Oslo in the Spotlight

Today one of the major newspapers in Copenhagen, Berlingske Tidende, ran a story about the new opera house in Oslo (we went there in May). Copenhagen got a new opera house back in 2005, in the harbour area (just across the Amalienborg Castle). Earlier this year Oslo also got a new opera house, also situated by the waters. I guess we might call it the "Sidney effect".

Anyway, apart from the great pictures and a summary on the history of opera in Norway, the article also writes about the renewal of Oslo. Of which the city is in dire need of. Compared to Copenhagen and Stockholm there has been a lack of milieu in Oslo.

One of the things the article mentions is that the Munch Museum is going to be moved and situated not far from the Opera. What it doesn't mention is that the area surrounding the Opera House is quite appalling (big motorway, container docks etc.). All this is about to change, and the museum is just a minor part in the plans. The entire area is to be renewed, and the road is to be turned into a new turnpike tunnel (comparable to the turnpike in Boston, I guess). A grand scheme that will add more milieu to Oslo.
Also, just mentioning, one of the landmarks of Oslo is also about to be refurbished, namely the Holmenkollen ski jump that towers above the city is to get at new ski jumping tower. A change of appearance and an attempt to put Oslo back on the map when it comes to winter sports.

Most of the time I don't miss Oslo at all, but sometimes - when reading stuff like this - I wish that I was in the middle of what is happening.

Job over ...

The 30 April 2008 I quit my job in Oslo. It's sort of a "game over" when you leave your job. I have worked at MF Norwegian School of Theology for nearly four and a half years, for me that's quite some time. The first half year I worked as a Higher Executive Officer, and then for the remainder of time I worked as an Academic Studenter Advisor. The first couple of years with a responsibility for the postgraduate programs (including Professinal Degree in Theology and Ministry) and the two last years as a Teaching Coordinator (working with planning and schedule). The week before I quit the job, I was in Oslo to step down and to be celebrated (if you can call leaving ones job a celebration).

The entire leaving-process was weird. I felt strechted out between the pressure and stress the last couple of days to finish some projects we were working on and then the insatiable pleasure knowing it would all be over soon.

Me and my successor in the job, Arfinn, in my old office.

One of the evenings my collegues invited me to a Lebanese restaurant were I enjoyed a nice meal and good words. And they presented me with a card and a gift certificate (for a book store - who may have suspected that! ;-)

At the restaurant. In the left picture (from left): Rune, Elna, Claudia, Arnfinn and me (who needs to go on a diet). In the right picture: Hallvard, Marie-Luise and Ann (giving a speech).

The last day the entire faculty and other employees were invited to eat ice cream and drink coffee. And a lot of the people paid homage to me, and I'm going to remember some of the good words that were given to me. Academics don't hand them out too often...

After that week me, Jan and some friends went to Barcelona together. But that is material for another entry. Right now I'm unemployed - and often bored... go figure... but luckily (?) MF has hired my as a special consultant for a couple of days in the end of May... at least I get to return to old hunting grounds for a while...

(And thanks to the ever kind Pirjo for sharing the pictures from my last days at MF)

Snapshots from this past week...

What is better than writing something in our blog, instead of working? I’m quite bored with writing about Christian nurturing among the Sami.

(Bachelor's party) (Early morning in Oslo) (Karl Johan street late night)

So here is what happened the last week:

• Thursday: Don’t remember (well, who can blame me. I turned thirty a couple of years ago).

• Friday: Don’t remember.

• Saturday: We joined in with a number of people and had a bachelor’s party for a friend who’s getting married. We did some shooting (Jan got a diploma!), went bowling (kind of boring) and ate a nice Mexican meal.

• Sunday: I stayed home, proofreading a chapter of my research report and travelled to Oslo. Jan went to church.

• Monday: Work. Bought Jan a book on Islam (he kind of needs that). I met Johannes in the evening. I’m not sure what Jan was up to, all I know is that he went to bed early (probably around 20:00) since I was not there.

• Tuesday: More work, stressful work. In the afternoon I returned to Copenhagen because I had my Danish language course. Jan goes to night school to improve his managing techniques, so he went to some classes at the Danish School of Education.

Back to work (kind of) ...