Category Archives: Assignments

11. Coastal course Randøya

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During the last week we learned all about outdoor recreation at the coast and on the sea. Each day we had two different activities which were taught by four different instructors. For the activities we stayed in the same group which was a mixture of Norwegian and International Friluftsliv students.

It's all about fish!

Observing my group was exciting because people behaved like they did in the beginning of this semester. This was when the International group came together for the first time and started to form. This forming restarted last week because of the new members. Additionally I observed the different roles which were played in our team and how they changed depending on our activities.

The island survival trip worked like a burning glass for the group dynamic and its development. All alone without an instructor as a fixed leader the team roles played by the members became quiet clear. One of us took over the leadership and divided the people for different tasks. This process felt like a natural forming and our group worked effectively. This process was definitely influenced by the circumstances. We were alone on this island and had to stay overnight with only our daypacks and of course you don’t take sleeping bags, insulation mats etc on a day trip. Additionally it was raining, the wind got stronger and it was quiet cold. It was no emergency situation but it was a situation were everyone wanted to be sheltered and next to a warm fire quickly. Hence there was a need for a leader who organizes the next steps.

For two hours we worked focused on our tasks. I started to really enjoy sawing dead branches to small pieces. It kept me active and made me feel effective so that my motivation didn’t  fade. Once our camp was ready we kept the fire going, had some fish and went to sleep. It was a cold and wet day and night however I enjoyed the experience even if it would have been amazing in the sunshine.

The other activities were net fishing, fishing, orienteering, kayaking, rowing, knots, driving a motor boat, preparing fish, shallow and deep water biology with wading suits and snorkeling. I can’t really tell which was my favorite one. The activities were all fun and my personal learning outcome was high this week. Beside all this it felt like a summer holiday.

10. Mountain to Fjord field trip

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The mountain to Fjord trip was meant to be a tour with a variety of outdoor activities. Unfortunately I got sick on the second day hence I went home after the canoeing. I decided to go home because I didn’t want to hold back the group or to rent a bike if I would only be able to keep up with the others using medicine. As I overheard there were some discussions about it in the group because people would have decided differently. It is interesting to observe these different opinions and how it discussions start because of an individual decision.

However I wanted to tell about the two days of canoeing. After our arrival we split up into boat pairs and two of the persons who already had experiences in canoeing started to teach the others close to the coast. Approximately one hour was used to practice different strokes and steering. During this time I realized why people get annoyed by others teaching them stuff they know already. As I am experienced in canoeing, kayaking and traveling in these boats it got on my nerves to be thought the technique I was already able to use. Of course one can always improve but this was not the aim of this lesson. The im was to teach beginners how to go from A to B which is a whole different hing than improving. Apart from my own experience it was of course a good plan to first teach some moves before starting the tour. Especially considering risk management the ability to steer your own canoe is obligate.

the group making a decision

Once we started and had our luggage fixed in our boats the weather changed. From sunny to cloudy to rainy to stormy to snow. The wind gave us a hard time moving forward and as most people were not this experienced in steering it took us a long time to reach the coast and make a break. The question was wether we should stop and build our shelters or continue and try to reach the island which was our aim for this day. Considering the weather conditions we came to the conclusion that we wanted to paddle a bit further and stop if we would be too tired. Leaving us the decision our instructor used a democratic leadership behavior. Discussing about this made us all take part in the decision and kept us active and motivated.

STORMING

As we reached a small bay and the weather stayed windy we then decided to stay. Some of us put up the shelters on the beach. My group found a nice and wind sheltered spot in the woods. While building the shelter we argued a lot about how to do it and how to improve it. We were criticizing and testing each other which is typical for the storming state during a group’s development. In the end we made a nice little shelter and played “rock, paper, scissors” about the sleeping spots. The girls lost and had to sleep on the sides which shows how not gender typical our storming process developed 😉 . Later this evening when the hail storm was gone and the sun came out, we joined the others around their fire on the beach. Unfortunately I melted my shoes and spilled a pot of water over the fire. Nevertheless I managed to keep it going.

On the next morning I was sick and during the night i didn’t get much sleep. I alway rolled down on my tent neighbor so that he pushed me and I had to crawl uphill again. It is not always just comfy and cosy once you are in Bivouac+Sleeping bag+ inlay+uncounted layers of spare clothes. Alright thats enough complaining. We paddled downstream and the river got wilder. We had a nice little break on an island relaxing in the sun. However it can’t alway stay nice and easy. In the end of the day we learned how to maneuver the canoe in wild water which requires a lot of energy and effective communication. Me and my boat mate had some issues about effective communication. In the end I was exhausted and grumpy, sorry mate I would like to blame it on the cold. In my opinion it was important to learn and repeat all these wild water strokes. Certainly it would have been helpful to practice exactly these maneuvers in easier water and in the beginning while we were all full of energy.

