It's 8:30 in the morning, and it's pretty cold right now (23 degrees F), but it's light out and the snow is pretty much all gone. Anders went to school with tennis shoes for the first time since November (although I don't think he realized how cold it was...), and Espen rode his bike to school for the first time since last fall.
It's not true spring yet - too cold for that - but it's so nice to wake up at 6:30 and have the sun shining!!
Tuesday, March 04, 2008
Thursday, February 28, 2008
Searching for a job
I've started sending out some job applications now. I've applied to five schools here in Oslo that sound interesting, and then today I also sent a letter and my resume to a school nearby where I did my student teaching a few years ago. They haven't announced that they're looking for teachers, but I thought that it doesn't hurt to let them know I'm interested. I'll probably do the same thing for other schools that I'm particularly interested in.
A friend of mine who lives about an hour outside of Oslo applied for 9 schools in her school district. The application deadline was on Friday the 22nd, and today she got calls from 3 different schools who are interested in having her come in for an interview. Hopefully something similar will happen to me!!
I'm pretty much obsessed with this job thing, and I know I won't relax until I have a job!
A friend of mine who lives about an hour outside of Oslo applied for 9 schools in her school district. The application deadline was on Friday the 22nd, and today she got calls from 3 different schools who are interested in having her come in for an interview. Hopefully something similar will happen to me!!
I'm pretty much obsessed with this job thing, and I know I won't relax until I have a job!
Tuesday, February 19, 2008
Winter break
This week is a school vacation. Gaute had to work yesterday and today, but this evening we're heading up to the cabin. I only have classes every other day. I went to school yesterday, but I'm skipping Wednesday and Friday. I think I'll manage to pass my classes still ;-)
As I'm writing this, it's about 40 degrees here in Oslo and lightly raining. It sounds so nice to get up to real winter in the mountains!
As I'm writing this, it's about 40 degrees here in Oslo and lightly raining. It sounds so nice to get up to real winter in the mountains!
Saturday, February 16, 2008
Name Day
Today is my name day! In Norway, each day of the year is associated with a name, or a group of similar names. And today is the name day for Jill! In the newspaper here, they always have a little blurb about which name day it is, and interview someone with that name. That's about the extent of the excitement. From what I've heard, name days are actually celebrated in Sweden, but according to Wikipedia (my favorite website, by the way), a calendar company randomly assigned the most common Norwegian names to the different days of the year in 1988. So it's not exactly a tradition around here.
But, the interesting thing is that while I was searching around on the web now, I found a site that the Social Security administration has where you can check the popularity of various names, both now and in the past. I've know for a long time about a similar site in Norway, but I didn't realize that there was an American equivalent. I think names and statistics about names are fascinating for some reason, so I was pretty happy to find it. And, I checked the statistics for my name for the last 100 years and was quite surprised. Jill was relatively popular in the 20's but was used less and less often until it reached a low point right around, well, 1969. But, the interesting part is that the name has been gaining a lot of popularity lately and is now up to the same level it was in the 1920's. I actually know someone who named her baby Jill, but I kind of thought that was a fluke. Interesting to think that there are so many little baby Jills around. I've always really liked my name, and I hope they do, too!
But, the interesting thing is that while I was searching around on the web now, I found a site that the Social Security administration has where you can check the popularity of various names, both now and in the past. I've know for a long time about a similar site in Norway, but I didn't realize that there was an American equivalent. I think names and statistics about names are fascinating for some reason, so I was pretty happy to find it. And, I checked the statistics for my name for the last 100 years and was quite surprised. Jill was relatively popular in the 20's but was used less and less often until it reached a low point right around, well, 1969. But, the interesting part is that the name has been gaining a lot of popularity lately and is now up to the same level it was in the 1920's. I actually know someone who named her baby Jill, but I kind of thought that was a fluke. Interesting to think that there are so many little baby Jills around. I've always really liked my name, and I hope they do, too!
