounding the town.

The town as seen from our tent.

Stopping by the local Rotary Club meeting place

Snowmobiles were the choice mode of transportation on this island.

It may be difficult to see with this photo, but most snowmobiles have a gun case attached. The polar bears mentioned earlier can literally be found all over the island, so protection is needed when travelling outside of the town.

Lucas and I along one of our hikes.

We hiked up this one behind me in the photo. This mount is known as 'sukkertoppen' or 'the sugar top'

On our way back down into town following the nicely carved path of a riverbed through the snow and ice.

Back home

2009-07-02T16:52:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,

After a wonderful 10 months in Norway, I've finally returned home. My flight came into O'Hare Airport in Chicago on 25 June where I found my Dad patiently waiting to bring me to our home in La Salle. I say patiently because he was waiting outside the airport for a little while as I was busy trying to hunt down my skis the airlines had misplaced with my flight. But no worries, the skis arrived safely via FedEx just the other day.

I've really enjoyed the past week catching up with family and friends, and getting back into some uniquely Sadowski activities, viz., jug fishing and frog hunting. I'm taking an online Spanish course through the community college in my area now, and I plan to begin my field research in Iowa early August.

My final 3 1/2 weeks in Norway were busy with travel. I will soon be posting photos and a little travel log highlighting the stops we made along our trip to Northern Norway and in my side trip over to Dublin and Birmingham for the Rotary International Convention.

Its nice to be home with family and friends.

Dan

30 May 2009 Update

2009-05-29T17:57:00.001-07:00

Hello friends,

The end of the semester has come. I'm completing a final essay for my ethics course now and embarking on my journey to the north of Norway tomorrow morning with my friend and fellow Rotary Ambassadorial scholar, Lucas. We look forward to visiting a few Rotary Clubs along our trek, as well as participating in the District 2270 Conference held in Sortland next weekend. I look forward to sharing our experiences with you when I return.

The past few weeks have been busy and filled with various assignments and deadlines. I've also had some time to enjoy fishing in the Oslo Fjord and engage in a variety of other activities around the city. Below is a collection of photos that show some of the action from around Oslo the past weeks.

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The 17th of May is Norwegian Constitution Day and the National Day of Norway. The date marks the signing of the Norwegian Constitution in 1814 that declared Norway an independent nation. The Oslo city center was packed with people flowing all around and particularly congested along the main street, Karl Johans Gate, leading up to the Royal Palace, where the king and his family waived to passersby.

The Norwegian Parliament, Stortinget

Looking down Karl Johans Gate, with the Royal Palace in the distance

Lucas looking dapper and sporting the Norwegian flag

In front of the Oslo City Hall

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On 11 May I joined a group organized by the University of Oslo for a hiking and rappelling trip to a rocky top west of Oslo, called Kolsåstoppen. I joined the same excursion last fall and enjoyed it so much I couldn't resist coming back for Round 2.

Rappelling down

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Fishing has been the new hobby for my friends and I around Oslo. We enjoy taking the public ferry out to an island in the Oslo Fjord named Nakholmen, where we join the eclectic group of local fisherpeople at what has been identified as the hotspot for fishing in the area. I've lost 5 hooks and 12 lures to the angry sea in the 7 or 8 times I've gone, but all has been vindicated with the two cod caught.

The hotspot. The right edge of the land in this picture is a small cliff that drops a few meters down to the sea. The fjord is especially deep in this area and good for fishing.

With my friend Christoph on our way home from fishing

Here is a curious Norwegian idiosyncrasy to mention: the engangsgrill. The small, disposable grill is filled with charcoal and ready for use in any situation. Here its warming up our delicious hot dogs for lunch.

This was on the day I caught my first fish

And there it is friends, my first Norwegian fish. Its a cod, or 'torsk' på norsk.

It was just a camera trick, I promise

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Here are a few random photos.

With my friends Christoph and Zoe at a going away party for Christoph

In front of a sod-roofed building. The sod roof is another unique feature seen around Norway.

With a floormate, Matthias (left), and friend Max on our way to a 'loppemarked' (garage sale) one fine Saturday morning

9 May 2009 Update

2009-05-09T09:10:00.001-07:00

Dear friends,

The end of my academic year in Oslo and my return home are quickly approaching. This time is bittersweet, as I have come to know many wonderful people and appreciate the lifestyle I have become accustomed to here, but certainly I look forward to reuniting with my family and friends in the US. My return flight is set for 25 June.

I will be completing a number of assignments and exams in the coming weeks until the end of the month. On 30 May, I plan to embark on a journey to Northern Norway with my two Rotary Ambassadorial scholar comrades who have been with me in Oslo for the year. We plan to visit various locations on the tour, including the archipelago Svalbard, lying in the Arctic Ocean midway between mainland Norway and the North Pole; the city of Tromsø; the Lofoten Islands; and the city of Bodø. The Lofoten Islands are renowned amongst most Norwegians as a particularly quaint and beautiful place in Norway. If you look at a map, the Lofoten Islands are the archipelago jutting out from the mainland approximately a third of the way down the country. I look forward to the semester-end journey and sharing my experiences with you afterwards.

As the semester is drawing to a close, I had to say my first farewell to a classmate as he'll be traveling soon to another city in Norway for training to prepare for his field work next semester. I bid this farewell at a gathering with my master's program at another classmate's house last night. My Norwegian classmate, Lisa, invited us all over for a cozy gathering and delicious bacalao at her home. I brought homemade beer for the group to enjoy.

The pictures I've posted below are from my last cross country ski trip for the season. As with my final weeks in the country, this ski trip to conclude the season was bittersweet for me. The conditions were amazing, with mostly good weather, blue skies, and significant time with the sun shining down on us. I went with an Australian friend, Zoe, who is a medical student and studying at the University of Oslo for the semester. The photos are compliments of her. We enjoyed about 70 km of skiing, bringing my cumulative distance for the year to a grand total of 833 km, or 518 miles.

I wish everyone a wonderful May, and Happy Mother's Day to all those who fit the bill!

Dan

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Finse, situated at 1,222 meters above sea level. This stop along the train line connecting Oslo to Bergen is a popular location to spend the night while going from cabin to cabin on cross country skis. We began our trek at this point.

