[{"data":1,"prerenderedAt":11},["ShallowReactive",2],{"blog-post-vikings-and-sea-monkeys-a-visit-to-norway":3},{"_type":4,"body":5,"bodyHtml":6,"excerpt":5,"featuredImage":5,"publishedAt":7,"slug":8,"tags":9,"title":10},"blogPost",null,"I've always, always, \u003Ci>always\u003C/i> wanted to visit Norway, and when Heather Salisbury asked me at last year's Hay Festival of Literature if I'd like to go, as an exchange with schools in Wales, she barely got half the sentence out before I'd agreed to accompany her. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/sarah_viking_zpsac568848-0b51869b26.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI had big plans to make a travel comic (like \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/573152.html\">the one I made in Alaska\u003C/a> last summer), and I began it on the way to the airport, on the Stansted Express.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudeneshavn_comic1_zps9baa2f4b-49b2e23cdb.gif\">\\r\n\u003C!--more Click here for lots more under the cut!-->\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudeneshavn_comic2_zps09cf7937-f92ceceec9.gif\">\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudeneshavn_comic3_zps3eeab856-f61ac1fbac.gif\">\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudeneshavn_comic5_zpse30bd8af-a15a56d95c.gif\">\\r\n\\r\n...But as you see here in the comic, I had situation overload when I arrived in the beautiful town of \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Skudeneshavn\">Skudeneshavn\u003C/a> with all these interesting people. I just couldn't keep up. When I had to choose between drawing or running around looking at things and talking with people, the latter always won.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/sarah_hannah_zpse1fede5e-d4a3f2454b.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI managed to settle down on the last day and do one basic drawing, but I'd have loved another few weeks to paint and draw.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudeneshavn_drawing_zpscf7fa7c3-fffdbf64a9.gif\">\\r\n\\r\nThe white house was where we stayed. Isn't this place amazing?\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_overnatting_zps5a98015d-18cd8c14b8.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd this was the view right outside our door. The sudden shifts between stormy and crisp weather meant we got to see all sorts of light.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudeneshavn_bridge_zpsb9a48f42-ba0b51166d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOur visit even got a full page in the local paper, the \u003Ci>Haugesunds Avis\u003C/i>. (You can read \u003Ca href=\"http://www.h-avis.no/puls/trigget-elevenes-fantasi-1.8293353\">the whole article here\u003C/a> if your Norwegian's better than mine.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.h-avis.no/puls/trigget-elevenes-fantasi-1.8293353\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/norway_newspaper1_zps143ab4e6-166460f5c7.jpg\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\u003Ca href=\"http://www.h-avis.no/puls/trigget-elevenes-fantasi-1.8293353\">\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/norway_newspaper2_zpscb623d43-b393914866.jpg\">\u003C/a>\\r\n\\r\nThe school visits were loads of fun! The pupils in the first visit, to \u003Cb>Eide Primary School\u003C/b>, were my most enthusiastic and full of ideas. And I knew their English would be good, but holy cow, they're amazing. I introduced them to \u003Ca href=\"http://www.jabberworks.co.uk/oliver-and-the-seawigs/\">\u003Ci>Oliver and the Seawigs\u003C/i>\u003C/a> and took a slight detour into the world of over-the-top headgear. So this girl showed me her awesome hat before I left.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/eide_school_hats_zps53a3d682-b01bbdea60.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe headmaster was rocking his Norwegian jumper. I love those sweaters so much.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/eide_headmaster_zpsffa076f9-a82266946a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThe new building at \u003Cb>Mykje Primary School\u003C/b> knocked us over with how well designed it was. And the kids had such great art materials! I could see them helping themselves to wood pieces, paint, felt, some were knitting nice wool... British art teachers would be super-envious. (An art teacher friend in London once told me he had to get by with 17p per child per year for art supplies, which wasn't enough to buy them each a decent pencil.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/kamoy_artsclass_zps1d09a3ce-c9168ed13a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nThey had loads of fun wall displays:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/kamoy_school2_wall_display_zps43d32191-803f4b8301.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nWe all drew Sea Monkeys together, and they customised theirs. Then I borrowed one of their Sea Monkeys and they helped me turn it into a four-panel story comic on the white board.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/kamoy_school2_group_zpsdb8416dc-16a5618f8a.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nMy last school visit was to \u003Cb>Skudeneshavn Primary School\u003C/b>. The kids were a little more cautious with their ideas than the first group, but we had good fun and I hope they go on to make more comics. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_school_zpsa2534ec3-928e83ec8b.