Byavisa Tromsø April 4, 2012:
torsdag 5 april 2012
söndag 25 mars 2012
Theft
Even here in this remote area, in the country with perhaps the least poverty in the world there is no guarantee that people won't steal your things if you leave the door open. This morning me and my couchsurfer found out that our new (bought this year) shoes were gone. We'd left them outside my apartment door because they were wet and dirty from the walk in the slush outside. However, it had never been a problem before to leave things outside the apartment door because normally only people who live in the building would get in to the building. But the main door to the building wasn't locked this morning - and it was probably our own fault that we didn't check that it locked itself when we came home late yesterday.
A good friend once said, problems that can be solved with money are no problems. Maybe these shoes will come to good use for someone else. We can always afford buying a new pair.
A good friend once said, problems that can be solved with money are no problems. Maybe these shoes will come to good use for someone else. We can always afford buying a new pair.
söndag 18 mars 2012
Weekend with the choir
Why did I sing the wrong tone without noticing? Now, maybe I shouldn't be part of this group. These people are all quite musically talented. But then the conductor held a speech that moved me. 'Studies have shown that choir singers in Sweden live longer than non-choir singers', he began. And joining and being part of the choir is the best decision we have made. It isn't primarily the voice register that is important - the important thing is your ear. And for the ones that only joined recently it is tough and a lot to learn, but I (the conductor) have faith in this choir. The studies have also shown that choir members are more often divorced than others.
Anyway, I should practice more and use my ear diligently. I need to have faith in myself as well. A new practice session tomorrow.
Anyway, I should practice more and use my ear diligently. I need to have faith in myself as well. A new practice session tomorrow.
lördag 3 mars 2012
Knee-deep in snow
Spring has arrived to Southern Scandinavia, but here we still have snow up to our knees.
A white surface in the woods,
untreaded,
a soft step
landing and sinking
breaking the seal
between the living
and the inanimate.
So cold it's painful
yet must move on,
to get to warmer times.
A white surface in the woods,
untreaded,
a soft step
landing and sinking
breaking the seal
between the living
and the inanimate.
So cold it's painful
yet must move on,
to get to warmer times.
fredag 24 februari 2012
A teaching hospital
UNN is quite impressive as a teaching hospital. In some ways it reminds me of the Vanderbilt hospital in Tennessee. On a weekly basis there's an internal medicine board revision lecture on Tuesdays and Thursdays. On Wednesdays we have medicine grand rounds. Every morning at the nephrology ward there's a short lecture or case being presented.
There are many things to be learned. The geography of the area and surroundings to be able to know how long an ambulance or helicopter would take to get to the hospital, the Norwegian system of prescriptions and laws surrounding that, the laws regarding psychiatric care, the local routines, etc.
There are many things to be learned. The geography of the area and surroundings to be able to know how long an ambulance or helicopter would take to get to the hospital, the Norwegian system of prescriptions and laws surrounding that, the laws regarding psychiatric care, the local routines, etc.
lördag 18 februari 2012
Impressions and people
I have now been in Tromso for 10 days. 'The city has no industry', the taxi driver told me. There used to be a fishing industry, but because of the cost of labor in Norway, it has been closed down. People work mainly in the service sector and one of the cornerstones for the city's continued existence is the university. Of the 70 000 inhabitants some 11 000 or more are students. A lot of international students and researchers as well.
The people who travel here at this time are mostly looking for the Northern lights. And there really are a lot of travelers. The hotels have been full. So far I have hosted four people from Couchsurfing and I think none of them left Norway without seeing the green light in the sky. I myself caught a glimpse of it the other day. My good neighbor who is providing me with internet connection tells me that sometimes the Aurora is so strong that the whole sky will vibrate.
The Norwegian spoken here sounds to me like a mixture between the western (Bergen) dialect and Finland Swedish. However, there is no very distinct dialect here because of the melting pot effect with people coming from all over the country.
The people walking on the streets are usually not originally Norwegian. The Norwegians themselves drive. I walk or take the bus. Ideally, I'd ride a bicycle, but I don't have one. And they tell me that the snow won't be gone until the end of May. But there are good crosscountry ski tracks stretching all over the island, so maybe that would be the best way of transportation.
Most of the island is covered with residence areas with privately owned big, nice single-family houses. Housing prices are soaring and probably comparable to Oslo, the Norwegian girl I met on the airplane told me. The airport is on the island proper, which renders the otherwise very calm and peaceful island (at least on the part where I live) very noisy when the planes come and go. The city center is literally downtown, as it's located in a valley by the sea. There are quite a few nice buildings to see there.
My colleagues (we're a total of fourteen junior doctors starting now in February) are all Norwegian and almost everyone has studied in Tromso. A lot of them are married and have kids already.
From my window I see Kvaloya (the island west of Tromso) with its mighty old and tall mountains covered in snow. After the sun sets these peaks fade into the background. And although you can still sense that they are there looming in the dark, the houses on the island light up like fireflies and steal your attention. It seems that I finally got a room with a view.
The people who travel here at this time are mostly looking for the Northern lights. And there really are a lot of travelers. The hotels have been full. So far I have hosted four people from Couchsurfing and I think none of them left Norway without seeing the green light in the sky. I myself caught a glimpse of it the other day. My good neighbor who is providing me with internet connection tells me that sometimes the Aurora is so strong that the whole sky will vibrate.
The Norwegian spoken here sounds to me like a mixture between the western (Bergen) dialect and Finland Swedish. However, there is no very distinct dialect here because of the melting pot effect with people coming from all over the country.
The people walking on the streets are usually not originally Norwegian. The Norwegians themselves drive. I walk or take the bus. Ideally, I'd ride a bicycle, but I don't have one. And they tell me that the snow won't be gone until the end of May. But there are good crosscountry ski tracks stretching all over the island, so maybe that would be the best way of transportation.
Most of the island is covered with residence areas with privately owned big, nice single-family houses. Housing prices are soaring and probably comparable to Oslo, the Norwegian girl I met on the airplane told me. The airport is on the island proper, which renders the otherwise very calm and peaceful island (at least on the part where I live) very noisy when the planes come and go. The city center is literally downtown, as it's located in a valley by the sea. There are quite a few nice buildings to see there.
My colleagues (we're a total of fourteen junior doctors starting now in February) are all Norwegian and almost everyone has studied in Tromso. A lot of them are married and have kids already.
From my window I see Kvaloya (the island west of Tromso) with its mighty old and tall mountains covered in snow. After the sun sets these peaks fade into the background. And although you can still sense that they are there looming in the dark, the houses on the island light up like fireflies and steal your attention. It seems that I finally got a room with a view.
söndag 12 februari 2012
A whole new world
White cereals falling from a white sky,
kissing my cheeks, my mouth.
Not a sound,
Cold and soft
And then they disappear,
but looking up
I see the continuous lattice of flakes
like a wall between the ground and sky,
quickly blurring out your traces.
A new beginning, a new chapter, a new blog. It has now been four days since I arrived in Tromso. Looking out the window it's still snowing. Tomorrow is the first day of my turnus.
kissing my cheeks, my mouth.
Not a sound,
Cold and soft
And then they disappear,
but looking up
I see the continuous lattice of flakes
like a wall between the ground and sky,
quickly blurring out your traces.
A new beginning, a new chapter, a new blog. It has now been four days since I arrived in Tromso. Looking out the window it's still snowing. Tomorrow is the first day of my turnus.
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