Cloudberries and Championships

It’s crazy to think that I’ve been living in Norway for almost 3 months, I don’t know how long I think I’ve been here but it certainly isn’t that. Things have finally started to settle down and I’m gradually finding my own ‘normal’. Despite my previous sentence life has still been pretty crazy but it’s been the same sort of crazy that I had in Australia. In roughly 4 hours time I will be performing in the District Korps Championship as a part of Strommen og Skjetten Skolekorps. Over the last two weeks we have had around 23 and a half hours of rehearsal to prepare us for this. Last year the group came 2nd in the 2nd Division so this year we are competing in Division 1, hence the extra rehearsals. We are not, by any means, expected to win but part of the decision to move up a division was based on the need to keep striving to further the quality of music they played. I am honestly honoured to be a part of the band (I play sax for those who didn’t know) and it has definitely been one of the highlights of my exchange so far. Music is a pretty universal language, it’s written the same and uses the same italian descriptives. There are definitely parts where language is barrier but I can now proudly say that I have figured out what words I need to look out for to know where we are playing from ie. takten før seks (the beat before 6).  After today’s championship we will be moving straight into learning marches. I’ve never been a part of a marching band before so it will certainly be interesting. We will march in 2 parades on the Norwegian National Day (17th May) and we also play at the confirmation ceremonies of three members of the band. Norwegian conirmations aren’t necessarily a religious thing and quite often aren’t linked to religion at all. It is a very strong part of their culture where by a 15 year old becomes more mature (I don’t think I’ve phrased it quite right but I don’t know how else to explain it). Prior to their confirmation, teenagers partake in courses around civil responsibility and ethics and at their confirmation girls will be able to wear their own bunad (traditional Norwegian dress) for the first time.

Along with skolekorps I have also been quite busy at school. The novelty of me being an exchange student has worn off and I’m now more or less expected to do all the work my classmates do (I say more or less as I have to do the work and tests but no grade is formally recorded for me). The Norwegian school system is very different to that of Australia. They have three types of schools: Barneskole (1-7), Ungdomskole (8-10) and Videregraende skole (1st year – 3rd year). I am at a Videregaende skole which, in my opinion, is sort of the equivalent to a senior high school. You choose which videregaende skole to go to based on what career you want to have (different schools offer different courses) and then spend 3 years completing the course you have chosen. I am doing a health-based course for people who want to become nurses, childcare workers or nursing home workers. At my school the other courses that are offered are design, automotive and electrical work. To be honest I have no idea how students are meant to decide which course they want to take. If I was a normal student in Norway I’d be in my last year of ungdomskole and over the next three weeks would have to choose a course that would affect my future career- I don’t think I’d be prepared for that kind of stress.

On a final note yesterday I was able to taste cloudberries for the first time. A cloudberry is a bit like an orange raspberry and has a sweet and tangy taste. Cloudberries and ice cream are a flavour combination that I solidly believe everyone should experience at some point in their life!

I’m excited to have been here for nearly 3 months and I’m still finding that I learn something new each and every day,

Alicia