What does it mean to be a Nordic country?
Today with my class, I visited the Nordic House so we could see an exhibit called "New Nordic". It was a series of about 30 different mini exhibits - from paintings to photographs to wood carvings to models of rooms to video's to 30 coffee bags laying on the floor. Each of the exhibits had a different "artist" with a connection to a Nordic country, and each of them had a small caption with their exhibit. Some were poems, little stories, or just a sentence about the piece.
We were each given a packet with questions to answer at each exhibit, but it was all in Danish, so I was unable to participate. This blog post is how I justify not answering the questions. Luckily, those captions were in English as well. So I went around, read them all, and happily took in the aspects of "The Nordic".
So, what is Nordic? This is what I found out.
Nordic is about threads that connect them to each other. All of the Nordic countries, while vastly different, are wound together in one way or another through culture, language and history. The Nordic countries often joke about each other, but the connections and genuine kindness they share is strong.
Nordic is about the warm, light nights of the summer and the long, cold nights of winter. It is about the presence and absence of light, and the way it shapes the Nordic people. A very special quality of the Nordic countries, I believe. It is one of the most powerful definitions of "Nordic".
Nordic is about wet wool mittens. Really. One of the stories that I read was written by a Norwegian man, accompanied by a model of a school classroom. He talked about how his memories of childhood included sitting in a classroom every morning to see a pile of wet woolen mittens and hats piled up on the radiator. I have experienced this feeling a few times while I've been here - being all bundled up outside in the cold rain, and then chucking everything on the radiator when I get home.
Nordic is about being cozy. Remember hugnaligt? I read today that the Norwegian word for this is "koselig". It means the same thing. Being inside on one of those long, winter Nordic nights, surrounded by friends and family, drinking coffee or tea and maybe doing some knitting. Being cozy is a nice feeling anywhere, but I am discovering that the idea is quite special to the Nordic countries. I think I need to knit something out of wool before I leave.
I really enjoyed looking at all these exhibits. It makes me feel extremely lucky and thankful that I chose a Nordic country for my exchange. I love every aspect of Nordic - the weather, the people, the wool, the cozy feelings, everything. Yesterday, I got drenched in water. It had been raining all day and I was walking alongside a giant puddle, and this car decides he's not going to slow down. I was a bit pissed for the first minute, but then I remembered that there's a radiator at home waiting to give some love to my mittens and scarf.
It's hard to appreciate being cozy if you haven't been drenched in freezing water. This is why I love "The Nordic".
PS - Thank you all for reading. I smile every day that I see the pageviews on the side of my blog, knowing someone is appreciating hearing about my adventures. Love to all parts of the world!
Katie
October 24, 2013
October 21, 2013
October 9, 2013
Hugnaligt, tónleikur, og Føroyskt
Hey tit! Much has been happening over the past week, so there is much to write about.
Hugnaligt
This has become one of my favorite Faroese words. It is a mix between "cozy" and "home-y". Needless to say, it is one of my favorite "feelings" as well. The evening's and morning's in the Faroe's are becoming more and more hugnaligt by the day. Because the islands are so far north, in the summer it is light almost all day and in the winter it is dark almost all day. In Minnesota, it would be a month before I said to myself, "Wow, it gets dark so much earlier now". This morning I said to myself, "Wow, it's a lot darker than yesterday morning". This is not a bad thing, it's just different and will take some getting used to! By Christmas time, there will be about three hours of faint daylight. Like I said, it will be very hugnaligt. The banks and other public facilities give out free reflector bracelets that you can snap onto your backpack, jacket, etc. so that you are safe to be outside. I'm quite excited, actually! I've never experienced this before.
Tónleikur
I have been discovering a lot of Faroese music lately! I thought I'd share some of it with you all.
Here is one of my favorite's that many of my friends have shown me. The are called BYRTA - pronounced "beer-shta". The video is a little strange, but this is one of my favorites. She reminds me a bit of Madonna.