Weel, this was it. The next morning I went home. As it always influences a group when a member leaves I was curious about the stories of my team mates. Funnily some of the group members didn’t realize that I was gone until we were all back home in Kristiansand.. This made me wonder if a group’s development only changes i the members are aware about each other.

9. Student organised field trip: Dirdal

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We were five persons in the group for the self organized hiking trip. As two of us went skiing the weekend before and the other two joined us spontaneously, I was in charge of planing the route. I have planed routes before but it was the first time that I was of on my own to do it.

I had to consider that there were very strong and fast people as well as slower ones. Moreover I had do check for snow and the weather conditions as well as a spot which was nice to hike in. I really liked being responsible for all of this although we changed the route a lot during our hike. Now, after the trip, I am more familiar with the hiking pace and the daily distances in a heterogenous group. Moreover I learned to talk to the inhabitants at the place because of snow conditions. For myself I note that I prefer to walk in a slow pace so that I can enjoy the nature hence it is not important to me to walk long distances. To me hiking is something calming and relaxing, to others it is more of a challenge and a type of sports.

changed route card

Day 1: Dirdal to Kvernatjørn Øvre (16km) change: to Kvitlavatnet (8km)

View over the Fjord

The beginning was quiet steep hence we took a lot of small breaks which was nice because we were right above the Fjord. After this we had to walk through snow to get to a valley. Walking through snow is exhausting because you sink in at least knee high.

Captured in the snow

Taking another break we lost Ozzy who kept on walking. In the end Moritz found him on a mountain top. The answer to our question why he was up there: “I don’t know!”. We were released finding him because it’s never a good idea to split the group like this.

Mountain Fitness

Mountain Fitness

Dinner time

In the evening we found a nice spot for our tents which was close to a lake and not on wet ground.

 Day 2: Kvernatjørn to Fossankrå (19km) change: Kvitlavatnet to Dirdal (9 km)

The next morning was foggy so we stayed in our tents until 11h. As the view didn’t improve then, we started to find our way up to the mountains. Everyone chose it s own path and we serpentine uphill for approximately an hour. Up on the mountain we decided to walk straight back to the cars because there was snow everywhere and a longer turn would have been really exhausting considering these winterly conditions. We were changing the track breaker and followed each others steps. The nicest part of this day was when we went downhill to hit the old path. I sat down and it was like sledging! Back in Dirdal it started to rain so we decided to drive straight to Orre.

At Orre beach we spend the night and on the next day we decided to have an easy day. Everyone was free however we ended up walking along together. The group didn’t want to separate.  At an old bunker we stopped. We girls had a relaxing time in the sun while the guys were building a stairway up on top of the bunker. Can there be seen a gender related behavior taking influence on the group dynamic? I must admit it was  kind of a cliché situation. Furthermore once they were done building part of the group wanted to head back which we did although we didn’t need to stay together.

8. Lofoten (28.03.-06.04.)

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Leg

Date

Starting point

Ending point

 Accomod.

Distance

Time

Sights (Route details)

1.

28.03., Sat.

Kristiansand

Kinsarvik

Cottage

375 km

6:00

Låtefossen, Hardangerfjord, Tveitafossen, Nyastolfossen

2.

29.03., Sun.

Kinsarvik

Hellesylt

Tent

500 km

8:25

Vøringfossen, Flåm, The world’s longest road tunnel from Aurland to Laerdal, Stagestein – view, stave church Borgund

3.

30.03., Mon.

Hellesylt

Steinkjer

Cottage

495 km

9:15

Trollkirka(cave), Atlantic route

4.

31.03., Tue.

Steinkjer

Mo i Rana

Tent

430 km

6:10

Seven sisters (Sandnessjøen)

5.

01.04., Wed.

Mo i Rana

Kabelvåg

House

675 km

12:00

3:20 h to Bodo + ferry (15.30-19.00) + 2 h to Kabelvåg

6.

02.04., Thu.

—

—

House

85 km

1:40

Henningsvaer, Svolvaer, Sildpollnes church (view)

7.

03.04., Fri.

—

—

House

190 km

3:15

Stornappstind (hill),Nusfjord, Fangtårnet (hill)

8.

