Prestekragerommet

Inspiration from Rocknrolla

2009-11-16T13:48:00.002+01:00

I love the movies made by Guy Ritchie. He is such a good director. My favorite one at the moment is 'Rocknrolla'. Gina and I have already lost count on how many times we've seen it. Yesterday I bought the soundtrack, and before we went for our morning jog today we were listening to "be my rock n roll queen". And for you who have seen the movie, you might remember when it is played. And as you can see, seeing Marie lying on the floor kind of inspired me. No garbage lids around, I had to use a lamp. But you get the picture.

To much energy anyone?

Good thing we went for a heavy jog today. Pushed ourselves to the limit. It felt really good. It sure is nice having faithful training partners. We have a lot of fun running in the forest. Indeed we do.

The crew

2009-11-16T00:50:00.002+01:00

This weekend has been awesome. Marie has blogged about it, so if you want to know more you can check out her blog. I will just say that the crew, well, we know how to celebrate that midterm is done. And we all passed everything. So this has been a weekend with no studying, but with loads of fun. It has been wonderful.

And as you can see from the collage, we have gotten the coolest t-shirts ever. Only thing missing is our german, but she went to germany for the weekend.

I love these people. Don't know what I would do without them really.

PS: The background of the collage is part of peripheral nerveous system.

Welcome to Slovakia...

2009-11-14T10:57:00.003+01:00

So yesterday night at about 1am I was going to bed. I turn on my nightlamp, and it goes *poff*. So I figured it was broken, and found another lamp. Turnes at that one didn't work either.

So I put two and two together and figure the plugs aren't working.

I tried all the different plugs around the apartement. None of them worked. They still don't .

Funny thing is, we have electrisity because all lights not plugged in anywhere is working fine.

Typical that this would happen when there is a weekend followed by two days of holiday.

*update an hour later: I fix. I am officially miss fix it!

Warning! This gets personal...

2009-11-12T18:00:00.003+01:00

Gina and I just got back from the supermarked three minutes away. We needed some fresh air, study break, and a few things from the store - one of them being o.b. Turnes out they didn't have o.b., not where all the sanitary pads were at least. I gave up hope until I came to the desk. Then I saw the o.b. behind another desk, among all the special liquor, the flamable stuff and so on.

I really needed those o.b. so I just did my best to communicate with the lady behind the desk, speaking slovak as best I could. She stood up, and told me to come with her. She waved me over actually.

Turnes out you have to get behind a huge metal chain (the lady unlocked it for me), and get the o.b. from behind that desk yourself. And then you walk back to the first desk, where all the other people is lined up waiting just for you.

Why not just shout out; "Hi, my name is Tonje, and I have the period"

Fun.

Extensor digiti minimi...

2009-11-12T14:52:00.004+01:00

...is a slender muscle of the forearm, placed on the ulnar side of the extensor digitorum communis, with which it is generally connected.

It arises from the common Extensor tendon by a thin tendinous slip, from the intermuscular septae between it and the adjacent muscles.

Its tendon runs through a compartment of the dorsal carpal ligament behind the distal radio-ulnar joint, then divides into two as it crosses the hand, and finally joins the expansion of the extensor digitorum communis tendon on the dorsum og the first phalanx of the little finger.

I think it is a really cute name for a muscle. To remember it I can just think of Mini-me in Austin Powers.

Reason I am writing this is beacuse today we were looking into the mucles of the upper extremities. And when I say look into, I mean look into. I officially had my first meating with the dissection room today.

It answered to my expectations. A steril room in the basement with tiles (fliser) all over the place. Three metal tables, some benches, and on every shelf there was a jar with a body part or organ in it. The jars that facinated me the most was the one with brains in, and the one with heads. On some of the heads the skin of the face was still intact, with eyelashes, wrinkles, and what not. And it stank of whatever it is they use to preserve the bodyparts, it could almost burn away you nosehair. You get used to it after a while, but I can assure you that our labcoates was thrown into the washer as soon as we got home.

But it was fun. Marga said it oh so well: "I like it. I like it! I like it when we can touch it"

I got some good news today as well. Since the only subjects we are done with this semester are biophysics and first aid, those are the only ones we're being examinated in after christmas. Luckily for us the first aid exam is on this side of christmas, so if I'm lucky I can come home on a little vacation after my exam in biophysics. That would be ever so nice. I just have to pass all my credit test first so that I can come home for christmas.

Talking about the sun - I have to start studying for my credit test tomorrow. Dovidenia!

Midterm is almost over, just one to go!

2009-11-10T21:24:00.008+01:00

I can't believe it. Three weeks of hard work and a lot of stress is almost over. Just credit test in slovak language left. And today we got our results from credit test in latin, and I passed it. I was so shure that I had flunked it, but turned out I didn't. And yesterday we had our last seminar (test) in chemistry for this semester, and altogether we had to have 10,5 points, and I had 12,5. So I am really happy right now. I've actually passed everything. Unbelievable.

