(no subject)

[hathycol]

'... and then she'd been forced to go travelling, and she'd seen a bit of the world, and it had made her itchy - especially at this time of the year...
She looked around the kitchen. It needed sweeping. The washing-up needed doing. The walls had grown grubby. There seemed to be so much to do that she couldn't bring herself to do any of it.
There was a honking far above, and a ragged V of geese sped over the clearing.
They were heading for warmer weather in places Granny Weatherwax had only heard about.
It was tempting.'

Masquerade, Terry Pratchett

Er. Yeah. Basically, I could be in Oslo this time next year, studying in the Centre for Viking Research. It's in English, no fees, grant from SOCRATES to cover expenses, cheaper student accommodation than Scotland...

As Pratchett says, it's tempting.

It's impractical. I have trouble coping with having not seen Simon for four weeks, let alone four months. I may have classes in English, but I don't know any Norweigan. It would buggar up DocSoc. I'd still have to pay my rent for the house in St Andrews. I love St Andrews. I'm not good at making friends.

But I'm itchy. I don't have many years left where I have this immense freedom, and it dawned on me as I scrubbed the floor this morning that I can't cope with doing this every term and every summer. I need to do something exciting and interesting. I need to go on holiday. I need to do something that will broaden my pathetically small horizons. loneraven is on work experience in the BBC; stupidore is doing a voluntary placement in South Africa over the summer; Sarah is off to Frankfurt in two days, having booked it today. I want to do that sort of thing.

I have until Thursday to get the form in. This is maybe not the kind of decision I should spend two days over, but Simon is not available to phone and my parents will be horrified at the concept. My housemates are somewhat concerned that I will be leaving them high and dry for the semester. I won't go. I know I won't.

But if I don't do something interesting in the next year, if I don't have something interesting planned, I think my head will explode.

Comments

[balthaser.livejournal.com]

Go. Try and arrange for someone to take your room in your accommodation maybe and go. Okay, so four months away from Simon is bad, but, you could always look into how expensive flights might be from like easyjet or lastminute or something like that.

No offence, but you really shouldn't give up a lifetime opportunity because life here won't/can't manage without you. It most likely will and I'm sure you'll pick up some Norwegian. They're not going to leave you high and dry without any basic help on conversing with people.

Also, DocSoc can survive.

[hyrnetanga.livejournal.com]

If it's what you want to do, you should go for it. And, er, advertise like crazy for someone to take your room for the semester and pay the rent. Plus, flights are pretty cheap nowadays, so they're probably not much more than the train fare down to cambridge if you shop around a bit. Also, I know you can apply for funding towards travel expenses (this may be separate from the erasmus grant, I can't remember), quite possibly for more than one flight each way. Plus you get more student loan as well as the grant, so that will help. Also, they HAVE to provide Norwegian lessons as part of the package (although I'm pretty sure the Norwegians generally speak brilliant english anyway, so you could probably get by with next to nothing).

[susie22.livejournal.com]

There are so many people hunting like crazy for accommodation right now, they'll find someone. I know, we all know, how difficult it is to match up houses to housemates in St Andrews but if you want to go, you should enter.

[not-vacillating.livejournal.com]

For what it's worth: I think you should go. You're strong, you're clever, you can pick up the Norwegion you need. DocSoc is not important in the grand scheme of things. No fees. Your housemates will cope-- I know a household who had one member walk out before the academic year started, and they're just living with less money and a spare room. You'll be coming back to St Andrews afterwards. You get a grant. You'll likely never have this chance again. Students are almost always a welcoming bunch, and even Norway has geeks; you'll make friends. Plus, did I say NO FEES?

And besides, think of the fun you can have dropping it into conversation. "While I was at the Centre for Viking Research..."

[purplerainbow.livejournal.com]

I'm going to add my vote to those saying 'go for it'. It sounds like an amazing opportunity. From here, it seems like the biggest problems are money and friends - and I can sympathise with both. I'm rubbish at making friends, and it scares me that I'm half way through my course and still haven't made that many! Going to Norway might force you make more, friends that you would never forget. You could join a society - start a Norwegian DocSoc! It might be good for you.

In terms of money, you have shown that you are very good at managing your money and budgeting, because you've always had to be careful with what you have. If you get a grant and whatever, you should be able to cope. You could always get a job somewhere in Norway that requires good English!

And as to Simon - as others have said, you have the rest of your life to be together, so make the most of your time now. He of all people should understand the importance of education over everything else, at least at this point in your life, so go for it and think of all the amazing things you'll have to tell him!

I'm so jealous that you could go this. Sounds wonderful.

Also, if you do change your mind but fancy a cheap holiday, I recomment BTCV (they have a website somewhere) because they organise cheap volunteering holidays in English countryside where you get to meet great people, spend time outdoors and help the environment. Just a thought.

(Hope all this makes sense - am somewhat tipsy...)

[dragonlady7.livejournal.com]

Norway is teh awesome, but the people are very slow to be friendly. They are polite, pleasant, interesting, but not warm until you prove yourself to them, or somehow get some kind of "in".

I have cousins in all of Norway's major cities. I went to visit them and it took me approximately six hours and two bottles of wine to prove myself as cool, and now they are my best friends in the world and would die for me etc and vice versa. I do have the advantage of blood, there, but...

I loved Norway and want to go back. I have never been to Oslo.

You do not need English to get by in Norway. I have spoken to numerous academics who work there who say they were told by their Norwegian compatriots to please not waste time learning Norwegian-- learn something more useful.
I picked up a few phrases mostly for amusement and convenience during the 2 weeks I was there, but anyone under seventy will have passable English and will be perfectly happy to speak it to you.

It is beautiful there, it is so beautiful. I am fascinated by the history and culture and I do enjoy the people, being a bit like that myself-- I have a bit of a shell but if you can prove to me that you're worth it, I'll do anything for you-- and I would go there again in an instant if I thought I could get away with it.

And I have contacts who know where all the good bars are in Oslo, Bergen, and Trondheim.

[loneraven.livejournal.com]

Get the form in, woman. If you change your mind later, you're not committed, right? One of those keeping-options-open things. And besides, it sounds really, really cool.

Miss you liek woah, by the way. *loves* Bloody DISTANCE.

[sevenhelz.livejournal.com]

as i said before, passports are a bit of a problem at the moment, but me and andrea had a plan (a few years ago) to go and see the angel falls in america when we were both 21. actually that's next year... but we could go early... or me and you could do something like that, but not...
*hug*
xx