I had originally planned on going in to work after the oral exam was done with. But I felt rather worn out and empty. And I felt I deserved a bit of relaxing. So... when Bjørn looked at me and said "Now you come with me and we go somewhere so you can buy shoes, and then I will take you out to lunch!", I was not hard to ask. We first went to Sweden. I found some shoes that I loved. Not exactly what I looked for, but I decided I would buy them anyway simply because I liked them. I know I can afford to, but God that felt extragavant! On the way home from Sweden, we stopped by "Grensestua" where we had a nice lunch (and we sat out in the sun eating it). While there, Bjørn suggested we go home, walk the dog... and then drive to Lillestrøm to the shopping center there... so I could see if there was something more I wanted... and we could have dinner in Lillestrøm. And this we did. And with Bjørn's encouragement, I went on a shopping spree. I am not much of a shopper usually, and it felt strange, crazy and luxurious to just stroll around buying things. I bought a handbag, a couple of lipsticks and I went overboard in a clothes' store. And for once I bought skirts and dresses... I have never been much of a skirt and dress woman, but it seems cool with a little change.... Having shopped til I almost dropped, I told Bjørn we would have to leave the place before I bought more. We then went to Egon for dinner (yummy!) before we drove back home.
Exam day!
By Unni Helene on Tuesday 8 May 2012, 20:51
Was out of bed as early as I was able to. Had as much breakfast as I was able to (half a wasa) and then sat down to make the last effort. At 09.45, I logged on, and at 09.50 started my oral exam. It went like this:
1. I got to read a short French text about the big difference in salaries between workers and their bosses.. Then I was asked to give my opinion on and discuss what I thought of high salaries for business leaders.
2. I got to listen to a part of a French radio program. Then I had to tell them how much of what was said that I understood. A big warm hug goes to Bjørn for having found so many French movies and TV-series for me to watch over the last year. I thought this was going to be the most difficult part of the exam; instead it was what I did best today, I think. I understood every single word of this one. When I had told what it was all about, I was asked to give my comments on the subject matter in the program (immigration, cultural differences, integration to boil it down).
3. I was given 2 photos of "things". I was told to pretend that my prof had no idea what I was looking at or how to use what I was looking at. I had to describe it in a way that would make him picture it and understand exactly how to operate the device in question. The first picture was of a soft-ice machine! Mon Dieu, I hardly even know how to give a users' manual for that in Norwegian! This was tricky and if I flunk, the bloody ice machine will be part of the reason why :D The next picture was of a combined binoculars/camera. A little easier, but I did not feel all that at ease with this one either.
4. I got to see a picture of a man and his son on a bike. They were French, wore berrets, carried a baguette and had a French flag on their bike. Then I was told that I was the one who had taken the photo, and now I had to tell them the story behind it. That was quite fun. Inspite of the tricky soft ice machine, the exam had not been stressful. It had even been amusing at times. And this part was actually quite fun. In the end the professor was interrupted when asking me a question and was told by the second professor there that our time was up and that they had to start with the next candidate. My professor said it was a pity since it was enjoyable talking with me. I like to think he had not said that if he thought he'd had to flunk me....
Thus it ended. It was not all that bad. Most of the time it was even a little fun. Exam results come later. I did not do as well as I would have liked to. I lacked vocabulary and some basic grammar elluded me in the midst of the stressful situation that such an exam is. It was not up to the standard that I usually manage to get to by the time I reach an exam in something. But this year has not been an usual year. I think I will pass, which is all I need and all I hope for. And if I do, then that is one fourth of this study over and done with. Now on to preparing for the written grammar exam!
Monday 7 May 2012
Life!
By Unni Helene on Monday 7 May 2012, 23:24
May 2nd:
Went to Oslo to celebrate Mahnaz 22nd birthday. Our daughter is 22! It is unbelievable! Since she no longer lives at home, we wanted to treat her to something special on her birthday. I told Bjørn we should find a good fish restaurant since Mahnaz loves fish, and I said I thought there were some classy ones down at Aker Brygge. Bjørn went online and with his black belt in googling, he soon came back to me with the name of a restaurant: Lofoten fiskerestaurant. I booked a table, and this is what we did. Anything you do on Aker Brygge is three times as expensive as what you do anywhere else in Oslo, but I must say it was worth it this time. An amazing restaurant, a perfect waiter... and an excellent 5-course fish-meal. Dinner (and wine for the women) cost 3000 nok. I'd do it again :D Also, I must say that Aker Brygge is a nice part of Oslo. I do not like Oslo much, but there are a few places there which really are nice. A lot has happened along the harbour over the last few years, and it has emerged as a very cool place with quite a bit of charm. After dinner we met up with Mahnaz' boyfriend and we went out for coffee and cake (no comment!). A magical day with a fairly magical family :)
***
May 3rd
Walked 10 kilometers. Did a few pages of French. The rest of this day is best left in silence :)
***
May 4th
Sleep, walk, a bit of French, watching French movies.
