My first Euro-trip...Followed up by less-fun induction.

I have to start off by thanking Sarah & Kristian for an amazing visit to Norway and all the hospitality that they showed me during my stay. I had such an amazing time, it was so much fun.

Thursday night, landed around midnight so went to Sarah & Kristian's and went to bed. I went to school with Sarah on Friday and got to experience a day in the life of a kindergarten teacher. Two words: never ever. Sure, the kids were pretty cute and they were really funny, but I don't think I will ever ever have the energy--or patience--to step foot into an elementary school classroom and teach children anything productive. After school, we picked up some groceries and headed home to BBQ for some of Kristian & Sarah's friends that were visiting. It was nice to meet the people that I've been hearing about for so long. After some drinks and epic Wii battles, we all head downtown in a taxi van, which is better known as the Maxi Taxi...everything is better in Norway. The club we went to was 24+ and, just having turned freshly 23, I was worried I wouldn't get in. So, taking full advantage of my not-so-full height, I walked in between Kristian, 6 feet, and his friend Per, 6'3. Basically, I was invisible.

Saturday started off with a late breakfast and then followed by cake & coffee with Kristian's parents in the afternoon. I got to meet Kristian's parents and brother, about whom I've been hearing for the past 5 years, so it felt strange to just be meeting them for the first time. It was so nice to meet them and they were really great. I tried out the (very) basic Norwegian that I know and they all were very appreciative. How do I know? They all cheered. No quicker way to make me blush to my hairline. We went to the mall & my wonderful sister bought me a beautiful sweater to help ward off the damn (oops...I mean damp) English cold. One of Sarah's colleagues, her husband, and Per came over for dinner followed by drinks and a serious Google Earth party.

Sunday was exciting!!! Out comes the geek in me. Sarah & Kristian took me to all these wonderful places in Stavanger...we started off at a beach with WWII bunkers still standing from the German occupation during the war. Kristian & I went inside...him crouching down and almost crawling, me waking in and wondering what there was to hit my head on. Next, we went to a church that is one of the most popular to get married in in all of Norway. Some of the stones have gone missing throughout the various rebuildings over the centuries and have been replaced by glass "stones" so a good part of some of the walls are see-through, including the back of the church that overlooks the oceans. One thing that is needed to be know about the Norwegians: they take their views seriously. If you don't have a good view of the water, you have a problem. After that church, and my uncomfortable encounter with the building where bodies are prepared for burials, we headed to a church in downtown Stavanger that is over a thousand--that is 1000--years old. It's a huge stone church with architecture that blends Pagan & Christian traditions (at least that's what I was told) and has artifacts there that are centuries old. The carvings, plaques, pews, pulpit, sanctuary...everything was so beautiful. We walked through Stavanger, along the waterfront and through old Stavanger before heading to a huge monument on the shores of Hafrsfjord where there is a huge monument--3 stone swords, at least thirty feet tall each--commemorating the Battle of Hafrsfjord, when Norway was united under one ruler for the first time. It was awesome...the view, naturally, was beautiful. The picture is Sarah & I in front of the swords. The landscape, architecture and scenery is so beautiful there. If anyone reading has not been to Norway yet, you need to go. Now. Well...finish reading this first and then book a ticket over. It's just amazing. I can't wait to go back.

A short plane ride and not-so-short coach ride later, and a very few hours sleep, I was back in Northampton and ready for my first day of induction yesterday. Heading to Luton on the train, I was 1)trying not to fall asleep and 2)wondering what the day was going to bring. We met the other teachers from the area and had a good, but long, day of talking, hearing stories about previous Timeplan teachers and learning all the things we needed to know about our school. Today brought a more relaxed day of induction where I learned that I have my first day of staff training at the academy tomorrow...so we'll see how that goes. I could be teaching as early as Friday. Go go gadget panic button. I imagine the day will go something like..

--Get to school

--Greet the students

--Panic, feel like quitting

--Teaching, somewhere along the way

--Go home and crash.

Repeat for the next 190 days.

At least I'm remaining consistent.