Archive for 'Culture'
Norwegian children’s books a good way to learn the language Posted by kari on Jan 10, 2011
I have spent the last few days with some Dutch colleagues and I find myself picking up on words here and there that sound familiar because of my experience with Norwegian. It´s quite fun actually! The differences in the familiar words are not very big-a few letters off and a couple sounds off. My American…
Asbjørnson and Moe Posted by kari on Dec 21, 2010
Peter Christen Asbjørnsen (1812-1885)and Jørgen Engebretesen Moe (1813-1882)-the names that have become synonymous with Norwegian folkeeveyntyr (folktales). The two had been friends since their early teen years and later went on to collect folkeeventyr and edit them into a compilation that would forever impact Norwegian culture. Asbjørnsen was a writer and scholar from Christiania (old…
Jul Vocabulary Posted by kari on Dec 20, 2010
Now that jul (Christmas) is around the corner, you may want to impress your friends and family with jul vokabulær! So, you already know jul, but after this post, you should be able to tell someone what was on the meny (menu) for jul where you were. (if you have a Norwegian-ish meal). You should…
Trolls and Huldras Posted by kari on Dec 15, 2010
On all of my 3 trips to Bergen, I have had some sort of encounter with a troll or a huldra, two of the many creatures in Norwegian folklore. Legends of these creatures are found throughout the country, but in my experience, the west coast seems particularly impacted by them. One summer my mom, brother…
Snowmobiling in Norway Posted by kari on Dec 14, 2010
I am embarassed to say that as a born and raised Minnesotan, I have never ridden a snyscooter (snowmobile, as they say in northern Norway, otherwise snøskooter or snøskuter elsewhere in the country) in Minnesota. Many of my friends and acquaintances own snyscooterer and spend a significant amount of time on them during the winter…
Norwegian Dairy Posted by kari on Nov 11, 2010
Norwegian meieri (dairy) is amazing. The ost (cheese), yogurt, melk (milk), egg–the whole bit-utrolig godt (unbelieveably good)!! Tine, one of the 12 agricultural cooperatives in Norway, nearly has a monopoly over the meieri industry. The majority of meieri produkter you find in Norwegian matbutikker (grocery stores) are made by Tine. Tine has a number…
Robinson Reality TV Series in Norway Posted by kari on Nov 4, 2010
Have you seen ´Survival?´ If so, you would recognize ´Robinsonekspedisjonen´as Norway´s version of this reality show. Norway obtained the rights to air their own version of the show in 1999 after its success in Denmark and Sweden. It is aired on TV3. As you might imagine, the name derives from Robinson Crusoe and Swiss Family…