Zoe with a dog sled team in the background. We met and talked with some dog mushers along our way and learned that the first weekend of May is a special weekend for many of them to go out for a ride in the area where we were skiing.

The name of the region in which we were skiing is Hardangervidda, a mountain plateau with a climate that maintains ski conditions until the end of May

But careful, some spots could get a bit wet!

We encountered these conditions only on a couple occasions along the way. The top 6-12 inches are a snowy slushy blend having been melted from the warmth of the sun, but a sturdy thick sheet of ice lying underneath remains intact and keeps us on top.

Enjoying some relaxing and high altitude tanning

This picture presents the profile of the mountain plateau well. Virtually no sharp cliffs or mountain peaks and mainly undulating hills. I prefer this type of terrain when XC skiing.

As the temperatures are rising in the spring, we begin to see more mountain streams flowing

The cabin we stayed at the first evening. The cabin is another of the collection of 400+ around the country administered by the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT)

Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Final Report

2009-05-07T00:38:00.000-07:00

I must first express my sincere gratitude to Rotary for making this opportunity possible for me. Without your support, this time for personal growth and development in such a unique setting would not be possible. Here I would like to provide you with an overview of my progress this year in my host District 2310 as an ambassadorial scholar on behalf of District 6420. I have enjoyed an enlightening and wholesome time here in Oslo.

I’ll begin with some practical information. I study at the University of Oslo in a Master’s of Philosophy (MPhil) program in International Community Health within the Faculty of Medicine. I live at Sogn Studentby, a student housing complex located just a few kilometers north of the Blindern (main) campus of the university. My floor has 7 single rooms and a shared bathroom and kitchen. Board is my responsibility, and I have enjoyed learning to cook a number of new dishes! Although Norway is an expensive country, tuition is nominal and prevented me from having any financial concerns for the year. Additionally, please see the list of presentations with locations and dates on the final page of this report.

My program of study has provided me with a basic foundation of knowledge in public health, taught through a unique Nordic health lens that has provided insight into their perspective on health care. In my masters program I am learning the comprehensive process of research, step by step, and acknowledging the importance placed on public policy decisions based on research and empirical data.

One of my reasons for selecting Norway as a potential host country was my curiosity to experience and better understand a modern welfare state based on fundamentals of egalitarian ideology. I have found this aspect of my time here to be particularly thought provoking, especially coming from the US where individualism is strongly emphasized. My perspective gained here will follow me in my future career as a health care professional.

Aside from a fruitful academic experience, I have also embraced the Rotary Ideal and engaged in service at a local nursing home. I have logged 92 hours to date and enjoyed developing relationships with both the residents and health workers at the facility.

The following paragraphs are a message I directed to the outbound Rotary scholars at the 2009 Mid-America LINK Rotary Foundation Regional Outbound Scholar Orientation Seminar in Kansas City. I feel the message presents pertinent information on my volunteer experiences, a unique aspect of Norwegian society, and useful advice for future scholars.

I can remember the engaging and enlightening presentations and activities I experienced at last year's outbound scholar orientation, and much of what I learned there has come to benefit me and enrich my experience this year as a Rotary Ambassadorial scholar.

One topic, however, that was racing through my head throughout the conference, and continued to linger in my thoughts during the time before departure and even upon arrival was: What sort of service activities will I be able to embrace during my time in a well-organized welfare state, where the state assumes comprehensive responsibility of all its citizens?

This issue proved to make getting a service activity arranged an especially active and laborious process. As per my interest in health, my desire was to establish a volunteer position in some sort of health care facility. When I arrived to Oslo in the fall I was excited to get started with service soon, as it is an essential component of the Ambassadorial scholar year, so I began to ask around and make contacts immediately. I spoke with a classmate that works at a Norwegian public health institute, contacted a Rotarian pediatrician in Oslo, emailed my interest to an online volunteer coordinating service, inquired at the Red Cross, and physically visited a local hospital to inquire; none of which proved successful in my quest to volunteer in a health care setting.

Then came good fortune. A classmate in my master's program recommended I offer my help at a nursing home in which he previously worked. I went to the facility and mentioned my classmate's name, which helped establish my credibility. The concern of language came up (since I spoke quite limited Norwegian at the time) and the effort seemed to be put on hold until I improved my language skills to an unspecified level. After that, a Rotary connection swooped in to my rescue. A nurse at the facility heard of my interest to volunteer, and having a daughter currently on a Rotary exchange program in Japan, she happily took me under her wing to get established with the position!

Now I go to the nursing home 2-3 times a week, for about 2-3 hours each visit. I help with preparing meals, read (i.e., attempt to read) the Norwegian newspaper and articles with residents, help putting residents to bed, assist in other daily care activities, and, of course, socialize with everyone. I am pleased with the variety of activities in which I am allowed to participate.

So my message to all, and especially those scholars going to a welfare state, is to not give up in arranging your involvement in a quality service activity. Start making contacts as EARLY as possible, as it took me a full semester to get my position lined up! People are suffering all around the world, some to a much greater degree than others, but there is always an opportunity for you to better the lives of a marginalized group.

My role as an ambassador of goodwill has allowed me to visit 17 Rotary Clubs and deliver 22 presentations to various audiences. The majority of clubs I visited are within District 2310, however, I also visited two Norwegian clubs in the neighboring District 2260 and the Istanbul Caddebostan Rotary Club in Turkey. Through my time visiting the many Rotary Clubs around Norway and abroad, I am always impressed with the quality of character exemplified by Rotarians.

We were blessed with an exceptionally snowy winter in Oslo for my year here. With the encouragement from my host Rotarian, Trond, I purchased a set of cross-country skis at a garage sale and decided to test out my skills with the national sport of Norway. In just over four months I glided more than 500 miles on skis. I look forward to skiing next winter back in Illinois with my sponsor Rotarian, John, who I learned also enjoys the sport. Serendipity on skis guided by the light of Rotary!

My Norwegian language skills have developed gradually through the past year. Last semester I took an introductory Norwegian course and this semester I practice my conversation skills regularly when I volunteer at the nursing home. I was able to use my Norwegian skills for portions of my presentations to clubs as well. My Norwegian floor mate, Jørn, is also delighted to speak with me in his native tongue occasionally when we converse. Although a mastery of the language is not necessary to communicate in Norway, as the vast majority of the population is proficient in English, I have been pleased to engage in basic conversations with Norwegians. My attempts at learning the language and my basic skills have been well received by the Norwegians with whom I have spoken.