Thursday, February 14, 2008
Life and stuff
Student teaching is over...forever. Student teaching this year was definitely challenging, but now that I'm done, my overall impression is positive. For many different reasons, the school was difficult, but on the other hand, there were some fantastic students there who I will really miss. I made chocolate chip cookies which I took for them the last day, and they were going crazy - they'd never tasted anything so good. I had to promise to send them the recipe - which I did.
But now that student teaching is over (as well as the fun stomach flu that I had on Tuesday), it's time for me to start thinking seriously about applying for jobs. I've been dreading the process for a long while now, but once I got my act together, I'm realizing that it's not the most difficult process in the world. I've contacted two people who I can use as references and I've written my resume, so now I just need to figure out where I want to work.
At my college on Tuesday, representatives for various school districts on the outskirts of Oslo came and tried to recruit students to come and teach at their schools. It was kind of fun going around talking to them, because when I told them that I wanted to work at a middle school and what my background was, they were practically offering me a job on the spot. Some of the schools aren't far out of Oslo, and it really wouldn't take me more than 20 minutes to drive to them, but I think I'd rather be a bit closer to home (distances are small around here compared to say, California). We'll see, though. The schools in Oslo haven't actually posted any jobs yet. They wait a bit longer than the other school districts, probably because they can afford to. I talked to a friend of mine who is a teacher, though, and she said that practically every school will have at least one opening and that I should be able to pick and choose, so I think I'm going to play it cool for a while longer.
But now that student teaching is over (as well as the fun stomach flu that I had on Tuesday), it's time for me to start thinking seriously about applying for jobs. I've been dreading the process for a long while now, but once I got my act together, I'm realizing that it's not the most difficult process in the world. I've contacted two people who I can use as references and I've written my resume, so now I just need to figure out where I want to work.
At my college on Tuesday, representatives for various school districts on the outskirts of Oslo came and tried to recruit students to come and teach at their schools. It was kind of fun going around talking to them, because when I told them that I wanted to work at a middle school and what my background was, they were practically offering me a job on the spot. Some of the schools aren't far out of Oslo, and it really wouldn't take me more than 20 minutes to drive to them, but I think I'd rather be a bit closer to home (distances are small around here compared to say, California). We'll see, though. The schools in Oslo haven't actually posted any jobs yet. They wait a bit longer than the other school districts, probably because they can afford to. I talked to a friend of mine who is a teacher, though, and she said that practically every school will have at least one opening and that I should be able to pick and choose, so I think I'm going to play it cool for a while longer.
Tuesday, February 05, 2008
Yes, I still want to be a teacher
Today was much better than yesterday. It was actually a pretty good day - except for the last few hours, when things went downhill pretty quickly. I was actually done with my teaching for the day, but ended up going in and talking to them and trying to set things straight. Most of the kids are great, but the few who aren't are pretty bad and really ruin it. But, on the whole, a good day.
Do I really want to be a teacher?
I'm in the middle of student teaching right now, and it's crazy. The school is totally run down (scheduled to be torn down in a couple of years), and the kids are obviously not used to any form of discipline. I spent all weekend planning my teaching, and it didn't go very well yesterday. Actually, the actual teaching went pretty well, but it's just out of control during recess and between classes. I was so worn out when I got home last night!! I can't imagine this being my life every day. I'm really going to have to do some research before I apply to any schools and make sure that I find a place where I want to work.
And, now, it's off to school...
And, now, it's off to school...
Wednesday, January 30, 2008
Taking over the school
This week I started student teaching again. We've had 6 weeks of student teaching every year, at different schools each year. For our final year, we are only going to have two weeks of student teaching, however. I have kind of mixed feelings about it - on the one hand, student teaching is a lot more "work" than being a student. Just the fact that we have to be at the school every day at 8 in the morning. On the other hand, I really enjoy student teaching and feel like it's where I've learned the most during the last 4 years I've been a college student.