***
May 5th
Finally managed to focus on my French for a few hours. Walked 5.5 kilometers in cold winter weather. Snow. Went to Kongsvinger in the evening to watch "The Avengers" in 3D. We agreed it had cool special effects, but that it had little else to offer. It was a bit too American for us, and "cool" one-liners are only THAT interesting. Nice for children, I guess, but if you're past 18 and looking for a good movie, this will not be it.
***
May 6th
Went to Sandvika to celebrate young Daniel's Confirmation party. God had he grown up since I last saw him! The meeting of two very different families there - plus me and Bjørn. It was fun to meet people I had not seen for ages, and I bravely mingled :) Astri had done a great job organising the party, and she held a wonderful and touching speech for her son. The food was a surprise. I thought there would be cake and coffee - but what do you know, there was dinner, and lots of it! The food was very, very good :D The cakes were amazing! A perfect celebration, Astri! Pust!
Some pics!
***
May 7th
Studying French. Being nervous about my exam tomorrow. That is it, really.
Wednesday 2 May 2012
Hard at work....
By Unni Helene on Wednesday 2 May 2012, 00:06
I have graded 5 piles (of about 30 essays per pile). I only have one pile left, but those will be written next week. I have also determined, set, documented in writing AND friendly conveyed 180 official final grades.
From now on, I only answer to the name "Superwoman".
Tuesday 1 May 2012
My weak sides...
By Unni Helene on Tuesday 1 May 2012, 01:09
Ha, just when you thought I did not have any!
Well... today we went to Oslo because we had been called into a meeting there by the social service. Not blog material this one, suffice it to say they hoped they made us an offer we couldn't refuse :D We have been given thinking time, and think we will.
Anyway... I wanted to do a bit of shopping while there, since there are a few things I need. Needed things are clothes and shoes. So, when the meeting was over, we drove to Lillestrøm (nicer than Oslo), we had an excellent dinner at Egon and then we strolled around downtown. What I do not need is books. I must have a hundred unread ones at home. But alas, we saw a bookstore on the way. I came home without having bought clothes or shoes. But I did have four new books. I swear I need to start going to "Anonymous book-byers"-meetings.
- "Hello. I am Unni. I am a compulsive book-buyer"
Oh... and like any addict these days, I have searched the net for help. To my relief, there are lots of groups to join, even one at Goodreads.com
Oh, and I have an enabler! When in the bookstore, I did debate with myself whether or not to buy more of them. I told Bjørn that if there was anything at all I did not really NEED, it was another book. Not only did he say "Oh, You always need books", but he followed up with quoting Umberto Eco, who had said that to him, the value of the library lies in the unread books--the books yet to be discovered.
In Eco we trust!
Les parapluies de Cherbourg
By Unni Helene on Tuesday 1 May 2012, 00:40
OH MY! I mean..... OH MY! I have watched the musical "Les parapluies de Cherbourg" this evening. Now that was..... eh.... something else!
As a Frenchlesson though, it was perfect. Well articulated, easy-to-understand French. I understood 90% of the French in this one. And with so much romantic dreaming, there was plenty of conditional forms - which is something I need to focus on now.
And if you for some reason want to become diabetic, this movie should be sweet enough to make it happen. Not even sure you need to watch it twice for that :)
Ok, so I have a new favourite actor....
By Unni Helene on Tuesday 1 May 2012, 00:25
Philippe Duclos!
We have been watching a lot of "Engranages" lately and have now started on season 3. I really like it, and on the whole, it has been so good to discover this whole new world of French movies and TV-series. "Engranages" has the same kind of stories and plots as American police series often have: Someone gets killed and we follow our friends, the police, who work to sort it all out. And still it is so different to watch. It is not just a collection of cool one-liners, it is not full of slapstick-humour and the characters come across as real people. I am very impressed with how the actors manage to create and form their characters. They are all good, and still one stands out, I think. Philippe Duclos. Lots of charm, lots of talent and he makes "juge François Roban" become a very real person :) Three pics from google, the last one from "Engranages"
Sunday 29 April 2012
All in a day's work...
By Unni Helene on Sunday 29 April 2012, 23:56
Slept longer than planned, but was up at 7.30. Got dressed and went out for a walk. Today we did something funny. Bjørn drove the car to Matrand (a third of the way between here and work) and started walking towards home. I started from home and walked towards Matrand. When we met, he gave me the car key, and then he walked home while I walked to the car. That was a 9 km walk for me before I got to the car and could drive to work. It was a quiet day at work, for once there was only me there. That meant I could get a lot of things done, which was so good! Normally after a day of grading frenzy like yesterday, i would not be able to keep it going like that through another day. Today I was, and I got 16 papers graded. Gave up at 19.30 and drove back home. Had two slices of bread, and watched an episode of "Engranges". Bjørn had already walked another 10 km while I was at work, yet he suggested we go for a walk. So we did another 4 km. Home, water, a glass of wine, another episode of "engranges". Now midnight and I am ever so ready for bed.
