Sings utrolige reise

Babysitting

2010-07-26T11:16:00.002+02:00

I`m taking care of my sisters kids.
I don`t whether to smile or cry?!

Don`t get me wrong. They`re awesome kids, and I love them a lot..
But they won`t stop argue :S Both with me, and among them selves.
What to do, what to do, what to do....?

Last week

2010-06-07T09:19:00.003+02:00

It`s the last week at Hald.
I`ve spent two years here. Pretty much my whole life has been about this School.

I`m gonna work a bit through out the summer. But..
I`m not ready to for this to end. It has gone to fast. I`m not ready :S

But this school has given me a direction in life. I know what to do. I know what to fight for. I know that I will never walk alone. I know I will find my Calcutta. I know my way..

I will fight for a better world! I will never stop. I can`t.. I mean; Take a look around. And don`t just look.. SEE. There are SO many people and situations that seems hopeless. Not just in the "3rd" world, but in Norway as well.
I wan`t to fight against the societies and cultures that abuse the world and its goods. I want to work against the fact that my well being, and my HIGH standards in life, makes life so much worse for people I know around the world. People that I call my friends. People I miss. My living, makes their life worse.
How can I stand on the side line, and do nothing.

People. That DOES NOT WORK.

Hald has given me direction in life. I believe that God has had a good deal to do with this as well.
But my life has gotten a bigger purpose to it. To serve God, by serving the people around me, with what they need.

This is my INCREDIBLE journey. My name is Eirik AND Sing. I have a life and a purpose. I`m on a journey. For those who read. Please, taggle along. Stay in my life, as friends and family. Take part in it!

Eirik/Sing

En dag av en annen verden

2010-04-28T11:21:00.000+02:00

This is my life.. For now

2010-04-27T12:50:00.002+02:00

After 6 months alone in Mandal, I`ve now gotten some company :D
The students have come back, and everything is where it should be!
It`s so cool to see how the students/my friends have grown the last months.. No matter what people might say; If it were up to me, every norwegian youth would have travelled the world for at least 6 months. And they would have to do more than just backpacking!
There are so much we can learn..

My parents are helping a man in Narva, Estonia. He runs a daycare/children center, for kids who live on the street, or have trouble with alcoholic parents. There are a lot of poverty in that city (Narva), and the youth/children are those who struggles the most.
In the end of May, hopefully, me and my father will go down there to visit them.
I`ve talked to Mikasa, the org. that makes volleyballs for the international leagues. They have sponsorded us with some volleyballs. We also hope to get some more sports equipment, so that we can give the kids something to do.

I look so much forward to go to Narva, to see the work being done there.

Jah

2010-03-11T11:46:00.001+01:00

The man in this video talks about relativism and religion in a very good way.

Holida

2010-02-28T00:37:00.001+01:00

I`ve got to say.. the start of the winter holiday has been awesome!!!

I came home yesterday evening.. And from that time, I`ve only been at my sisters place, watching Heroes with my twin brother, relaxing and chillin´.. Soo, it`s all good :D

Holidays are awesome, specially with the snow that`s falling outside now. Man!!! :D

Musikk :D

2010-02-16T21:54:00.004+01:00

This weekend I was in Bergen.
I was working, holding a stand at a conference called Impuls. Btw, that was really good stuff :D

But after getting to know ( a little bit) the members of the worship band, and listening to their cd and music, I really got inspired to play guitar again :D
And now, this evening, I attended the youth meeting here in Mandal, called 13/19.
After the service, me and the band did some jamming :D

In honor of guitar and music, I will now show you my guitar :D
Enjoy!!

Songs I`m learning these days:
- Jack Johnson - Banana Pancakes
- Beatles - Blackbird
- John mayer - Why Georgia

TMF

2010-02-06T16:24:00.004+01:00

Jeg er på Impuls i Trondheim..
Her har jeg truffet en gjeng gode mennesker, som var svært aktive deltagere under forårets TMF.
Jeg vil beære dem, ved å legge ut deres kamprop, som de med stor margin, vant telttunkonkurranse med..
Her er det, nyt det!!

"Vi e flest, vi e best, vi har fart, vi har bart. Har reist langt, vi bor trangt. Alle vi e trøndere, men 5 e fra et skap. Tunet vårt e plettfritt, du finner ikke skrap. Mælka fortæres, Gud æres, tmf uten trøndere, er som Norge uten bønder. D2 e best, hver kveld e det fest, med skinnvest."

Ære være Trøndere.. SHØ!!

Haiti

2010-02-01T15:25:00.003+01:00

Just to let you know..

After the earthquake in Haiti, 130000 people have died.

Did you know, that more people die, in Africa alone, EVERY MONTH.

I think it is really good that people help, give money and their time when something so exstreme happens.

I only wish that people would do the same every day, every month, every year. Becuase something SO exstreme is happening, now, today, always.. And yet, people don`t seem to care!!

I don`t understand!

2010-02-01T12:59:00.001+01:00

Talk about inspiration!!!!

Holidays

2010-01-15T14:56:00.002+01:00

Btw guys..

I have a really long easter holiday, as well as a long winter holiday.
Aaaand, I wanna go to the mountains. Anybody care to join me?

Travelling

2010-01-15T14:46:00.003+01:00

Alwrighty thennnn!
I`m travelling again.
Soon I`ll be leaving for Lima, Peru.

It`s been some months now since I was abroad, and I really miss it. The exitement, the long hours, the tasty food! Ah, and I look so much forward to see south America. It`ll be prrretty good!
And, not at least, I really look forward to seing the guys from Hald again. I`ve gotta say, life in Mandal isn`t the same without them!

And btw, my spanish sucks. It`ll be interesting!! Comprende?

Gone!

2010-01-09T14:21:00.002+01:00

Okey...
I`m EXTREMELY restless.
Infield is over, det last people just walked out the door. I`m sitting behind, alone, with all the impressions and thoughts. The last week has been amazing!
To feel so bad now, after the students have left, scares me. Just imagine how it`s going to be when they leave for their home countries to the summer. haff..

Infield from me perspective:
Bible class.
Swimming
Pizza
Ligretto tournament
Friends
Being sick
Praise & Prayer
More friends
Ice skates
Cold weather
Hald

In other words.. Infield, as an ettåring, not as participant, has been GREAT :D
In one week, I`ll go to Peru.. Imagine how that`s going to be!

Btw, Jack Johnson - Upside down, comes from my speakers.. it prrrretty nice!!
The sun`s shining in Mandal, and there - 15 degrees :D

Life is goooood ^^

24 special hours.

2010-01-06T11:27:00.002+01:00

The last 24 hours have been of the most special, challenging, strange, confuseing and interessting time of my life..

Infield for the south students have started with a boom. Last night we saw a movie called: Live, and Become. (For those who don`t know, it is from this movie Hald International Senter has gotten its slogan; Go-Learn-Become).
Agnar introdused the movie as handling about poverty, racism, identity and religion. He was absolutely right. Without any doubt, I would say that this is deffinetily one of the BEST films I have ever seen.

Today, Harald is having teaching about poverty. In of the sessions, he showed a speach which Bono, the lead singer in U2, gave in Washington, under the invitation by former president, George W Bush. Bono talks about Charity and Justice... What are they, and can they iradicate poverty?!
After the speach, the south students here at Hald started reflecting and discussing around the terms: Charity, Justice, Peace, Poverty...
Sitting on the sideline, with the impression from yesterdays movie, still hanging over my head, twisting, turning and molding around in my head, and getting the opportunity to listen to what the students had to say.. I`ve got to say, I was blown away.
Charity can not iradicate poverty, only justice can. But justice can not be fullfilled withouth peace. But what is Charity? What is justice? WHAT IS POVERTY?
Some really big questions were disgussed, few answers were given, more questions raised, leaving me confused, impressed, inspired and much more..

If it were up to me.. Each and every leader and journalist in Norway, would sit on the sideline, hearing that discussion, so that they could see that when it comes to poverty, I believe that there is no one that are more capable of express and discuss the true nature of poverty, than those who have seen it, experienced it, grown up, surrounded by it..
But then.. What is poverty??

Helt ok

2009-12-07T13:58:00.002+01:00

I`m sitting in the office at Hald.
I`m reading in a magazin from NMS Agder.
I`m reading stories about Laos.
I`m reading about girls, 6 and 9 years old, being left by their parents, but who have found Jesus.

Odd Nordstoga and Sissel Kyrkjebø`s song; jul, jul, strålande jul sings from the computer.
My body is in Norway, but my heart is in Lao.
I` m reading about the people that I know so well.
I`m reading about the prayer meeting at 5.30 am, which I used to attend.

I miss Lao, and I probably spent 6 of the best months in my life there.
Only regret is that I didn`t use the opportunity, whilst being there, well enough.

2009-12-01T13:24:00.000+01:00

FRP

2009-11-17T10:16:00.003+01:00

Earlier this fall, we had an election of state in Norway. FRP came very close to winning, something that in itself is scary (my opinion). Today VG writes an article about something a member of FRP said about Prince Haakons trip to Africa.
I quote: "Da kronprins Haakon var i Botswana nylig, la han ut bilder på Facebook. Frp-politiker Roger Madsen mente kronprinsen ikke bør besøke afrikanske land - fordi det bare finnes halvaper der."

It`s in norwegian, but what is says, is that the prince shouldn`t travel to africa, because there are only halfapes/halfmonkeys down there.
The man has the right to have his own opinions, but still...
How is it POSSIBLE to say something like that. How dumb... can you get?!

I LOVE it that Prince Haakon and Princess Mette Marit are travelling around the world, fighting poverty. The Prince has said it himself, our times biggest challenge is poverty.
I admire the royal family in Norway. How they stand up, acknowledging aid and fighting poverty as something that works!!
Look at NMS and their work in Lao. Since they started working in Lao, many schools have been build and restored. A lot of wells have been build, giving women a opportunity to get water without walking for hours.
Grownup people have learned to read and write, which they use to learn more about growing and runing a farm.
AID WORKS. We need to help our neighbours, also those on Norway in need.
What we DON`T need, is people calling africans halfmonkeys.

Don`t come here and call my friends halfmonkeys!!!!!!!

