norway | ny2no

14
Dec
2016

What You Don’t Know That’s Happening to Norway’s Wolves

categories: Norway

Eurasian Wolf, By Mas3cf via Wikimedia Commons

After previous environmental acts of protection to reintroduce wolves into Norway, this year there has been a decision to cull more than two-thirds of its wolf population. There are only about 68 remaining wolves in all of Norway, and after a controversial plan passed in September, approximately 47 of them are intended to be hunted and shot.

The population of Norway seems to be very divided on it– many staunchly defending the wolves, claiming that the reason for hunting them vastly outweighs the benefits of having the beautiful wild creatures allowed to remain in the country. The basis of the decision for the biggest cull made in more than a hundred years? The harm to flocks of sheep by the predators. How many sheep have actually been harmed is heavily disputed by environmental groups, who claim that the response is ridiculously out of proportion to the small amount of damage done, and that other predators, such as lynx, wolverines, and bears account for the majority of sheep being preyed upon.

Save the wolves.

14
Dec
2016

Preparing for My First Jul, Part I

categories: Norway, Travel

So I’m finally going back to Norway, to spend my first Jul, or Christmas, with my boyfriend and his family. Yes, that’s right, I’ve never celebrated Christmas before! I’m Jewish, and growing up I wasn’t allowed to help my friends decorate their Christmas trees, and I was carefully instructed by my parents to not inform all the other kids that Santa wasn’t real. It was a little intimidating thinking of having my first Jul overall, but the fact that I’ll be meeting more of my boyfriend’s family for the first time is a little scary (and exciting, too!)

Being me, a million thoughts ran through my head. Norway in winter? I mean, I guess I have to get used to it eventually. But damn, isn’t it supposed to be insanely cold? Thankfully, I was relieved to find that in Oslo, it’s not actually that much colder than New York City most of the time– it tends to hover around the freezing level the majority of the winter. It is, however, much more of a wintry wonderland cast in snow, as opposed to the dreary streets of a cold New York that occasionally get shrouded in a dirtied, blackened snowy mush.

In my head I’ve begun to romanticize it; the snowball fights and the warm, cozy Norwegian sweaters (okay, so I still have to get one of these) and warming up with some Akvavit or wine. Watching kids’ faces as they open up their presents and excitedly play with them, and of course, huge family meals. My boyfriend, knowing my curious palate as he does, has generously painted word pictures of foods that might be seen: special Jul sausages, ground pork patties in sauce (medisterkaker), reindeer (reinsdyr!), Jul sodas (Jul brus), chocolates, and liquors. I’ll be bringing along a little Menorah to have a part of tradition and home with me while I’m there, and get to share it with him. Maybe if he’s lucky, I’ll have room for latke mix in my suitcase that I can share with him as well.

In the meantime, I’ve been stocking up on socks, tights, leggings, and other thermalwear! I plan on getting some appropriate boots once I’m there, since mine are a bit lacking, to help safeguard me from wintry doom. I’m getting very excited for my first Christmas, and my first Norwegian Jul. 🙂

13
Dec
2016

Norway: Vestlandet

categories: Norway, Travel

Clouds parting over the mountains in Runde, Norway

Over a year ago now, I traveled to Norway on a whim after graduation. My family and friends all questioned me– why Norway? Truth was, I’d had a friend recently come and visit me who was from a small fishing town in Western Norway, and show me pictures of his hometown. I was immediately captivated and knew I needed to go there. So what if I was a wuss and didn’t have a lot of experience hiking? The photos I kept looking at were screaming my name, begging me to come take a whiff of those mountains.

So I did, and it was the best thing I’ve ever done. I fell in love with Norway, travelling from the western city of Ålesund down to Bergen, road trip style. I gazed longingly at fjords, smelled the fresh grass and the smell of the sea mixing with the mountains on the coast. I watched the clouds part over the distant mountains and sea just to allow sunlight to pass through them in rays, while I sat on my knees in tears, in awe of the beauty. I swiftly hiked to the top of a muddy mountain to watch the sun set, hiked to the top of a small mountain at night in a local park, experienced the gorgeous architecture of Ålesund and Bergen, had the honor of being treated to local, home-cooked meals, and gotten spoiled with a 7-course, locally-sourced dinner in Bergen.

That trip changed me, and changed my life. I suddenly felt a whole new world inside of me opening up, and I felt connected to the country in a way I’d never felt before. I felt free, liberated, and as though I had been missing out on something my entire life.

One year later, I’ve been back to Norway, though sadly not to the Western Coast again. Since then, I’ve visited Oslo and its immediate surrounding areas. I’ve been learning Norwegian on my own for about a year now, and while I’m nowhere near fluent, I can manage some basic conversations. I’ll be going back to Oslo again soon, and heading up north through the eastern part of Norway to Trondheim, the former capital. I’ll experience Julmat, or Christmas food, and a snowy, wintry wonderland. I can’t wait!

Tag: norway