I look forward to staying in touch with Rotary in the immediate future through my return presentations to clubs in my sponsor District 6420 this summer. Additionally, I would gladly accept any offer to speak at future outbound scholar orientations. Once I complete my time in academia and begin my career as a medical doctor I will certainly explore the opportunity to become a member of Rotary.

Again, I deeply appreciate being granted this opportunity to live, serve and learn in the name of Rotary.

Respectfully submitted,

Dan Sadowski

Update 20 April 2009

2009-04-20T03:31:00.000-07:00

Hello friends,

I hope this message finds you enjoying a warm transition to spring. I wish to update you on my recent activities and during Easter break.

This past Friday I completed a final examination for my 'Topics in Health Policy' course and now am busy hammering out the details for my research methodology and protocol. Tomorrow I will be visiting the Jessheim Rotary Club, located a short distance northeast of Oslo, to give a presentation.

I enjoyed a cross country ski trip for 4 days in the mountains east of Stavanger for the beginning of Easter break, and visited the city of Stavanger for the second leg of the trip. See photos below.

I wish you all a wonderful week!

Regards,
Dan

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My friend, Christoph, and I visited the city of Stavanger for a few days during Easter break. We stayed at the house of another friend, Janne, who is a classmate in my masters program and from Stavanger. Aside from the photos showing our activities below, we also visited the Norwegian Petroleum Museum, which provided insightful and educational information on the history of oil and Norway's relationship with the natural resource.

Old Stavanger precinct, with quaint cobblestone paths

Stavanger city center and harbor area

With my friend, Christoph

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The three of us, Janne, Christoph and I, took a short day trip south of Stavanger to see the countryside and take a walk along the beach.

With my friend, Janne

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Christoph and I took a hike to a popular attraction near Stavanger called Preikestolen (Pulpit Rock). The rocky 3.8 km trail takes approximately 2 hours to climb to the top and leads to an amazing view of the Lysefjord, looking from atop a 604 meter cliff that plunges straight down to the water below. Quite an exhilerating experience, especially with the strong winds we had to deal with atop the cliff plateau that added to the thrill!

At a small pond on the hike up to the top

View from atop the cliff with the Lysefjord in the distance

This photo helps give perspective on the elevation of the cliff, looking down to the fjord below

A rainbow as the clouds broke up a bit

Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Report for District 6420 Annual Conference

2009-04-17T08:41:00.000-07:00

Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar Report for District 6420 Annual Conference

Warm greetings from Norway to all Rotarians and friends in attendance at the District 6420 Conference! And I am serious when I use the descriptor “warm” for my salutation, as we are enjoying beautiful weather in the mid 50s this weekend; a welcome transition from our long and snow-filled winter.

I must first express my sincere gratitude for making this opportunity possible for me. Without your support this time for personal growth and development in such a unique setting would not be possible. Here I would like to provide you with an update on my progress this year in my host District 2310 as an ambassadorial scholar on behalf of District 6420. I have enjoyed an enlightening and wholesome time here in Oslo.

My program of study, International Community Health, has provided me with a basic foundation of knowledge in public health, taught through a unique Nordic health lens that has provided insight into their perspective on health care. In my masters program I am learning the comprehensive process of research, step by step, and acknowledging the importance placed on public policy decisions based on research and empirical data.

One of my reasons for selecting Norway as a potential host country was my curiosity to experience and better understand a modern welfare state based on fundamentals of egalitarian ideology. I have found this aspect of my time here to be particularly thought provoking, especially coming from the US where individualism is strongly emphasized. My perspective gained here will follow me in my future career as a health care professional.

Aside from a fruitful academic experience, I have also embraced the Rotary Ideal and engaged in service at a local nursing home. I have logged nearly 85 hours and enjoyed developing relationships with both the residents and health workers at the facility.

Additionally, my role as an ambassador of goodwill has allowed me to visit 17 Rotary Clubs and deliver 20 presentations to various audiences. Through my time visiting the many Rotary Clubs around Norway and abroad, I am always impressed with the quality of character exemplified by Rotarians.

As I mentioned in the beginning of this report, we were blessed with an exceptionally snowy winter in Oslo this year. With the encouragement from my host Rotarian, Trond, I purchased a set of cross-country skis at a garage sale and decided to test out my skills with the national sport of Norway. In just over three months I glided nearly 500 miles on skis. I look forward to skiing next winter back in Illinois with my sponsor Rotarian, John, who I learned also enjoys the sport. Serendipity on skis guided by the light of Rotary!

Again, I deeply appreciate being granted this opportunity to live, serve and learn in the name of Rotary.

Respectfully submitted,
Dan Sadowski

Update 28 March 2009

2009-03-28T03:07:00.001-07:00

Dear friends,

The month of March is coming to a close and Easter is just around the corner. I'll be enjoying Easter in a popular Norwegian fashion with a ski trip to the mountains. The snow is melting quickly now in Oslo, but the ski conditions high in the mountains should be great. The trip will be for a few days, going from cabin to cabin on cross country skis.

I have been especially busy with academics in the past couple weeks. I've been preparing for a Literature Review presentation which I will be giving tomorrow to my supervisor and an external examiner. My eyeballs are strained from the long hours of scanning through the many research articles and other literature available related to my topic, but I'm thrilled with the amount of information I've encountered in the hunt.

Below you'll find a collection of photos from my experiences in the past few weeks here. I think you'll notice a trend with what I do in my free time...

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On Saturday, 21 March, I participated in the Birkebeinerrennet, a 54 km cross country ski race from Rena to Lillehammer, just a few hours north of Oslo. The race is a popular one in Norway, with around 14,500 participants this year. I enjoyed being immersed in the energy and excitement of all the people present, and felt the event was a truly Norwegian experience, doing what many Norwegians love to do: ski. I finished the 54 km in 6 hours 45 mins. The best time was 2 hours 37 mins. Let's just say I wasn't in a rush.

No need to worry about what wax to use on your skis, they had complimentary stations for everyone to get their skis prepared before the race.

14,500 participants, with groups of skiers released every 5 minutes over the course of 2 hours. I was impressed with how efficiently the race was organized and executed given the number of people.

