The End

So a final ending post to my blog!

Well my year in Norway was the most amazing year of my life, or rather most amazing life in a year!
So I returned home a few weeks ago to the extremely hot weather....... and I got really sunburnt on my first day....

Since then I've checked off nearly all my return to Australia objectives. I've had so many mangos and bananas, sorry Norway but Australia beats you on that one! I've eaten a meat pie, weetbix and vegemite on toast. And I had the most amazing steak! (another sorry to Norway, Australian steaks are just too good to resist!) Now I just need to go for a ski and head to the beach!

I started year 11 last week. Bit of a change going back and having to wear my uniform (definitely did not miss that while I was away!). But its going no too bad, but I miss all my Norwegians of course!

This weekend has been really great! We headed to Armidale for my debriefing. It was really good to see all the other exchange students and share our travel tales. We all had to make a speech about our year and chatted to our counsellors.

 

So anyway, last year was absolutely amazing! I saw mountains and fjords, palaces, castles and cathedrals, met the most amazing people and now have a second home. I came home with around 12,000 pictures and more maps than I can count, but more importantly with lifelong friends and fantastic memories. Now I woud like to thank everyone for making this last year possible! Thanks to Rotary, my host families and my parents! Without you all the year wouldn't have happened. So tusen takk for alt!

I definitely want to head back to Norway soon, but for now, its not goodbye, its see ya later mate!

Over and Out, Lexie xx

 

 

Jul

Christmas dinner

My host sisters and our marius jumpers

Jul i Norge!

So I'm just going to do a quick recap of what has happened over Christmas.

So first off, I was robbed of a white Christmas! But so was pretty much everywhere in Europe....... but it snowed in Egypt! The weathers being pretty weird this Winter.

Ok so in Norway they do Christmas quite different. Christmas is on the 24th! We got up and sat upstairs eating this Christmas bread With Brown cheese and we opened out stockings. Then we had a relatively long breakfast. We had this meat roll, jams, salmon, other types of Fish and a few other Things. It was quite Nice (except for the herring!).

Then we took cakes and drove to my host Familys grandmothers house. We were there for a while eating cake and talking. Then we went to Church in Tomb. It was pretty much the same as home, except they didn't do the bread and wine thing and they had more hymns and less psalms.

Then it was back home and time for Christmas dinner. We had ribs, this meat cake made out of pork flesh and meat, a type of sausage, cabbage and potatos. It was really Nice. Then for desert we had icecream With raspberries and this other thing thats kinda like a biscuity wafer (kinda difficult to explain!).

Then it was time for presents. Those poor deprived Norwegian children have to wait all day! I got some really Nice Christmas presents, including a Marius jumper!

The next few days were just sleep ins and long Christmas breakfasts. Quite relaxing!

So Christmas in Norway was pretty great!

Photos will follow soon!

Fetching the Christmas tree

Today we went into the forest With my 2nd host family and their cousins to get Our Christmas tree.

We walked aorund for a while, then picked one out and chopped it Down. It was pretty cool doing that! Then we lit a fire and grilled sausages. All the kids then played a game and we had some chocolate. It was really Nice.

Then we took Our Christmas tree home and decorated it tonight. Norwegians definitely are way more reserved when it comes to decorating. There was hardly any tinsel at all! But it looked really Nice.

Christmas Concert

On Saturday night I went With my 1st and 3rd host families to a Christmas concert in the Church in Galmebyen.

The artist is Marianne Antonsen. She was really good! Her voice was quite a shock, its really deep. But she was a really good singer.

After that we all went to dinner at an Italian restaurant. It was a good night.

Last week of school before Christmas

So this past week as been the last week of School before Christmas. We had a few tests and assignments, but other than that it was kinda similar to in Aus, as we watched Movies and Things in a lot of the classes.

On Wednesday we had class photos. They do them so cool over here! There was an overall theme, then every class chose something in that. My class went Broadway. We made a big sign and the Girls all worse dresses and feathers and Things and the guys all wore suits and had cigars. The Picture turned out great! I wish we did that in Aus!