04.04., Sat.

Kabelvåg

Grunnfør

Bird house

300 km

5:00

Reine, Å, Ramberg (beach)

9.

05.04., Sun.

Grunnfør

Storuman (SWE)

885 km

11:30

—

Night

Storuman (SWE)

Sveg (SWE)

Car

475 km

6:05

—

10.

06.04., Mon.

Sveg (SWE)

Kristiansand

780 km

9:50

—

—–

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10 days

 

 

9 nights

5190 km

79:10 h

 

For the easter break some friends and me went on a road trip to the Lofoten. As it was a road trip we didn’t do that many hikes. On the first walk in Kinsarvik we were supposed to see four waterfalls. However we didn’t find a single one. Close to Trondheim we climbed down into some caves named “Trollkirke”. The caves were out of armor and one of them actually looked like the inside of a church. This was fascinating. We did plan to hike around the Lofoten Islands but there was a danger of avalanches. In the end we made it halfway up on a mountain and a small roundtrip on another mountain which was not as high.

The Crew

Nevertheless we experienced an endless variety of impressions. Driving through Norway can’t be compared to driving through Germany. In Germany you see nothing because of walls etc. however in Norway you are driving along waterfalls, reindeer, fjords, small fisher villages moreover you have to cross the water on bridges or ferries and the weather conditions change in every fjord.

The Lofoten

Most impressive of course were the Lofoten Islands. The mountains rise straight from the sea and their walls point steep into the sky. Fluffy clouds get caught in their tops and slide down to the ocean like candy floss. The red small fisher houses stand out crouched down to the foot of the mountains surrounded by dried cod hanging everywhere. The air is salty fresh but the fish smell follows you everywhere. Finally you have the ocean crystal clear, turquoise.

The group and its development

When Zuzana had the idea to do this road trip on easter, we started to plan and search for people to join us. For this reason the formation of the group was kind of random. We needed more people to drive hence we asked everyone who was free during the break. When we took of on Saturday we met for the first time as this group. I knew Zuzana a bit and I had been traveling with her before. The others were part of my study program however we had not spend much leisure time with each other. It was a whole new group.

During the first days our group went through the forming. We were really polite and we didn’t stick to a certain kind of music. When someone had a request he expressed it more like proposal. All in all we talked about the weather, our next destination and the beauty outside. Storming began on the first evening when two people were planning the next day but the others were joking around and interrupting. We were testing each other and trying what one could do.

On the next day we felt more and more comfortable with each other. We started to request certain songs and sang along or danced to it. Still we were polite as we let everyone chose their music after some time. Interesting was the different roles people played in this group. There was one of us who knew a lot about the surrounding and sight which he wanted to visit. Therefore we followed him and listened to his stories. I would call him a leader in sight seeing. Apart from this there was the owner of the car who had a different mastery. The other group members followed her lead concerning the car and the driving. Hence there were two leaders in our group which were responsible for different situations.

To Meet A Target

The Inidividual In The Group

The norming started when we reached our flat on the Lofoten. From this pint forward we started to do things which we as individuals usually do. Some went to bed earlier, some worked more for the ai of the group while others started a bit of social loafing. Nobody had to fight for being in the group because we all were. From day to day our group developed a general acting pattern. We took selfies in a certain way, listened to one particular CD at least twice a day, started inside jokes and shared our kvikk lunsj’ with each other.

When we started our travel back on Easter Day most of us were sad and we didn’t talk much until we left the Lofoten. Somehow none of us wanted to stay anywhere else for another night so we drove from 9 a.m. Sunday to 1 p.m. Monday when we reached Kristiansand. In this dying phase of the group we took our last selfie, hugged each other good bye and met on the next day for ending the trip with a proper dinner. Afterwards we did not meet anymore in this combination. Until the self organized trip in June..

Denial

7. Mountain safety field trip

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Map of the area

Map of the area

Day 1: Berdals Bu

We skied to the DNT hut Berdals Bu with our group. It was sunny and we had a clear view which made it easier to orientieer in the winter landscape. We had a stop every hour to not get dehydrated. Every once in a while we changed the leader. When we reached the hut we were send out to look for snow hole areas. While watching for good spots our group played in the snow and practiced telemark turns. Overnight we stayed in the hut.