At the same time I'm feeling kind of drained at the moment, because it has really been hard work studying for all those tests. My shoulders have been sneaking up underneath my ears these last few weeks.

Yesterday, Marie, Gina and I had to celebrate the fact that midterm was almost over yesterday. So we went for a 52 minute run in the forest. It felt so good to finally get out of the apartement, away from the couch and all the books. Just running around like crazy people.

It was raining dogs, cats, and elephants, but that just made it even better. We had to run across a field, a very muddy field. While we were running on the field suddenly my feet felt extremely heavy, I could bearly lift them. Then I heard Gina laughing and Marie brething quite heavy. I turned around and saw that their shoes had an extra 10 cm sole of heavy mudd on them, and so did mine. No wonder my feet felt heavy.

So Marie learned her lesson. Next time she will bring her keys, identity card and a spoon (to get the mudd off).

Talking about midterm I just wanted to share some pictures with you from the last few days. Even though it has been hard work, we also know how to make it a bit more fun.

I have the best flatmate ever. She cooks the most delightful meals.

Here she is making lasagne, in the middle of the week.

That just makes my day.

We (Gina) made buns the other day.

The dough was forgotten though, because we were studying.

And it grew an it grew...

But the buns were nice.

Welcome to the everyday life at Stokka/Salen.

Late evening; I'm in my PJ's, my "lodder" that my mum knitted for me (love them!),

and my favourite hoodie. Problem is that I am trying to do a lot of different things at once

- getting dressed, skyping, studying, etc. And sometimes I don't get it all right.

This is my little "nurk". Look at her sleeping.

You could just eat her up!

We both have a tendency to just fall asleep in the couch now and then.

Reading is hard work you know.

And especially for you Tarja; my SHOES!

The last few days Gina and I have been thinking about all the weird things it is possible to miss from Norway.

Here are a few of them:

yeast
sauce (they don't have that here)
notebooks
liverpaté (the one thay have is...well....)
jam
vacum cleaner (that does not fall apart)
coffe machine (that makes coffee in under an hour!)
correction tape (tabbelakk)
coffee
pens
stuff for cleaning (like a good mop)
less coins (we are drowning in cents here)
butter for cooking - or a good oil for cooking (the ones they have here is just torture to use beacuse it is popping all over the place)
Mackerel filét
Water (a lot of kalk (don't know what that is in english) in the water here)
Sun light soap for the dishes
Public toilets with a key so that you can lock it
Public toilets with toiletpaper inside the booth, not one role of paper for everyone - outside the booth
Dust remover for clothes
smågodt!
norwegian TV
dark, FIBROUS bread
milk

But most of all we miss people back home.

I, of course, miss Espen a lot.

I miss having him here. Coming home and finding him in the couch studying or something made my day. Just him being here really. Luckily it is just 37 days, 6 hours, 07 minutes, and 28 seconds until I come home for christmas.

I am really looking forward to that (If you didn't get that).

I never showed you this picture.

I love it.

Espen bought some new footballshoes when he was here.

He was so exited that he had to wear them INSIDE because they were so awesome.

And just for your information, I have a really happy boyfriend these days,

Chelsea being in the lead of premiere league with their 30 points and all.

And off course because Ålesund won the cup.

The real blogg n'rolla

2009-11-06T16:38:00.005+01:00

I have so much to blog about at the moment. I'm producing blogposts as pearls on a string. I hope you are enjoying the sneak-peek you get on my life here in Slovakia.

Today has been a good day. Doing the dishes this morning I felt happy and full of energy, and believe me I haven't felt like that for some time.

I also found out that I passed my medical biology credit test. Really happy about that.

After school Gina and I wanted to reward ourself. And as you might know I love shoes, so we - Marie, Gina and I- wen't down town to get me some nice winter boots. John Garfield is the brand. I LOVE'em!

Down town there was a big marked or whatever, going on. They were selling lot's of cool stuff, but they also had a little music show. I actually filmed it, so you can see it at the bottom of this blogpost.

Market!

my girls

The man is playing jew's harpe (munnharpe), and you can hear Marie saying: "Ey, its actually possible for him to say something about those few notes that he is playing"

I live in a interesting contry.

Hellooo anatomy of upper limb

2009-11-05T15:20:00.008+01:00

With the anatomy of the skull, credit test and all, behind us, we are now ready to dive into the exiting anatomy of the upper and lower limb. Weird and geeky enough, I'm not being ironic when I say that it is exiting. Because this time we will not just learn about the bones, we are also learning about the muscles. That means that next week we will not only need our labcoates, we will also need gloves. Why? Because we are going to dissect!

Actually we should use gloves touching the bones as well, because they are really greasy. You need to wash your hands several times before they feel clean again.

Here are some pictures from todays anatomy practical.

Gina studying the bones of the upper limb

This is the scapula. (shoulderblade)

And here they are, all lined up, the bones of the upper limb.

From the left: scapula (shoulderblade), clavicula (collar bone),

humerus (upper arm), ulna and radius (lower arm).

And just for your information, we have to learn

- not only the bone itself -

but also the names of all the parts of the different bones.

