Quarantine - Hooray or Boo?

One might think that quarantine is something annoying in every way. And depending on your point of view, I can agree. However, this perspective doesn't bring anything with it except for bad moods. Some people can handle bad moods well, or more specifically, they have become accustomed to them.

For me, that's not the case. Bad moods would just spoil my mood. Quarantine brings with it a lot of time for oneself. So why not use this time to focus on things that we can't (or don't want to) make time for in everyday trouble?

And in this sense, the days actually pass by quickly. After waking up quite late, around 9 o'clock, I first have a cold shower. At home in Germany, there was only a simple shower head available, which provided water at a temperature of no less than 20°C. With the huge shower head here and the water cooled by the Scandinavian winter, I finally get to enjoy (un)pleasant temperatures again. Once dried and dressed, it gives me an incredible kick. I have overcome the first hurdle of the day - I can handle any further hurdles. With this knowledge and the warm coziness that has spread by now, I can move on to the next routine item - mindfulness training. Then it's time to get breakfast, which is already waiting outside the door at this time, along with a rudimentary daily plan. The daily plan includes reading time, learning Norwegian, writing (not just for this blog), preparing for the semester, and much more.

The breakfast at the Scandic Park Hotel is always similar. 2 rolls or a few slices of bread, with various spreads, toppings, a drink, and a dessert.

In addition to the usual butter (Smör - with the REAL NORWEGIAN TASTE... tastes like every butter), there is also jam and real cooked ham, as well as a cheese that seems to taste like a mixture of Gouda and Maasdamer. The selection of fish products can be potentially unusual. Mackerel in tomato sauce or a salty caviar paste. The (hook caught!!!) mackerel is quite good. There is also usually a type of processed cheese in a tube and sometimes mayonnaise for breakfast. We don't need to talk about all the packaging and tubes. In this regard, I was amazed this morning. One (!) slice of cheese, wrapped in packaging. At least it was one of the most Norwegian things that can probably be found in all of Norway (besides moose). Geitost (Eng. goat cheese) is a brownish cheese that is difficult to describe in terms of taste, but I would agree with the general opinion that it is a type of solid processed cheese with a caramel note. Not to forget the goat note, which is only subtle though.

Overall, there is always some variety at breakfast. It's different for lunch. It's the same as breakfast again. I have heard that eating warm meals for lunch is still not quite 'in' in this country. Norwegians are proud of their sandwiches prepared at home and taken to school/work. The fact that even hotels adhere to this tradition shows how proud this people are of their way of life (or how much the hotels want to save on warm meals).

In the evenings, there is a warm meal, and it's quite varied as well. For example, yesterday there was fried belly pork with potatoes, a rich sauce, and a buttered corn-broccoli-chickpea(?) side dish. Apart from the fact that half of the belly pork consisted of fat, it was quite tasty.

In addition to the food, there are also the days, and besides all the preparations for university, there is also Sandefjord itself. Finally, a proper winter landscape with frozen ponds, snow-covered ground, and sidewalks covered in ice. I gladly put up with numb fingers for that.

Other than that, Sandefjord is a beautiful little Norwegian town just as one would imagine it. Typical wooden house architecture, rocks towering in between, a harbor with many small boats, and picturesque promenades. Overall, a nice atmosphere to get a little taste of the country.

I have digressed. To briefly answer the quarantine question that was posed at the beginning - it can be a wonderful means of completely resetting oneself. Especially in a situation where the following phase of life fundamentally differs from the previous ones. I would even say that I am grateful for this mandatory break. It gives me the space to clarify why I am here and where I want to go.

With this philosophical conclusion, a heartfelt 'Ha det!'.