Coming from Rena

Going to Lillehammer

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An assortment of other ski pictures:

On the journey home from a cabin west of Kongsberg along the Knuteløpet. This trip was mentioned in my last blog post.

This is the cabin we stayed at on our trip near Kongsberg. The cabin is one of 450 sprinkled across the country under the administration of the Norwegian Trekking Association (DNT)

Beautiful snowy day

With my friend, Janne, on a day trip near Oslo. Janne is a Norwegian classmate in my masters program. We were just clarifying our coordinates here.

Blue skies and great conditions up in the mountains.

A very different experience skiing in the mountains as compared to the forests around Oslo.

Update 12 March 2009

2009-03-12T04:12:00.001-07:00

The semester is chugging along nicely. I'm looking out the window now to yet another beautiful snowfall...all the Norwegians tell me this winter has been exceptional with regards to the amount of snow, and I couldn't be happier!

My time at Nordberghjemmet, the nursing home, is also going well. I go a few times each week for a few hours each visit. I spend my time with one section of a floor consistently, so I am developing relationships with the 8 residents of that section. I have connected especially well with 4 of the residents, and we look forward to seeing each other and talking when I come for a visit. Now that I'm a bit more established in my volunteer position and comfortable with the facility and my surroundings, I'd like to get a bit creative and outgoing. I spoke with one of the nursing assistants tonight and planned a waffle and movie night for next Monday when I come. Waffles are a Norwegian favorite, especially with brown cheese (often made with goat milk) or sour cream and jam.

I began a course on topics in health policy last week. The course is offered through the master's program in health economics, policy and management at the University of Oslo and will continue to meet through the month of March. I appreciate the content of the course because it focuses a great deal on comparing various health systems in different countries. In learning about other countries' health systems I actually get a better insight into the characteristics and function of our own system in the US. I find the material especially interesting as we welcome some possible changes in the health system back home.

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The following are pictures from a cross country ski trip I took with some friends the last weekend of February. We started in Kongsberg and went 24 kilometers west to a cabin to spend the night. I normally don't have my camera with me when I'm skiing, as I'm afraid of breaking it during a fall or by getting it wet, but my brave friend Christoph brought his and took these photos. I thought it would be nice to provide a little insight into what I am always doing in my free time.

This route we took had us pass through a downhill ski slope, hence the chair lift.

This is what the prepared tracks look like, with the slots grooved into the ground to guide the skis as you go.

A view from above of the city of Kongsberg in the distance. Random fact, the city of Kongsberg is home to the Royal Norwegian Mint, 'Det Norske Myntverket'.

We also made the local newspaper with our adventure. We just happened to be going home on Sunday along the same route as a cross country ski race and were interviewed at one of the refreshment stops along the way. This image is from the website of the newspaper in Kongsberg. We were the 'friend trio' from Germany, the Netherlands and the USA mentioned.

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These photos are from the sledding trip I took with my master's program back on 11 February. I lifted these photos from Rose, a classmate in my program, on Facebook.

It looked like a winter wonderland that day! Shuhana was enjoying it in the picture here.

With Rose, the other American in my master's program. She's from Texas.

A message for outbound ambassadorial scholars

2009-03-06T10:00:00.000-08:00

This message is intended for the participants in the Mid-America LINK Rotary Foundation Regional Outbound Scholar Orientation Seminar in Kansas City.

I'm Dan Sadowski, a Rotary Ambassadorial scholar for 2008-2009 currently studying in Oslo, Norway, in a master's program of International Community Health. My hometown is La Salle, Illinois, and I spent four years in Des Moines, Iowa at my undergraduate institution, Drake University, from 2004-2008.

I plan to share with you my experiences in getting a service activity/volunteer position lined up here in Norway. I can remember the engaging and enlightening presentations and activities I experienced at last year's outbound scholar orientation, and much of what I learned there has come to benefit me and enrich my experience this year as a Rotary Ambassadorial scholar.

One topic, however, that was racing through my head throughout the conference, and continued to linger in my thoughts during the time before departure and even upon arrival was: What sort of service activities will I be able to embrace during my time in a well-organized welfare state, where the state assumes comprehensive responsibility of all its citizens?

This issue proved to make getting a service activity arranged an especially active and laborious process. As per my interest in health, my desire was to establish a volunteer position in some sort of health care facility. When I arrived to Oslo in the fall I was excited to get started with service soon, as it is an essential component of the Ambassadorial scholar year, so I began to ask around and make contacts immediately. I spoke with a classmate that works at a Norwegian public health institute, contacted a Rotarian pediatrician in Oslo, emailed my interest to an online volunteer coordinating service, inquired at the Red Cross, and physically visited a local hospital to inquire; none of which proved successful in my quest to volunteer in a health care setting.

Then came serendipity. A classmate in my master's program recommended I offer my help at a nursing home in which he previously worked. I went to the facility and mentioned my classmate's name, which helped establish my credibility. The concern of language came up (since I spoke quite limited Norwegian at the time) and the effort seemed to be put on hold until I improved my language skills to an unspecified level. After that, a Rotary connection swooped into my rescue. A nurse at the facility heard of my interest to volunteer, and having a daughter currently on a Rotary exchange program in Japan, she happily took me under her wing to get established with the position!

Now I go to the nursing home 2-3 times a week, for about 2-3 hours each visit. I help with preparing meals, read (i.e., attempt to read) the Norwegian newspaper and articles with residents, help putting residents to bed, assist in other daily care activities, and, of course, socialize with everyone. I am pleased with the variety of activities in which I am allowed to participate.

So my message to all, and especially those scholars going to a welfare state, is to not give up in arranging your involvement in a quality service activity. Start making contacts as EARLY as possible, as it took me a full semester to get my position lined up! People are suffering all around the world, some to a much greater degree than others, but there is always an opportunity for you to better the lives of a marginalized group.

Hope you have a great conference. Ha det bra!

Dan

Update 22 February 2009

2009-02-22T19:21:00.001-08:00

This month of February has flown by. Its hard to believe I've been in Oslo now for 6 months, and I have only 4 months remaining. I've been staying busy with academic work, volunteering at the nursing home, and cross country skiing. I'm up to 300 km (185 miles) now for my total XC ski distance. This weekend I plan to go with a few friends for a 2-day ski trip, planning to go ca. 50 km.

