We started the week by blowing off study and job search and instead spending the entire day enjoying a 15km hike from Bergen to the top of Fløyen, into the backcountry for a long horseshoe-shaped hike eventually leading to the top of Ulriken, and then back down to Bergen. The final section was a very long vertical rock staircase that we determined was easier to jog down. At the bottom, our joints, feet, and muscles all ached. Our legs were shaking!
But it was all well worth the effort and the best way to spend the day.
I have determined that one of the perks of hiking with a European is that they would go through the trouble of bringing a hot thermos of tea and real cups on an all-day hike. Sitting in the mountains above a giant lake, enjoying fish sandwiches, cookies, and oranges with only the sound of water flowing nearby, while sipping on hot tea from a real mug is quite extraordinary.
As we took our final break late into the afternoon, sitting atop a ridge with the ocean to one side, and fjords and snow-covered mountains to the other, I noticed that I had sat facing the exact area where I had stopped and turned my camper around last summer. Probably just 100km or so as the crow flies was the very spot. I was focused right on it. It felt like with my vision I could bridge the gap and create a passageway from that moment at the very end of July to this one in early April. I was back in Norway taking over where I had left off.
Perhaps the best result of the hike was that it released the mental and physical tension I was holding and that even felt paralyzing when I had begun the day. It was time to start networking in full force with the hopes of finding a job. One month down, two to go. The pressure was palpable. But also no way to operate.
The remainder of the week was spent diving into the opportunities for full-time photo/video production in Norway. The end result was a bit bleak. I spoke to a photographer in Oslo who told me that I should think of the industry as a village, not a city. It is small and underdeveloped, just like adventure tourism. Adding to that many were currently being laid off at advertising agencies. It seems that Norway’s economy and the US economy are on equal footing. The world’s connectedness became all too obvious. But he said he would do some digging in his network and we plan to speak again next week.
The net I am casting is growing by the day!
Lessons from: Blowing it off.
- According to the photographer I spoke to, 95% of the photo/video production work is in Oslo.
- There is an incredible maze of hiking options in the mountains that border the east side of Bergen. Weeks could be spent exploring this wonderful backcountry.
- We spent about 8 hours hiking the 15km route, but it could be hiked in 5-6 hours if time was of the essence. Or you could run the entire way like so many Norwegians do!
Something Interesting: There is another side to Norwegians.
After we had hiked deep into the backcountry, away from Fløyen and its tourist buzz, I was jolted out of my focused hiking gaze when the lady coming towards us smiled and said “Hei!” I said to Serhii that she is clearly not from Norway. We both chuckled, knowing all too well that Norwegians don’t greet strangers. But then it happened again when the next person crossed our path, and then again and again! I felt like I had stepped into another dimension. “Hei, Hei!” “Hei, Hei!” “Hei, Hei!” Every single time. What was this?
It became quite obvious that the social norms were completely different in the backcountry. On the train, in town, at restaurants, even in the hikes that don’t stray far from civilization, greetings do not happen. But this was different. We were operating within new social norms. The smiles turned on. The greetings exploded from everywhere!
How completely fascinating.
A look behind the curtain.
All too often, I leave my apartment, look down at the clock on my phone, and start running. I have learned that walking to the train takes 5 minutes, but if I run I can make it in 2! No matter how much I tell myself not to, I often find one more thing to do before leaving. Do you want to know who else is always running for the train? NO ONE. EVER.
How can it be? An entire society of people who operate on time, who never rush, who always seem in control, patient, and at ease. Rushing is not a thing. Proper time allocation is.
But perhaps there’s something wild and fun about an American running down the sidewalk, while all the composed Norwegians look on in wonder. And maybe a society of people who are always in control is boring. However, at the end of the day, there’s only one person in this scenario who’s actively imposing stress on themselves, and that is the American.
She Simply Wanders 
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