The next is a Faroese youth choir. They are called Xperiment, and they are super fun to listen to. I was going to see them in concert along with other youth music groups, but they ended up not being there. The other band was great, though! I couldn't find any video's of them. Anyways, here they are! The video is fantastically made, too.
Here is another duo, Eyðun Nølsoe and his brother (?) Terji. I think I saw them at the Nordic House once, but I am not sure if it was them. I am almost positive. Anyways, they were very popular in the 80's, but are still making great music. I like them very much - Dad, I think you would as well. Here is one of the songs they do together (Eyðun also does a lot of his own music).
And lastly, for my rap-loving people, here is the only Faroese rapper - Swangah Dangah. I can't say he's the greatest, but I have to give you the full range of Faroese music. Here is one of his most popular songs. The only word I can understand in this song is "Føroyar".
There is something for everyone, I hope you enjoy!
Føroyskt
Aside from understanding Faroese rap, the Faroese is REALLY coming along. I am so happy about this. Today I spoke only Faroese with my classmates, and for the first time, I was understandable without having to be helped. It is getting to the point where I am able to learn Faroese, while speaking Faroese - those of you who have learned another language before will know what I am talking about. It's very exciting! I can also understand almost everything that's being said when the Faroese is written out, aside from a few words that I have to look up. It really does get easier every day. I'm starting to feel much less stressed about my second host family being told to only speak to me in Faroese. Speaking of which, I switch host families in the middle of November! Whoa. Time sure flies. I am going to miss my current host family SO much and while it makes me very sad to leave, I'm excited to get to know my second host family as well. But anyway, Katie tosa eitt sindur Føroyskt! Woohoo!
This is all for now, I hope you enjoy the music and that everyone has a good week!
Farvæl,
Katie
Hugnaligt
This has become one of my favorite Faroese words. It is a mix between "cozy" and "home-y". Needless to say, it is one of my favorite "feelings" as well. The evening's and morning's in the Faroe's are becoming more and more hugnaligt by the day. Because the islands are so far north, in the summer it is light almost all day and in the winter it is dark almost all day. In Minnesota, it would be a month before I said to myself, "Wow, it gets dark so much earlier now". This morning I said to myself, "Wow, it's a lot darker than yesterday morning". This is not a bad thing, it's just different and will take some getting used to! By Christmas time, there will be about three hours of faint daylight. Like I said, it will be very hugnaligt. The banks and other public facilities give out free reflector bracelets that you can snap onto your backpack, jacket, etc. so that you are safe to be outside. I'm quite excited, actually! I've never experienced this before.
Tónleikur
I have been discovering a lot of Faroese music lately! I thought I'd share some of it with you all.
Here is one of my favorite's that many of my friends have shown me. The are called BYRTA - pronounced "beer-shta". The video is a little strange, but this is one of my favorites. She reminds me a bit of Madonna.
The next is a Faroese youth choir. They are called Xperiment, and they are super fun to listen to. I was going to see them in concert along with other youth music groups, but they ended up not being there. The other band was great, though! I couldn't find any video's of them. Anyways, here they are! The video is fantastically made, too.
Here is another duo, Eyðun Nølsoe and his brother (?) Terji. I think I saw them at the Nordic House once, but I am not sure if it was them. I am almost positive. Anyways, they were very popular in the 80's, but are still making great music. I like them very much - Dad, I think you would as well. Here is one of the songs they do together (Eyðun also does a lot of his own music).
And lastly, for my rap-loving people, here is the only Faroese rapper - Swangah Dangah. I can't say he's the greatest, but I have to give you the full range of Faroese music. Here is one of his most popular songs. The only word I can understand in this song is "Føroyar".
There is something for everyone, I hope you enjoy!
