Cabin fever and sushi coma

The new semester has started with a bang in Trondheim, and the past few weeks have been filled with activities. The COVID situation allows for more activities this semester compared to earlier this year, and the city appears to be more alive than ever. The new Norwegian students had their introduction week called Fadderuke ("Father Week"), where established students introduce new students to university life. This means lots of sports activities and parties. One day, students dressed in togas filled the streets of Trondheim. They paraded through the city before ending the day with a big toga party.

I also took this opportunity to share my knowledge from the previous semester with new exchange students. Hiking, table tennis matches, and parties were all part of the introduction weeks. Some memorable situations occurred, such as when I organized a hike to Bymarka and arrived 30 minutes late due to traffic. If it had been a small group, it wouldn't have bothered me as much... But there were 50 people waiting for me as their guide, which made me a bit anxious. However, the hike went smoothly in pleasant weather, and the trail was beautiful for both beginners and experienced hikers.

Cabin trips are always a part of meeting new people and doing activities together. Since the new students of the semester didn't know what cabins were, I took the opportunity to reserve the two largest cabins with saunas for two consecutive weekends. So, I visited the good old Heinfjordstua with 17 other people from August 20th to 22nd.

Compared to our visit in March, the landscape was green and the lake was thawed. The group size was also different this time, with a total of 18 people. As soon as we arrived, everyone (especially the girls) grabbed the axes and enthusiastically started chopping firewood. I rarely saw such enthusiasm. We also took an old tin boat from the shed by the lake to test its seaworthiness. Surprisingly, the boat was still in good condition and could float, so I and a few others took the oars and rowed to the island in the lake. The evenings were filled with activities and a certain amount of beer and wine, which we transported to the cabin. The sauna, which was closed in March, was now completed and professional. It heated up well and provided us with a hot time. After sweating, we plunged into the lake just 50 meters away. It was not an easy task with the darkness, slope, and roots, especially with some alcohol in our blood. All in all, it was another successful cabin weekend, this time with more partying and fewer hikes.

Holmsåkoia was the cabin I reserved for the following weekend. This time, my Iranian co-organizer Mohammad invited some new people. So, I was excited to see how the group would come together this time. We were a total of 15 people. In contrast to Heinfjordstua, where 10 out of 18 people were Germans, the composition in Holmsåkoia was more international. We even had a British person with us, which is surprising considering the small number of English people in Trondheim. The funny thing is that she has one of the strongest British accents among all international students. Very typical British! It brings an interesting variety. My Norwegian roommate Clas also joined, representing Norwegian culture. As a native of Northern Norway, he lives up to the stereotypes. The weather during the days was beautiful and sunny. There was a river right next to the cabin, perfect for cooling off after the sauna. The sauna was older than the one in Heinfjordstua but still in good condition. On the evening of our arrival, I realized that this new group was even crazier than the previous week's group. The alcohol level was dangerously high. The river was only about 15 meters away from the sauna, but it had a steep and root-filled slope that made every trip to cool off a challenge. The river itself posed an obstacle with its strong current. More than once, the combination of these circumstances resulted in bruises and scrapes, but everyone survived in the end. The landscape was natural and peaceful. Mushrooms and berries grew in the surrounding forest. Even my search for the rare and coveted "Moltebeeren" (cloudberry) paid off. On Saturday, we also took a little dip in the nearby lake, which was still icy cold due to melting snow. Even though it was still August, we were fortunate enough to catch a glimpse of the first green veils in the night sky, thanks to strong solar activity. So, we were greeted by the northern lights for the first time since the summer.

Even after the weekend, I spent a lot of time with these people, and they have become the "core" group with whom I will plan activities this semester. The following week, we went on a climbing trip to the Munkstigen Via Ferrata. We climbed over 400 meters through a rocky forest and along the sheer rock face of Mount Munken. Hanging on the bare rock face with a wide view of the fjord was truly breathtaking.

We also recently tried an all-you-can-eat sushi restaurant where you order sushi to your table. Since the kitchen unexpectedly closed early during our last visit, we ordered large plates of sushi from the very beginning this time. Who would have thought - we ended up with 60 pieces of leftover sushi that we had to take with us. Of course, we had to pay a fee, otherwise customers would order too much without any consideration for wastage. So, each of us paid an extra 5 euros, and we stumbled, dizzy from the food, into the nearest pub to take a rest and have some water.

This coming weekend, I will be going to Heinfjordstua again with this group. This time, we had to "fight" for the cabin. Clas waited from 22:00 to 4:00, and then others took over in shifts so that we could book the cabin on time at 8:00. The cabins have become well-known, and if you want your preferred cabin, you should be prepared to wait the entire night for it.

Darkness has returned to Trondheim during the nights, and starting from September 21st, the nights will be longer than in Germany. There is nothing more atmospheric than riding one of the electric scooters from the city center to home. With the wind in your face, you look at the fading, lower city center with the cathedral, bridges, and countless lights in the black veil of the night.

In addition to leisure activities, I have also started simulating heat pump cycles for my master's thesis, and the training is going well. Despite all the tours and parties I participate in here, it's good to have a project to work on. It also helps me to appreciate my free time even more.