What we're doing this year (we actually did it for 2 weeks last year, too) is having what they call a "school takeover". This week us college students are at the school, meeting the kids, getting to know the school and planning lessons. Then next week, all of the teachers as well as the principal and vice-principal are headed to a course in London, while we take over the school. For that week, we are responsible for everything that happens at the school, and we even have a specially appointed group to take over for the administration. It's actually a pretty cool form of student teaching.
But, it's tiring...
What we're doing this year (we actually did it for 2 weeks last year, too) is having what they call a "school takeover". This week us college students are at the school, meeting the kids, getting to know the school and planning lessons. Then next week, all of the teachers as well as the principal and vice-principal are headed to a course in London, while we take over the school. For that week, we are responsible for everything that happens at the school, and we even have a specially appointed group to take over for the administration. It's actually a pretty cool form of student teaching.
But, it's tiring...
Monday, January 28, 2008
Doing a little crying last night...
Last night I watched Brokeback Mountain for the 6th time. I LOVE that movie. There aren't very movies that I look forward to watching for the 6th time, but I think could watch Brokeback Mountain twenty times and not get sick of it. It always makes me sob, but I love it.
And Heath Ledger is so fantastic in that movie...and now he's dead.
And Heath Ledger is so fantastic in that movie...and now he's dead.
Friday, January 25, 2008
Friday afternoon
I just got back from a course held by the teacher's union, about applying for jobs and salaries and stuff like that. It was great - they answered a lot of the questions I've had about getting a job and gave some good tips. But it also kind of freaked me out...I am going to have to go out and apply for a job and go to interviews...
But, I don't have to worry about that this weekend! We're going to eat an early dinner (homemade Friday night pizza), and then we're taking off for the cabin for the weekend. Time to hunt down the snow!
But, I don't have to worry about that this weekend! We're going to eat an early dinner (homemade Friday night pizza), and then we're taking off for the cabin for the weekend. Time to hunt down the snow!
Thursday, January 24, 2008
Our pied-à-terre in Paris
I just got the confirmation - this cool apartment is where we will be staying in Paris. Scroll down to the bottom and click to see pictures of the actual apartment. The other pictures are from the building lobby.
The latest (and hopefully last) entry about Espen's eyes
Gaute and Espen were at the hospital for a checkup last week, and everything looked great. His one eye still has a tendency to wander every now and then, but he can correct it himself. They were very pleased with how things looked, and they don't want to see him anymore!! That is, I'm sure they'd like to see him again, but they don't need to. It is so nice to be done with that! And I'm pretty sure Espen is the happiest of all of us.
Tuesday, January 22, 2008
Bonjour!
So, I bought tickets to Paris...One of the discount airlines had cheap tickets available. We paid 3500 kroner (about $700) for the whole family. (That seems much cheaper in kroner than it does in dollars!) It's a really good deal! So we'll be there for a week at the end of July. And, as an added bonus, Gaute has discovered that the last leg of the Tour de France, in Paris, will be one of the days we are there! He was psyched, to put it mildly.
Finding a good deal on a hotel is proving more difficult. Rooms for 5 people are pretty much nonexistent. And getting two rooms is pretty expensive, as it's not exactly the cheapest city in the world. I'm thinking renting an apartment will be the best option. But how to know which property management places you can trust?? I'm sure I'll figure it out.
Finding a good deal on a hotel is proving more difficult. Rooms for 5 people are pretty much nonexistent. And getting two rooms is pretty expensive, as it's not exactly the cheapest city in the world. I'm thinking renting an apartment will be the best option. But how to know which property management places you can trust?? I'm sure I'll figure it out.
Sunday, January 20, 2008
The most popular tourist destination in the world
Gaute is not going with us to the U.S. this summer. He only goes with us every other year, due to the fact that tickets are expensive and seeing my family is not as important to him as it is to me.
