Svalbard
AB323,
UNIS
For five weeks my home was barrack 13 in
Nybyen, just outside Longyearbyen, Svalbard. I left Oslo wanting to learn more about
primary productivity in the Arctic marine environment, and of course to
experience the ice, the snow, the glaciers, the mountains, the sea, the polar
bears, the polar foxes, the spring, the people, the intimacy of being a part
of such a small community, the midnight sun… and so, so much more…
I arrived around 14.00 the 7th of
may. The snow was coming in sideways and wet as hell. I came from 21 degrees
in Oslo to this cold place. A polish guy with a UNIS-sign picked me up at the
airport. I was the only student arriving at that time. I was handed a key,
told where to go and who to talk to if I had problems with anything, and
dropped of. I remember standing in front of the door to my room thinking that
the moment I turned the key it would all somehow seem much more real. The
moment I walked in, my eyes automatically searched for the window. A pair of
big, really dark and wet eyes met mine. My first encounter with
“svalbardrein” in daylight. And they were just two metres from my window,
surrounded by these beautiful mountains. I had been to Longyear once before.
When I was seventeen. But I had never seen its surroundings in daylight. It
suddenly struck me how badly I had missed this feeling… The feeling of
complete content and calm. Fuck it. I should go back there and never leave
again.
I won’t be able to even begin writing about
my stay without complete takeoff, so I’ll leave it at this and try to make up
for some of it with a couple of films. I’m still in the time-consuming
process of learning how to edit them, so bear with me… this will take time…
and it will probably be quite obvious that I have never done this before…
I’ll try my best to take it away, take it to eleven and beyond. My only
regret is I wasn’t able to capture Geirs lively description of “machines
going bing even in Love-light conditions” on film… That would have been nice.
Instead I got him commenting upon reindeer’s tight asses and trying to
impress some Swedish girls with his thermo-hotdog… BING! Got that sucker and
this sucker… And I’m a happy camper. Even though the exam didn’t turn out to
be the ecstasy-party I believe I was promised. (All the seemingly crazy parts
of this text make more or less sense have you attended one of Geirs lectures.
You rock, man!)
And to Susie… I’ve still got your book. I’m
really sorry about that. Trying to make it past page 10. You Germans use
funny language! I’ll get it back to you somehow, with interests.
Films:
My camera hand is not that
steady and any neck problems appearing due to watching the not very
horizontal horizon will not be on my expense. -You’ve been warned.
The trip to Bjørndalen and Adventdalen
Lone and Guri exploring a mine (Temporarily removed)
UNIS Beach-party
(Some nice memories…
especially of Erlend as the reindeer ”whisperer”)
Ny
Ålesund
I am really sorry I didn’t
get to film more here. This is about all the footage I’ve got, so I wasn’t
too picky. I’ve included a slide-show as well. Hope you will enjoy it.
Kåre (Temporarily removed)
The trip to Fuglefjella
Svalbardrein, alkekonger,
mountains, the sea and a fucking great view…
Stefan and his hens (Temporarily removed)
There are some really
interesting conversations between Erlend and Stefan here about machines going
bing. Stefan seems to need two hens (I almost died laughing… it took a while
before I realized he was actually talking about two hands squeezing his
eggs… MAN! You’re just too much! But
we love you anyways.)
Whisky and Jägermeister and too much to say.
I hope everyone in this film
will forgive me… well… we’re just incredibly drunk… to be fair I’ve included
the parts where I make a complete fool of myself. There is really no excuse
for this.
The hike from hell in heaven.
I solemnly declare I will
NEVER, EVER plan a hike while hung-over again. Stefan, Lone, Erlend and me…
It was hell. But it was really nice as well. I’ve never been tired like that
before. We went 8-10 hours the first day. Got 6 hours sleep, and did the last
stretch in 24 hours (to get back in time for my departure). After 12 h I got
a 3rd degree burn on my left foot. (Thanks Lone, for feeding me
some kickass painkillers!) The scenery was really beautiful though. I
wouldn’t do it again, but I’m glad to have done it once.
Feel free to feed me ANY comments
you wish: gurisa@student.matnat.uio.no
Back to main
|