Føroyskt
Aside from understanding Faroese rap, the Faroese is REALLY coming along. I am so happy about this. Today I spoke only Faroese with my classmates, and for the first time, I was understandable without having to be helped. It is getting to the point where I am able to learn Faroese, while speaking Faroese - those of you who have learned another language before will know what I am talking about. It's very exciting! I can also understand almost everything that's being said when the Faroese is written out, aside from a few words that I have to look up. It really does get easier every day. I'm starting to feel much less stressed about my second host family being told to only speak to me in Faroese. Speaking of which, I switch host families in the middle of November! Whoa. Time sure flies. I am going to miss my current host family SO much and while it makes me very sad to leave, I'm excited to get to know my second host family as well. But anyway, Katie tosa eitt sindur Føroyskt! Woohoo!
This is all for now, I hope you enjoy the music and that everyone has a good week!
Farvæl,
Katie
October 1, 2013
Útvarp
Hey again!
I am going for the back to back post today, but I have forgotten a crucial piece of my week! I got to go on the radio (útvarp) on Sunday evening.
My host mother's cousins daughter, Rannvá - a very talented young woman - works for a program on the radio in the Faroe Islands. She needed to have something ready for the radio on Sunday night, and thought it would be interesting to do a group interview on what it's like to be an exchange student here in the Faroe Islands. So, on Friday she rounded up me and Joel Cole, an absolutely fantastic and great guy who now lives here in the Faroes. Joel went on Rotary exchange to the Faroe Islands in 1986 and was the first ever exchange student to the Faroes. Crazy!
I haven't actually listened to the interview myself due to my inability of listening my own voice, but you are all welcome to take a listen if you would like. The introduction is in Faroese, but the questions and responses are all in English!
http://kvf.fo/netvarp/uv/2013/09/30/reiri-fr-sunnukvldinum
The interview starts at 24:29.
Even though I haven't listened to it, being on the radio was definitely a highlight of my year! We had some great laughs along with the business of the interview as well, and it was really a great time.
I hope you enjoy!
Katie
I am going for the back to back post today, but I have forgotten a crucial piece of my week! I got to go on the radio (útvarp) on Sunday evening.
My host mother's cousins daughter, Rannvá - a very talented young woman - works for a program on the radio in the Faroe Islands. She needed to have something ready for the radio on Sunday night, and thought it would be interesting to do a group interview on what it's like to be an exchange student here in the Faroe Islands. So, on Friday she rounded up me and Joel Cole, an absolutely fantastic and great guy who now lives here in the Faroes. Joel went on Rotary exchange to the Faroe Islands in 1986 and was the first ever exchange student to the Faroes. Crazy!
I haven't actually listened to the interview myself due to my inability of listening my own voice, but you are all welcome to take a listen if you would like. The introduction is in Faroese, but the questions and responses are all in English!
http://kvf.fo/netvarp/uv/2013/09/30/reiri-fr-sunnukvldinum
The interview starts at 24:29.
Even though I haven't listened to it, being on the radio was definitely a highlight of my year! We had some great laughs along with the business of the interview as well, and it was really a great time.
I hope you enjoy!
Katie
Eg taka epli upp!
I really didn't think it had been over two weeks since my last post. Tíðin gongur.
On Wednesday of last week, I got to participate in one of the most Faroese things I have done since I arrived. At about nine in the morning - yes, I got to miss school for this! - a member of the Rotary club, Jógvan, took the exchange student from Indiana and I to harvest potatoes on an island called Sandoy. You can see the island on the map on the side of my blog.
We took a ferry that reminded me very much of the ferry to Washington Island - a trip my family and family friends took last summer on Lake Michigan. It was a good familiar feeling. We had coffee in the seating area inside, and then I went outside to take some pictures. I have never seen the ocean as calm as it was that morning. There aren't many huge waves in the Faroe Islands. The ocean surrounding is the peaceful kind of ocean that puts the mind at ease. I really believe that's why the Faroese people and culture is so relaxed.
