Settled In!

Hello! It has been a while, but I have plenty to write about! I have been trying to figure out school mostly, which has turned out to be much tougher to do than I expected! Not the people, but the schedule! It is very different from American schools, which I expected, but not the details, as usual =) For starters, a group of about thirty people make up a "class" we Stay together for all of our classes, except language courses (Spanish, french, etc). We have different schedules every day of the week, and the classes are never in the same room! math, Politics, and Languages are held in auditoriums with about 100-200 students. you are completely on the honor system to show up. The other classes, Earth ans Atmosphere, Norwegian and English are in different rooms. Wednesdays are special For our class- School starts at 11, and from 11 until 3:15 we are all taking one subject, such as Norwegian, for the entire day. This is made for projects and Field trips mostly. The cool part- every third week we have Wednesday off! Tuesday and Friday school starts at about 9:30, and as soon as the teacher is done teaching, you can leave. Between classes we have quite a bit of free time- anywhere from 15 minutes to two hours. Usually we walk a mile to the mall, here you can go to the Maxi centrum and by a croissant for lunch, and browse the shops until your next class. Classes however, are much more concentrated, and the students are very focused. It seems like we spend half the time in class, but learn twice as much. Even when it is in Norwegian! I have made quite a few friends here already- Mary, who has an Icelandic pony that she has let me ride, Eline who is my best Norwegian friend and who ALWAYS seems to know where we are supposed to be and when! Eda, marta, and May Kristen who Eline and I hang out with between classes. Then of course there is Ole, my "brother", Marn, Helena, Hilda and Pedder, But i do not see them very often since we have different schedules.
The school itself is the most modern (not to mention biggest!) one I have ever seen. It is quite nice- mostly all glass. All of the lights are Motion activated, so If no one is in a hall, the lights go off, which is quite nice! Thee is no intercom system- instead, in all the halls are giant plasma TVs with announcements and other information playing on them. It is very cool, but took some time to get used to. I still wouldn't be able to find my classes if it wasn't for Eline and Mary!
Outside of school, I first felt pretty unsure of what to do with myself- Usually I would head straight up to the barn, or do something with Julie or Ride, and It is quite strange to not come home and ride a horse! Now I am getting used to it, and finding other ways to entertain myself. I usually go exploring, one way or the other. I have a cell phone now, So My host parents don't worry so much about me getting lost. I like to go off on the bike and find public trails, of which there are plenty, and see what there is to see! Yesterday I came across this huge old Paper mill turned into a museum. That is a picture of it at the top. Also I go up to the Barn here and hang out with Mary and Eda, but the trouble is the weather, since it is very unpredictable and the barn is a considerable distance away!
The weekends have been quite full as well! I have been to My host Rotary club and told a little about myself, and one of the members took me and My councilor out on his speed boat on the largest lake in Norway. Also I have been to the Hamar Music Festival, The Farmers market, The opening of a huge new Golf course, Several hikes, and I have met the Bishop and Norway's biggest country star, both without realizing it until some one told me who I had been talking to!
The weather here, as I said earlier, is quite unpredictable. It is sunny, and then it rains, and then it is Sunny....It is very pleasant for the most part though. two mornings ago there was frost on the ground! the next two weekends I am traveling to go to Rotary Functions, and in three weeks my host family is taking my to Flum, in western Norway, to see the Fjords and other Norwegian Sights! My family here is great- They treat me just like a family member, and are always taking me some where! My host brother Ole was a huge help in the beginning of school, showing me where my classes were and helping me figure out the bus system. I am really enjoying myself, and learning more every day. I am catching on to Norwegian now, and can make the sounds of Ø Æ and Å, which was the hardest part for me at first. Norway is definitely a good place to be!