Evaluation:

It was a nice and easy start for our trip. We got used to skiing with heavy backpacks in good snow conditions and with only small uphill and downhill parts. As the group leader it was important to choose the right pace so that everyone could keep up without sweating but didn’t get cold because of to little movement. Orienteering in a winter landscape on this day was quiet easy. Spotting the snowhole areas on our own while enjoing the snow was a perfect bonding time and gave us more ownership of the trip. This increased the groups cohesion.

Day 2: Snow hole building

As a whole we went down to an area with two hill with cornices which were big enough for one group each. There we separated again and started organizing ourselves. First we were told how to build different types of snow shelters then we decided on which to build where. We split up into snow hole groups and started building 2 snow holes (4Person and 2 Person) and one sig-igloo. We started at 1100 and finished at 1700. It was quiet a work to get out the snow of these caves.

Sig-Igloo

Sig-Igloo

To explain the sig-igloo: You built a hole in the ground and dig down as deep as your waist. Meanwhile you build a tunnel to this hole. Then five people crawl into the hole and

build a circle with their arms on each others shoulders. People from outside the hole cover them with a tarpaulin. Then they start throwing snow on top of the tarpaulin. They have to work hard and fast for 20 minutes when they barry the people under the tarp in snow. The heat of the people’s backs will melt the snow additionally the snow will compress because of the weight. After 20 minutes the people under the tarpaulin can crawl out of the tunnel

slowly and one at a time. Afterwards you can start to make the Igloo bigger by carving out snow from the inside.

The advantage of this Sig-Igloo is, that you get the people under the snow in a very short time. The disadvantage is that it takes many people to build it.

Once we were done with 2 Holes and one Sig-Igloo we started to build a usual igloo because one spot was missing. Furthermore we built a latrine and a fireplace. However the fireplace was dysfunctional because the fire slipped down in one corner where the snow started melting. Our solution was to shovel the fire on top of some wood which improved it slightly.

Evaluation:

Building the snow holes and shelters was another good task to stregthen the group cohesion. While switching the positions of working in the snow hole or building the Sig-Igloo we it was obligate to communicate. Furthermore these working conditions forced us to think about each others well-beeing even more than in a usual surrounding.

teamwork

teamwork

In addtition we learned how to build different types of snow shelters plus their (dis)advantages. This variety enables us to decide which shelter to build once we will be out there leading our own groups.

Another time of bonding was in the evening when we were on our own trying to get the fire going. As our fireplace was so disfuntional it became a group task to collect wood fastly, chop it to small pieces and give the fire enough oxygen. It was not comfortable to sit around there however it wa something that kept us active which was really helpful to stay warm.

Day 3: Ski tour and Avalanche Lecture

On the third day the weather changed completely. It was stormy, snowing and we had a bad view due to the clouds. We were supposed to meet outside at 1000 however it took us so long that we only made it at 1100 to the DNT hut. Especially boiling water for breakfast was nearly impossible in this stormy weather. It took us 20 minutes to get the water warm enough for our porridge.

From the hut we left for a trip to the close by lake with the opportunity to ski up a mountain. There again we changed the leader once in a while. Orienteering in these weather conditions was quiet a task. When you stopped to check the map and the features everyone got cold thus we were not able to make long stops. Moreover it was to foggy to see the surrounding. Luckily we were skiing up a valley so we couldn’t really miss the goal. At the lake we stopped for a break. As it was too windy to stay outside we wrapped Tim’s emergency shelter around us. I would say it was one of the best group dynamic games ever because we had to fit 12 people under this tiny tarpaulin. Most of the time we were complaining about having to change our positions. Once you moved the others had to move too because of the not existing space.

break in the emergency shelter

break in the emergency shelter

Up there we decided to go back to the hut because the weather made it difficult to go on. Additionally it was not safe enough to ski up the mountain in these conditions.

Down at the hut we learned how to make a snow profile and we even skied down an avalanche. This was quite hard and nearly everyone fell. Sadly I had to go inside then because my shoes were soaking wet and I was freezing.

At 1600 we were kicked out of the hut and send to the snow holes although everyone felt quiet cosy inside. It was still stormy and foggy which was why we had to stay the rest of the day in our shelters. This day we cooked inside our hole with enough holes in the wall for air circulation. This was much more efficient than boiling water outside.