Lucky us.

Deoxyribonucelic acid (DNA): The basis of life

2009-11-05T10:35:00.010+01:00

On wednesday I had a credit test in latin. It didn't go that well, but I hope and pray that I will pass it so I don't need to do the retake.

Today it was credit test in medical biology. The two themes was "Chemistry of the molecules of life" and "Molecular basis of proteinsynthesis and DNA replication". Hopefully I passed it, I think I did. I have a better feeling today than I did yesterday at least.

Because yesterday I think both Gina and I felt we were on the verge of crazyness. Once in a while one of us would look up from our books and papers and say something like: "I'm going crazy! It's to much information"

No matter how well prepared you think you are for the amount of work there is at medical study, you will not fully understand before you experience it. And this is just midterm!

Luckily for us we have friends that have been trough this and they tell us that the first semester is the worst. The second semester you just have to get through. And after that it gets better.

But for now we just have to dive into our books. Look over all our papers. Study our ass of really. Just doing our best, and get through this one way or another.

Next week is going to be a bit better though. We only have one credit test, and thats in Slovak language. On tuesday its seminar (test) in chemistry. Talking about seminar in chemistry I just have to mention the chemistry professor we have in those classes, he is kind of scary. He is a really nice man most of the time, but in class he will come up to you, be all in your face (sometimes he even lies down over your desk) and ask you a chemistry question. If you say you don't know he will tell you: "You are a university student. You have to have an opinion" And then he waits untli you get an opinion. After you've said something, he will either say: "No" or he will say "Yes. But WHY!". Takes some time to get used to that type of teaching.

On monday we're having practical in biophysics (like always), but we are having one of the most dreaded professors. If you don't know the answer to one of his questions, or if it takes you to long to give him an answer, he kicks you out of the practical.

I must say I don't really know what to say, or how to feel, about that. Can't do anything about it really, just need to make shure I know what he is going to talk about so that I can answer when he asks me a question.

As you might have understood after reading this, the teaching here is not the same as it is in Norway. But most if the time the teaching is good, especially the practicals. I figure the professors have done this before, and students have passed, so I just need to adapt.

Now its time forme to have anatomy practical.

Talking about romance...

2009-11-03T20:42:00.003+01:00

Today I was skyping with Espen, as I do everyday.

But because I have a credit test tomorrow we both knew that we had limited time to talk. So we had to choose our words carefully so that we didn't loose time on anything else than what was really important.

Feeling so in love I didn't want the skyping to end. But when we really had to go I felt like "this is to little time. Miss him so." Thinking that Espen was thinking the exact same thing, with all the love floating around you know, I said: "I missed you a lot today. Did i mention that?". And then I put out my sad little lip, looking so cute you have no idea, just waiting for my dear Espen to say some words of comfort and love.

He said: "You shouldn't do that with your lip. Birds might shit on it."

I've said it before, and I say it again: Romance is for sissies.

Those who challenge themselves, makes their own path...

2009-11-02T17:03:00.004+01:00

-quote of Erik Lerdahl

I've been challenged by Marie to do two things:

1. Write down 10 things about myself.

2. Post a picture to represent a favourite memory. Explain.

I have a tendency to inform people around me about everyday life "stuff" I'm going to do, and in what order. For example I often say to Gina something like: "Now I'm going to pee. Then I will put on some warmer socks."
I have a tendency to speak before I think.
I know how to use my blond hair, curls, curves, and blue eyes to my advantage. Once it saved me from getting a fine from the spanish police. (But that's another story)
I have a really long tongue
I purse my lips when I concentrate
I NEED to have mye books organised after size, from tallest to shortest.
I'm addicted to shoes. When I'm about to get dressed in the morning the first thing I think about is what shoes I'm going to wear, and then I dress according to that.
Have a scar shaped like a jellyfish on my upper thigh which I got from a jellyfish in Greece.
Been bitten by a snake. It bit mye ankle that stupid thing.
When I was younger I was terrified of Chewbacca. Every night when I went to bed I thought he was standing outside my window, waiting for me to go to sleep so that he could kidnap me or something.

Choosing a picture was difficult. I have so many pictures representing wonderful memories. But at the end I chose a picture that kind of represent my summer of 09.

It's a picture of Espen from our hiking trip this summer.

No phone. No people. No time pressure. Just the silence of the mountains and the two of us walking together. Being together.

I challenge Espen and Tarja

Extreme makeover..

2009-11-01T18:56:00.005+01:00

I've been geeking on my MacBookAir today (with help from Gina).

And my blog has gone through an extreme makeover.

I like it!

Yesterday I skyped with my sister Trude and her kids, and today I skyped with my other sister - Tone - and her kids. That made my day(s), because I've been missing them you know. Looking forward to christmas when I can give them all a good squeeze.

My nephews, nieses (exept Benjamin) and me on the roof.

Love'm!