G'night!
Saturday 28 April 2012
Crazy grading frenzy....
By Unni Helene on Saturday 28 April 2012, 23:19
Have been at it non-stop from 08.00 till 23.00, with one 2-hour break for our ten kilometer walk. I have graded 25 essays. That is just uncanny. Grateful that hubby did grocery shopping and made dinner. (Pasta good!!!!)
I will admit I am closer to comatose than I am to sleepy. I looked around online for a pic that would somehow express my current state. I think this one got closest:
squidoo.com
And we're off....
By Unni Helene on Saturday 28 April 2012, 08:13
Yesterday at 10.00, I finished grading the last of the 90 bokmål essays. Yesterday at 14.00, I had 60 fresh, new nynorsk essays to grade. I was up at 07.00 today and have had a long and comfortable start of the day. I have fed the dog, had breakfast, read online newspapers and have made espresso.
Now, to work!
And if anyone wonders why I do the things I do, I think this explains it all:
http://www.recombinantrecords.net/docs/2009-12-Challenged.html
Thursday 26 April 2012
Worse things happen at sea, you know!
By Unni Helene on Thursday 26 April 2012, 23:38
Slept long and was not up before 9. Felt good! Breakfast and off to work to grade papers. The county-admin had IT-problems and for the first hour I was forced to drink coffee with colleagues while waiting for net-connection. The other coffee drinkers were all extremely funny male colleagues who were full of amazing jokes about what it must be like to grade hundreds of essays. Amazingly they also still live :D
In the end I did get net connection and work commenced. And since then, the day has offered no surprises. Grading, some French. More grading and a bit more French. Repeat.
Still in a good mood, though. Happy, healthy and we have spring. At least for the coming days
On being a cat....
By Unni Helene on Thursday 26 April 2012, 23:10
Tuesday 24 April 2012
Mais oui....
By Unni Helene on Tuesday 24 April 2012, 11:45
Not going into work today. I have no lessons, so I was allowed to stay at home since I have so much grading and studying to do. So far this has been my day:
05.00: Bjørn's alarm bell went off, since I yesterday bravely suggested that it would be great to walk ten kilometers before breakfast (and breakfast time is 07:30). At 05.05, we were out of bed.
05.15 - 07.45: Walked ten kilometers, showered and got dressed.
07.45 - 08.30: Had breakfast. Watched an episode of "Engranages".
08.30 - 11.45: French grammar teory. Have read 30 pages, and I think they are learned :D Complicated language, French. Now a five minute blogging break before I start doing the grammar-exercises that go along with the beforementioned 30 pages of theory.
Oh... and coffee. Did I menton coffee? I have had some.
11.45 - 15.30: Worked on grammar exercises for the 30 pages of theory I read.
15.30 - 18.00: Went for another walk, 6 kilometers this time. Dinner.
18.00 - 20.00: Answered a mail from a pupil, Graded 4 essays.
20.00 - bedtime: Watched a movie.
Monday 23 April 2012
Visitors!
By Unni Helene on Monday 23 April 2012, 20:45
May will not only be about hard work and exams, I will also have a couple of very nice visits. As mentioned earlier, my Finnish friend Taija will be here from May 26th till 28th. And after a bit of online chatting back and forth with Hungarian friend Zoltan, he has now decided to be here from May 23rd till May 26th. I am much looking forward to seeing both of them. I might need to get quite a bit of work done while they are here, but I will try to find as much time as possible for the long, friendly chats and (at least in Taija's case), the long forest walks :D
Speaking of which, Bjørn and I had a nice walk today. We were a little more tired than usual, but we did walk 10 kilometers and it feels good to have won over the desire to just stay home :)
Other than that, the day has mostly been about grading and reading French. Oh... and Bjørn has found a French TV-series for me. We have watched 6 episodes of it. It is so good for my French to watch French movies and TV-series! This one has a mix of police/law-characters, but is quite different from American TV-series in the same genre (and yes, that is a plus!). The TV-series is "Engranages", which for some reason is titled "Spiral" when aired in Great Britian.
ecrans.fr
Don't worry!
By Unni Helene on Monday 23 April 2012, 15:41
Sunday 22 April 2012
Variations over a theme...
By Unni Helene on Sunday 22 April 2012, 15:13
I have graded 8 essays and have studied relative clauses in French.
And I have downed infinite cups of coffee.
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