Christmas, New Years and Skiing!

Hallo,

The last month has definitely been a hectic one, and I am just now getting around to typing up a new blog post about it.

A Norwegian Christmas (Norsk Jul)

While a Christmas in Norwegian isn't completely different from a Christmas in the United States. However, there are a few things that stand out. First, they celebrate three days of Christmas. Christmas Eve, Christmas Day and Second Christmas Day. Norwegians have a certain menu when they celebrate and it typically involves Ribbe, Medisterkake, Pinnekjøtt, Julepølse, Surkål, Kransekake, Krumkake and much much more.

Christmas Pictures:

[Homemade roasted almonds]

[A Norwegian Christmas Tree isn't complete without Norwegian flags everywhere]

[We ate risengrynsgrøt! When they make the batch they put an almond in the pot and whoever finds the almond in their bowl will win something.]

[Attended a Christmas Eve service at this really old, I think 900 years, church.]

[This is Ribbe before it's cut up into smaller pieces. The top is extremely crispy and the rest of the meat is very juicy. It's made of pork.]

[The Christmas dessert table. Kransekake, Krumkake, some blueberries and cloud berries with some cream and also I think that is Lingonberry Jelly.]

There's also something like a week or two before Christmas called 'Julebord' literally translates to 'Christmas Table'. It's a christmas buffet, with all of the Christmas food and you're supposed to dress up nice for the occasion. This year we attended a Julebord with my host fathers family at a fancy hotel in Halden. All in all, it was a very nice Christmas.

New Years Eve (Nyttårsaften)

For New Years we attended a get together at my host grandparents house. Typically Turkey is eaten along with potatoes, gravy, etc. My host family bought some of that delicious canned cranberry sauce when we were in Sweden buying some American food at Nordby. I got up and made homemade stuffing to eat as well. It was nice to eat a lot of the same foods we eat on Thanksgiving because this year I didn't get to celebrate that glorious eat-everything-you-possibly-can holiday.

New Years Pictures:

[We lit sparklers]

[Shot of bigger fireworks]

[Drank a lot of cider]

[This is right after the clocks turned to 2015. Happy New Year Everyone! Godt Nyttår Alle Sammen!]

Ski Trip (Skitur)

Recently I was invited to join AFS Romerike on their ski trip up north a little ways about an hour from Brumunddal. The snow was crazy and we stayed in a group of cabins. The cabins did not have electricity, running water or wifi! So we boiled the snow to make the water that we needed to cook with and to make tea and/or instant coffee with. It was such a fun trip. It was good to hangout with the other exchange students and learn to ski together. I can say I fell over many many times.

Skitur Pictures:

[Just a little snow...]

[Better than a tempur-pedic mattress that's for sure.]

[Greasin' our skis]

[Matpakker - Lunch Packets]

[Ready to ski!]

CANDY

I also wanted to share with you this amazing candy store at Nordby.

Look at it's beauty. Let's just say that moderation was not on my mind when I went there.

Thanks for reading, hope you enjoyed :)

Ethan Block

"Travel isn't always pretty. It isn't always comfortable. Sometimes it hurts, it even breaks your heart. But that's okay. The journey changes you - it should change you. It leaves marks on your memory, on your consciousness, on your heart, and on your body. You take something with you... Hopefully, you leave something good behind." -Anthony Bourdain.