Lost in translation nr.1

2009-10-31T18:57:00.002+01:00

Being a student in Slovakia is hard work. But it can also be quite funny. Especially when it comes to languages. Many of our professors could really use an english course or two. And us students should probably spend more time learning slovak language. Since we are all struggeling with some language, it can get quite funny at times. And because I can't find no better use for these funny difficulties regarding languages, I will start with something new on my blog; Lost in translation.

Here I will share every little funny thing that in some way or another gets lost in translation.

Nr.1

Today I was reading medical biology. And in that subject we use a book written by our professor in that same subject. I was reading about Van der Waals interactions, and a sentense caught my eye:

" This perturbation generates a transient dipole in the second atom, and the two dipoles will attract each other weekly"

Personally I din't know that atoms kept track of which week we're in. But what I do know is that two dipoles can attract each other weakly.

First credit test is DONE!

2009-10-29T15:36:00.005+01:00

For about 11 hours yesterday, Gina and I studyed for our first credit test. It was in anatomy. We were supposed to learn the skull, vertebral column and bones of thorax. It's a lot of bone structures, to say the least.

Gina with the os mandibula at her feet,

the top of the skull next to her, and

Gray's anatomy flash cards in her hand.

After some time we both were about to drown in papers, books, and parts of the skull.

There are SICK many parts on the skull.

Grooves, fossas, foramens, notches, bones, and I don't know what.

Gina is getting in touch with her inner skull

Here I'm studying the os mandibula. In my head I'm thinking:

"Do I have a life? Really? Do I?"

As the day, evening, and night, went by,

I think both Gina and I could feel the insanity rising to the surface.

Went to bed at 2am, up at 7am to study some more. Went to school - nailed the credit test. And I'm now just sitting here, doing NOTHING! What a feeling. I have to enjoy it as long as I can, because next week we have credit test in both latin and medical biology.

And yeah, I just have to mention one last thing. On tuesday when Espen left I was feeling really down. But I went to the postoffice to pick up a package. Turns out it was a birthday present from Ann Helen! It really could not have arrived at a better time. It made my day.

Norwegian coffee, Pondus (my FAVORITE comic strip), milkchocolate with non-stop (oh, the memories Ann Helen), cookies, and the best of all - a birthday card.

Thank you again Ann Helen. You know I love you darling.

And just now, the best flatmate ever is making homemade pizza. This is turning out to be a very good day.

A beautiful evening to wander about...

2009-10-29T14:23:00.012+01:00

From the 19-27 of october Espen was in Slovakia. Thats why the blogging has been neglected you can say.

We had some wonderful days together. I can't even begin to tell you how wonderful it was to have him here with me. And how awful it was when he had to leave.

I got used to having him here, but now it's back to the normal everyday life in slovakia, and skype. Luckily its only 50 days, 8 hours, 39 minutes, and 58 seconds until I come home for christmas. But hey, who's counting?

When he was here Gina and Marie joined us for an evening walk in the newly discovered hiking area in the neighborhood. It was such a wonderful evening. Lovely weather. Lovely people. Lovely lovely.

Love.

Our nature experience

My flatmate and me, BF 4evah lizm!

I just LOVE this face!

Marie, synonym for sunshine

The one and only.

Espen's favorite picture of me climbing.

I was stuck, and apperantly that was quite funny.

Where there is a will, there is a way.

Marie: "Is it a plane? A bird?"

Marie (so embarrassed): "Oh gosh, it was Espen"

I needed that little break from the everyday life down here.

Thank you. You know I miss you.

Christmas at tesco....in october

2009-10-17T17:15:00.005+02:00

Today Gina and I tried something new; taxi to Tesco. We had to buy a vacuum cleaner you see, and thats not easy to put on a bisyckle.

But about the taxi. First of all its a challange just getting a taxi, because the man who answers the phone does not speak english. So I just focus on saying what I know I am supposed to say, and hope that he gets it. It worked out today at least.

The taxi came, the driver was a "gangster-type" as usual, and we went. The driver was listening to some really bad rap-music with a lot of bad words (I will not write them here, you will just have to take my word for it: It was BAD!). But after that first song he put on Whitney Houston with "I will always love you". I had to bite my lip not to laugh. He also had four mobile phones all lined up in the front. Wonderbaum, black windows - the works. It was some ride. And it only cost 3 euro, he gave us a discount of 2 euro for some reason. It's all good.

At tesco we realised that in Slovakia, christmas is a BIG deal. You think its bad in Norway with the christmas soda in october and all that? Think again. I just wonder how it will be in december..

Tesco has everything you need. Even chirstmas trees. What's that all about?

Gina picturing her christmas stocking hanging beside her bed.

You could drown in all the christmas stuff - literally.

We had a lot of fun in the christmas section.

After reading for 6-7 hours every day the last week,

we needed some time off just having a good time - doing stupid stuff.

And by the way, I am seriosly buying those reindeer thingies to put on my head at christmas.

I always have to check out the childrens department

when we're at Tesco,

and today I fell in love with this Teddy.

But I wasn't allowed to take him home

since it would not fit in the taxi or something like that.

Luckely it's only two days left until Espen is coming, so I'll live.