Kirk Franklin

2009-11-14T23:50:00.002+01:00

All I say is; Concert with Kirk Franklin
So humble, so focused, so real, so true. He gave God the honour from the first second. What else can I do, then admire and join in that praise.
Btw, Afroamericans have the most awesome attitude :D I love it :D
Watch the vidoe. On of the best songs, made by Kirk Franklin

Hei og hopp, vesten er en flopp

2009-11-11T11:40:00.003+01:00

Last weekend I attended a confrence called Global Leadership Summit.
During the summit I heard about an organisation called Kiva.
Kiva works with microfinance, and the way they do it is remarcable. They are partners with existing organisations that does microfinance, and the way Kiva work is that they provide lenders to the organisations, and the organisations find people who need small loans to start a small business to provide themselves at their families.

If you go to Kivas website www.kiva.org, you can provide a person with a small loan. You search between 183 countries and 200 000 people, and look at their stories. They tell their story through Kiva and the partner organisation. And if you find out that this is a person you want to help, then you can loan them some money. And on the same web site you also check up on the loan you gave, to find out how much they have payed back to you. The money you provide goes straight to the loaner, and the money gets payed straight back to you. 98,5 %of the money being lend out, gets payed back.

This organisation is one of the best I have ever heard of. Check it out, and be amazed!

Btw, did you know that almost all the money in the norwegian budget, marked for Aid, is not really marked for aid. they are meant for emergenzy fundings. And did you know that immigrants in Norway work, earn money, and send more money home to their families every year, than the norwegian aid budget. How sick is that!! Norway as a state should give more to the pour!!
Amen!

A church in change

2009-11-10T12:02:00.003+01:00

Watch this inteview with Bono, from GLS 2006. He really smacks the church on the backhand.
BUT.. Take a look at the third video, from GLS 2009.
Here he talks about a church that has changed. The global church has acknowledged its responsability to fight poverty!! Churches all over the world has gathered millions upon millions to fight poverty. A church in USA gathered on christmas day at once over 500 000 dollar, as a pure gift to fight povery!!
Since 2006, 2 million africans have gotten medical treatment for HIV/AIDS. The fight is on!!

Eg er glad

2009-11-04T21:50:00.004+01:00

Things are going really well these days.
I`ve just come back from leading a practice for a young worship band. It is so inspiring to see development and to see the band member getting better and more confident for each week. And I`ve only been helping them for three weeks. So yeah, after coming back from practice now, I feel really good!
Otherwise my foot is getting better, so I can work more and more and more out.
Volleyball is a winner, and being able to hit that ball is one of the best things I can do in my life.

But if could have done anything else right now, I would have been back in Lao, working in the church, through Hald. I miss it so much. Reading the blogs of the this year students is so inspiring!

At the same time, knowing that for each person in norway dying of the swineflu, 1000 kids in the world are dying of starvation. At that is only from starvation. Then there are Malaria, diarrhea, AIDS, catastrofies, bad water, general health etc etc etc.. Then we have the 100 million kids living on the streets of the world..

In other words.. I AM PRRRRETTY LUCKY.
And my job this year, is to spread that message, telling the youth of norway how fortunate they are, and how ignorant the people in Norway are. In stead of being gratefull and humble for actually living in Norway and having too much food on the table, we want more and more. And there we have the peoples parti in Norway saying "Everyone shall get more" (alle skal ha mer).
Again, I`m ashamed by the west and our egiosm!!

Ene klassa jeg hadde i Laos. Disse er blant de få som får lære engelsk fra barneskolen av, og dermed får et helt annet utgangspunkt i livet.

Eg likar volley

2009-10-30T13:38:00.001+01:00

Me like :D

SKAMFULLT 2

2009-10-26T11:56:00.003+01:00

For hver person som dør av svineinfluensaen
har 1000 barn dødd av fattigdom.

(Tekst og foto: www.nyhetsspeilet.no)

Svineinfluensa i perspektiv

Tall kan brukes til å forvrenge sannheten like mye som å bringe den frem. Jeg har fått denne informasjonen tilsendt fra en leser som ønsker å være anonym. Her er viktig informasjon til alle som lurer på hvordan nyheter vinkles i media.

Ifølge Dagsavisen 12/10-09 var det inntil sist helg minst 4.525 mennesker verden over som døde av svineinfluensa. Hvor lenge siden er det det første tilfelle av døde?

I følge Dagsavisen 27 / 04-09 var det da en drøy uke siden Obama besøkte mexico og de første utbruddene skjedde og den første som døde var en antropologist.

Det er nå da ca. 6 måneder siden svineinfluensaen brøt ut.

I følge UNICEF dør det hver dag 25 000 barn på grunn av fattigdom. De dør stille i noen av de fattigste landsbyene på jorden. (Kilde: globalissues.com, facts and stats)

La oss sette det hele i perspektiv: Gjennomsnittlig er det litt over 754 mennesker døde av svineinfluensaen pr. måned over hele kloden. Tilsvarende er det 750 000 barn som har dødd pr. måned i samme periode.

Det hele vil si at for hver døde person av svineinfluensaen er det ca .1000 barn døde av fattigdom!!

Lille Norge regner med å bruke 650 millioner kroner på et massevaksinasjonsprogram. (Dagbladet 26/6-09)

På verdensbasis, hvor mange kroner benyttes ikke til å kjøpe opp svineinfluensavaksinen? Hvor mange barn kunne ikke vært reddet og pengene brukt til å skape et bedre samfunn?

SKAMFULLT

2009-10-20T14:34:00.002+02:00

"Det produseres fortsatt mat nok i verden til å forsyne hele menneskeheten. Derfor er sultproblematikken i første rekke et fordelingsproblem. Det viktigste enkelttiltaket mot sult er å løfte fattige ut av fattigdom." (FN)

This says EVERYTHING about the west! We`re a bunch of egoistic bastards!!
Picture is taken from strommestiftelsen.no

Food corner

2009-10-17T16:05:00.002+02:00

Now, the recipe for a great student dinner, at a really low price!
For thos who remember, this is something I started writing about when I was in Laos.
hopefully, I will continue during the next months.

You need.
0,5 kg minced meat.
1 kg pre boiled Potatos
0,8 kg Tomato sauce with basil flavour
1 Red pepper
2 small boxes ofPineapple in pieces.
+ Other spices

Fry the minced meat. While you do, cut the potatos in small pieces and put them in a casserole. Add the sauce, pineapples and the red pepper. When the meat is done, put the meat in the casserole and heat everything together.

Dinner for 5 grown people in maximum 45 min.
I got the potatos for free, and the pasta sauce I bought with discount. So, this meal costed me 60 kr, and I have dinner for at least 2 more days.
How great is that?!

Inspiration

2009-10-13T20:10:00.002+02:00

I`m mandal.
I live my life here. I work, I exercise, etc etc etc..
But what about poverty? What about all the people I really want to help, but I can`t reach them myself, `cause I`m in Mandal. Don`t missunderstand me. I love Mandal. I feel more and more at home here.
Working at the school, playing volleyball, jogging in furulunden, cooking my own food, visiting friends in Kristiansand.. My life is great.

But I have a desire to help other people.
I read the blogs of the students at Hald. How they are out in the world, just like I was a year ago, living and serving in an other country.
But what about me ?

My duty is to spread a message. Spread a message about Hald, about poverty, about the state of our planet, about what you and I can do to stop and turn into a positive direction.

Btw, it doesn`t help that Norway gives more money too emergency help, that to long term reduction of poverty. They money that is ment to be used for that, goes to other kinds of crap. Norway, get a hold of yourself, stop and think for a moment! We need to do something, and we need to DO IT NOW!!

Back to spreading a message.
My point is: When I read those blogs, and I live my life in beautiful Mandal, when I read the bible, when I look at Rob Bell`s nooma movies... I get inspired.
I`m filled up with expectations and antisipation to my work. To tell about Hald and our common goal. To fight povery and help people to help them self.

The view from my livingroom one morning last week!

On my own

2009-10-08T20:00:00.004+02:00

Finally.
For the first time in life, I`m living on my own.
I don`t count last years six months in Lao as living on my own. `cause then I had my amazing team mate Kristian living in the same building!
I`m living on my own. All my 80 friends from school have abandon me here in Mandal. At first I was shocked by their betrayel! How could they do such a thing? How could they leave me here, all by myself. Yeah, sure.. they had to go to their new homes for the next 6 to 7 months, but still.. some of them could at least have brought me with them. But noooo, they had to go alone. No one cares for the sorry ass ettåring Eirik!!

But you know.. I`m fine with it. I`m doing great on my own. I was very exited to see how it would be, living alone in a city where know the names of maybe 5 people, exept the teachers.
But I`m doing really good. They days seem fly by.
I work
I exercise
I eat
I sleap
I play guitar
I pray
I read

Life is good. Yes, there will be times when I will feel more alone then ever. But to quote a good friend of mine: "God has given me peace here. I`ve settled down".

The last on and a half week since school ended, I`ve checked out Bergen. Bergen is an AMAZING city. It rains a lot, but still.. The people makes every raindrop worth it, and the city has its own incredible charm.
I`ve been home to visit my parents. As always, they`re greast. I also got meet a lot of my many siblings, as well as a few friends.
In other words. The last week before I returned to Mandal was really good.

Utstilling av fantastiske union suits. Modellen ansikt er sladdet, fordi her søkes det ikke menneskers ære, men fremstilling av en fantastisk drakt!

Gutta rocka på skoleavslutninga.

Kinasjakk :) Kristian er ganske flink :)

Håpløst

2009-09-30T08:49:00.002+02:00

Det er flere titalls organisasjoner som prøver å bekjempe fattigdom. Også en haug av enkeltpersoner gjør en innsats for at andre mennesker i verden skal få det bedre!!
Hva hjelper det om vi legger ned uttallige mengder arbeid, tid og penger.. Når den gjennomsnittlige person i Norge gir totalt blaffen. Nordmenn har det siste året brukt 7,5 milliarder kroner på godteri og snop ( www.vl.no)!! Tenk om vi hadde bare brukt halvparten av disse pengene på å hjelpe andre mennesker, i stedet for å trøkke i oss kunstige stoffer som i stor grad bare er skadelig.

Jeg blir oppgitt, og det virker håpløst. Jeg er jo som alle andre, så jeg bare påpeker et problem som jeg er en del av. Men jeg er villig til å endre meg, og prøve. Men rike, snobbete og bortskjemte nordmenn, som vil ha mindre skatt og enda mer penger.. Bryr de seg?