I still enjoy spending a bit of time experimenting in the kitchen. I like to make a loaf or two of homemade bread each week, and last weekend I tried out a classic Norwegian dish: fish balls in curry sauce. Nam nam, smakte så deilig! :)

The snow has been piling up here! We've had quite a few snowy days in the past month, and I see more snow in the forecast.

On a snowy day as seen from the window in my room

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I took a trip by train to visit some friends in Bergen on 17 Feb. On my return, I followed the route of the well-known 'Norway in a Nutshell' tourist trek. The journey included a train ride on the historic Flåm Railway and a boat ride through the Aurlandsfjord and Naeroyfjord.

Train on the Flåm Railway. The Flåm Railway connects Flåm (2 meters above sea level) and Myrdal (865 meters above sea level). It stretches 20 km and took 24 years to build, between 1923 and 1947.

Cruising through the Aurlandsfjord

The buildings in the bottom left of the photo give perspective on the magnitude and steepness of the surrounding mountains of the fjord

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On 11 Feb our masters program took a field trip to go sledding down 'Korketrekkeren', or 'The Corkscrew', which was used as the bobsled track in the 1952 Winter Olympics hosted in Oslo. The run is 2000 meters (1.25 miles) long, and the ride lasts about 10 minutes. Once to the bottom, you just hop on the subway that brings you back to the top for another go. Quite a fun ride!

That's my shadow in the bottom left of the photo as I was taking the picture

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On 5 Feb I presented to the Gardermoen Rotary Club. This club meets in the hotel right next to the main airport for Oslo.

With the incoming president for the Gardermoen RC

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Here are a few photos I took while in London for the Rotary Ambassadorial scholars and counselors conference back in the end of January.

In front of Buckingham Palace

Westminster Abbey

Southwest corner of the UK Parliament building

Big Ben (named after the bell, not the clock!)

Farringdon Station, opened in 1863 as the last stop of the original Metropolitan Railway, which was the world's first underground subway line.

Update 1 February 2009

2009-02-01T03:32:00.000-08:00

Hello friends,

I've finally finished posting some photos and commentary from my travels with Kristie during our winter break.

My time volunteering at the nursing home has been productive. I've developed relationships with a few of the residents in the section where I'm working as well as some of the nursing staff. Two of the nursing assistants are from Spanish-speaking countries, so we enjoy trying to communicate using three languages, with the order of preference going from trying to explain in Norwegian, then clarifying a word of phrase in Spanish if necessary, and finally if all else fails a default to English. Its a fun experience.

Last weekend I attended a Rotary Ambassadorial Scholar conference in London hosted by the Rotary Club of Harrow. I took the trip with Travis (a fellow Rotary scholar in Oslo) and a Rotarian named Jack from my host Rotary Club, Holmenkollen. We enjoyed a tour of the city on Saturday and the conference on Sunday. The conference had two fundamental components. The one aspect was a more practical exchange of experiences and thoughts among current scholars of how to improve our remaining time in the scholarship period and in future relationships with Rotary. The other aspect, which served as a sort of theme for the conference, focused on international humanitarian needs.

Last night I went over to Trond's house for his wife, Kirsten's, birthday party. She celebrated her 50th birthday, so the gathering was significant and many friends and family were in attendance. It was a fun evening trying to understand speeches in Norwegian and having conversations with the guests.

My total cross country ski distance has increased to 75 km. I plan to take a day trip with some friends next Saturday to the vast expanse of forest north of Oslo.

Ha det bra!
Dan

Barcelona, Spain: 1-5 January

2009-01-23T12:27:00.000-08:00

Our last destination before returning to Oslo was Barcelona. The city had a lot of interesting architecture and art, the climate was mild, and the pedestrian walkway (La Rambla) filled with flower shops, pet stores, tourist stands, and street performers was entertaining to meander down. Below you'll also find photos of some of the Gaudi works we saw...most noteworthy is the Church of the Sagrada Familia. Gaudi was a popular Spanish architect and part of the art nouveau movement.

View of the city from atop a hill near Gaudi's Park Güell

The pedestrian walkway downtown

Statue of Christopher Columbus situated at the end of La Rambla.

In the Gothic Quarter of the city

Arc de Triomf, built for the 1888 World's Fair

Gate of the Roman wall with Cathedral of Eulalia in background

In Barcelona the children don't ask Santa Claus for Christmas presents; rather they make their requests to the magi.

Before you saw the 'La Rambla' pedestrian walkway. This is La Rambla del Mar, the maritime version.

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The next few photos are all of Gaudi's work around the city.

Casa Batlló

La Pedrera

In Park Güell

Park Güell lizard

At Gaudi's Park Güell

Guadi's Temple Expiatori de la Sagrada Familia

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We went to a chocolate museum and learned quite a bit about the history of the use of the cocoa bean and production of modern chocolate. Barcelona was the entry port for the cocoa bean into Europe starting in 1520 coming from the Americas. An interesting tidbit I learned from the museum that I hadn't realized previously is that chocolate has been consumed as a drink for most of its history. Since its first documented use around 1100 B.C. until around the time of the Industrial Revolution it had only existed as a drink.

The museum also had a fascinating display of chocolate sculptures...

This one should look familiar...its the chocolate counterpart of Michelangelo's Pietá found in St. Peter's Basilica.

And here is chocolate model of Gaudi's La Pedrera building

A chocolate Arc de Triomf

Enjoying some chocolate after the museum visit. Consumed in the traditional technique, as a thick warm liquid with pastries for dunking.

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Some modern art

At the Olympic Stadium complex where Barcelona hosted the 1992 Summer Olympic Games

View of the Estadi Olímpic Lluís Companys (the Olympic stadium)

Inside the stadium

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Another aspect of Barcelona we really enjoyed was going to the markets. My personal favorite was the meat stands with salamis and sausages and legs hanging all around.

Rome, Italy: 28 December to 1 January

2009-01-23T10:19:00.000-08:00

Kristie and I departed from Heidelberg on 28 December for our next destination, Rome. We stayed at a hostel but spent most of our time out and about exploring the city.

Trevi Fountain

St. Peter's Square

Queue for entering St. Peter's Basilica

Entrance to St. Peter's Basilica

Inside the massive basilica. The main altar with the dome above can be seen in the distance.