On Thursday they were surving free grøt (porridge) in the canteen. Grøt tastes so good! There was also a thing on in the Church beside School but we couldn't go because we had a art history test.

On Friday was the last day. For a few hours we were all in Our classrooms. Our teacher had bought gingerbread, icing and all these sprinkles and Things. So we decorated gingerbread and ate Christmas cake. It was really Nice.

 

The amazing People in 2STFA

After that we went into the entrance/foyer area thingy in the School. We had a concert on there. It was so great, there are so many talented People at my School!

So it was a really Nice last week of School! :)

Another great weekend

Well we had yet another relatively busy weekend. Everyone was away on Friday night so I stayed the night at my first host Family. It was just me and my first host Mum, so we had a Nice night eating tacos and watching the handball.

On the Saturday we did a bit of cleaning first, then decorated the house for Christmas. The have some really cute decorations, including a pig made out of Straw.

Then on Sunday I went ice skating With my friend. It actually went pretty good. I only fell over twice! After that I was at my friends house for a few hours.

It was quite a Nice weekend :)

My blogging skills are dying....

Ok so yeh my last blog update was a few weeks ago..... and yes a lot has happened since then....... but its towards the end of the year........... so I'm sure you can forgive me.

So first I have to rewind to a Wednesday afternoon a few weeks ago where I went and made candles. making candles is easy enough, but you definitely need plenty of time! We first tied some string around bits of Wood With bolts on the end for weight. Then we had to dip them in hot wax. We had to do this over and over and over and over again, about 50 odd times. It took forever! But we made these ones, not only just normal candles, but in the shape of Crowns and a trident. So I can now say that I've made candles :)

Lek i snøen er ikke bare for barn

On Monday I got home from School, got changed
and went in the snow! :)

A busy weekend

This weekend was so busy! We had something on all the time.

On Saturday we went to the Christmas markets at Tomb. There were a lot of different stalls selling handmade Things, Christmas cakes and biscuits, knittwear and some other Things. It was quite nice there. When we got home me and Errol put up the Christmas lights.

On Sunday it was one event after another. And it SNOWED!! :D On Sunday morning I went to Wolds for a Christmas workshop. We made hearts and this little Christmas mouse. We had lapskaus for lunch, then made gingerbread. It was really nice and the mouse was so cute! Straight after that I went to the Missingmyr Christmas tree lighting. I got there late, so most of it was over but I caught the end of the carols. Then 2 guys came dressed as nisse and handed out goodie bags. On Sunday night we went to Janes (the American Exchange student) birthday.

So it was quite a busy schedule, but a geat weekend!

Exchange student night

Friday night was really great. All the Exchange students in 2260 (as well as 2 rebounds and 2 outbounds) met a Kløfta. We sat around talking and eating pizza. It was a really Nice night. Although it was the last time I will probably see all of them!

Julefrukost med verdens beste klasse

Yesterday morning for art we had a Christmas breakfast. It was so Nice! We all went to my Teachers house and ate breakfast together. Then we made lussekatter and Christmas Cards. Then we all sat around eating cake and the lussekatter. It was such a Nice morning :)

Snø!!!!!

Just an excited me letting you all know that Its snowing!! :D

Advent Calender

My class has Our own advent calender. Most of the class has bought a gift and we draw a name out of a hat everyday. I got picked today so I got some chocolate!
Yet another reason why I love my class!

Jul kommer snart!

Christmas is coming! Today Advent started. Yesterday we went into Karlshus for the Christmas markets and lighting of the Christmas tree. One of my friends was running a Craft thing for kids, so I went and sat With her for a while. Then one of my other friends came and we wandered around the markets together.

Then everyone congregated With fire torches and we all walked to the Christmas tree. Everyone stood in circles around the tree holding hands and singing carols. It was really Nice.

Today we went into Gamlebyen for the Christmas markets. They were quite Nice, with all the wreaths and lights up. They lit the Christmas tree and had a Kids concert. We looked in a few of the shops and had afternoon tea. It was a Nice afternoon.

So its very Christmassy here in Norway now!