Evaluation:

Getting ready for the day takes at least 1,5h in a snow hole. We miscalculated this time, which was dangerous for the people who were waiting outside for us to come. Especially in the winter it is obligate to be punctual or you risk other people starting to freeze or worse. Turning back to the hut earlier than planned was a good decision because we could still play around outside but had the safety of a nearby hut. This was helpful for me due to my broken shabby boots. In general I would never go on a tour like this with these boots because besides me freezing it could be a weight for the group and hold them back if a group member has to turn back because of bad equipment.

cooking inside our hole

cooking inside our hole

Spending the afternoon and the night in the snow hole was kind of hard for me. It was so demotivating to lay inside your sleeping bag waiting for the next morning. This time we spend separated in our sleeping bags put the focus more on one’s own development.

Day 4: Emergency shelters

Overnight it had been snowing so much that a big pile of snow blocked our entrance. As we were not able to get out before packing our gear, we had breakfast in our sleeping bags. We melted the snow from the pile for tea and porridge. Suddenly a classmate from the other snow hole broke through the entrance and asked a bit hysterical wether we were alright. Of course we were great because there was enough fresh air and oxygen coming in through the gaps between the top stones of our entrance. The air flow is important to prevent carbon monoxide poisoning. Anyways this day we were punctual and started to ski down through at least one meter fresh snow. This part of the journey was really hard for me. After I fell down three times in a row trying to go downhill I was about to give up. My skis got stuck one meter deep in the snow and I had to dig them out. Once we all managed to go downhill the wind chilled a bit and we continued. Every once in a while we changed the track breakers which helped different leaders to guide the way. We had a lot of short breaks.

my emergency shelter

my emergency shelter

We stopped close to the street and got the task to build an individual emergency shelter within 20 minutes. This was supposedly our shelter for the night. My plan was to dig down to the ground and then carve the sides to build a one-person-snow-hole. In the end I would have been able to spend the night sheltered from wind and weather. However it would have been a really tough night. Luckily Tim announced that we would go home after the shelter building.

Evaluation:

Orienteering

Orienteering

Being locked into our snow hole we had to change our routine which we did quiet well. As we were a group of four people it was adventurous inside which I think would have changed if we were alone or only two persons. I had a hard time during the first downhill part however I learned a lot about skiing in these conditions. Notice that you should avoid to go between the trees because the skis get stuck in the branches buried under the snow. Additionally it is smart to have a small team of leaders in the winter because of track breaking and the difficulty of finding features.

Learning Outcomes:

skiing out

skiing out

  • make a snow profile
  • where and how to build a snow shelter
  • orienteering and guiding in the snow
  • skiing with heavy backpack in different snow and weather conditions
  • working in a group in the snow
  • cooking in the snow

6. Student organised field trip: Tjønndalen

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The second self organized ski trip from 6.-8.3.2015, was planned as a weekend trip with 5 persons and overnighting in huts.

Route Plan: 

  • Friday: take the bus at 8.30h, arrive in Langeid at 11:30h. Ski 7 km to Tjønndalen. Overnight in the DNT hut.
  • Saturday: Ski 12 km to Gaukhei, overnight in the DNT hut.
  • Sunday: Ski 17 km to Bortelid and take the bus back home at 17:45h.
Changes during the tour:

As the snow was really wet and melt
because of warm weather conditions , we had to walk up the mountain to Simdalen. Although we used the red wax, our skis were slipping. Nevertheless we made it to the hut within 2 hours and had some fun skiing downhill.

 

On Saturday we decided to stay in the hut and go for a day trip. This democratic decision was made due to the snow conditions, a very strong wind from the east and a limited view because of fog in the direction of Gaukhei. Two of us went back to the hut after half an hour. The rest tried to reach the top of a hill nearby.

However the wind was so strong, that
we got fanned while standing still. This is why we decided to skip down into the valley and try to practice our skating technique on the partly wind sheltered lake. In the end it were only two of us remaining in the storm. We went uphill again to have the wind in the back while skiing downhill. That was great fun.
It was raining on Sunday and the snow was melting. We chose a way around the lake because there were uncertain cracks in the ice and a lot of water on top of it. The way back was much faster than we thought. As the snow was not to icy on the downhill part to Langei, we skied downhill using the snowplow and making turns.
Group dynamic
In the beginning of the trip we were all a little tired so we didn’t talk a lot. As a group we decided when to break and how fast to ski. It was easy to find the path because of signs and snowmobile tracks which is why we did not need to read the map. Anyway the two of us reading it were mostly in front leading the way.
In the hut we unspokenly split up the tasks equally. Hence one chopped wood, one melted snow two were cooking and one helped carrying the wood inside. Somehow we kept to the same duties the following days.
Part of a group dynamic process was our decision to stay in the hut for two nights. None of us was contend with the weather conditions which ended in us being unmotivated. This changed on the next day when one of us was enjoying the stormy weather and motivated part of the group to stay outside and play. In my opinion the difference was that we were able to split up on Saturday but we couldn’t have split up for the overnighting in huts.
Evaluation:
The trip was well planned only without regarding the weather conditions. Our decision to stay in the hut for two nights was the right one because of the fog and storm. It was exciting to travel with a new group and experience how you get in contact with people better because you don’t have anything distracting you in the hut.
However the trip did not improve my technique in skiing.