"Godene i verden i dag er ufattelig urettferdig fordelt. 20% av verdens befolkning bruker 86% av ressursene. Det er nok mat i verden, men likevel sulter flere millioner mennesker. Hvorfor er det slik?"
"U-landsgjelden fører til at pengestrømmene går fra fattige til rike land. Dette hindrer utvikling, fordi penger som skulle ha gått til skole og helse heller går til å betale ned gjeld."
"For hver krone vi gir i bistand, får vi fem kroner tilbake i gjeldsbetjening. Dette legger enorme byrder på økonomien i fattige land og forhindrer utviklingen i disse landene – slik som å sørge for at folk får nok mat, et helsevesen eller utdanning."
Changemaker.no

Oslo eier

2009-09-18T14:52:00.002+02:00

Hey, My name is Eirik, and I`m writing this post from a school computer. Wanna know why, `cause my computer got stolen in Oslo, last weekend.
Go Oslo and the Norwegian crime rate! :D

But, It`s all good. I lost a lot of pictures and different stuff, and that`s what upsets me. Money and computers doesn`t matter. And I`m glad that I`ve comed to a point where money and things aren`t that important! I call it; "a step in right direction"!!

http://e24.no/makro-og-politikk/article3275688.ece

Sverige topper listene med sitt syke skattetak, på hele 56,7% i skattefradrag.
Det syntes jeg er drøye greier, mens kanskje logisk siden Sverige har relativt mye statsgjeld.
Men... Norge som er gjeldsfrie og et verdens desidert rikeste land, vi vil ha mindre skatter!
Jeg har en ting å si om Nordmenn.. De er så til de grader EGOISTISKE. Si at en nordmann lever 80 år, og gjennomsnittlig jobber man 40 av disse 80 åra. Resten av åra får vi penger opp i fanget, og lever det glade liv (flertallet hvertfall).
Jeg får inntrykk av at nordmenn bare vil ha mer og mer, uten å gi noe tilbake. Kortere arbeidsdager, mer lønn, mindre skatt etc etc. Føler det sier seg selv jeg. Norge og nordmenn kan kaste seg i en vegg, og banke vett inn i huet på seg selv!

http://www.bt.no/meninger/kommentar/En-koselig-liten-boble-928023.html

Her blir forresten Norsk politikk og valgkampen EID EID EID, av en fransk journalist!
Utrolig morsomt å lese!!!

Dett var Dett :)

2009-09-07T11:44:00.006+02:00

Hey, my name is Eirik and I am 20 years old.
Oh yes, I`ve finally grown up. The years as a tenager are over, and I`m 20.
The sunday was AMAZING with: horror movie in the addic, 4 hours of sleep, church, muffin, ice cream, hugs, presents, cudling, guitar, volleyball for 3 hours, many phonecalls with Trygve, messages and really good mood all day!
Hurray for all who remembered me. You guys are great!

During the weekend, we also had visitors from last years class. They came to share their experiences with this year students.
I got to meet a lot of friends again. I realize more and more how great last were, and how lucky I am. But the students this year, are also very very good people. Hard not to like them!!

Presents
- Hugs and messages
- Squash racket
- Movies
- ice cream
- Cudling from Silje
- coffee cup with winnie the pooh pictures :D )
- vanilla smelling candles? :O

And so much more!!!

jada

2009-09-02T11:40:00.004+02:00

http://www.vg.no/nyheter/utenriks/klimatrusselen/artikkel.php?artid=578208

Heia Norge som miljøfyrtårn :D
Heia AP og norsk politikk
Heia alle de som sitter på rævva i Oslo og tror de gjør en god jobb, når de bæsjer på leggen daglig
Heia de som sitter i Oslo, og IKKE bruker det de har mellom øra

Heia verden som dreper seg selv :D
Jeg er glad!!

BAH!!!!!!!!

Havet stiger. Millioner på millioner av mennesker kommer til å måtte flykte fra hjemmene sine. Og i tillegg til alt, har vi ikke nok mat til å fø verden sånn den er nå, også skal vi få enda flere millioner som ikke klarer å fø seg selv.
mmmm, jeg smiler av skrekkblandet fryd med tanke på hvor dumme mennesker kan være. Meg selv innkludert. Kanskje gjøre noe med forbrukerkulturen vår snart?Jeg har ikke lyst til å miste den naturen jeg har rett utenfor døra hjemme.

Teaching is fun

2009-08-28T14:38:00.004+02:00

Now, I`m sitting in the computer room at school. I`m teaching the Act Now class about blogging, how to use it, about the use of pictures, ethics and so on.

The class is exellent, and being a teacher is very easy now. A little bit different to teach here and now, then to teach English in lao, like I did 7 months ago. Being able to make myself understood during teaching, strangly make things easier :)

For de som vil lese på Norsk, minner jeg om oversetteren min. Merk teksten, kopier og lim inn i oversetteren nede til høyre på siden. Velg språket NORSK, og trykk GO. Da blir det oversatt :)

Living at Hald is easy. My work is challenging, variable, fun, not longlasting or boring.

I think I`ve out myself in a Prrrretty good position for the following year. If only the sivil service

system good be more easygoing and not that difficult, everything would have been perfect. But it doesn`t matter. I truly have got everything I need :D

The work I do as ettåring at Hald, consist of:

- Being a runners boy for the teachers, helping them to prepare classes, and sometimes be a part of the teachin.
- Work with the school envornment.

- advertising the school

- +++++

Now I have to move on with my teaching.

God bless no stress!

Der ja :)

2009-08-24T14:23:00.003+02:00

It's been a long, long time since last time I wrote a post to this blog.
Since I'm back at Hald, I've decided to write in English again. In case some of my many foreign friends would like to read some of the stupid and meaningless things I hope to write here :)

Yeah, so I'm back at Hald. As a member of the staff, under the fine title; Ettåring.
A lot of things has happened since I started to work, about two weeks ago. Most of our students have arrived now (miss a few, due to visa problems). And what a group of people!!!

It is strange how fast 80 people can become friends, when we come from so totally different settings, cultures and backgrounds. Some speaks english perfectly, other hardly know how to say yes and no. But the manage. The communicate, they learn, the become friends, they make memories and experiences for life. I can't help but to think that God has something to do with this. Say what you want.. But this is NOT normal:P Haha..

I've also found out that I am somewhat not normal. I'm still 19 years old. I've got a job and I can tell older people then myself, what to do and how they should do it. And guess what, I don't like to have that kind of controll over people. To be an authority is strange. And at the same time.. I'm back at Hald, I have 80 students around me, I've got many good friends here.. But I'm not a student. I'm not part of the group. I know it, they know, and it shows. But still, I wouldn't be any other place.

Btw, election 09 is coming up. Anyone else then me, that are scared of the possible outcome of this election. Seriously, the norwegian politicians don't have their feet on the ground. What happened to thinking and the use of our wonderfull thing called brain?

Summer updates:
I've worked at a nursery home for old people.
I was at Skjærgårds, a christian music festival, where I worked a lot
I went to Berlin with the best gang ever, and saw U2 live. Only real free time all summer
I worked more at the nursery home
I attended Ten Misjonsfestivalen, as a leader, and worked there as well.

Sooo, this summer.. I have worked a lot. Not that much spare time. But what a SUMMER :D:D

Oh yeah, I got baptised this summer:)

Connect 09/10

Breath of life

2009-07-10T18:39:00.002+02:00

Jeg sitter i stua og tenker.. (litt risikabelt i grunn)

Jonas G Støre (utenriksminister) mener FRP sin utenrikspolitikk vil gjøre Norge "utrygt".
Michael Jackson er død, som jeg forresten er ganske lei å høre om.. Jeg har hørt rykter om at 12 pers har tatt sitt eget liv fordi de ikke kunne leve uten "kongen av pop".
107 personer har dødd i India fordi de har drukket hjemmebrent..

Noen som har tenkt over at media sjeldent frembringer "gode" nyheter?
Snakk om oppmuntring og friske pust i hverdagen!

Heldigvis vet jeg hvor jeg kan finne mine friske pust!

Bilder

2009-06-18T11:13:00.012+02:00

Her er bilder fra siste dagen på Hald.
Berre så dykk veit da!

Btw.. Året var knall! :D

Ferdig

2009-06-15T08:43:00.001+02:00

Da var jeg hjemme i Romedal igjen.
Et fantastisk skoleår er ferdig. Kan ikke gjøre annet enn å takke!! Takk.

Btw, så skal jeg fortsette å blogge. Så bare å lese.. om det faktisk er noen som gjør det?!

Update again

2009-06-06T10:54:00.003+02:00

Mye som skjer for tida skal jeg love dere

Tar vi det i punkter? JA:
- Sene kvelder
- God undervisning
- Reklamestunt for skola
- Trening
- Afrika kveld
- Sør Amerika kveld

Det er under en uke igjen, til vi er ferdige. Jeg sitter på en lørdagsmorgen, kl 11, og skriver innlegget. Skola er nesten død, for alle ligger og sover etter en sen natt.
Regner med at det kommer til å fortsette sånn de neste dagene, noe som bare er koselig.

Mye blandede følelser, når jeg tenker på at skoleåret snart er over.
Men nyter dagene, og koser meg maks!

Btw, jeg var på Kjeragsbolten forrige helg. SYKT bra tur. Knallbra vær, bra folk rundt meg, koselig biltur.. dagen kunne ikke blitt bedre!!

Fra turen. Her er det ca 1000 m rett ned. Utrolig bra tur, og det hele ble toppet da vi kom i kontakt med en basehopper som hopper fra der vi stod. RÅTT!

English

2009-06-02T16:24:00.002+02:00

Hey

Just want to remind everyone that they can read my blogg in English.
I've installed a translator, from norwegian to english.

And I will continue to write blogg, through summer as well!!

We only have one week left in school. It's pretty sad and scary that the school year is soon over.
Soon we will part, and there is a great chance that I won't see all of my fellow students again!
Don't know what to think or feel, but I DO NOT look forward to next thursday!

Asiakveld :D

2009-05-29T21:29:00.003+02:00

Åjada, vi har hatt en kveld med full fokus på vise litt asiatisk kultur!! JEG ADVARER MOT STERKE BILDER!!!!!!!!!!!!!