We then arrived to Sandoy, one of the flattest islands in the country - but it is absolutely beautiful. We drove to a VERY old house were Jógvan and his parents all grew up. No one lives there now, but they still use the house for Christmas and events like harvesting potatoes - kind of like a cabin! The house was very old, but charming and cozy. The perfect place to go warm up after a day of harvesting potatoes.
They planted the potatoes around April 25th, and now it was time for us to peel back the sod and harvest them. What I just explained is exactly how it is done. There is no science to harvesting potatoes - simply pick it up from the dirt and put it in a big, green, plastic basket. The air was quiet and calm the whole time, and strangely enough, the job was very relaxing. We enjoyed great conversation as we worked, and something that Jógvan said really stuck with me.
"You might think to yourself, 'what the f*** am I doing out here? I could buy these potatoes for nothing at the supermarket.' But then, we would never know each other, and you would never know this place or this land. Or how to harvest potatoes."
It's crazy how a man talking about potatoes can be a reflection of my year. We ended up harvesting about twenty-six green baskets of the potatoes, and both Isabelle and I got to take a basket home. We have a LOT of potatoes now! After we were finished, we warmed up in the house with coffee, tea, dried fish, whale and pizza - thank goodness for the pizza, although dried fish is actually very delicious. Needless to say, I felt very Faroese that day. It was a fantastic experience that I will never forget.
On Wednesday of last week, I got to participate in one of the most Faroese things I have done since I arrived. At about nine in the morning - yes, I got to miss school for this! - a member of the Rotary club, Jógvan, took the exchange student from Indiana and I to harvest potatoes on an island called Sandoy. You can see the island on the map on the side of my blog.
We took a ferry that reminded me very much of the ferry to Washington Island - a trip my family and family friends took last summer on Lake Michigan. It was a good familiar feeling. We had coffee in the seating area inside, and then I went outside to take some pictures. I have never seen the ocean as calm as it was that morning. There aren't many huge waves in the Faroe Islands. The ocean surrounding is the peaceful kind of ocean that puts the mind at ease. I really believe that's why the Faroese people and culture is so relaxed.
We then arrived to Sandoy, one of the flattest islands in the country - but it is absolutely beautiful. We drove to a VERY old house were Jógvan and his parents all grew up. No one lives there now, but they still use the house for Christmas and events like harvesting potatoes - kind of like a cabin! The house was very old, but charming and cozy. The perfect place to go warm up after a day of harvesting potatoes.
They planted the potatoes around April 25th, and now it was time for us to peel back the sod and harvest them. What I just explained is exactly how it is done. There is no science to harvesting potatoes - simply pick it up from the dirt and put it in a big, green, plastic basket. The air was quiet and calm the whole time, and strangely enough, the job was very relaxing. We enjoyed great conversation as we worked, and something that Jógvan said really stuck with me.
"You might think to yourself, 'what the f*** am I doing out here? I could buy these potatoes for nothing at the supermarket.' But then, we would never know each other, and you would never know this place or this land. Or how to harvest potatoes."
It's crazy how a man talking about potatoes can be a reflection of my year. We ended up harvesting about twenty-six green baskets of the potatoes, and both Isabelle and I got to take a basket home. We have a LOT of potatoes now! After we were finished, we warmed up in the house with coffee, tea, dried fish, whale and pizza - thank goodness for the pizza, although dried fish is actually very delicious. Needless to say, I felt very Faroese that day. It was a fantastic experience that I will never forget.
The extremely old, extremely cozy Faroese home we spent our day in.
Eg taka epli upp! I harvest potatoes!
So many potatoes!
The beautiful village we were in on Sandoy called Skálavík.
I am so thankful to Jógvan for taking us with him to Sandoy to harvest potatoes. It was a day with great weather, Faroese culture, and great conversations, as well as 10 kilos of potatoes that I got to take home to my family! It's funny - I didn't like potatoes before I came to the Faroe Islands. Now, I just love them. Eg elski epli!
That's all for now, but expect a new post very soon.
Farvæl,
Katie
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)