First Class Jitters, Culture, and Coffee. Oh, and Alcohol!

I finally had my first class! Walking in was interesting; I'm used to entering a room where I knew at least a few people and it was odd to encounter various other international students, some speaking in their first languages, other speaking in English. Seminars here at the UiO are highly similar to the ones at SU: small, intimate settings, closely quartered desks, over-head projectors and technologically hapless professors. My prof. for Norwegian World Lit. is an adorable intellectual who reads from a written lecture outline and has the neurotic habit of looking at the ceiling when he chooses to make emphasis. Although, it was slightly frustrating that he didn't look at the class during his lecture but it was cute in a nervous, entrenched teaching habit kind of way. 

After, I had some time so I went to the National Gallery downtown. This was the first museum I had been to in my close to 1 month stay here in Oslo. I know, the fact that I've been here that long and hadn't visited a single museum is unbelievably atrocious! Nevertheless, I went. It is a beautiful gallery with Nordic and international art as well as an Edvard Munch permanent collection. I perused the breathtaking pieces of scenery, still life, family life an

d Nordic society. This was also the gallery where the famous Munch "Scream" is located. Not to be judgmental, but I thought it was overrated; it was a very nice painting but I liked others a lot more. One in particular caught my attention: also by Munch, it is a painting called "The Kiss". It is an image of a man ravishingly kissing another person (I couldn't make out if it was a woman or man but I like to think it was the latter :P) behind a curtain in a room overlooking the city streets. The pair were isolated in rapture while the rest of society carried on obliviously. I sat and looked at it and got a little sentimental as I always do when I view art in galleries. 

While I love painting, I must say that I love sculpture even more. The gallery had many lovely sculptures placed all over but I particularly enjoyed two specific ones. They were pieces by Auguste Rodin, the famous "Thinker" and "Danaide". Both were so exquistely crafted, their bodies chiseled with life and vitality. I panned around in 360 degree fashion and admired. The other sculptures were large and some were small but they were all daunting in their realism and presence. The bodies of the athletes and women were so refreshing to see as they did not laud the anorexic ideal of today but instead celebrated the lush youthfulness of health. It was an experience that I consider a highlight of my first month in Oslo. After the gallery, I visited my friends at United Bakeries in Majorstuen yet again, had my usual black coffee and soaked in the Oslo sun and people watched from my favorite table outside.

These past few days I've been going out again, drinking with my flatmates. Frazer, a flatmate from Canada, is actually leaving Oslo to return home, and thus is vacating our flat. It has been sort of a series of farewell festivities. Friday, we went to Frazer's friends apartment in Majorstuen, went to Hogan's (a Cheers-esque sports bar) which we eventually left because the music wasn't as bumping. So we tried two other places downtown but failed as I was rejected for being so adorably underage. We concluded the evening with dancing at

Stravinsky's. Last night, we had a nice little flat dinner; it was deliciously prepared salmon, sauteed vegetables, white rice, homemade spring rolls, all compliments to Ben, Frazer, Christina and Lara. As if I wasn't too concerned with my wieght, we feasted on delicious homemade crepes that Ben made and was hard at work at the stove. Then people started coming over and the party took off from there :) It was a nice mix of people from all over and we chilled, danced to awesome music, and enjoyed the evening. It was the first in what Ben has termed "Saturday Night Fever", where last night was the first of many more to come. When in Oslo, I guess we party! 

I love this city.

Until my next blog-worthy adventure, ha det.

-Jon