I’ve just returned from a fjord cruise, and I come bearing gifts – pictures, actually. Like most things that you do around here, it was silly beautiful and a wonderful time as well.

First, however, an update. Several major things have happened in my life. First, I have joined Ultimate Rain – Bergen’s premiere frisbee team. Yes, there is another team, and yes we are possibly better than they are. We’ll see, I guess. Anyway, fun fact I learned in practice: frisbee has both rules and strategy. Who knew?

Second, I have successfully integrated ping-pong into my daily schedule. Every night, around 8, my friend Kevin and I head down to Klub Fantoft (the dorm common room which also has a bar and a dj) and play ping-pong. He’s a bit better than me, but I’m improving rapidly and as soon as I figure out his serve, he’s done. There’s also a few West African dudes who come down to play, who are also better than me, although I beat some of them occasionally.

Third, http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=jofNR_WkoCE. This song (by Norwegian band Ylvis) has been stuck in my head for three days continually. Here’s another one: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Yn-oemgzlEU.

Moving on, the fjord cruise. Mostly, it was a lot of sitting in a cold and damp boat and chatting – excuse me, I meant serving as a cultural ambassador – with European women. We discussed crucial matters like our favorite parts of each others’ countries, how silly Disney songs sound in languages other than our own, and, of course, what the fox says. I personally believe that it is wha-pa-pa-pa-pa-pa-pow. Others disagree.

The cruise took us to Modalen, which is a tiny town way up the Osterfjorden. As we further and further inland, the cliffs were higher and higher and the fjord was narrower and narrower – at first, the landscape looked like Casco Bay, then Somes Sound on Mt. Desert Island, then an unbelievable watery chasm unlike anything I’ve ever seen. Here are some pictures:

One final story: as Kevin (my American friend) and I were boarding the light rain to head back to the dorm, having a discussion which might have been titled “Great Hot Wings I Have Eaten,” an elderly man interrupted us. His accent was American: “You can’t get good wings anywhere in Bergen – that’s for sure.” We started talking about American things (he was Norwegian, but had lived in Florida for many years, when at the next stop, two young women got on, and interrupted us again. They were Mormon missionaries from Utah and couldn’t help but notice that we were Americans. They proselytized us for a while, which isn’t normally my favorite thing, but was actually quite pleasant this time. They were friendly and charming, and I felt connected to them. Their job isn’t really so different from mine. I certainly understand how difficult it will be for them – Norwegians are generally shy and reserved. As an American who has been evangelized many times before, I am uncomfortable when a stranger asks me about my religious beliefs. For most Norwegians, it will be their first time, and it will be utterly mortifying, especially considering that 70% of Norwegians identify as atheist or agnostic.

Anyway, I’m going to put that in the Odd Expat Moments category. Maybe I’ll have more? We’ll see.