Etter mye øving, to fulle dager og sene kvelder, hodevri, latter, mer hodevri, latter, stress og enda mer latter.. ble vi ferdige med opplegget, og kvelden ble slik:

Først ble alle gjester hentet med Tuktuk. Tuktuk er taxi fra Laos og Thailand, men vi gjorde vår egen vri! Vi brukte pappesker, malte litt på pappen, ropte tuktuk, mens vi henta folk frem og tilbake!
Etter at alle gjestene var ankommet, og et liten åpningstale, ble maten servert. Tibetansk momo, nepalsk suppe, thai suppe, vårruller og riskaker sto på menyen, og det hele falt i smak!
Etter maten hadde vi underholdning. Innslag som Dragshow, drama/sketch, sang og dans førte til mye latter, litt flaue blikk over noen gutters overraskende femininitet, og god stemning.

Shyam med nepalske klær.

Jeg viser dette fordi jeg er SIKKER på min egen seksualitet, og fordi jeg mener at jeg ikke er mann, før jeg viser min kvinnelige side!

Det hele var en knallbra kveld, som ble avsluttet med utfordring for fysisk fostringsklubben!
Det er en klubb som går ut på at alle i klubben kan utfordre andre medlemmer til fysisk aktivitet, til alle døgnets tider. Jeg utfordret til bakkeløp 00.00, hvorpå øyvin utfordret til noen ekstra drag, da vi egentlig var ferdige.
Det hele har tatt helt av, noe som er sykt gøy!

Men og min teamkamerat, Kristian, under en kveldstur i vakre mandal!

Tang og Tare

2009-05-26T00:16:00.006+02:00

Jeg kom på en ting, ift mat jeg spiste i Laos.
Jeg spiste en suppe, lagd på Tang. Tror det var en japansk rett. Skjønner ikke helt hvor ingrediensene kom fra, siden Laos ikke har en kystlinje.. hmm, kan det være mulig at man importerer Tang fra nabolandene??
Btw, suppa var ikke noe særlig. Det er ikke ofte jeg ikke liker mat, og jeg klarte å spise opp. Men jeg gikk for noe annet neste gang, for å si den sånn!

Er på Bryne nå, og har vært her i snart en uke. Har hatt fri siden 17 mai helga, som jeg feira i Romedal. Uka har gått med til informasjonsarbeid. Kommer et dypere innlegg om det senere!

Klem:)

Kristian har stort hode, og små føtter:)
Fra andedammen på Bryne

NMS kveld

2009-05-11T05:07:00.008+02:00

Jada jada jada, en ska'tte seia vi bære driv dank på skola, ama!

Forrige uke, torsdag kveld for å være mer nøyaktig, holdt klassa mi fest for NMS sine medlemmer i Mandal. Det skortet ikke på underholdning, og kvelden ble en stor suksess.
Med innslag fra alle team nettverks utvekslingsland (Laos, Thailand, Brasil, Madagaskar, Kamerun og Norge) pluss en utrolig bra andakt fra Noro, på Norsk, ble hele opplegget toppet med innslag fra misjonskamaratane.

Kollekt ble tatt opp, og mye penger ble gitt til NMS sitt arbeid den kvelden. Utrolig bra.
Vi som har det så sykt bra i Norge, bør kunne gi litt av vår overflod og rikdom til de som ikke har så mye som vi.

Den helga her har jeg vært hjemme, pluss en tur til Trondheim. Broren min hadde avslutning på skola, og da var det stas å reise opp å se hva som skjedde.

Nå er jeg tilbake i Kristiansand. Kl er 05.13 og jeg venter på bussen til Mandal kl 07.00. fiiiint.. btw, jeg kom med nattog kl 04.00....Fra Noro sin andakt på NMS kvelden. Imponerte med stort der, i tillegg til at det var på norsk

Klassa til Trygve. Måtte forære dem et bildet. Virka som en god gjeng!

Domkirka i Kristiansand kl 04.15. Samme fontene som fra turen; Kristiansand, iført crocs og kamera.

Mens jeg venter på bussen til skola.

2009-05-04T17:26:00.003+02:00

Hey all my friends that dont know how to read Norwegian.

From now on, I will write in Norwegian. But I have installed a translator, so you can understand what I'm writing.

Me from Laos :D

En helg med Team Nettverk

2009-04-27T12:16:00.010+02:00

Forrige fredag var det klart. Fokus og Act Now folka dro på krussetreff, og Team Nettverk ble igjen, klar for en helg med mye jobbing, og mye morro. Og mye jobbing ble det.

Vi startet fredagen ca kl 9, og avsluttet 13 timer senere med is og kaffe i stua. Gjennom dagen hadde vi spikret sammen et konsert lignende tema, som vi skulle fremføre to ganger i løpet av helga. Thaidans og Thaiboksing, gassisk salme, boyband med god og seriøs tekst, samt ekte norsk folkesang, med trampe og klapperytme. Det hele slo utrolig bra an, og vi samlet inn mye penger til NMS sine prosjekter i Laos. KONGE!!

Søndagen hadde vi misjonærstand i Søm Kirke i Kristiansand. Der viste vi bilder, enkel informasjon og fortalte om landene vi hadde vært ute i. NMS driver prosjekter i alle landene, og utrolig artig å kunne fortelle folk om arbeidet vi har vært en del av. Det sies at det største gledene man kan få, er av å hjelpe andre. Og det stemmer så til de grader. For en glede jeg får når jeg tenker på pengene som ble gitt, som kan gi unger i Laos rent vann, utdannelse og mye mer.

I løpet av helga ble det også en tur på meg og Øyvin i kristiansand sentrum. Turen gikk under navnet: Kristiansand, iført crocs og kamera!

Søm kirke i Kristinsand

Cecilie, Øyin og Hanne funderer over malerienes betydning

Mok lærer unger litt Thaiboksing

Fontene ved domkirka i Kristiansand. Fra turen: Kristinsand, iført crocs og Kamera

"It is Finished"

2009-04-11T08:42:00.004+02:00

"It is finished". These are the last words of Jesus, before he died on the cross. When Jesus lived on earth, he had a mission. He had a calling from God. God shaped him, and let him grow through temptetion, he was sick, and it stands in the bible that his face was of a nature that people didn't like to look at him.

Jesus was a man on earth, who had a calling from God. He answered, and the result was forgivness and mercy, and an open way for us to heaven.
I believe that every man has a calling from God. God has a mission for us on earth. Some missions are ment to last your whole life, other are ment to last for exampel 6 months.

Last Sunday, I sat in the church in Laos. I had just sang the blessing song (velsignelsen) together with Kristian/Bon Lai. As I sat there, I was filled with a peace, and I felt it through my whole body. It was finished.
My time in Laos are over. I returned to Norway yesterday, after 6 months in a culture, country, people and church, that are different from everything I knew of, in Norway. I had my work there, I had my life there, and I looked at everything in Laos as my own. But.. My mission was finished, and it was time for me to come home, and I felt peace. I was ready, as I feel ready for the next step in Gods plan for my life.

In the writing moment I sit in the living room in our house in Norway. Outside the temperature is below zero, which is very strange for a person that has lived with sun and 20-30 degreeds for the last 6 months. It's 9 o'clock, and almost everyone in the house are sleeping. The differences are huge, but I feel I am where I am supposed to be for the moment. Just want to say "Thank you" to the people in Laos, to Hald for sending me, and to God for showing me the way.

A picture from last trip in Laos. Just to see the difference between Norway and Laos

The view from our porcht this morning. To sit and write this, with a cup of coffee and a glass of water from the spring, is something I'm not used to. But it was nice to come home, and see that everything is the same, and that I fell right back into it.

The last two weeks

2009-04-06T17:08:00.003+02:00

WOW.
That's the word I want to use about the couple last weeks. They have been just amazing.

To make it short:
- Mukhdahan, Thailand. Vacation the, and we lived with our mentor, Atle and his family. We got to see the opening of a new church, feed monkeys with Hanne and Cecilie, and get more friends in Thailand. Two thumbs up!
- Missionary Meeting, Thailand. take care of kids, relax at a nice hotel, get to learn a lot about God, from Aril and Lotta Svartdhal, and get to know the missinionaries better. Again, two thumbs up.
- Bangkok, Thailand. Two days with shopping, eating ice cream, taking taxi, never get to a fully silent place, spend lots of time with Hanne and Cecilie, go the the movies with the gang (Hanne, Cecilie, Kristian, Mari, Silje, Else). Very nice, but more than enough with two days!
- Savannakhet, Laos. Two days with teaching bass and music to the youth in the church there. Very very speciall and blessed time, for reasons I'm not allowed to write here. "Then I would have to kill you". Special time, but so blessed, and I am very very glad I got the stay there!
- Vientiane, Laos. Came back on Saturday after ten hours on a bus. The church on Sundag, where I showed my pictures from the churc in Laos, to the youth, and singing velsignelsen. Definetly going to miss that church, and its people. Eating dinner with deth's parents and Salome. Ahan sep lai! Very tasty food!
- Today. Visiting the river where the youth will celebrate Lao New Year, whitch we will not be able to attend, something I am very sorry for. But no problem. Very beautifull river though. Buying more gifts to bring home, and going to a worship and blessing of a new born boy.

This country, this city, this church, these people.. I can't explain how good they are, and how much everything means to me. I can only say thank God!!

My bisarre food experiences

2009-03-19T14:55:00.007+01:00

Being in Laos is both a challenge, and a delight, when it comes to food.
Mostly, the Lao food is really spicy. And then I mean, REALLY spicy. That has given me a few times of stomachache. But when the change of tasting some new food, and try new thing, a happily take some hours with stomachache as a result! No problem.

Lately, I've eaten three things that is no so normal to eat in Norway. Those thing would be: Rotten fish, some kind of rat, and DOG.
Without any fuss, every meal was very very good. And non of them gave me trouble with my stomach. So, I would gladly do it again. And for the record, Dog was the best. It was amazingly good food, and I recomend it to anyone who gets a chance to eat it!!

Here we are eating the rat thing, with fish, rice and wegetables. Really tasty everything. This is Salome and his sisters:)

That is the rat thing. You can se the foot, and the tail streching over the back. It tasted a bit like beef. Really good, but strange to chew on a foot like that:P

Here is the dog's nose. It was the football team that ate. They barbequed the dog, made sauages from the bones together with some fat, blood and spices. We ate everything with mint leaves and rice. All in all, a fine meal. A meal for kings!!

