Today I have been here 5 weeks. I am a real resident now!
1. This week I got my bank account with my picture ID debit card. They use that for ID like we use drivers licenses in the US. I also have my electronic gadget to generate passwords so that I can do Internet banking. AND! there's money in the bank account from my first paycheck.
2. I have my passport with a work permit in it. That is quite fancy, and looks like an ID in and of itself. It allows me to travel in and out of Norway for the next 3 years.
3. I have a personal number, akin to a social security number, that is used for everything. You can't get a phone contract without one, for instance. So now I can convert my prepaid phone into a regular subscription phone.
Well, I know I've been here long enough now. Monday night, I joined a protest!
I was on my way home from class, and my route was blocked by a massive crowd walking around the lake toward the Buekorps Boys, who were drumming. So I went around the other side of the lake. On that side were rainbow flags and a small crowd. I asked one of them what was going on. She told me the big march was protesting the proposed new law allowing same sex marriage with all the same rights. Of course, the rainbows were counter-protesting. So I took a picture of them, then joined them in showing my back to the march as the Buekorps Boys led them by us. It felt good.
The picture shows the counterprotest, and if you look behind the trees you can see the protest. Incidentally, it's finally cooled off and started raining. It's good, since there were over 30 forest fires last weekend. There's one still burning that is the biggest forest fire since WWII.
Here's what's going on: http://www.pr-inside.com/majority-in-norwegian-parliament-agrees-r614727.htm or the Wikipedia version http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_unions_in_Norway. Three different polls show that over 60% of the people support allowing same-sex marriage. This week, Norway did pass the law!
Last night, there was a free concert by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra out in the square in the middle of town. It was cold but not wet, and they did lots of crowd-pleasing music. It lasted an hour and a half, which I thought was a long time for a free concert. They had a drawing from names from the crowd for a trip for two to Stockholm to see them play, but I didn't win.
There was one soloist who was a 12 year old boy. He played the saxophone incredibly! They had a couple other soloists, and they had a big finale involving a cheering section for the Bergen soccer team, two electric guitars, and a drummer. The whole crowd sang a song together, with gusto. It turned out to be the Bergen song - I imagine it is specifically the Bergen Futbol song.
1. This week I got my bank account with my picture ID debit card. They use that for ID like we use drivers licenses in the US. I also have my electronic gadget to generate passwords so that I can do Internet banking. AND! there's money in the bank account from my first paycheck.
2. I have my passport with a work permit in it. That is quite fancy, and looks like an ID in and of itself. It allows me to travel in and out of Norway for the next 3 years.
3. I have a personal number, akin to a social security number, that is used for everything. You can't get a phone contract without one, for instance. So now I can convert my prepaid phone into a regular subscription phone.
Well, I know I've been here long enough now. Monday night, I joined a protest!
I was on my way home from class, and my route was blocked by a massive crowd walking around the lake toward the Buekorps Boys, who were drumming. So I went around the other side of the lake. On that side were rainbow flags and a small crowd. I asked one of them what was going on. She told me the big march was protesting the proposed new law allowing same sex marriage with all the same rights. Of course, the rainbows were counter-protesting. So I took a picture of them, then joined them in showing my back to the march as the Buekorps Boys led them by us. It felt good.
The picture shows the counterprotest, and if you look behind the trees you can see the protest. Incidentally, it's finally cooled off and started raining. It's good, since there were over 30 forest fires last weekend. There's one still burning that is the biggest forest fire since WWII.
Here's what's going on: http://www.pr-inside.com/majority-in-norwegian-parliament-agrees-r614727.htm or the Wikipedia version http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Civil_unions_in_Norway. Three different polls show that over 60% of the people support allowing same-sex marriage. This week, Norway did pass the law!
Last night, there was a free concert by the Bergen Philharmonic Orchestra out in the square in the middle of town. It was cold but not wet, and they did lots of crowd-pleasing music. It lasted an hour and a half, which I thought was a long time for a free concert. They had a drawing from names from the crowd for a trip for two to Stockholm to see them play, but I didn't win.
There was one soloist who was a 12 year old boy. He played the saxophone incredibly! They had a couple other soloists, and they had a big finale involving a cheering section for the Bergen soccer team, two electric guitars, and a drummer. The whole crowd sang a song together, with gusto. It turned out to be the Bergen song - I imagine it is specifically the Bergen Futbol song.
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