So this morning we’re all moving just a little slower, after merriment that continued well into the wee hours last night.  Yesterday was our chance to do something for our hosts.  The ‘American Meal’ has become a tradition that is part of the exchange, and this year we served our Norwegian hosts steak, barbeque ribs (with Famous Dave’s sauce of course!), garlic mashed potatoes, garlic bread, and a desert of both pumpkin and apple pie.  Man did I feel a little thick in the middle after that food!

We also had a karaoke machine, so after enjoying the Grainbelt Premium and Schell’s beer that we brought with us, several of us took the opportunity to make fools of ourselves!  I even got to help sing a Norwegian tune…not that I had any clue what the lyrics were.

When I get the pictures posted in the gallery, you might wonder just what the heck we’re wearing, so let me take just a moment to explain.  Our theme was Minnesota Outdoors, so the idea was that we would all wear some kind of hunting or fishing gear.  During  the social hour, SPC Solomonson displayed his fine talent on the goose call, one of five different calls he had strung around his neck.  Some of the gifts we gave to our hosts last night included deer grunts, multi-tools, and other assorted outdoorsy stuff.

So today the training schedule is pretty relaxed.  We all head separate directions this afternoon, since we have all been paired up to spend the weekend with a Norwegian host family.  Sounds like several of us will be in Trondheim, so it should be an exciting weekend.

Yesterday was supposed to be our return from the field (and a night in the snow caves), but since the weather brought us home early, the staff arranged an afternoon at the ‘bath’ for us.  Turns out ‘bath’ means one of the coolest indoor water parks I’ve ever seen.  Pir Bath was opened in Trondheim just recently, and it sits right on the shore.  So as you sit in one of the several hot-tubs or wading pools, you can look out at the ocean, and the monastery that’s on the island just off the coast.  They also opened up the 10 meter high dive for a little while…it’s difficult for me to explain the feeling of impending doom as I looked over the edge of that board!  But with all my troops watching, it wasn’t like I could back down then!  And  I must say, it takes a long time to fall that far.  I would also recommend not landing on the water flat-footed either.  What a rush!

I can’t believe how fast the time has flown.  It’s already the 22nd, so that means we only have a few days left.  But when you spend several days in the field, time does seem to move quickly.  Our Norwegian trainers did an excellent job with the training program while we were up on the mountain.  Nearly everyone in my platoon was able to successfully start a fire with a knife and flint.  We also got to cook ptarmigan and rainbow trout over the fire, after learning how to set a snare to catch wild birds.  I was expecting a gamey flavor, something like pheasant, but it was actually very tasty.  Surprising how good something cooked over an open flame can taste!  We also built lean-to’s, but only a few of us got to spend a night in those shelters, due to the exceptionally cold weather on Tuesday night.  I haven’t felt wind like that since I was in North Dakota!

So I have some preparation to do for the weekend, but I should be posting some very cool pictures in a few hours.

Har det!

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