Because we're saving so much money on his ticket, we decided to take a family vacation with him after we get back from California. This morning while we ate breakfast, we had a vote to decide where we should go. Everyone named some places they'd like to go on vacation and then we each ranked them. The choices ranged from Legoland to New York, with a cluster of British cities (London, York, Liverpool (Espen's choice :-))). Paris came out the winner, however, so that's where we're going! I'm so excited!!
Because we're saving so much money on his ticket, we decided to take a family vacation with him after we get back from California. This morning while we ate breakfast, we had a vote to decide where we should go. Everyone named some places they'd like to go on vacation and then we each ranked them. The choices ranged from Legoland to New York, with a cluster of British cities (London, York, Liverpool (Espen's choice :-))). Paris came out the winner, however, so that's where we're going! I'm so excited!!
Wednesday, January 16, 2008
Winter Wonderland?
It's dark and raining and windy...Today on my way to school, a gust of wind came along and inverted by umbrella and destroyed it. This is not the winter weather I ordered!
Saturday, January 12, 2008
Yes, I'm still alive....I just haven't been very motivated to blog lately. I had a really nice Christmas vacation and started back to school feeling full of energy. That lasted about one day. Then it was back to that good old stressed-out feeling. And I don't even have any papers due or anything right now. I just need to get back into a different rhythm - going to bed early and waking up early.
Other than me having tense shoulders, things are going very well here. Anders and Johan started a downhill skiing course that they go to with their afterschool program. It's once a week at one of the resorts here in Oslo.
Espen's football practice has started up again. It's twice a week now and they'll be up to three days a week starting February 1. The good thing is that he and his friends walk up to practice by themselves, so it doesn't disturb life for the rest of us.
Today, Anders and Johan and I went to the library to check out some new books. Although I'm a big fan of buying books, because I like to have them sitting there on my bookshelf, I know that it's also really fun to go the library and check out as many books as you want. Their school is having a big reading campaign right now, and they have to read for half an hour every day for homework, so they're really going through the books like crazy. Even Espen, the boy who "hates reading", has been reading. For Christmas, I gave him a biography of Lyn's coach, who used to play for Manchester United. He is really enjoying it, and I think it's renewing his interest in reading. Luckily, Anders and Johan love reading, so I don't have to try and come up with motivations for them.
We're taking the kids to see a movie in a few minutes - Enchanted. It looks like a fun movie, and they're excited. We don't get out much...
It's snowing like crazy today - Yea!
Other than me having tense shoulders, things are going very well here. Anders and Johan started a downhill skiing course that they go to with their afterschool program. It's once a week at one of the resorts here in Oslo.
Espen's football practice has started up again. It's twice a week now and they'll be up to three days a week starting February 1. The good thing is that he and his friends walk up to practice by themselves, so it doesn't disturb life for the rest of us.
Today, Anders and Johan and I went to the library to check out some new books. Although I'm a big fan of buying books, because I like to have them sitting there on my bookshelf, I know that it's also really fun to go the library and check out as many books as you want. Their school is having a big reading campaign right now, and they have to read for half an hour every day for homework, so they're really going through the books like crazy. Even Espen, the boy who "hates reading", has been reading. For Christmas, I gave him a biography of Lyn's coach, who used to play for Manchester United. He is really enjoying it, and I think it's renewing his interest in reading. Luckily, Anders and Johan love reading, so I don't have to try and come up with motivations for them.
We're taking the kids to see a movie in a few minutes - Enchanted. It looks like a fun movie, and they're excited. We don't get out much...
It's snowing like crazy today - Yea!
Thursday, January 03, 2008
Action videos...
More fun from last week...
The video of Anders and Johan was taken the second time ever they were on downhill skis .
The video of Anders and Johan was taken the second time ever they were on downhill skis .
Wednesday, January 02, 2008
Romjul på hytta
As you can see below, we have been doing a lot of skiing the last week. Unlike Oslo, there was a lot of snow up at our cabin and great trails. It was so nice to be outside enjoying the winter. On New Year's Eve, it was sunny and about 25 degrees - the second two pictures are taken that day.
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