So, I just finished an incredible week working at an elementary school. This was an AFS work week, and to be honest at first I was a little skeptical about doing it, and the reasons for why we had to do it. but in all I am so happy I did it, and so grateful for the incredible support that was given to me during it from everyone at Sellanrå barneskole! I felt like I was part of the staff, a member of the team! Walking through the halls smiling and saying hallo to everyone, eating lunch with all the teachers and administration, and helping teach the students games, english, and about where I come from. I feel like I formed a relationship with these kids, I feel like they really wanted to learn about me and the country I come from. I talked to them about so many things, from the foods we eat, the shows we watch, the sports we play and they even wanted to learn a little about Obama and if I supported him. It was a very nice experience, and exciting to show pictures and explain different things about a place that most of them had never been before. Many were surprised to the resemblance of Puget Sound to the Molde Fjord, I had a picture with the Olympic mountains in the background and a ferry going across the water, when they saw it they didn't believe that it wasn't Molde. I was very excited to show them Qwest field and the Sounders because soccer is such a big part of their lives here. Their jaws dropped when I showed them Qwest field, the size blew them away. Molde's population is around 25,000 and Qwest field has a capacity of 67,000 meaning that more then two and a half Molde's could fit in Qwest field. So yeah they were shocked. They liked the space needle and all the tall skyscrapers. I talked with the 6th and 7th grade primarily in english because they were more the excited to show me their english skills. Although I enjoy a little break from the tiring reigns of learning norwegian once in awhile, this was actually quite frustrating, because afterwards when I needed to go be with the younger kids, I had to use my brain alot more when speaking and listening to norwegian. Overall the week was amazing, I made great little friends (who are so cute!!) and learned alot of norwegian, while feeling confident in my self to communicate with all the students and teachers.
The language is really progressing I think! I am at the point when I can communicate in norwegian, and have a conversation with others in norwegian. I think I would say that it is definitely bad norwegian (grammatically incorrect), but hey I think its a good start! It feels really good being able to form whole sentences and understand the majority of what is being said, i think the most exciting thing is feeling confident enough to go into stores and being able to ask for help or whatever in norwegian! So yeah I feel really good about norwegian now, and I will continue to push my self everyday to become better and better! My good friend here, who also an exchange student, from germany has been an extreme help! He learned norwegian faster then I though possible, and he has given me the confidence to push my self to learn it! We also decided that after New Years we would speak just norwegian, and for the most part it has happened. I feel that in just one month I have learned an incredible amount, and I have been told that it will progress even faster if i continue to focus and speak it. I have said it before but I just want to thank all my friends and family here for the incredible help and support that they have given me with the language, because my time is only getting more enjoyable now that I can join into conversations and talk to my family every night at the dinner table in norwegian, and watch norwegian TV and yeah its all just so EXCITING!!!
I decided to write this blog in just english, because this one is more for you all back in the states, and plus people here can read it anyway :p I just wanted you al to know that the language is definitely coming, and I am still doing as great as ever!
Much love, Noah!