Glimpse of the front section of St. Peter's Basilica

The Pietà sculpted by Michelangelo

The main altar

The dome above the main altar

Listing of all the Popes in the history of the Roman Catholic Church, starting with Saint Peter

Kristie and I with the dome in the background

View from above of St. Peter's Square (Piazza San Pietro)

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These next few photos are from within the Vatican Museums and the Sistine Chapel.

Head of a statue from Thebes, ca. 2000 B.C.

Mummy of a woman from Thebes, ca. 1000 B.C.

Statue of Hercules, ca. 1st century A.D.

The School of Athens fresco, Raphael

The Disputation of the Sacrament fresco, Raphael

This fresco symbolizes the implementation of Christianity as the official religion of the Roman Empire. Note the shattered pagan sculpture lying at the feet of the crucifix. This fresco was painted by Raphael.

The magnificent frescos of the Sistine Chapel

Ceiling adorned with frescos painted by Michelangelo

Video from within the Sistine Chapel. First you see 'The Last Judgement' on the wall straight ahead, then you will see 9 stories from the Book of Genesis depicted on the ceiling. Sorry about the shaky footage.

The double helix staircase in the Vatican Museums

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Piazza del Popolo. This is the plaza we went to for viewing the fireworks on New Year's Eve.

Sign describing the history of the Spanish Steps

Below the history section on the sign are the rules and regulations for the area around the Spanish Steps. Please note the fourth point.

Kristie and I at the Spanish Steps with Trinità dei Monti church in the background

Mopeds were everywhere.

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Inside the Colosseum

Colosseum with the Arch of Constantine to the left

Check out the size of this pinkie toe, Kristie's hand on it gives perspective

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Inside the Pantheon

Entrance to the Pantheon

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On New Year's Day (our last day in Rome) we went back to St. Peter's Square to hear the Pope speak and give a blessing.

The crowd was gathered outside in the square while the Pope was saying mass inside St. Peter's Basilica. After the mass he came out to address the crowd.

Video from the Pope's address

Heidelberg, Germany: 23-28 December

2009-01-20T06:21:00.000-08:00

Our journey started in Heidelberg, Germany, where we stayed at a friend's house. The group consisted of Kristie, Travis and I for this leg of the trip. I must give credit to the Heidelberg travel guide we used for a lot of the information mentioned here.

'Hauptstrasse,' reportedly the longest pedestrian precinct in Germany

German Lego man + dog

'Giant House' building, Baroque architecture, built 1707

Old University Building, Baroque architecture, built 1728

The Corn Market with Madonna statue by Peter von den Branden, 1718.

S-Printing Horse in front of the Print Media Academy of the Heidelberg Druckmaschinen.

Former Jesuit College Building

Inside the Jesuit Church, constructed 1712-1759

The Heidelberg Castle with a dormant Christmas market in the foreground

Travis and Kristie, on our way up to the castle

My personal favorite from Heidelberg: The Great Tun. Constructed in 1751 from 130 oak tree trunks, this 8.5 meter wide, 7 meter high spectacle can hold 221,725 liters (58,000 US gallons). Claimed to be the biggest wooden barrel in the world ever to have been filled with wine. This tun comes complete with a dance floor on top, too. Amazing.

The dwarf Perkeo was appointed 'Guardian of the Tun'

The Heidelberg Castle

In the courtyard of the castle. An interesting combination of different architectural styles that blend together well...the Baroque Frederick Building (1607) on the left and the Renaissance Otto Henry Building (mid 16th Century) on the right, connected with the bell tower in the middle.

Panoramic shot

The Gate Tower

We took a little journey along a path up a hill known as the Philosophers' Walk

The amphitheater atop the hill at the end of the Philosophers' Walk

Travis and I enjoying the super tire swing on our way along the walk

Just 10 km southwest of Heidelberg is the city of Schwetzingen, home to the Schwetzingen Castle and an impressive 178 acre expanse of gardens.

Sporting the Christmas colors

Around Oslo, December 2008

2009-01-20T06:08:00.001-08:00

Kristie arrived on Sunday, 21 December, and we spent a couple days in Oslo before embarking on our holiday journey. I took her around to see my campus on Monday morning and later in the day we met up with Lucas (another American with a Rotary Ambassadorial scholarship) and his mother for a tour around Oslo.

Aker Brygge (trendy waterfront development) and the Oslo fjord seen from atop Akershus fortress

Kristie and I on our tour of the city

In my classroom. I spent a lot of time in this classroom last semester...like 20-25 hours a week.

Outside of my institute

Kristie and I enjoyed making a gingerbread house (pepperkakerhus på norsk) in my apartment

This was the side of the roof she decorated

And this was my side

A horrible tragedy occurred overnight...we found the house in ruins the next morning

It appears the moist frosting made the structure soggy and weak. I've taken these photos to send along to the insurance company.

January update

2009-01-20T00:14:00.001-08:00

Dear friends,

I hope you all had a pleasant holiday season with family and friends. I enjoyed spending the holidays with my girlfriend, Kristie, who came to visit me in Oslo for a few weeks. We utilized the time to visit a few European sites, starting in Heidelberg, Germany, and moving on to Rome and Barcelona before returning to Oslo. The past couple weeks have been a bit busy, but I look forward to posting photos of our travels soon. I realize it has been a while since I've given an update on my status, so I want to fill you in on recent events.

I began my master's program courses last Monday, 12 January. Last semester I had class lectures 4-5 days a week, and this semester will only begin the first few weeks with such an emphasis on in-class time. Then from mid-February on I will have more time for independent work on investigating my research topic. Although still tentative, I am planning to focus my research on health care access and its effects on diabetes care amongst Hispanics in the US. I will be completing my stay in Norway in June and return home to the US. The fall 2009 semester will be devoted to conducting my field research and the spring 2010 semester for drafting my master's thesis. In order to deliver my thesis and graduate from the University of Oslo, I'll return to Norway sometime in the latter part of the spring 2010 semester.

My Norwegian language course began yesterday and I anticipate a slight increase in the speed of my language acquisition. This Norwegian course bears a few more credits than last semester and should be a bit more intensive, with more time for class meetings and regular homework assignments. Also, I've finally found an environment for complete immersion into the Norwegian language, which leads into my next item of good news that I have established a volunteer position at the nursing home I mentioned in previous communications.