5. Holmenkollen Ski Festival

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The weekend at the Holmenkollen Ski Festival was more a cultural event than a trip to practice our hard skills. First we visited the “Fram Museum” in Oslo. The museum is all about the polar expeditions. It focuses on Roald Amundsen and his expedition to the south pole. The ship he used is inside the building. It is possible to go on board and check out the cabins.

Folk Dance

Afterwards we put up our tents on the Holmenkollen and walked through the campsite to catch a bit of the exciting atmosphere. In the evening we watched the pre jumps at the ski jump. On the next day we all went to the “Holmenkollen Ski Museum” were we learned a lot about the history of cross-country skiing, friluftsliv and the gear’s development. In the afternoon we watched the 50k male race in cross-country skiing. Elderly people were doing folk dance in traditional costumes one the street while adolescents dressed up in the Norwegian colours passed by. Drunken people were cheering besides families that were having a nice time around the campfire while watching the game. On the other side of the stadium we saw the start of the race. It was a great atmosphere and especially the Norwegians cheered for every athlete passing by.

In the evening we had a cosy time around the campfire with the Norwegian outdoor education students. As there was a big afterparty all around we went dancing on the snow and experienced how crazy Norwegians are about cross-country skiing. It is indeed the Norwegian culture.

On the next day we watched the 30k women’s race, which was as much celebrated as the men’s on the day before. Still the atmosphere was great and a Norwegian athlete won. With a small group of people we left Holmenkollen and went downtown Oslo. There we did some sightseeing to complete this cultural event.

4. Kindergarden Observation Task

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Map Of The Island Reachable For Children

Map Of The Island Reachable For Children

We went to a Kindergarden on an Island nearby Kristiansand. 18 children were split up in three groups, each group was guided by a kindergarten teacher. There were two rules: 1. it is forbidden to go into the water, 2. the children are not allowed to cross the invisible fence.

The teachers

The teachers were mostly observing their groups without interfering. They looked out for each child to have a friend and not play alone. However on the other way round they were easily approachable by the children. There was one situation when a teacher interfered: a boy was playing alone and started to cry. The teacher went there and hugged him then came back with him to the small hut holding his hand. She showed him some games and after a while he started playing on his own and then went of to join the others again. The situation showed how relaxed the teachers are and that this calmness helps the children to feel save again.

Risky play

Somehow the children were playing risky all the time. They jumped down rocks, climbed them and increased the heights of their jump. Meanwhile one of there girls screamed a bit hysterical but after landing save on the grass she laughed and jumped again.

Two boy started a swordplay with sticks. As the teacher didn’t stop it we asked about fighting restrictions. There are two rules: 1. if one says “stop” you stop, 2. you are not allowed to hit each other in the face. After a while one of the boys said “stop” and the other one stopped, went right to him and asked if he was alright.

The children were dressed warm for being outdoors. Their equipment looked expensive but none of them cared about keeping it clean. Two girls were sitting in the mud and painting each others faces. The teachers smiled at them and let them play.

easy observation for the teachers

easy observation for the teachers

Comparison with Germany

In comparison with my home country the described situations would have been treated differently. In Germany fighting with each other is restricted thus the teacher would always interfere immediately. In my opinion it is better to let children fight so that they are responsible for taking care of each other if one says stop and find out their borders. There is more space for the child’s development and exploration.

In recent years it happens more often that children tell friends of mine who are becoming teachers that they can’t do sports or play because they wear their expensive clothes. There was even a situation when parents complained about their son having dirty boots after football practice. Parents start to equip their children more and more expensive which leads to these situations. Nevertheless it is important for the child’s social and motor development to play. This is something I valued about the Norwegian Kindergarden because the parents give their children a good equipment so they can play even more outside.