My biggest blessing here in Lao

2009-02-22T11:58:00.003+01:00

The title says "my biggest blessing here in Lao". Being here in Lao is for me the biggest experience of my life. I get to live away from home for the first time, I get to eat a lot of good food, I get to work with nice kids, I get to work with deth`s parents, I get to have Kristian/Bonlai as my partner, I get to attend a very good church, I get to experience poverty, I will soon get to see NMS` projects here in Lao. But biggest of all, I get to live and be friends with the Lao PEOPLE.

They are so amazing. Where ever you go, they meet you with a smile. They are helpfull. They are kind. They are not rich. They er humble, and that is only a few of their qualities.

Here`s a story that proves the qualities of Lao people.
On friday I attended a wedding for a guy in the church. And as always, I do my share of helping out with cleaning and stuff. But before I started to help with the disches, I left my camera bag by some tables, a little bit out of sight. In the bag I had my camera (Nikon D40), passport, driver liscence, visacard and some money. When I finished the cleaning and went to get my bag, it was gone.
Not to worry, the bag, with everything was found the day after. Some kids had taken it to play, and one of the fathers took the bag with him home. But, the cool thing is how the people in the church helped me. I started to look for my camera,and within 5 min, everyone left at the church were looking. They called everyone they knew had gone to the wedding, even though it was late. They didn`t hesitate. We gathered and prayed together. And on my way home from church, I got three phone calls, from people saying how sorry they are, that they will pray, that they hope it`s not stolen. And the day after, when I got my camera back, many people came up to me, saying how happy they were and that they had prayed a lot.
The way the Lao people backed me up with wishes, prayers and thoughts, show me the quality of the people.

I thank God that I am so lucky to live with them, and to have them as my friends. When I leave Lao, the people is what I`m going to miss the most. They truly are my biggest blessing here in Lao!!

Teaching English in Laos

2009-02-12T16:08:00.005+01:00

My maintasc here i Laos is to teach English
The teaching is both fun and challenging. Escpecially since the kids here do what ever they want, when ever they want. And even though their mainteacher sits right by their side, they act like what we in Norway would call spoiled little kids. And the teacher, he does nothing, until its like chaos in the classroom.And even if I can get them to sit down, they are on it again, after five min.

But...
I like it. Teaching them new words, see the expression on their faces, when they understand what I want them to understand. I don`t care if they are noicy, shouting to each other or just walking between each other. I don`t care. Just to see them understand, just to be able to talk a little bit more english with them, for each week. It`s worth every minute in that classroom.
And it gets even better. When I say, in lao language, that I won`t be back until wednesday next week, and they get sad.. That tells me, that even though they`re not always paying attention, they like having me as their teacher. And they are learning more and more.

By learning more and more, for each time they study, they open up new ways trough their lifes. In a couple of years they can speak english well enough to go to the university. Then they can get a good job, feed their family, and help bringin Laos out the ditch the country is in. For those who don`t know. Laos is on of the worlds poorest countries. Last time I heard, it was the worlds 3. poorest country. if that is true, I don`t know, but still. It`s country in desperat need of educated people. And I am helping kids to be able to get that education. Maybe there is a light in the end of the tunnel for these kids. How blessed am I to help them get there??

But, I have managed to make a tiny tiny tiny kultur mistake with the teaching. The humor in Norway is based a lot on irony. The humor in Laos is NOT. So with me using kind of norwegian inspired humor in my teaching, has resulted in the students looking at me as strict and not so very happy.. Ended up with one of the other teachers at the school telling me to smile more. A bit difficult to smile on commando, but I`m doing my best:P

Dangerous, or not?

2009-01-30T12:24:00.004+01:00

Today Kristian (Bonlai) and I (Sing) have helped a girl in the church with som painting.
The working conditions wern`t the same as in Norway, but no problem. We got the work done, and the result was really nice. And to see the face of the girl we helped, when we were finished, that`s the best payment I could get. I really feel that helping other people like that, gives me such a great plesure. Simpely put, it makes me happy!!

But she did make us some food. To eat taco for the first time in Laos (had eaten once, in thailand), was something I would miss for the world. :)

I`m glad to be in Lao, and experince different conditions and settings.
And btw, though we were a bit scared, we went to it, trusting God would take care of us. And here I am, sitting and writing this so you can read about my life.

Our friend ownes here own coffee an silc shop. There she sels the citys best and cheapest coffee, and her silc is amazing!!

Trip to Bangkok

2009-01-26T14:10:00.004+01:00

Bangkok, the capital of Thailand, was not ready to be taken by the three vikings
Ingrid, Kristian and Eirik. We came like a storm, and we swept the city without hesitating.
But first off, we took the night train from Nong Khai to Bangkok. The train was Amazing. The style had a hint of retro 70 style, with faded lime green color on the walls inside the train. The train was a smart construction in it selves, and before I knew it, they had made all the chairs into beds. I had the top bunk, and were thrilled when I found out that my bed was exactly my length, 190 cm. The night was good, I slept well, a little cold, but all in all I was very satisfied. The shabby train with retro style and really small toilets had found the way to my heart, and it was with grief I left the train the following morning.

We went to Bangkok with many objectives, and one of them was to be hosted by Hald students; Silje and Else. They welcomed us with bread and Nugatti. OH JOY:D They were, trough the whole weekende, excellent hosts. And it was very nice of Mari, their room mate, to let us use her bed. You guys made everything so great.

In Bangkok we did a lot of shopping. I bought clothes to almost 1500 norwegian kr. That is A LOT of money there, so I sent a whole new wardrobe, back home, with my sister. T-shirts from Bangkok are so nice. Can`t wait to come home to Norway and use them. A bit scary thought.. One of the things I really look forward to, when coming home, is to use clothes :S

We also got to meet the missionaries in Bangkok. And we also met some people from NMS, that were in a trip to Thailand, so check out the projects that NMS has there.

In Bangkok we ate some really good western food. Western food is exspensive in Laos, so it was nice to eat things like whopper menu from Burger King, Taco, and icecream from svensens. Bit strange to eat it, but good as well. Miss norwegian food, but Kristian (bonlai) and I have found our own ways of food i Lao. So we eat as much lao food as possible. Therefore, coming to Bangkok was a nice and well erned vacation.

My sister went home to Norway that weekend, and now I won`t wee her for another three months. But no problem.

The trip to Bangkok was good. The trip home with the train was also pretty nice. So shabby.. HAHA.
Bangkok is nice, but I got to say: I think Laos and Vientiane is better. Not that much peoble or traffic:P But anyway.. Thanks for a nice trip!

Pictures will come later!

Family visit and trip to Vangvieng

2009-01-19T11:39:00.006+01:00

When I came home from Infield, my big sister Ingrid had come to Laos. So.. the vacation didn`t stop with Infield, I had one more week of fun and relaxing. All though I did some teaching during the week, it was mostly relaxing and hanging out with Ingrid :)

During the week we`ve done lots of different things. We started with checking out Vientiane city, where I live. There we did something I`ve did very little of during my three months here. We looked at buddhist temples. The buildings and the monks are fascinating, and it was really fun when we came to talk with one of the monks. He talked about being monk, why and how it was. Would it suprise you if I said that mane mane monks here have phones. Maybe it`s me not knowing, but isn`t that against the basic buddhist monk rules?!Buddha statue from a tempel in Vientiane

Btw, this week I reseved my christmas present from Norway, stuffed with the best things I could imagine. That made my day, sort of speaking:P

The gifts from home. Even christmas soda from Hamar:)

That week we were hit by a wave of sickness. I started at Khamla`s, and finished 6 hours later at my own bathroom. This is my first time in being really sick in Lao, and it was as fun as it always is when being sick. Both Kristian and Ingrid had their turns to the toilet during the night, and the following day became kind of lazy. But a couple of days later we where all fine, so me and Ingrid took a trip to Vangvieng. The place where we had infield. After a shaky trip with lots of loud Lao music, we arrived. We headed straight to a guesthouse, before we went to lucy cave. The cave was really large and beautiful, and in the end of the cave, there was a lagoon. Really cool:) Our guide was btw drunk, and his guiding consisted of spitting out the few english words he knew, in a very fast and direct order: oh yes very beautiful in cave, oh yes wow beer Lao! He made the trip memorabel, though in a different way. After the cave and some food we went tubing. This time, ass well in infield, the tubing became a cold experience, but man... the nature in Vangvieng is so beautiful, and just lying there in the tube, floating down the river. I wouldn`t miss it for the world.The lagoon inside the cave. Not the best picture, but anyway:)

The trip home from Vangvieng was also a experience in it self. We started out at 7 am with a local bus, and soon we were off. Here in Lao, the buses follow the time tabel, something we from Norway really appreciated. The first km we drove really slow, and the driver honked the horn all the time, in case anybody had forgot or missed the bus. It`s a good thing to do, but kind of enoying for the tired Eirik. The bus soon got filled up with shouting Lao people who seemed to be friends, but shouted to each other in a way I would look at as fighting. Well well.. The best part of the trip, besides to up and down, and going from side to side in the seat, was when the mother and her child in the seat in front of us, started trowing up. All over themselves and the seat. Just been sick myself, so the smell and the sounds were a bit disturbing. But as the tuff and hard viking I say I am, I stould (sat) my ground. So did Ingrid.

Well back from Vangvieng, we waited in Vientiane for some hours, before we met Kristian, and we were all ready for a trip to Bangkok. I will tell you that story later, `cause I`m still in Bangkok at Silje and Elses place.

Jul, Nyttår og Infield

2009-01-13T14:58:00.003+01:00

The last weeks has been wonderfull here. In many ways, I`ve felt like a tourist in my own country. It has been kind of great to walk away from the normal life, since the normal life here consisted of way to much spare time. But now it`s getting better. Next week we start with teaching for both teachers and students at a school here. I look very much forward to that!

In the christmas we used a lot of time in the church here. The people are so dedicated, and the christmas is a time for charing the gospel. A combination of celebration for just me and Kristian, together with the church, made the christmas a memorabiel time :D

At new year the hald girls in Thailand came to Laos. The days went by with showing the girls our city, and celebrate the wonderfull new year. Pizza and free drinks (which we didn`t drink), icecream, laughter and smile made the evening perfect. We finished the night with a pretty nice praise night at the church. The norwegian expression "hæla i taket, og tenna i tapeten" fits very well :)

Infield was just PERFECT. So good to meet the other students and teachers again. Vangvieng with its beautifull weather and surrondings made everything even better. The teaching and the sociale aspect of it all, made infield something worth to remember. When the teachers and students left me and Kristian back alone here i laos, the left a empty whole.
Thank you so much for visiting us:)

Update

2008-12-18T08:46:00.001+01:00

This is a little update from Laos.