Meet my friend, the BRAINZ!

2009-10-16T23:27:00.003+02:00

We have a new family member in the house of Stokka/Salen. Truth is we are more babysitting it for a while. You see we have such wonderful friends (read Jan and Cecilie) who borrowed us their skull. That's nice of them don't you think? Hopefully they don't need it in their everyday life for a few weeks. Who needs their skull anyway, ey?

But you have no idea how happy I am! Finally I am able to study the skull at home, not having to stay at school to do it. It's very helpful, the credits coming up in a few weeks and all that. I never thought a skull could ever make me this happy. Thank you Jan and Cecilie! Actually, Gina and I had dinner at their place today. Jan is some chef, I'm telling you. The food was delicious, but the company was even better. And with bible study later the same evening made the already good evening complete.

There are so many people that has become dear to me down here. That is such a blessing.

But now I want to talk to Espen on skype. When I go to bed today there is only two (!) days left until he is here with me. I can hardly wait!

But yeah, here it is, my new best friend; The BRAINZ! (well, its actually the skull, but still, the BRAINZ sounds a lot better)

The real immatriculation..

2009-10-09T12:14:00.006+02:00

Today I became a real student of medicine. I tought I had been for weeks, but I was wrong.

At 10am we had to meet at the town hall to practice for the immatriculation at 11am. By law we had to wear nice clothes - jeans were not allowed for instance. So once again Gina, Marie, Marga, and I, were walking the streets of Martin in our nicest clothes. This time we got it right.

Immatriculation is some serious business.

At elleven, all the foreign students were sitting in their place, waiting for the dean, principal, and seven other people to arrive. On beforehand we had been told what to do, so we knew what was coming kind of. At least I thought I knew. I didn't.

Suddenly something similar to the team song of Star Wars started playing, the doors opened, and in came alle the "robe-dressed" people. After the procession they found their place. The music stopped, and I thought we could sit down - we couldn't. Because the time had come for us to listen to the national anthem of Slovakia. In Norway the national anthem is a song everybody can sing along to, that was impossible with this song - because it was in such a high range that you had to be a castrated man to even have a chance to sing it.

After that we could sit down. And then the principal of the university held a speach.

Then the student representative read the student oath. We promised to be good students who would make the university proud. It sounded better when he said it. But you get the point.

Then it was time for us to be immatriculated. Classical music began to play, and one by one they called out our name. We had to come up front, put two fingers on the septer (held by a man with white gloves), and say: "I promise". Then we shook hands with the dean, and he welcomed us to the university as he gave us the immatriculation paper.

Last, but not least, we had to bow to the principal.

And 'tadaa' we were medical students.

When everyone was immatriculated the dean had his own little speach, wishing us success in our study, and in our future as doctors.

It all ended with us standig up to sing:

Gaudeamus igitur,

iuvenes dum sumus;

post iucundam iuventutem,

post molestam senectutem

nos habebit humus.

Vivat academia,

vivant progessores,

vivat membrum quodlibet,

vivat membra quaelibet,

semper sint flore.

Well, truth be told, we didn't reallt sing. It was played in the background, and since none of us knew it we were all just miming. But still. Viva academia!

The Star Wars theme then started to play again, and the "robe dressed" walked out in the same procession as they came.

Some of the things, like the music, was somewhat amusing. But all in all it was really a nice way to "make" us students of the university. I have to admit that I kind of liked it.

Next time I'm there, hopefully, I am saying my Hippocratic oath as a "fresh" doctor.

The septer

Maren and Gina at the immatriculation practise

Marie, all dressed up and pretty

My girls! Also known as "the crew"

I'm being all serious...like always

During the immatriculation

MEDICAL STUDENTS! (finally...)

Now I have proof that I really am a medical student.

Happy day!

So now its just to dive back into all the books that are lying all over the place. Gina and I are swimming in papers and books. "Student life - we welcome thee"

The real Gray's anatomy...

2009-10-07T16:38:00.002+02:00

The medical study is getting serious. It is safe to say that we have a lot of stuff to read. This week I recieved all the books I ordered from Amazon. The biggest book, Gray's anatomy, is on 1463 pages.
It can be difficult to stay on top of it all. But I try. My mother said that my dad used to read about 30-40 hours a week, besides school. I can relate to that. It's not that bad jet, but it will probably get to that level soon enough.

Luckily I have the perfect "study-buddy" in Gina. With nice music playing in the backround, a stable of books, a sea of papers, some black gold (read: coffee), and a good friend, studentlife is really not that bad.

Dear dad

2009-10-06T16:13:00.003+02:00

I miss you so much.

One year has gone since you passed away, and it feels surreal. What I woulden't give to have you here. For you to meet Espen, to see me start my medical education, to be here to see how well everything is going despite all that has been. There is so many things I would like to share with you. The big things that has happened this year that you missed out on, like Eivind's wedding. And all the small, everyday stuff. How I would love for you to be here, being my dad.

