Snø!

Sunrise- 6:45AM, Sunset-5:01PM
The snow has arrived. There is about an inch on the ground by the base and the mountains opposite the fjord from us are sufficiently dusted. We put studded winter tires on the two vans since it is likely to stay cold from now on. We just finished up two weeks of teaching and we are excited for our next outing. We are going caveing and it is about a four hour drive from here. We will be camping part of the time and staying in a back country cabin the other part. We found out that the outreach locations are Tibet and Greenland. I think either would be fascinating in it's own way but I have requested to be on the team to Tibet. There is a great group of people here. For the students there are three Norwegians, one Dane, two Latvians, two Germans (one west and one east), one Australian and six Americans. For staff Norway, Sweden, Netherlands, Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan and USA are all represented. It is always fun picking up new words, foods, traditions and culture from the people here. I figured out that gas costs about $7.70 a gallon here and this is an oil rich nation. I haven't seen any Hummers or any other obscenely huge cars here. Last night we ran a hose out to the hot tub to fill it up. It was nice sitting out there looking at the stars. Normally it has a wood stove that heats it but someone broke it before we arrived. Word is that we are picking up a new one in Bodo on the way back from caveing. I am so excited for that; it will be so nice to sit out in the hot tub and watch the northern lights dance in the sky around all the stars. I do have a mail address here if anyone wants to send something warm or yummy or whatever.
Don Harvey
UiO, Nordtunveien 5
8170 Engavaagen
Norway
Our Christmas break starts on the 15th of December and everyone will be leaving the base and not returning until after outreach in mid March. For Christmas I have been invited to Denmark. I think there are about six students going. We have an Easter break the week right after that so we won't all be back here until after the 24th of March.