The last few weeks have been so nice. I`ve travelled a lot, seen a lot and met lots of wonderfull people.
I`ve visited Savannakhet. There I stayed for one night. Funny story actually. When we got on the buss, a girl from the church calls Kristian and says that she knows some people there, and they can help us with hotel and stuff. So anfter 9 hours on a bumpy bus, we`re being met by a youthminister in one of the churches there. And off course, we can stay at his place. The culture here is just amazing. People are so warm and helpfull, and they hold nothing back.

The next day we went to Thailand and Mukhdahan. There we stayed a few days with our mentor and his family. A weekend with pre-christmas spirit, norwegian food, wonderfull people, hanging out with Hanne and Cecilie from Hald, and lots more. I can`t describe how good it felt to have such a weekend. Thank you so much, all of you that made everything so nice.

But there`s no place like home. And I really think of Vieng Chan as my home, and I like it there. And now my life there are finally starting for real. Yesterday we had our first day of teaching english. 12 students at Naxay church were ready to be tought from the norwegians. unfortunately we were`nt well enough propered. So we had to finish the class a bit early. In the class, it was a huge gap, in knowledge of english. That made the teaching difficult, and we desided that we should divid the class, the next class. But it was very fun to teach like that. A bit strange when people older than you, don`t call you by your first name, but by saying teacher. But I left the class with a good feeling, looking forward to next class.

My life is good. Not even a fine from the police can stop us;)
Stay blessed!!

En uke med innhold

2008-12-08T10:15:00.006+01:00

Forrige uke var den uka med absolutt mest forskjellig innhold, siden vi kom hit. Den var rett og slett fantastisk. Her kommer små referater fra de forskjellige hendelsene.

På tirsdag dro vi til turistbyen VangVieng. Det er der vi skal han infield. Delvis på oppdrag for hald, men også for egen nytelse. En liten ferie kan man si. VangVieng var det man kan beskrive som VaKKert, med stor V og store K`er. Naturen besto av fjell som skøt rett opp fra bakken, og var dekket med grønn jungel. Og fjellene var det mange av. Byen i seg selv lå på en stor flate, langs en elv. Fjellene omringet flaten. Elva er en av hovedgrunnen til at VangVieng er en turistmagnet. Elva er nemlig en av de alt for få elvene i Laos det går an å bade i. Og tro meg, for meg som har bodd i by for første gang, var det konge å kunne trekke seg tilbake til litt mer landlige områder med en god natur, fantastiske mennesker, god mat, shabby gjestehus, varm dusj for første gang sida jeg kom hit, og en elv som lirka seg bortover landskapet. VangVieng var fantastisk.

Et lite overblikk over VangVieng

Vi kom hjem fra VangVieng på torsdags kvelden, og brukte kvelden til å komme oss litt ned på jorda igjen, og å fordøye alle inntrykk. Men uka var ikke over, og allerede dagen etter var vi klare for bryllupet for ene kontaktpersonen vår her. Khamphet, som forresten var student ved Hald for to år siden. Han er den vi har mest kontakt med i kirka, og han har vært en utrolig god venn å ha her. Han er også viktig i ungdomsarbeidet i kirka vår, og de andre kirkene i byen, så det var med andre ord, duket for en fest med en del gjester. Omkring 1000 gjester var med å gjøre kvelden rå, og mat og underholding bugnet det av. Våre planer om å forsøke å røre noen til tårer med Ronan Keating - When you say nothing at all, ble skylt ned i do ved at vi ikke fikk med oss at de ropte oss opp. Flausen ble rettet opp med privatkonsert for brudeparet, hvor vi sang kveldssong for deg og meg - Odd Nordstoga, akopagnert av Salome (som var student på hald, sammen med Khamphet). Kvelden var komplett, og å sitte på en bitteliten krakk å vaske opp i halvannen time var bare stas.

Meg og brudeparet.

Etter fire timer søvn natta etter bryllupet var vi klare for å dra med Salome, å besøke hjembyen hans. Etter 2,5 timer venting ved kirka begynte vi den tre timer lange kjøreturen til landsbyen. Sammen med oss i minibussen var Khamphet og Salome`s vertsfamilier fra Norge, slektninger av Salome, og to ukjente par fra Thailand.
Veien var lang, kronglette, hullete, støvet og fylt med steiner. Det er hva jeg kaller opplevelse, og da jeg satt der i en berg og dalbane som fikk vante Laotere til å kaste opp, gikk det opp for meg hvor heldig jeg er som får oppleve. Livet er herlig, og dårlige veier var ikke nok til å få meg til å slutte å smile. Vel fremme ble vi ønsket velkommne av en diger ungeflokk, og nysgjerrige blikk fra nabohus rundt omkring. Familien til Salome var fantastiske, og de var nesten så mange at de kunne gitt min familie litt konkurranse i antall. da tenker jeg søskebarn. Flere søsken enn meg hadde han ikke, men ca 50 søskenbarn med en gjennomsnittsalder på 50 år, det hadde han. Salome var så heldig å vokse opp ved en elv som var ren nok til å bade i, og jeg tanken på et avkjølende bad fristet veldig. Gleden var derfor stor da jeg fikk vite at vi skulle besøke et vakkert fossefall, hvor bademulighetene var mange og store. Skuffelsen var desto større da jeg fikk vite at veien var for dårlig til å dra dit, og da var det for sent å bade ved huset hans. Men men. Familien hans var konge, og måltidet med inntatt etter en slags "thanksgiving" gudstjeneste på gulvet i hovedrommet. Turen hjem var nogen lunde lik den til. Men det var et stort pluss da vi kom over en elefant langs veikanten, og jeg kan stolt si at jeg nå har sett min første elefant. Riktig nok var den tam, og fungerte som arbeidselefant, men jeg syntes synet var flott for det jeg!

Uka var konge, og etter 7 timer på kirkebenken søndag, ble uka avsluttet med kake, brus, potetgull og karameller, mens vi så step up. Filmen var konge, snopet like bra (første gang vi spiser snop på den måten, siden vi kom hit). Uka var perfekt, og jeg tenker tilbake med smil rundt munnen. Ingen kan noen gang ta disse minnene fra meg, og ser nå hvor heldig jeg er som får oppleve det her. Takk!

Kitchen Corner

2008-11-27T09:34:00.003+01:00

Okey people, get ready for the first publishment from Kristian and mine`s kitchen corner.

I don`t know how it is with my friends at Hald, or other students around the world, but here i Laos, we have to cook each and every day.

We have come up some very interesting and tasty meals here, and we will publish the recipes on most of what we`ve maid. Maybe it will help other students out there.

The first recipe is for cakes. Since we are getting closer to christmas, we found out that we wanted to make our own cakes. This tuesday we went to a friend from the church, and we started the project. The cakes didn`t turn out to bad. I would say that they are more than good enough for a student that is getting ready for christmas.

100 grams butter

1,5 deciliters milk

2 teaspoons salt

100 grams sugar

2 teaspoons baking powder

500 grams flower (don`t know the exact number, just try it out. To dry, add milk. To wet, add flower)

For those who want; smash 2 bananas and chocolate, and mix with the rest (our recommendation)

Mix the dry ingredients first, while melting the butter. When the butter is melted, mix it with the milk. Stir while mixing. We are a bit unsure about this part, but to be safe, the milk-butter mix should be 37 degrees. When this is done, mix the dry and wet ingredients. When the dough is finished, it should not be wet. Dry enough that you can touch it, and it won`t stick you your finger. Let the dough swallow for about 20 min. Squeeze the dough into a form of your choice.

Put in the oven for 20 min, on 225 degrees. Take the cake out, and serve while hot. Maybe with some fruit or ice cream alongside.

Enjoy

God bless, no stress!

Update

2008-11-20T11:39:00.003+01:00

For the first. I´m sorry that I wrote my last publishment in norwegian. I totally forgot that I`m supposed to wright in english.

Okey, this is kind of just a update in my life the last weeks.

We have now finished our language study at the university. So from now on, the learning will have to be done in the bedroom. We have a goal to be able to understand a simple speach from our pastor. To do that, we have learn more words. The grammar is not difficult, so we just have to learn lots of words. And we will try. But we both feel that we know enough lao, to teach english to non- english speaking people. Thanks for all the prayes, and keep it going. We need it.

We don`t know what will happen next. Our "boss" is working on it, but I think the plan is to teach people at the church english, free of charge. It`s a great opportunity to help people here learn something, without having to pay lots of money to do so.

This week I`ve also had my first trip to Starbucks. On tuesday we went to Thailand, to renew our visa. We have to do that every month. At the same time we use the opportunity to buy stuff that`s cheaper there than in Lao. But I got to say, the memory that got stuck after the trip, was the coffey-caramel flavoured frappuchino. Some taste. It was simply delicious.

We also have plans on starting guitar- and bassclasses for the youth in the church. we don`t know when it will start, but we hope that it won`t take to long. I`m exited!!:)

There you go. I won`t bother to make write more, `cause I don`t think there`s any interesting stuff to write about.

God bless, no stress!!

I bryllup, invitert som elsker.

2008-11-10T04:28:00.005+01:00

Jada, her i laos tar vi det helt ut. Per dags dato har jeg overvært et bryllup, og er invitert til intet mindre enn tre til, i løpet av de neste fire ukene. Litt spesielt, men ærefullt å bli invitert av folk jeg knapt nok kjenner, noen har jeg ikke møtt heller. Men en ting, jeg vet ikke hvor ærefullt det er å bli invitert som Kristian sin elsker jeg?! Og jeg ble faktisk det. Men jeg antar det ble slik fordi man ikke visste navnet mitt, og heller ikke turte å spør noen, eller anta at vi er Kristne så da er det jo normalt mannlig elsker.. Hmm!! Jeg går videre jeg, tror ikke flere spekulasjoner er sunt for forvirringen i hodet mitt.

