Free Day

By Roshni Seeraj-Turingia, Mathematics 

Today, everyone was able to go about their own journey as it was a free day! So, my twin sister, Priya, Sammy and I decided to start our venture as early as we possibly could, after a delicious breakfast of course! After breakfast, our little travel buddy group headed down the misty, winding trail, awaiting the day ahead of us. While waiting for the bus, Priya and I talked to an older Englishman named Timothy who’s resided in Norway for 30 years. Timothy shared his experiences being an immigrant in Norway. We also talked about Norway’s sustainability efforts (e.g. adding more taxes to petrol cars, bamboo straws, adding deposits for soda cans, etc.) and what the true impacts of these actions have, for both consumers and the environment. However, our engaging conversation was cut short as the bus arrived to take us to downtown Oslo.

The Fram at the Fram Museum

We arrived in downtown Oslo, eager to start our museum adventures. We walked outside the bus terminal and ran to catch another bus that was down the street to head to Bygdøynesveien. There, we went to see four museums: the Fram, the Kon-Tiki Museum, the Maritime Museum, and the Holocaust Center. The first stop was the Fram, which was on my Norway bucket list and I’m so glad I got to see it. It was such an incredible sight to see that the museum was actually built around the real-life ship! Walking around on board the ship was surreal! It was interesting to see how the explorers adapted to surviving in the Artic by incorporating Inuit techniques/ways of life. For example, Fridtjof Nansen (leader of the Fram Expedition) quickly adapted to the Artic temperatures by changing from the heavy European wool clothing to fur garments, such as seal, which the Inuit were well known for. 

Display of seal skin clothing used by Inuits and explorers at the Fram Museum 

In the Kon-Tiki Museum, we learned about the 101-day expedition of the Kon-Tiki, a boat solely made out of balsa wood. I found this fascinating as this boat relied on ocean and wind currents, thus showcasing our connection with nature without frivolous technology. Moreover, the expeditions following, the Ra and Ra II were made out of reeds, which I found quite intriguing as you would never think of making a semi-successful boat out a material like that. This museum showcased the resilience of the human race and how we are naturally curious about the world around us.

The Kon-Tiki boat

After a long day in Oslo, we travelled back on bus to the Breivoll-Gård to a delicious dinner made by chef Andreas: shredded chicken, quinoa rice with vegetables, guacamole, and a fabulous chocolate mousse for dessert. Andreas never fails to disappoint! After, the entire group headed to the hammock room to hang out and play various games like Never Have I Ever, Paranoia, Would You Rather and more. So much fun was had today, and I cannot wait to see what awaits us on our Norway journey tomorrow!

The group and Chef Andreas at dinner

Cheers,

Roshni S.T


For more photos and content, follow us on Instagram: @tilenorway2024-2025. 

#NipissingU #GlobalskillsCA #nu.artsci #nusutalks #nusu #NipissingU.alum 

#dntolso


Comments

Post a Comment

Popular posts from this blog

From Nipissing University to Oslo

Image
  By Olivia Shannon, Psychology Gathering in the lobby at Nipissing University  The shuttle left at 10am, meaning it was an early enough start in the  morning, especially if last minute packing was necessary for some. We all met at the school's main entrance, took a few pictures, chatted, and once everyone arrived, we left for the Toronto Pearson Airport. The Northern Airport Service shuttle was very comfortable, and the drive seemed to go by really fast, especially after we took a quick break in Bracebridge.  All checked in at Toronto Pearson The day as a whole seemed to pass by very quickly. Once we arrived, we checked in our bags, went through security, and found the location of our gate - each a process that can be quite chaotic, making it go by fast. After finding the gate and finding a place to eat, we only had an hour and a half until our flight boarded at 5:20pm. Leaving Toronto The flight to Amsterdam was almost 7 hours, but also went by quickly! After alter...
Read more

We could just stay here

Image
By Natalya Brown, Economics and Manuel Litalien, Social Welfare and Social Development We have been in a little bubble these past few days in this extraordinary place, flanked by beautiful forest on three sides and the icy Bunnefjorden on the remaining side. We’ve used our phones primarily to take photos, post to social media, and check in with each other. We haven’t been doom-scrolling, or checking in on the news as such, so the current geopolitical drama has not been top of mind. From our arrival, Breivoll Gård has felt like home. A huge reason for that is the warmth and care given to us by Catia, Rikke, Astrid, and Andreas. Although, we were able to briefly see Anne and Tore when we arrived, they remained in our thoughts throughout. Views of Breivoll  Gård and the Bunnefjorden As we pack our bags and have our last meal together at Breivoll Gård, it is slowly dawning on us that we have a lot of things to get back to in Canada. The students chatter about mid-terms, group assignm...
Read more

Tusen takk, Norge!

Image
By Madisyn Thurley, Business Alas, it is the last day of our travel course in Norway. We started the day bright and early to meet in the lobby of the Anker Hotel at 5:00 am. Moving slowly, we all boarded the airport shuttle and made our way to Oslo International Airport. After collecting our boarding passes, checking our bags, and making our way to the gate, a moment of reflection hit us all almost simultaneously. Discussing our initial impressions of one another prior to the trip, reminiscing on our favourite memories, how we will miss the luxury of Chef Andreas’ food, and the pure surrealness of how close we had all become in such a short period of time  - it was all so bittersweet. Excited to go home, yet already missing Norway, everyone was feeling a sense of poignancy. An early morning shuttle ride to the Oslo airport Before we knew it, we boarded our flight to Amsterdam. Greeted by clear skies, rainbows, and snow-covered peaks, the ride was peaceful. As we exited the plane, w...
Read more