I had my first official visit to Nordberghjemmet last week on Wednesday, 14 January, and have visited the residents two other days since then. I look forward to visiting about 2-3 times each week for a few hours each visit. I started my time focusing on a group of 8 residents in one section of the nursing home, establishing relationships and familiarizing myself with the environment. I'm excited for a meaningful and productive few months helping at the facility. I help with preparing snacks, read (i.e., attempt to read) the Norwegian newspaper and articles with residents, help putting residents to bed, assist in other daily care activities, and, of course, socialize with everyone. I am pleased with the variety of activities in which I am allowed to participate.

I started this semester strong with Rotary Club presentations also. I gave two presentations last week, Monday to Nordstrand RC and Tuesday to Eiksmarka RC, and have another presentation scheduled for this evening to Hønefoss Øst RC. I am integrating more Norwegian into my presentation as I progress through the year, and my ambitious goal is to deliver around 90% of the presentation in Norwegian by the end of the semester.

I'm looking outside my window now and watching an amazing snowfall. We accumulated about a foot and a half of snow Sunday afternoon/evening, and we have snow in the forecast for most of the next 7 days. All this snow brings up one very important aspect of Norwegian culture: SKIING!

I went cross country skiing once last semester before winter break and enjoyed falling on my rear and side numerous times. The learning process was fun and only slightly painful. Now I'm getting a bit better with the technique, and the fresh snow makes the XC skiing a bit easier, as you don't slide down the hills as fast and recklessly as is the case with an icy trail. I've logged 38 kilometers thus far and look forward to seeing what my cumulative distance may be by the end of the season. As you may have already noted, I'm greatly enjoying this ski culture. The word 'ski' comes from the Norwegian language, and indeed skiing is ubiquitous in Norway during snowy winter months. Yesterday one of my Norwegian classmates actually skied to class from his home. Seeing how much is coming down now I might have to follow his example and do the same today!

Have a great week!

Dan

End of semester update, 21 December

2008-12-20T19:50:00.000-08:00

Hello all. I thought I would post some photos and an update from the past few weeks which included the conclusion of the fall semester here. Kristie will be arriving shortly in Oslo. We're going to tour around the city a bit on Monday, and then we head for Heidelberg, Germany on Tuesday where we will spend Christmas. From there we'll travel to Rome and Barcelona and spend a few days in each location. I'm excited to put my Spanish skills to use for a bit while in Spain.

I had my Norwegian language course final exam last Monday, and I turned in my last exam for my masters program on Friday. The last exam covered a course on qualitative methods...new and interesting content for me.

I also had a meeting on Friday with a nurse named Pauline at a nursing home just a bit north of where I'm living. She showed me around the facility and introduced me to some of the residents. I'm looking forward to making regular visits starting in January. Pauline and her husband are hosting a Rotary exchange student from Brazil this year while their daughter is on the same program in Japan. While it has been a difficult task to find a service opportunity here in Oslo, a Rotary connection has swooped in to my rescue!

God Jul (Merry Christmas) and hope you all have a nice holiday season.

Beautiful, snow-covered University of Oslo campus

These photos are from a few weeks ago...we recently had a surge of warm weather (like 32-38 degrees F) and all of our snow has melted. I've been reassured there is plenty more to come for a replacement in the near future though.

My master's program, International Community Health, celebrated its '10th birthday' on 3. December with a program of speeches, multicultural entertainment and a luncheon.

A fashion show was also part of the festivities for the 10th anniversary celebration

Random picture, but I had never seen one of these before. Its an orange assaulted by cloves and serves as a Christmas potpourri ball. I snapped this photo at my host Rotarian Trond's house.

On a completely different note, but also involving sticking objects into citrus fruits, we had an 'interactive lecture' on acupuncture in class the other week. First we practiced on clementines.

Then we tried on ourselves. I had never experienced acupuncture before and was surprised how it didn't hurt at all...unless you stick the needle in wrong of course.

I acquired a Christmas tree for my floor to get my floormates and I into the holiday spirit.

Low-cost decorating. Aluminum foil and ribbon.

My floormate, Misha, and I showing off the masterpiece.

Julebord. That directly translates to 'Christmas table' and is an important celebration for every office, organization, business, program, club and anyone else who meets regularly in a group to utilize as a holiday gathering celebration. I went to one with my institute at the university, another for my master's program, and the latest with the Oslo Rotaract club.

I've enjoyed some skiing recently. There is a local ski park accessible by public transportation in northern Oslo that I visited for downhill skiing. I also went cross country skiing for my first time the other week with a friend. Learning the basics went well I think...but since the snow melted recently I haven't been able to get back out to practice. Next semester I hope to get out to cross country ski regularly. Its only a 10 minute walk from my place to hop on a ski path.

Istanbul, Turkey 27-30 November

2008-12-07T03:20:00.001-08:00

Eating turkey in Turkey on Turkey Day would have been a magnificent feat, but sadly I only ate kebabs on 27 November in Istanbul. The trip to Istanbul was amazing; the people were fun and extroverted, the buildings and sites were impressive, the food was delicious with interesting flavors, and the surroundings were unlike anything I had experienced before. I hope you enjoy glancing at the photos and brief commentaries I've posted here.

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Dolma rolling machines for sale. Dolma is a Turkish delicacy with ingredients like rice and meat wrapped in vine or grape leaves.

Lots of people in the crowded streets. Istanbul is the 3rd largest city in the world with around 12 million people. That is, about 3 times the population of the entire country of Norway.

Part of the city across the Golden Horn on the European side.

People fishing along the Bosphorus. The Bosphorus, also known as the Istanbul Straight, is a body of water separating the European and Asian continents. Since the city encompasses area on both sides of the Bosphorus, Istanbul is considered a transcontinental city.

Cool hats

Enjoying Turkish coffee...it's known to be a strong and thick brew.

Octopus

Sheep heads

Strange looking fish

A pigeon lady

Delicious kebab

Bagel vendor

Portable laminator

Travis with two Turks we met in a restaurant our first night

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Cats were everywhere around the city, even in the church/mosque/museum of Hagia Sofia as seen in the first picture below. The story we heard is that the Prophet Mohammed was fond of cats, so they are allowed to roam freely.

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We took a quick trip to the Asian side of Istanbul. Boat ride lasted approximately 10 minutes. It was interesting going from Europe to Asia in a matter of minutes...just strange to think of it that way I suppose.