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nOne of the interesting things about that school was all the cool stuff they could do on the playground. The school was surrounded by little wooded areas, full of forts and hideaways, even an English-language fort (a policy decided on by the kids). The whole attitude in all the schools was so practical, and they weren't scared to let kids run around, fall down, and learn from their accidents. I was allowed to take photos of all the kids, find the bathroom by myself, and there weren't any gates; dog walkers would stroll across the playground. The kids ran up to the playground monitor and gave him hugs, it all felt very warm and natural, a real contrast to our hyper-vigilant British schools. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/norway_playground_zps67114bb4-0527eeda94.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI didn't get much time to check out the books, but every time we had a library tour, I would nip away and see what I could find very quickly. These ones looked intriguing:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/norway_schoolbook1_zps3f71c77a-4dc03fc773.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/norway_schoolbook5_zps8d81be0c-db823aeeb2.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/norway_schoolbook4_zps4a098c1c-9c89c6f406.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI saw lots of familiar stories:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/familiar_books_zpsaa51bd32-221af30f08.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd some that looked funny and rather bizarre.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/norway_schoolbook2_zps46ec2fe1-afc6513054.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/norway_schoolbook3_zps2ea069df-ab69a71b05.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAfter our visit to Mykje, our host, \u003Cb>John Rullestad\u003C/b>, and his friend took us up the hill by Haugesund to see the view. Ha ha, guess who's inappropriately dressed for inclement weather: \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_group_haugesund_zps3cf685c8-dcadc24589.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nWe also went on a great trip with the Head of the Department of Culture, \u003Cb>Jan Arve Hveding\u003C/b>, to the Historical Centre at \u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Avaldsnes\">Avaldsnes\u003C/a>. It gave us a fascinating look at Viking culture, and I think Jan Arve was a little surprised at how we took to dressing up with such gusto. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/sarah_janarve_vikinghats_zps1c66c7f3-33712fbec6.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cb>Hannah Davies\u003C/b> and I made awesome shield maidens. Hannah teaches Reception year in Ysgol y Bannau and actually \u003Ci>thinks\u003C/i> in Welsh instead of English! She's sung several times in the Welsh national singing competition and was definitely our best Welsh Ambassador. (My only Welsh connection is making trips to the Hay Festival.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/sarah_hannah_vikings_zpsadb85361-e7e2472a2f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cb>James Griffiths\u003C/b> teaches right in Hay-on-Wye and looks bad-ass with a battle-axe.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/james_viking_zps89658ff0-500545e978.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd Powys librarian \u003Cb>Rob Davies\u003C/b> seems mild-mannered until you give him a sword, and then all hell breaks loose.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/rob_davies_viking_zps58644d66-9cabc0fd27.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nWe couldn't help but be on the lookout for links to Nordic crime fiction, and after one school visit, we had at least one dangerous-looking menu option:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/kopervik_cafe_kylling_zps1c0f0349-0b3882c76f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nWhile we waited for our lunch, I got everyone to draw a Sea Monkey.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/kopervik_cafe_drawing_zpsa28bded5-f5b8ae509e.jpg\">\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudeneshavn_seamonkeys_zps535e813b-68d09e288b.gif\">\\r\n\\r\nWe managed to visit the beach after one school visit, and the wild waves were so much fun to watch. We tried not to think too much about the storms ravaging Britain, although even the Nowegian news was full of reports of UK floods. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_waves_zps06bc16b0-c65f820c4d.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI drew this portrait of Jan Arve during a meeting with \u003Cb>Elisabeth Aarekol Johannesen\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Roald Østensjø\u003C/b> about pedagogy and promoting arts and culture in Norwegian schools.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudeneshavn_jan_arve_zpsd5ac1016-6d32aea01d.gif\">\\r\n\\r\nWhen I first got to Skudeneshavn and was running around like a happy but headless chicken, I spotted a little sign for a cosy little cafe, and thought, I must bring everyone back here.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_johann_cafe_zpsa77d7434-f24d40f905.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIt's a wonderful little place, run by a man named \u003Cb>Johannes\u003C/b>, in his front room. He makes hot drinks and waffles all day for people who visit from all over the world.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/johannes_waffles_zps1b037b84-6877049b1e.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI saw a painting hanging on the wall that someone had painted of Johannes making waffles, so I had a go at it:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/johannes_waffles_drawing_zpse2750adc-ec6141c43e.