Although this has been a hard day, this morning I desided to live it like you would. You were always so alive. You lived according to the saying "Carpe diem". No matter what may happen in our life, we should always sease the day. Thats what I am trying to do. I cry, I laugh, I get annoyed - I live. One step at a time.

I am surrounded by wonderful people, friends and family. I am truly grateful for my wonderful family. And Espen. And my precious friends who truly care about me. But you are missing in my life.

What you and I had I will keep in my heart forever. That will always be between you and me.

Thank you dear dad, that what you gave when you were alive was enough.

Your little girl is missing you.

I've broken the slovakian law...

2009-10-03T14:31:00.003+02:00

Marie, Gina and I went to tesco today. Tesco, as you might already know, is a big mall located outside of Martin centrum. To get to Tesco we need to cross the railway. Normally we walk over the bridge, but today we desided to follow the man walking in front of us. He was walking straight across the railway.

On the other side, the police were waiting. Turns out, they were waiting for none other than us.

The lady officer came over to us - with her gun and everything - looking all serious. Of course she was telling us something in slovak that we did not understand. Finally I was able to say to her "Nerozumiem" (I don't understand) (she was really talking a lot). And luckily, she started to speak english. She asked for our identity cards, while writing down something on a sheet of paper.

Then she got her coleague to come over to speak to us. He was something as seldom as a slovak police officer who could speak english very well.

He told us that we are not allowed to walk across the railway, we have to use the bridge. So then Marie asked what would happen to us now. He said we would all get a fine (bot). We told him that we just followed "that man" (we pointed at the man we had followed). And the police offiser said "Well, young men is always to blame for young girls mistakes".

We could not do anything but laugh at the whole thing. We all paid the five euro and agreed that we will always use the bridge from now on.

Like Marie told the officers just before we walked away: "First and last time, ey?!?"

Lingua latina demortua est. Romanos occidit etenim me necat.

2009-10-01T19:52:00.009+02:00

Latin is dead. It killed the Romans, and it's killing me too.

Well, that is not entierly true. But I kind of liked it either way.

You see, I am now almost trough my first "real" weak of medical study.

This is the first week where we've actually had all the subjects.

And just as quickly as it turned fall (the fall came on the 29. of september - BANG! and suddenly the threes where leafless, the air was cold, and you need to start investigating how the heaters work) the study got serious.

Me in our living room. We have new decoration.

It feels like my life is evolving around school work. So now I have nothing else to write about than school really. Latin may not kill me, but all the schoolwork might. But no worries, I'm still going strong.

So, what to tell you then? I'm actually getting more into the way things work around here. Altough the information isn't all that well, we still manage oneway or another. For you to better understand what I'm doing down here in Martin, I'll try to share with you what I know.

For instace, I have a really nice schedual. It looks something like this:

Monday: Slovak language, medical biophysics practical, first aid (odd week)
Tuesday: Medical biophysics, first aid practical (odd week),medical biochemistry (even week)
Wednesday: Anatomy, Basics of medical terminology (latin)
Thursday: Medical biology, medical biology practical, anatomy practical
Friday: Slovak language, Medical chemistry

Before i continue explaining the different subjects I will try to explain what practicals are. I have probably mentioned it earliere, but I'll just repeat myself then. Each subject, exept the languages, is divided into two types of lectures. We have "normal" lectures with the professor teaching us as a whole class in the auditory. And we have practicals. In practicals we do what we've been tought, kind of at least. Like in biophysics, we do different experiments to better understand what we learn in class. In practicals we are just eight people, always the same ones. So it is the people in my group, my practical group, that I spend most of my time with. They are all very nice people. I am in the same group as Gina, Marie and Marga. And we have four guys on our group as well, Anes, Jarl Frode, Jahngir and Tore.

So, to the subjects.

Slovak language is really basic knowledge about the language. It's only for this year, because next year we will have "medical slovak" so that we can communicate with patients and staff at the hospital. It's hard learning a whole new language witch has close to no words that are similar to english, or any other known language for that matter. But living in Slovakia helps.

Like yesterday Marie, Gina, and I went out to buy some leggskins, footballsocks and footballshoes. And the guy in the shop got eagered up when he found out we played football. He wanted to know where we were playing, but he didn't really get it when we said "student hostel", so I desided I would try to speak some slovak. I said something like: "Student strom." It means "student tree." I got cunfused you see, because house is "dom" in slovak. Well, at least i tried.

Biophysics is the same as physics, the only difference is that we focus on the stuff that is relevant from a medical point of view. In practicals there are also some teaching, but also a lot of experiments, calculating, and so on. For a girl like me, who really enjoyes physics, this is a fun subject.

First aid is really self explaining I think. Like I said before, we have first aid practical at the hospital. That's really cool. You feel more like a medical student when you wander about in the hallways of the hospital.

I must say I really think it's good that we have this subject, it's important knowledge. Everyone should know what to do if something would happen. Our professor always tell us that "You are the first aider. First aid is not smiling. Please remember forever. You are the first aider"

Medical biochemistry, is chemistry from a medical point of view. We have actually never had practicals in biochemistry yet, so I'm not shure how that works. But we should have had our first seminar (test) this week, but it was postponed to next week. We have seminars every other week in chemistry, or something like that. And if we pass them we get less questions on our exams. And then you also have credits. If you get an A on you credits, you don't need to take the exam in that subject. That's what we've been told at least, but you never know.