3. Student Organized Field Trip: Lillehammer

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Planning process

As I have been to Lillehammer and the area around Nordseter before, we decided to go skiing there. Our first step was to check out the trains and book the tickets. After we had the dates fixed we started planning the actual tour. We had six skiing days and five nights outdoors to fill. On ut.no we calculated our daily aims. The first day had to be short because of multiple reasons. First we were not able to get a map of the area at the Kristiansand DNT shop so we had to go to the DNT shop at Lillehammer. Second our train would arrive at noon so we had only half a day. Third we wanted to have an easier day for the beginning to get used to our heavy backpacks while skiing.

When we finished planning the route, we started to plan our nutrition. Thereby we set a date when to by what where. We also decided to meet the evening before the trip to pack everything together and split up the shared things equally.

We started planning the trip two weeks ahead, which included checking on the snow and weather conditions daily. As we were not able to do all of the planning in the group, we divided the work equally.

Group dynamic processes before and after

During the planning period we started to spend more time together, which we didn’t do before. As one person joined the planning later, we had a small discussion about why we decided upon the route already. I would even call it a small conflict, which we solved by explaining our actions.

We didn’t act a lot like a group before we went on this trip. In other words I couldn’t feel cohesion between us. Everyone was excited for the trip and thinking about her own stuff. We planned everything together however the communication was mostly digital or after classes. There were no private talks or meetings of the three of us.

This definitely changed during the trip. I remember coming back to Lillehammer talking a lot about random things, laughing together and joking. We sat down in a Café to wait for the train and it was a long time of silence between us. A kind of understanding each other silence, not because we didn’t know what to say. To me this kind of silence is a sign for greater group cohesion. People don’t have to act any longer because everyone knows that she has a place in this group.

After coming home we hugged each other to say good-bye, which is an embodied sign of trust and closeness. The next day we met again in the swimming pool and talked through the trip. There was kind of a common understanding of each other. However the more time went by after the trip we saw each other less and less. The cohesion became less as well.

Execution of the field trip

We changed our plan on the first day. The man at the DNT shop told us about another nice place to sleep so we stayed there. Due to the snow conditions we were not able to go backcountry hence we followed plan B of our tour plan. We slept in our bivouac bags on the first night because we didn’t need to put up the tent, as it was dry and windless.

Day two and three we stuck to plan B and went up the Nevelfjell. This was the hardest task of our whole trip because there was a blizzard and we were in a white out. The weather didn’t change which is why we decided to stay another day at the Nevelhytta. It was a good decision because we were all a bit exhausted by the three first days thus a day of was needed.

The fifth day we went back to our first campsite where we decided to build up the tent. It was close to the water, a clear sky and windy therefore we needed more shelter than in the first night. The day after we went on a small tour around the Olympic ski stadium and finally downhill to Lillehammer.

Challenges

  • The snow conditions on the first day. The temperature of the snow was too warm for the soft wax however we didn’t have any klister. We had to do a lot of herringboning to reach our first campsite.
  • The first two nights I was freezing in my sleeping back. It was a challenge for me to be cold through the night and keep going. Nevertheless I started playing around with different combinations of clothing in the sleeping bag so in the end I had a good technique of putting the clothes around me without becoming cold.
  • Making fire in the winter. I never lit a fire outside before so it was a great challenge to me. My group let me try as long as I wanted to learn it. However I didn’t manage thus I ended up watching the others making fire. Thereby I learned more then by trying it on my own. For the next trip I will remember these techniques and keep on trying.
  • Finding the Nevelhytta was the greatest of all challenges. We couldn’t see anything, the snow was frozen thus it was very slippery and it was stormy. This task we managed as a group working together. We were totally focused and kept going to not stress out. Motivating each other was really helpful. In the end we found the hut.

These are my learning outcomes I noted down right after the trip:

  • Winter navigation
  • Navigating a group
  • Making fire in an oven
  • The second pair of warm underwear should be merino
  • Don’t wear to many clothes in the sleeping bag rather put them around you on the areas, which are cold. To lie on the side keeps you warmer than on the back.
  • If I am insecure about skiing downhill then I cramp which brings me out of balance. Thus I have to be relaxed to stay in balance.
  • I have to drink the whole water of my bottles during the day.
  • Everyone needs a map case, a map and a compass.
  • Six days are to long for the first skiing trip. Four nights in the snow are enough for the beginning.
  • In nature dirt is not dirty it is a constructed word which occurs in artificial environments.

 

2. Basic Ski Course

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Last week our class went for the basic skiing course to the youth hostel “Troll Active” in Evje. During the day we had skiing lessons in two separated groups and in the evening we gathered in the main building for lectures about winter packing, mountain safety and injuries or dangers during the winter time.