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nHere's Heather Salisbury, our Hay Festival trip leader, with yummy waffle:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/heather_waffle_zpsd22101e3-a7136ffa28.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nCurator \u003Cb>Ørjan B Iversen\u003C/b> gave us a tour of \u003Ca href=\"http://www.skudenes.no/museum/forside.php?innhold=forside&lang=en\">Mælandsgården Local Museum\u003C/a>, a lovely big house near the waffle cafe, supposedly still haunted by its former owner, Agnes. It has lots of quirky stuff in it, like this mad-looking monkey, a foghorn (invented in Skudeneshavn and honked by Ørjan), and old cans of fish balls. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_museum_zps5b776631-814e22bb06.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI took about a zillion photos, so humour me by letting me take you on a little photo tour...\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/sarah_yellow_house_zps736cf6a8-0887957f98.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_boathouses_zps66c91546-c27fadba32.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_crossing_zps41f15109-6cec8b980f.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI was surprised to find out that almost everyone on Karmøy has a relative in Seattle, most likely in the neighbourhood of Ballard (near where my sister lives). I'd always known Ballard was Scandanavian-themed, but I didn't realise just HOW strong the link still is. So I ran into a lot of people who'd been to my birthplace.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_redhouses_zpsa2d05ae2-524a354230.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_windows_zps0f896644-8a690df46c.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_boathouses2_zpsda968c3b-908045443b.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_swan_zpsaf76781b-07556a470e.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nRob and I both ran out to sketch the same view; maybe he'll post his drawing.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_rob_drawing_zps00087d37-8ae87c5734.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nWe had fun running around the local Coop market, looking for interesting foods. I bought a bunch of Norwegian chocolates for Stuart and some brown cheese for me. I love Norwegian brown cheese so much. ('\u003Ca href=\"http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Brunost\">Brunost\u003C/a>', they call it.)\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_shopping_zpsc17008bf-aa2e64a927.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nIn fact, my Norwegian improved slightly during the trip because I can now say this sentence:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudeneshavn_phrase_zpscb7e6ee1-2e25cdd331.gif\">\\r\n\\r\n(That's: \u003Ci>I'm smuggling brown cheese in my underpants.\u003C/i> You never know when you might need to say this.)\\r\n\\r\nOn the last night, we had a lovely dinner party with our hosts, John Rullestad and his wife, \u003Cb>Helga\u003C/b>, \u003Cb>Ingunn Tjørve\u003C/b>, \u003Cb>Ellen Skaadel\u003C/b> and \u003Cb>Silje Skaadel\u003C/b> of the autumn's local \u003Ca href=\"http://silkfestival.no/\">SILK lit fest\u003C/a>, Head of Skudeneshavn Primary School \u003Cb>Wenche Thomassen\u003C/b> and librarian \u003Cb>Anne Lise Karlsen\u003C/b>. It all started as a very civilised affair, and Karmøy's Head of Public Libraries \u003Cb>Hanne Mulelid\u003C/b> presented us with copies of this lovely book about Norway:\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_lastdinner_zps69531c43-d04877aa10.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nBut it was after we had a pudding called 'Dronning Maud' (which I can only remember as 'Drowning Maude'), things all started to go a bit hairy.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_sillyhair1_zpsba8d3c89-e79e818560.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_sillyhair2_zps74709bbb-61e6c9e1a8.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nI miss Norway already. Huge thanks to the wonderful John and Helga for making our stay so comfortable and interesting. They're amazing, both of them, and I look forward to seeing them again at the Hay Festival this spring. \\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/john_helga_rullestad_zps2dff5dab-7123f142d3.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd another big thanks to Heather for being such a brilliant trip leader and making everything go so smoothly. And to the EU, for funding the STORM Project to promote Lifelong Learning. I think some good conversations happened and everyone learned a lot. And thank you, Hay Festival! You can see some of my past Hay blog posts, from \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/567259.html\">2013\u003C/a>, 2012 \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/484845.html\">here\u003C/a> and \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/483931.html\">here\u003C/a>, and \u003Ca href=\"http://jabberworks.livejournal.com/403126.html\">2011\u003C/a>.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/skudenes_sarahheather_beach_zpse96e00bd-3a5814b2a7.jpg\">\\r\n\\r\nAnd Stuart got some mighty fine sweets; he's a happy guy. We're home, I'm blogging and he's ironing and listening to prog rock.\\r\n\\r\n\u003Cimg src=\"https://images.jabberworks.co.uk/lj/stuart_sweets_zps84693daf-5e8e61f65a.jpg\">","2014-02-15T23:40:00.000Z","vikings-and-sea-monkeys-a-visit-to-norway",[],"vikings and sea monkeys: a visit to norway",1776628726179]