Anatomy is really just teaching about the bones, ligaments, muscles, and so on. A lot of stuff to cram (pugge). We actually had anatomy practical today. And today we all got a skull to study. Oh my gosh, the skull is one comlicated part of the body I must say. We have to know the name of all the little holes, notches, curves, and so on and so forth. Luckily we have the sweatest teacher ever in our practicals, and she said that we shoulden't worry. It seems like a lot now at first, but when we get the hang of it, i't well get better. We'll I sure hope so.

Altough it is a lot to remember, it is really interesting. Imagine, every single structure on your bones is there for a reason. That's awesome!(as Marie would say)

Oh, and we're having dissection of extremeties in the next semester, arms and feet. I'm really looking forward to it. I think all the first year students do. Because with all the theoretical stuff it sometimes does not feel like we go to medical school. But some dissection will help I think.

Latin. Well, what is there to say really. In latin we learn latin. Grammar and all. But only medical words though, so the vocabulary is kind of familiar after having anatomy. I think it's quite fun learing latin, but I tend to mix what I learn in latin with what I learn in my slovak lessons, and that's not good.

Last subject is mediacal biology. Biology from a medical point of view. In practicals we will work mostly with microscopes I think, but we will also have some dissection.

Well, that was a short summary of what I do at school. On my time off I usually study for a few hours a day. But I try to make shure that I have some "no-school-time" before going to bed. Altough I don't have all the books yet, there is a lot of things to read. And learn.

The days are passing by so fast with school, studying at home, and a bit of socialising.

Both Gina and I tend to get kind of stressed with all the stuff we need to learn, and not being able to learn it all at once.(And all the other things you can worry about for that matter.) But luckily we have each other, and we are really good at telling the other one to calm down and relax. It's nice to have my own little encourager.

Talking about Gina, I must say, she is such a nice person. I coulden't have asked for a better flatmate. I just love her.

And one other thing. In 18 days Espen is coming to Martin. I've already started the countdown. Happy times!

if person iiiz decaptiated, he iiiz brobably not brizing...

2009-09-23T12:21:00.006+02:00

Now I'm in my second week of medical school here in Martin, and I must say that we really have a lot of time on our hands. The university is celebrating their 40 year anniversary this week, so today, and tomorrow, we only have school to ten, and friday is day off. We haven't got all our books either because the library where we can get the books is also closed now because of the celebration. By the way, we don't get any information about these things on beforehand. It takes some serious detective skills to gather information about anything here in Marin, oh boy.

Take yesterday for instanse, our first aid professor had told us to meet her at the anestesia departement at the hospital. Yeah, like we know where that is. The hospital is like its own little village located somewhere in Martin. And nobody there speaks any english, so it seldom helps to ask anyone either. Believe me, i tried. We found the departement where we should be, Marie knew where that was, but no professor and no seminar room. So I ran up and down the stairs at the hospital, trying to get information out of every white-dressed person I could find-even the patients. But they just grunted at me. I got the most help from the patients really, and they were just lying there. At least I got a good look around ey. As for my fellow students they were all reacting differently to the whole situation. Marga was reading everything she could find hanging around, just to make shure we were in the right place. Gina had to sit down because it was just "all to much" for her. Marie was trying to get a hold of what I was doing running about. And the rest of them (read: the guys) were just standing there looking confused.

After running around a bit I ran out of the building, and there I saw our professor. I ran after her, but she dissapeared into an elevator. Finally we got a hold of her, but turns out she was dobbeltbocked so she couldn't teach us. After some organisation she found another doctor who could have first aid with us. Half an hour behind schedual, no worries.

This way of doing things suits me well, the slovak people is just as absent-minded as I am. And it always works out in the end.

I find you have to choose what you use your strength on really. So what if we are a bit behind shcedual, or we should have been in another building, we don't have the books, or whatever the problem might be. Like I said, in one way or another it always works out in the end, and then you wish you hadn't spent so much time worrying about it.

But yeah, I was writing about the first aid seminar.

To get to the first aid seminar room we had to pass this hall where all the patients in respirators was. It was quite a feeling walking trough there in our labcoats, with our notebooks in our hand, and pen in our pocket. You really felt like a real medicine student. Pretty neat.

The doctor that held the seminar for us in first aid was really funny. He was telling us about how you can check if a victim is conscious or not. First you try talking, then you shake them, and if none of these methods work you should try pain stimuli. And methods for that was for instance pinching their ear, press their clavicular bone, and so on. And then he said: " You can also pinch their nipples, but I woulden't recomend it. And yeah, there is also one more thing, but that is only on men....but please, please don't do that" I laughed, believe me, i laughed my head off.

"What do we have here?"

"Hard to say. He has a somewhat nasty dry cough,

but what really worries me is the ecscrutiating pain he gets

when i pinch his inner thigh."