On the top

1. Day

We started the class by standing on our skis and doing some exercise to get a better feeling for the gear. We had to jump, turn, do side steps without moving forward. This helps beginners to get used to the equipment and get started with the right positions. Once we were warmed up we started to ski on a flat square. In the beginning our instructor didn’t tell us how to do that hence we had to try our own technique. After he explained the right way to ski we did some competitive games and started to ski down some flat hills. The complexity factor increased again when our instructor went on a small tour with us. We repeated the techniques he had taught us und steeper and erratic ground. As we were a heterogeneous group we were allowed to chose our own path.

This day I did not learn much because I have done cross-country ski before. Nevertheless it was fun to play around in the powder.

2. Day

Practicing

Our instructors decided to keep on teaching in heterogeneous groups however we were divided into new groups. Considering that our class was still in the forming state of a group’s development, it was important to form new groups everyday so that everyone got in contact with each other. The aim of the day was to improve the skiing technique and ad some more detailed skills. We started on the ski track which went slightly. The exercises were: Skating, diagonal strite, double pole, parallel turns, telemark turns and turns on one leg, jumping etc. The variations with only one leg or jumping led us to get a better feeling for the skis and movements so that it was easier to learn turns afterwards.

In the end of the day we went for a small tour around the area. This tour was longer and more difficult than the one on the day before. We all enjoyed playing around, the snow and weather conditions were more than perfect! My learning outcome was a better insight in the telemark technique which I have never practiced before.

3. Day

The third day was more about orienteering in the winter and leading groups on a day trip. The two groups went on two different ways to the same meeting point which was a mountain top. On our way there we had to take over the leadership once in a while and chose the right path to this mountain by compass and map. It was really hard to lead a group which already had an instructor who didn’t really stop leading even if someone else was supposed to try it. Even though I did not really lead the group it was a good exercise for orienteering. The surrounding and features look different buried in snow. Once we reached the foot of the mountain we were allowed to chose our own pace. I was a bit too fast though because I wanted to be up there and have a break. In retrospect it would have been smarter to choose a slower pace because I started sweating and got cold during the break.

Conifere Shelter

On our way back we looked for areas which were suitable for snow hole our emergency shelter building. A really easy and comfortable way is to build a shelter in the bottom of a conifer. You can put snow on the lowest branches and make a fire in the entrance. Somehow we lost track and ended up taking our skis of and on because some parts were to steep for us to ski. It was a tiring march back to the street especially for the beginners that fell a lot. However this experience was helpful because it made us realized how important it is to stay on the right track. In the end the bus picked us up after we came out somewhere along the road.

In the evening a classmate and me gave a lecture about winter packing. Most interesting about it was the group’s behavior. Most of the people listened interested in the new topic however some people started asking questions. If I review this lecture in discussions with my friends we always get to the point were we criticize the way these questions were asked. Back then the questions did not show the interest of learning new things but were supposed to show us two presenting how much more the askers knew about the topic. This is were the group’s reaction got interesting because people started to get annoyed by the askers and told them to start asking questions in a different way and not in a way to teach everyone better. The askers were communicating indirectly and people didn’t like that. To sum it up I would say that this was the begging of our classes storming.

4. Day

my "happy ski" face

This day we started walking uphill for approximately half an hour. On a higher level we split up into groups and started our way to the mountain top were we all wanted to meet again. I really enjoyed this tour without exercises or to long explanations if skiing techniques that I already knew. It was just skiing through powder and sunshine.

In the whole group we skied downhill an old alpine slope. Everyone chose his own path so that the beginners went slowly and in zigzag but the advanced learners tried telemark or parallel turns. It was amazing to play around there. After some point the path stopped so we had to follow one of the instructors over frozen rivers and in between trees. On this day I started to really work on my downhill techniques because for the first time you really needed it to get down to the valley.

5. Day

Finally we split up into homogeneous groups which was helpful for all of us. The people who wanted to improve their technique stayed on the slope and did some training. The advanced skiers went on a tour to a mountain top. This tour was my favorite one of the week. It was again all about moving forward and not about repeating techniques in sport scientifically designed exercises. The sun was warm and we skied in t-shirts. After a short break on the mountain top we started to go downhill. Somehow I started to think about my damaged ankle and got afraid to twist it again. This is when my head turned on and my body stopped. On the way back I fell countless times and got more and more annoyed. Tim told me its not about me skiing technique it is all in my head which is stopping me. He was so right!

All in all I learned a lot about skiing techniques, group dynamics, leadership, winter orienteering and also something new about myself.