In Europe...

Now Asia.

Security fences around a university on the Asian side.

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The Grand Bazaar. Reportedly some 6,000 shops in this market.

The Spice Bazaar, constructed in the 17th Century. This location served as an important connecting point between Asia and Europe along the historical spice routes.

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The Topkapi Palace was the residence for the Ottaman Sultans during the 15-19th Centuries. We toured the palace, which is now a museum, and learned a bit about the history of the Ottoman Empire and the lavish lives the sultans enjoyed. Also, some impressive items we saw in the museum include the 86 carat 'Spoonmaker's Diamond,' the turban of Joseph (son of Jacob), a sword belonging to David, and the staff of Moses. At first I was shocked and thought the items of the historical holy figures were just replicas, but according to the museum the items are genuine.

View of Topkapi Palace from a distance

Inside Topkapi Palace

With our Turkish Rotarian friend, Cagri, who graciously showed us around the city on Saturday.

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These next photos are from the Hagia Sofia museum. Hagia Sofia was first a basilica built in the 4th Century AD, later converted to a mosque in the 15th Century when the Ottoman Turks conquered Constantinople, and now is a museum.

This mosaic is one of many that has been uncovered.

The lucky hole in the pillar. You're supposed to stick your thumb in and twist your hand around in a complete circle while making a wish.

From outside in the evening

The museum was interesting to see both Christian and Islamic symbols exist in the same place of worship.

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The Sultan Ahmed Mosque, also referred to as the Blue Mosque, was built in the early 17th Century and is the national mosque of Turkey. The building architecture is absolutely spectacular.

Video during a call to prayer showing the activity in the area around the Sultan Ahmed Mosque. Also at the end of the video you can see the Hagia Sofia museum in the distance.

Inside the Sultan Ahmed Mosque

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The Basilica Cistern

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Travis and I met up with a group of Rotarians from a club in Istanbul on Saturday afternoon to visit a few of the historical sites in the city and went to dinner in the evening. We enjoyed eating 'mezes,' which are Turkish appetizers and drinking the local 'raki,' which has a flavor of black licorice.

With Cagri

The mezes

Showing off our Rotary banners. There were 7 of us total in the afternoon, two of the Rotarians weren't able to join us for dinner.

Public health warnings on cigarettes

2008-12-07T03:03:00.000-08:00

I saw these black box warnings on all the cigarette packages in the airport duty free shops. I was surprised to see how straightforward and bold the messages were.

Trip to Göteborg, Sweden 22-23 November

2008-11-26T10:05:00.001-08:00

I went with a friend for a quick 2-day trip to Göteborg, Sweden on Sat-Sun, 22-23 November. The trip from Oslo is about 4 hours in bus. I found the cities of Göteborg and Oslo to have a similar atmosphere. Sadly, going the 4 hours south did not affect the temperature much.

With my German friend, Christoph

Skansen Crown with military museum inside

Fish Market

Opera House

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These next 5 photos are from a Christmas festival hosted at the Liseberg amusement park in Göteborg.

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We also stopped at a zoo. The mission was to see a moose, and we succeeded.

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Our last stop before heading back to Oslo on Sunday was at a maritime museum. There were numerous types of ships; for me the most interesting one was the submarine.

Inside the sub

US Presidential Elections presentation to Oslo Rotaract Club

2008-11-09T03:30:00.001-08:00

The two other Rotary Ambassadorial scholars in Oslo and I gave a presentation to the Oslo Rotaract Club on the evening of our elections. We discussed the steps one must take to become president, the electoral college and our two major political parties. We also had a mini debate to highlight the main stances of each candidate on selected issues. Following the meeting, Travis, Lucas and I went to a student pub on campus for an election party where they showed live media coverage as the results came in. Sadly though with a 7 hour time difference I went to bed at 2 AM still not knowing who would come out victorious. But that gave me something to look forward to the next morning when I woke up!

Oslo Rotaract Club Secretary, Lucas, me, Club President, and Travis

The Oslo Rotaract Club President and me

Election party hosted by a campus organization

Day trip to Drøbak, Moss and Tønsberg

2008-11-09T02:52:00.000-08:00

Two friends and I took an enjoyable day trip to some towns south of Oslo along the fjord on Sunday 2 November. We first went to Drøbak, which is known for its Christmas store and the world's only lutefisk museum. Going to the lutefisk museum has got me excited now for the lutefisk season quickly approaching. I'll keep you posted on my future lutefisk experiences.

The small harbor in Drøbak

There were quite a few of these jellyfish in the water around the harbor

Getting into the Christmas spirit

Looks delicious, right?

Our second stop was in the town of Moss. We visited an industry musuem that highlighted the milling industry in the town, among other exhibitions. From Moss we took a ferry that crossed the Oslo Fjord to the town of Horten.

Some kids helping a pumpkin with the decomposition process

Industry Museum in Moss

Live music while we were there

The slide, situated in the center of the museum connecting the 1st and 2nd floors

As mentioned above, the museum mainly highlighted the milling industry. This slide was used for sending the large sacs of flour down from the 2nd floor.

Now its for museum goers

And again...

Ferry from Moss to Horten

A short ride took us from Horten to our final destination, the town of Tønsberg. Tønsberg is reportedly the oldest town in Norway, founded in the 9th Century AD.

The Tønsberg Fortress atop a bluff looking over the town

Tønsberg at dusk

Update 1 November 2008

2008-11-01T10:15:00.000-07:00

I hope you enjoy these 4 recent blog posts. I've been staying busy with academics and Rotary activities in the recent weeks. Last week I had an oral exam for my Norwegian language course, where I spoke for 4 minutes in Norwegian discussing my family, followed by some questions from my professor. This coming week is an exam in my master's program covering statistics and epidemiology.

The weather has transitioned to rather low temperatures at a seemingly swift pace. It seems like just a few weeks back I was still enjoying days in the mid 50s, and now we're looking at an average of high 30s/low 40s for next week. As you'll see in the one photo, we had a brief time with white, snow-covered scenery, but that is all melted now.

Hope all is well back home in the US. I'm excited for the election results! I'll be giving a presentation on the US Presidential elections to the Oslo Rotaract club along with my two fellow Ambassadorial scholars on 4 November.