School’s up

Got all these nerves in a bundle. Don’t know if I’m scared, awkwardly shy, or just bashful about telling folks how I really feel. My knees are shaking, and inside my head – though I have never been there – I swear it’s JUST like Disneyland. Everything’s blinking, beeping, twisting, and turning. Bet some of it’s jumping too.

View from the place we’re staying in Brisbane – Kangaroo Point. I can get used to this!!! Mad. Pic downloaded here.

First thing I gained today was the knowledge that if you go East it takes one hour drive from Brisbane to locate the first surf spots. Up North, approximately one and half hour drive before you get great shores and waves. Whoop! I also learned the fact that I’ll have to befriend a surf-loving driver who’s in the possession of a real driver’s license. Or, I knew that already, BUT, we’ve been talking about this well known phenomenon – long distances. Very long distances. On the Australian continent there’s a lot of them. I guess I’ll forget about my favorite  activity as a non-driving hippie; walking. That was a joke, I prefer skating and bicycling. But neither will do. Gotta learn how to trust planes and cars. If there’s anyone in the Queensland area who’s up for surf in the middle of September let me know!

First day in my new class, and we’ve just started with the introduction course of the Austral-Asian program. Been chatting with some teachers from Brisbane, and we have started discussing different topics of our main major assignment. Children’s theater, shadow plays, masks, clay, costumes, traditions, plays, puppet theater, school system, vietnamese theater, aboriginal theater, culture for children – how is the situation compared to Scandinavia? And then there’s music! Oh, I’m such a nerd.

Australian phrase of the day: “No worries mate!”

The whole class had to say it out loud. At the same time. Awkward, and we all acted like small giggling girls. In front of the old school black board compassionate eyes of an urban globetrotter woman told me we still have a long way ahead of us. Not sure if our stuttering Norwenglish blew her away anywhere. Gotta work on my dialect! Then they started all this talk about spiders… and I went to get lunch. Now it’s back to class. Information about the seven day trip into the outback, more specific Bourke – is about to be given. I’ll welcome it with open arms! Stoked! Love K.

TUNEZ TODAY: Natural Mystic – Bob Marley & The Wailers, Flake – Jack Johnson, The Letter – Xavier Rudd,
Collie Man – Slightly Stoopid.

New and old faces

Find myself in the Volda University Library. Nerd. To be honest, hiding is what I’m doing. Kind of stressful down in the school caffeteria. Love to see so many new faces coming to Volda, though it reminds me of the fact that I’m done with three years, and I’m leaving. Sad. Very, very sad. Said hi to some of my teacters in drama and theater, and music earlier today. Went inside the theater studio… Had to skip the room where all the magic happens – the costume stock – where set design are being made, all the dresses and other costumes are brought in and repaired- and. Fuck. I’ll get my stuff there later. It’s just too sad. Terribly sad – my second home – I’m leaving it. The great gods know how I love that place. Going to find a piano room in the same yellow building (named Kaarstad) tomorrow, and play a deep low minor key to the sound of Niagra Falls streaming down my mascra painted face. Buu. Cry me a river. Afterwards I’ll cheer myself up with a picture of a surfing kangaroo. I’m also utterly pleased and happy. Got my band back in Volda. Ambivalence, my middle name these days. Who’s being emo?

Official start of academic year, today that is, and with open arms I welcome the autumn semester. Just got rid off all the books and articles I needed for finishing my bachelor paper. Everyone I know here in Volda i busy at the moment. Introductory tours are led by older students for the newcomers all over school- it’s the first day for most of the classes. But for me it’s not. I still got one week of vacation. Monday 20th. Introuduction course of the AustralAsian-Studies. Have to learn some Vietnamese this week – at least some life-saving phrases, like “Yes. I like pie – don’t touch me” or something. Just kidding. I’m so excited… it’s hard to find words to describe it.

Skam is a bunch of charming and eccentric musicians – a mixture of ska, reggae, funk, rock, and jazz.

Skam is playing at Rokken Studenthus tonight. Their concert during the opening week of Volda University has grown to be a lively and atmospheric tradition. Seen them at least four times now I think.. You shold check it out if you like listening to ska music.

2nd floor. Library. I like it here. Behind rows of books shelves – in the middle of thousands of unexplored titles and adventures… Gonna find myself a new book, and maybe some new friends in it. Will be joining my fellows from VITO tonight, and some other students from the drama and music section. First I’m gonna find Oddis, and some beer.

From the left Malin, Audun, Aleksander, Gard, Oddis, and Martin. Picture from fattysunroad.com.

Fatty Sunroad will do the warm up show. Bitches be crazy! Fatty Sunroad is a hard rock band localized in Volda, Norway, consisting of six strange people playing what themselves call “a musical soup with a mix of carnival attractions, punch-in-the-face attitude, and sexy under (and over) tones”(fattysunroad.com). You can read the rest of their bio here. Love & Light – Kriss.

TUNEZ TODAY: VITO/FATTY SUNROAD