Thursday 15 September

Firstly, I would like to apologize for the lack of grammar in my last post, as my mother so kindly pointed out to me, but I'm not promising much different this time:P

This first week we have a lot of free time as. people get to know each other so I have been able to update this blog fairly often, not sure how much time I will get next week etc once lectures and our creative time gets into full swing. At the moment it is mostly practical information download. Yesterday we took a trip into Alesund to the look out over Aspøya, postcard material apart from the rain. Something I am learning is to take a rain jacket whenever you venture outside as you will probably get wet. (we ended up playing soccer in the rain on tuesday).

So, today, we started lectures and our creative track times. First teaching was on Worship and Intercession, including a free, a capella worship and prayer session and praying for the tracks. It is a bit more like study than I realised (but expected) as we have book reports to do and in our tracks we will have assignments, though totally different to conventional school assignments, but the give the year focus and structure. Exploring the arts with a Christian view, mainly focusing on incorporating worship into everything. There are seven girls, plus our lovely leader Hanna (she's Norwegian) in dance track, which is a big group, and there is so much variety between all of us and our dance, it is exciting to be able to work in such a group, particularly with the intent of reaching the local communities.

Some on my roommates. Both are nineteen and lovely girls. Hanna Maria is from Finland, she's in music track - she sings and plays guitar and likes John Mark McMillian (that's a positive) and then there is Ellen, a local Norwegian in art track who loves to joke around. Its such a nice dynamic in our room, as well as in the school, as we are all happy to keep to ourselves but all get on well. The other day the was a change in the timetable which meant we had and extra hour of free time, so all the students just sat around in the lounge room sharing testimonies and stories. There is such a diversity in the students, but all with such creative, God-focused hearts. It is so nice to see how much community there is already and we haven't even been here for a week yet (crazy!)

There was an overnight hike planned for today, but because the weather forecast was rainy (unsurprisingly), it was changed to tomorrow, but then we discovered that we have no tents. So tomorrow we are going for a day hike to a mystery location.

my home: http://maps.google.com/maps?hl=en&tab=wl&q=alesund

Well, I have supper duty soon. There are photos just up on my facebook so check them out!!!