Det første bryllupet gikk av stabelen forhenværende fredag. Hadde ikke forventet slikt festeri da jeg pakket, så penklær var ikke en del av kleskoden tatt med fra Norge. Så vi gikk til innkjøp av dressbukse. De hadde overrakende nok min størrelse (noen steder, ikke overalt), og jeg var faktisk så heldig at jeg fant en bukse jeg virkelig likte, i riktig størrelse. Utrolig, men sant.
I ekte norsk kultur møtte jeg og Kristian opp 25 min før vielsen avsatte tidspunkt, og forventet å finne kirkelokalet smekkfullt.. der tok vi skammelig feil. Vi var de aller første, og måtte derfor finne oss i å vente i en hel time, før brudeparet ankom lokalet. Gjester var det heller få av, men det skal sies at det kom flere og flere utover i vielsen.
Vielsen var noe annerledes enn i Norge. Brudeparet satt knapt nok, de sto mer som utstillingsdokker gjennom hele prosessen. Når de faktisk satt, var det på gulvet, med en stor pute mellom seg. Løfter ble avgitt, vitner var foreldre og pastorer (ingen forlovere), og det hele foregikk uten at en eneste tåre ble felt fra noen i hele lokalet. Mot slutten av vielsen kom det jeg vil si var det fineste og mest finurlige ved hele kvelden. Brudeparet ga gaver til svigerfamilie og pastorer. Samtidig som man ga gaver, ba man sammen, og pastorer og familie ga sine personlige råd til brudeparet. Denne tradisjonen syntes jeg var utrolig fin, og jeg er glad jeg fikk se det. Det viste seg at det var der all veiledning og råd ble gitt. Var ingen taler e.l. senere på kvelden.
Litt senere var vi klare for fest utendør, og det var dekket til ca 500 gjester utendørs. Det viste seg at det er på festen de fleste gjestene kom, for det ble fullt etterhvert. Maten var en blanding av vestligrettet og laotisk mat, og det hele smakte fortreffelig. Ikke ofte jeg er så mett at jeg har lyst til å legge meg i fosterstilling for å slippe "smertene".

En svært lystig kveld, og oppdateringer av senere brylluper vil komme senere, sammen med bilder.
God bless, no stress.

Friends, Laofood and RISK

2008-11-03T05:03:00.002+01:00

My life here reminds me more and more of a day to day life. We are starting to get som routins, and I can almost every day rise from the bed, knowing what the day will consist of. That, I didn't do the two first weeks. And believe me, it's a good feeling.

Some days ago, I tried to publish this, but it didn't work. So this time, I will wright every thing again, and hope that it does work.

Last week, Salome, Khamphet, Air and E came to spend an evening of joy and laughter with me and Kristian. The first thing we needed, was food. So off course, we should eat Laofood. A combination of fried and cooked lever, minched pork and pork, together with steamed rice and sticky rice, and a variation of vegetables, made the dinner into a feast of flavours and smells. Out of care for us norwegians, they divided the food into spicy, and non spicy. And for that, we give our thanks!!

After the food, we sat down for a game of nothing other then the game RISK. After playing for a few hours, we decided that the one with the most land under his control, would win the game. Ges who did.. yes, no one else then yours truly. Thank you.

I'm very happy for det friends we've made here. It make things much easier when we know that we have a network of people around us, and that those peolpe truly care for us.
Life here is good!!

Jeg trenger hjelp

2008-10-30T12:13:00.001+01:00

Hei folkens

Jeg trenger hjelp med et problem jeg:

Når jeg skriver blogginnlegg på mac`n da entene word doc, eller pages dokument.

Men når jeg da kopierer teksten og skal lime den inn i innlegget, så kommer til ikke inn i innlegget. Det bare popper opp nedenfor inllegget, og når jeg publiserer, så er det blankt.

Noen som har svar? Mottas med takk!!

God bless, no stress!

Lao Evangelical Church

2008-10-27T05:40:00.003+01:00

This is some short facts about LEC. I feel it`s a bit important that people know how LEC is organized, `cause I think it`s a very well organized church. Maybe Norway can learn a thing or two from Lao. To the people I know.. Miss everyone. Miss Norway and snow. But I have a excellent time here, and would not be without it! God bless, Hakuna Mattata

Lao Evangelical Church (LEC) is NMS’s (Norwegian Mission Society) partner organisation in Lao PDR. It is trough this partnership that Kristian and I have gotten this opportunity. It is also trough in this church where Kristian and I work. Our churc`s name is Nakham.

LEC is organized in a way; I would say is very wise. This is a church with thousands of members. Just here in Vientiane it`s more than 8000 christians. To be the leader of such a flock is a big responsibility, and Pastor Khamphone is doing a very good job. But he is not just leading the church, he`s being an excellent role model.

This is Naxai church. It is not our church, I just like the picture

LEC is divided into many churches, spread trough out the country. Each church has one or several pastors. There are also people hired to take care of, for example economy and different helping projects. An example of that, is NMS`s and LEC`s “Pure water in Laos” project. Salome work as an assistant in that project. He went to Hald in 2006/2007 together with Khamphet, who work with economy.

Further on is the churches divided into cell groups. These groups consist of 6-12 people. They meet privately to shear Gods word, to pray and praise. Each group has a leader, who is responsible for the groups. The leader “answers” to the group`s church. When a group gets more then 12 members, the group divides into two groups. The new group gets a new leader, and the group meets at a new place. These groups are extremely important to the church. Since they are in more direct contact with the local people, most of the evangelising happens trough this groups. And It brings results. Each week, several people turn there hearts to Jesus and gets saved.

At praise practise in our church. People are very devoted to the cvurch, and use lots of there sparetime there.

Pictures

2008-10-08T10:31:00.008+02:00

I´ve decided to write more in English from now. So it`s easier for my international friends to understand.

Here are some pictures from Laos.

I`ll follow the trend, and show pictures of myself with freshly cut hear.

Me playing guitar in Kristians room.

Kristian and Sack and a restaurant. We ate bufè. 35000 kip, eat all you want. about 27 norwegian kr. We picked lots of food, raw, and cooked and fried it ourself.

More pictures will come!! Take care!!

Todays question: What is a Tuk Tuk??

oj

2008-10-05T10:33:00.003+02:00

Kjære tid. Skrev i går at vi skulle spille fotball, det gjorde vi. Artig som juling, bra folk ass. En ble skada, og alle hjalp til med å bære han av bana. Det finner man sjeldent i norge.
Etter det skulle vi hjem. Da klarte vi selvsagt å kjøre oss bort. Samtidig opplevde det vi kan kalle en liten tropisk storm. Det regna og blåste som bare det. Og det drev vi og rota i, i 2,5 timer. Merkelig.

Sitter i kirka nå. Utrolig å se hvor gudfryktige og fokuserte folka er her. Fantastisk. Det er virkelig bra mennesker som er her. Så snille og hyggelige.
Er ikke min pc/mac, så har fortsatt ikke bilder, men det kommer :D
Until then, stay blessed!!

Foerste innlegg

2008-10-04T05:24:00.004+02:00

Hei og hopp.
Foerste tida har vaert spennende. Reiste litt rundt i gaar, sammen med Atle og Pet. veldig morsomt. Rommene er bra, med kald luft og vann :)
Skal spille fotball etterpaa, kombinert med cellegruppe og lovsang. Stas.
Har ikke noen bilder enda, men det kommer:)

Veldigh spennende aa vaere her. utrolig varmt. Men skakke klage:D
Har det bra her.
Kan ikke si naar neste innlegg kommer, men tror ikke det blir for lenge.
Until then.. God bless, no stress!!

Høstkurset på Hald

2008-09-26T04:10:00.004+02:00

Kl er nå ti over 4 på natta. Alle på Hald ligger trygt i sengene sine, untatt meg. Bussen min går om ikke så alt for lenge, og jeg har funnet ut at jeg ikke gidder å sove no særlig før jeg drar fra Hald, og avslutter mitt høst/forberedelseskurs her på Hald Internasjonale Senter.

Jeg tenkte jeg skulle prøve å skrive litt om livet mitt de siste 6 ukene. Men jeg merker at jeg ikke har ord som kan beskrive godt nok det jeg føler nå. Jeg har fått undervisning i fagområder jeg ikke hadde forestilt meg. Jeg føler jeg reiser hjem nå, med mye mer fagkunnskap, enn da jeg kom hit. Jeg vet mer om microfinans, om fattigdom, AIDS, organisasjonene rundt meg, kommunikasjon, konflikter og mye mye mer. Dette har gjort at jeg føler meg godt rustet for de neste seks månedene av mitt liv. Men nå har jeg ikke engang begynt å snakke om menneskene jeg har møtt her.

Da jeg sluttet på vgs, tenkte jeg at denne klassen og dette miljøet skal vanskelig kunne tåppes. I løpet av de siste ukene har bevist noe helt, helt annet. Jeg merket etter bare et par dager her;

Dette er mennesker jeg kan stole på. Jeg kjente fort at disse menneskene er folk jeg ville ha med meg videre i livet mitt. Etter ca en uke dro jeg hjem, og folk spurte meg om hvordan det gikk. Det eneste jeg kunne si var fantastisk, og fortsatt følte jeg at ordene ikke strakk til. Menneskene jeg har blitt kjent med har alle fått en spesiell plass i hjertet mitt, og jeg kjenner en enorm takknemlighet til Gud, og en enorm glede over at jeg skal få tilbringe 9 nye uker sammen med dem til våren. Dere er alle helt konge, og jeg takker for den gleden dere har gitt meg. Jeg sitter meg et smil rundt munnen når jeg tenker på dere. TAKK!

Om 6 dager sitter jeg på flyet til Laos. Har ikke helt gått opp for meg enda, hva det er som faktisk skal skje. Men for øyeblikket er jeg i ferd med å innse hvor lenge 6 måneder uten folka her på Hald er, og jeg vet jeg kommer til å savne hver og en.

Med Guds velsignelse ønsker jeg dere alle et fantastisk utenlandsopphold, og jeg ber om dere må finne stor glede i arbeidet dere skal gjøre. Mitt siste råd er: gled dere i Herren. Med ham makter dere alt.

Krik og Chrisc

2008-09-17T23:20:00.003+02:00

Mitt første møte med KRIK var på KRIK Arena i fjor sommer. Falt helt pladask for alt med hele organisasjonen, og fant ut at konseptet var ikke så aller verst (K.M Bondevik var overraskende nok en medvirkende faktor). Litt senere blir KRIK startet i Hamar, men typisk nok var jeg opptatt de gangene det var KRIK.

Jeg har alltid vært litt usikker på KRIK/CHRISC som organisasjon, og i dag hadde vi besøk fra to representater derfra, og det ble starten på en av de bedre skoledagene her på Hald.