The doctor also told us that we could stop the CPR only if a doctor declared the victim to be dead, or if the head, heart or lung, was not longer attached to the body. " If person iiiz decaptiated, he iiiz brobably not brizing" Now that is brilliant knowledge, isn't it.

And today, our slightly nearsighted (read: REALLY nearsighted) professor in Anatomy had some trouble with time. You see, she had places to be at nine so she had to squeeze a two hour lecture into an hour. That meant no break for us. But we are getting used to that now, because here it is normal not to have a break in the middle of a lecture. So we usually have a two hour lecture all in one.

But to the point. At five to nine the professor looked at her watch, and I promise you, her nose almost tuched her arm because of her poor sight. She tried holding her arm into the light from the projector, or bending it in every direction possible, until she said: "Help me please, I have two watches." Turnes out she had two watches on her arm, and still there is no way she could tell the time.

Luckely it all worked out in the end. She is such a cute little lady.

Apart from that the days go on as usual really. And as you might understand, we are having a lot of fun. I love the practicals for instance, it is so much fun doing different experiments to help the understanding of at difficult subject. Somethimes I feel like a child, so hungry for erudition (lærdom).

At my spare time I try to get some studying done, but it's not easy, not having the books and all. But we were told that we are having our first seminar test in chemistry on tuesday, so I guess I should give preference to that subject. Luckily I actually have the chemistry book, the only problem is that we really have no idea what a seminar test is, or what the curriculum is for that first test. But thats ok, cause this is Slovakia, and here it always works out in the end.

Oh, and I have some good news - good news for me at least. Espen has now ordered his tickets, so now I can start the countdown for his visit to Martin. In three weeks and five days he will be here with me, I am overjoyed!

Temporary cure for homesickness...

2009-09-22T16:09:00.000+02:00

Sixty little pictures united on my wall. Every one of them tells a story. Every one a picture of someone close to my heart. I love mye wall of memories.

And for fun I will just throw in this picture of us in the sun. The summer will not let go of Martin. As you can see I even have to close my eye because it is so sunny. Not a cloud in the sky.

If grace is an ocean, we are all sinking...

2009-09-18T23:34:00.005+02:00

Gina and I just came home from bible study at Mary's place (I've put a link to her blog under "mine kjære lekekamerater"). So, like I've promised, I will now tell you about this bible study group. Better late then never ey.

Oh yeah, by the way, you may have noticed (I'm sorry, but if you haven't you are a tiny bit slow...) that I am writing in english. That is because I realised that I have a nice little group of english speaking readers, and i guess it would be nice for them to get in on the jokes and stuff as well. Nevertheless, I was really writing about bible study group.

Well, to make a long story short, at least I will try. This summer a friend of mine met a nice christian couple studying in Martin, and my friend gave them my number. We sendt some texts, and agreed that it would be nice to meet when the schoolyear began.

I arrived to Marin and to be honest I forgot about the couple the first few days, but after a week I remembered them and sendt them a text. No answer...

Then my slovak teacher took our class on a little guided trip in the centre of Martin. And she showed us this lutheran church located next to a bible school. The teacher had noticed me wearing a cross and asked me if I went to church back home. I said yes and then she said I should attend some youth meeting at this church that weekend. This was on wednesday.

When Gina and I got home we desided to write an e-mail to the bible school and see if there was some kind of youth meeting or something we could join. They answered immideatly, both the headmaster of the school and a lovely lady called Mary.

Mary told us that it was God's perfect timing that we e-mailed her when we did because her english bible study group were starting up that friday at her place. She invited us to join in, and of course we said yes.

Friday we went to Mary's apartement at the bible school and attended our first bible study. It was Mary (american), Mima (slovakian), Martine (slovakian), Cecilie (stavanger) and Jan (stavanger). And during the presentation round both Cecilie and I realised that we had been texting each other. Cecilie and Jan was the couple my friend met this summer. And my slovak teacher? Well, she was also a member of the church, and knew both Mary and Jan.

Turns out Cecilie had texted me on my norwegian phone, and I on hers, but we were both using our slovak ones. Cecilie had told Mary about Gina and I, and they both really wanted us to join their group but they coulden't get a hold of us. So when Mary had recieved the e-mail from us she was overjoyed because she knew it had to be the two girls Cecilie had been talking about.

Wow. Long story. But for me it really tells me a lot about Gods love for me. That is because, like I told them at bible study today, being so far away from family and friends is not easy. But when you are a christian you have another family as well, the family in christ. And it is truly a blessing.
For me it is really good to know that God is with me every step of the way.

So what do we do in bible study? Well, we laugh, we cry, drink coffee in huge(!) mugs, read the bible, pray, tell jokes, have a little heart to heart, do a little smalltalk, and yeah, just spend quality time with eac other, and with God.

Today, just before we left, Mary put on the song that I also put on this blogpost. It is a beautiful song called "How he loves us", and it really tuched my heart.
Hope you enjoy(ed) it as well.