“A typical norwegian family trip”

On monday, the 18th January, we had our first student organised day trip organised by the norwegian outdoor education students. The topic of the trip was „typical norwegian family trip“. I met the other students in front of Spicheren and with our skis in the baggage we walked together to a flat area in Jegersberg where the cross-country tracks start. There was plenty of flat area and some undulating area to play games, go camping and make bonfires.

The first hour, we played some funny warm up games, first without skis and later on skis. All games were played in a squarish field and they were about catching the others with changing rules and catchers. Some of the norwegian students explained the games and supervised us that we respected the rules while we played the games. They organized the games pretty well and they also found a way to include the guys that were without skis in the game and in the upcoming activities as well.

After the warm up, they devided us in two groups for two different stations that they constructed in the area. I started with the slalom and jumping exercise. Like before, one of the norwegian guys explained us what to do and then they let us play free and do whatever we liked most. That motivated us to go big on the jump and Martin and I pushed each other to go further and further, what showed us our limits as well as those of the jump. Moreover, it improved our stability on the unfamiliar mountain cross-country skis.

Once they noticed that we had played around enough, two guys sent our group to the second station where we had to do a sort of biathlon. Instead of rifles, they used oranges we had to throw into holes and sticks to mark the track. As we divided into mixed groups of four (norwegians and internationals), Thomas gave us the task to learn the names of the other students in our group until we finished the biathlon. We motivated each other to go as fast as we can to win the competition and even if it was a competition it was so much fun. I was impressed with how little equipment you can perform tasks or games like on that day.

Tired from all the skiing and running we made a 1.5 hours lunch break for which we started two fires to make some hot sausages and cheese sandwiches. The long break was a good opportunity to get to know the norwegian students and learn from their outdoor experience. Especially with the food, they all had much a better lunch than I had…

Having finished lunch they gave us free time to run some kilometers on ski. While most people stayed in the area around the campfires, I went on the 4 km round with a small group and practiced our downhill skiing before we went back to the campfires and from there back home.

I didn’t know what I could expect from that day before, but the norwegian students surprised me with a very well organized and playful day. And I learned pretty much about the norwegian style of spending a day outside, with doing bonfires and playing games together, what is totally different to Germany. Over there, people just go out for a 1-2 hour walk, given that there is perfect weather. What will stay in my head from that day is that I wonder why I did not grow up in Norway…