Hei!
In French, we have a saying that rhymes: «En mai, fais ce qu’il te plaît,» which basically means, «In May, do whatever you like.» Looking back at this month, I think I followed that advice quite well!
May was definitely the month of hiking. Now that the snow has (almost) disappeared, I have been able to explore more of the surroundings of Vinstra. The snow may be gone, but the mud has taken over! Thankfully, the views at the top always make the muddy shoes worth it.
May is also lamb season, and my neighbours’ fields have been full of the cutest little lambs. I have to admit that having breakfast while watching them play outside my window has become one of my favourite parts of the day.
This month, my mum came to visit me. We spent the weekend in Oslo, where spring had clearly arrived earlier than in Vinstra, with beautiful trees covered in blossoms. Then we went on different road trips to discover some of Norway’s fjords, including Innvikfjorden near Loen and Sunnylvsfjorden near Geiranger. We also drove along Trollstigen. Unfortunately, we didn’t spot any trolls… maybe because it was daylight!
Another highlight was the «Statement» evening, organised the night before Norway’s National Day to offer teenagers a fun alcohol-free celebration. This year, we went to an adventure park where we could try bobsleigh (yes, I did it!), paintball and several 4D attractions. Luckily, the rain stopped just before the young people arrived, although I still needed quite a few layers to stay warm.
The next day was 17 May, Norway’s National Day! I celebrated the day with Ida’s family, which gave me the chance to experience Norway’s National Day from the inside, just like Norwegians do. Everyone was beautifully dressed, wearing the traditional bunad. I joined the school parade through Vinstra, where each class competed to shout their chants the loudest, as «Hipp hipp hurra, Norge er bra!» («Hip hip hooray, Norway is great!»). I even discovered a family activity that everyone took very seriously: horseshoe throwing! We also enjoyed an amazing buffet of traditional food in Gålå. It was a wonderful way to experience such an important day in Norwegian culture.
But the biggest highlight of the month was undoubtedly my trip to the Lofoten Islands. They were even more beautiful than I had imagined. I was incredibly lucky with the weather: blue skies every single day! So, with the midnight sun, it was just perfect! I wasn’t expecting the water to be so crystal clear, creating the most amazing contrast with the steep mountains. It honestly felt like one of the most beautiful places I have ever visited. I even considered never coming back… But then I remembered that I still have one month left in Norway, and it will be just as full of events. So… I decided to return to Vinstra after all!
Ha det bra!
Antonie