Vi åpnet dagen med litt generell info om CHRISC sitt arbeid i øst-Afrika, før vi tok det hele helt ut med løping, leker av div slag og hodeskader av div slag, ute på gressplenen utenfor

For de som er interessert: Jeg grusa i Stein, Saks, Papir. Kombinasjonen; Papir-Stein-Papir-Stein-Papir ga full utelling og sikret laget seier.

Etter en god helt hjemme, og et konge besøk på NMS sitt hovedkontor i Stavanger, trodde jeg at en ny uke med undervisning ville gå lett. Men selv om tirsdagens undervisning var interessant og god, kjente jeg at øynene glapp jevnt utover dagen. Derfor var dagens avveksling fra "vanlig" undervisning utrolig deilig.

I morra kjører vi på med "hvordan skrive et god avisartikkel" og fotokurs. Eg kjenner gleia ved å tenkje på fotokurset. Som dom seie i Ekholt, Harkinn og Austeng kretsen; Ladd Je!!

Jooo, sånn btw.. Det innlegget her skrives fra Austeng residensens nyeste og beste verktøy, nemlig idrettsassistent og mobbeoffer Eiriks nye Macbook. Enjoy!!

Dagens spm; hvordan i alle dager kan ManU klare å spille 0-0 mot VillaReal... på hjemmebane?

Eirik og Gitarspilling

2008-09-08T22:00:00.004+02:00

Før jeg flytta til Hald, hadde jeg bestemt meg for å lære meg å spille gitar.
Hva skal jeg si.. Har vel egentlig ikke gått ordentlig inn for det, men det blir da litt klimpring i ny og ne.
Hver Mandal har vi noe som heter for Praise and Prair på Hald. Det er en bønn og lovsangskveld. Han som ledet møtet i dag, som forresten her Shjyam og er fra Nepal, spurte om jeg ville spille bass i dag. Det sa jeg jo selvfølgelig Ja til, glad i bassen som jeg er. Meen så.. har jeg en reisevenn kalt Kristian, som forresten er veldig musikalsk, som spurte meg om vi ikke skulle bytte, så jeg spilte gitar og han bass. Husker ikke helt hva jeg tenkte, men det var liksom noe som falt i smak. At jeg faktisk sa ja til det, var jo helt utrolig, for jeg har jo virkelig ikke peiling på gitar. Men jeg sa faktisk ja, og jeg begynte å innstille meg på en time meg hjertebank og svette fingre. Men etter litt øving, mye bønn og god støtte gjennomførte jeg min første lovsangskveld med gitar. Fantastisk morsomt, og det ga virkelig mersmak!!
Det påstås at det er så mange på hald som har begynt å spille gitar, men jeg må si til mitt forsvar at jeg har tatt steget videre fra Enriqe iglesias og Hero, egenkomponi på det helt grunnleggende (eehem madagascar og uganda) til noe litt mer komplisert. Nemlig Barègrep. OFF!!

Har forresten bestemt meg for ikke å slette gjelda til Øyvin. Etter gode råd og argumenter from "he who I´m travelling with", blir det nok litt glasscola på meg allikevel:D

Btw, noen som har råd til hvordan jeg kan bli dritflink på balansering på line, uten å øve?

Bursdagsfeiring og sosial omgang

2008-09-07T12:45:00.002+02:00

Ælau!!

Her i midten av norges bibelbelte, ganger vi hver søndag til en diger trebygning med masse mennesker som deler noe svært verdifult, og her jeg sitter og tenker tilbake på samlingen jeg nettopp har vært på, merker jeg at jeg begynner å føle en viss kjærlighet for statskirka her på sørlandet. Hadde den bare vært slik på Hedmarken også (*savn). Men, det skal sies at Lia Gård, som ligger like ved Koppang, ble nevnt under gudstjenesten i dag. Det ble en fantastisk kobling tilbake til oppvekststedet, og minner fra "hellige tre kongersfest" kom strømmende tilbake.

I går hadde jeg, for de som ikke vet det, bursdag. Fylte da 19 år, det jeg åpnet det store dagen med klemmer, sang og Urge på 1,5 liters flaske rundt bålet på en av strendene i Mandal. Dagen fortsatte med gjenkomst til rommet, hvor jeg fant både donuts, telys og kinesiske spisepinner lagt pen på puten min, sammen med personlig hilsen fra asiafolket her på Hald, selvfølgelig på Thai og Laotisk (skjønte ingenting av det som sto).
Deretter våknet jeg til sang, bokstavkjeks og bananer, før det ble enda mer sang og enda mer klemmer. Har fått høre at fem klemmer dekker menneskets daglige behov for fysisk nærkontakt. Ære være bursdager sier bare jeg. Hadde det bare vært slik hver dag (*enda mer savn). Seks måneder i Laos, uten den typen. Kjære tid.. Vurderer om jeg skal dekke kvoten på forhånd??!!
Ikke nok med at fikk sang og noen smågaver, så fortsatte det hele med fest for både med og Nils. Iskake, sang med selvskreven tekst, dans og fordobling av skjortforrådet.. Må si meg ganske fornøyd, og tror jeg skal gi "He whom I`m travelling with" skylda. Men han var ikke alene, så takk til alle som gjorde dagen min ekstra spesiell. Var en stund sia sist.

Ellers går dagene til god undervisning, fantastiske mennesker, gitarspilling, gjentatte forsøk på å lese pensum og mye tid på å fundere på hva ordet jovial betyr. Regner med at det er et vestlansautrykk.

Btw, treningsrommet her kommer til god nytte. Selv med den skakke benken vår. Stølhet/gangsperre har blitt en god vane.

Også en ting til, Urge på 1,5 l. Fantastisk. Øyvin står i gjeld til meg med 1GC eller 4JS. (Se på Madagascar Øyvin sin blogg for videre forklaring)Men vurderer å droppe gjelda, bare fordi han ga med urge til gave. Hva mener dere??

Undervsning, rart vær og forkjølelse.

2008-08-28T16:28:00.003+02:00

Merker det at jeg nærmer meg en hverdagsfølelse her. Kan ikke si annet enn jeg liker den følelsen. Begynner så smått å få noen små rutiner. Men det tror ikke jeg kommer til å få den komplette hverdagen. Blant annet fordi undervisningen er så varierende.

I går begynte vi på et todagers kurs med tema "Crosscountral Communication and Personal Challenges". Første undervisning vi hadde her på Hald, gjaldt mye av det samme, så tror dette kurset var påtenkt som en fortsettelse. Men her kjører vi ikke ren undervisning nei. I går åpnet vi kurset med kortspill. Litt merkelig tenkte jeg i førsten, men selvsagt så var det ikke et kortspill uten noen som helst form for læring. Etter at vi var ferdige, var det i gang med evaluering og diskusjoner. Og med 70 forskjellige personligheter, blir det mye forskjellig som kommer fram. Utrolig morsomt i grunn, å høre på hvor forskjellige folk tenker. Vi hadde en lek i dag også, som avslutning på kurset, og det var mye av det samme som gikk igjen fra i går. Noe av poenget ved lekene, var at snakking og kroppspråk var forbudt. Haha, ler når jeg tenker på hvordan folk ble når frustrasjon over ikke å kunne snakke, tok overhånd.
I dag ble vi fortalt en historie, for så å rangere personene i historien etter hva vi syntes om dem. Og rangering varierte fra topp til bunn på mange av personene. Merker her at normer, oppvekst og kulturforskjeller kommer tydelig fram.

Været er merkelig her i Mandal. I sommer så trodde jeg at været på hedmarken var ustabilt, men det er ingenting sammenlignet med her. Det er riktig nok ikke så ekstreme lokale byger, men det varierer mye mer fra dag til dag. Er egentlig litt nedtur, kan liksom ikke forvente noe fremover. I tillegg tror jeg kanskje all den fuktige luften har gitt meg en forkjølelse, som er et skikkelig bomskudd i min internattilværelse. Alt fra rennende nese, hals og brystvondt gjør at jeg føler meg litt tilbakesatt. Kan liksom ikke gjøre det jeg har lyst til (synge, trene etc etc).

Jo, det har jeg glemt å nevne. Vi har styrkerom :D:D Med en kombibenk som er så lealøs og skummel så jeg vet ikke hva jeg skal si. Enkelt og greit; Skummelt å trene benk for å si det sånn. Men er da litt vekter, så får da pressa kroppen litte granne. Btw, noen som vet hva som er best: Styrke først, så jogge. Eller motsatt? Har en liten diskusjon på det der, med ei anna som har gått idrettslinje.. Anyone??

Og der går startskuddet...

2008-08-25T21:28:00.000+02:00

Tjo og hei.
Da er jeg i gang med min blogg. Når jeg tenker blogg, så tenker jeg en liten blanding av fjortiss, jalla og småharry. Så min plan er å unngå det. Dette gjøres ved å ta det hele litt mer seriøst, og ikke fortelle om hvilke jenter jeg fikk øyekontakt med, da jeg gikk gjennom gågata.

Jeg har begynt min "utrolige reise". Etter halvannen uke på Hald Internasjonale Senter, så tør jeg påstå at jeg står ovenfor mitt livs største utfordring, både sosialt, mentalt og åndelig. Dette kommer til å bli en utfordring, men samtidig så vil dette året bli en opplevelse av den sjeldne.
Vi har begynt undervisningen, som hittil har handlet om hvilke utfordringer vi må gjøre oss klare for under utvekslingsoppholdet, litt om hverdagsaktuelle temaer relatert til nestekjærlighet og utfordringer, og vi har begynt med bibelundervisning. Bibelundervisningen oppfatter jeg ikke som prekner, men rett og slett bibelstudier. Vi begynte i dag å fordype oss i 1. korinter, og det var utrolig uvant og spennende. Morsomt å høre diskusjoner og kritiske spm om bibeltekster:)

Ellers må jeg si jeg er glad for å ha flytta hjemme fra. Glad for endelig å få en helt ny start. Å vise hvem jeg virkelig er, uten å tenke på hvem jeg var for et år siden. Det er godt å få treffe en hau med helt nye mennesker, og å komme inn i et fellesskap som det er her. Utrolig deilig!!

Det var første innlegget, og det kommer mer.
Håper folket vil lese her, og følge med ettersom jeg skriver og forteller om mine opplever her på Hald, og senere i Laos.
God Bless, No stress.

Ps, vet ikke om folk la merke til det, men bloggen min heter: Sings utrolige reise. Dette fordi jeg har fått et navn på Laotisk, som da er Sing.