Ruth Kristin

Now I will continue writing about the last couple of weeks…

Travelling to Bergen
First I want to mention something that happened on my trip to Bergen when I was flying down all the way from the north to take part in my friend’s wedding. In the airport in our capital Oslo I saw a famous Norwegian politician, a lady named Anita Apelthun Sæle. After a while I went over to her and introduced my self and started talking with her. She seemed a bit surprised that I – someone she didn’t know – contacted her all of a sudden, but she was friendly and continued talking with me. Inside the aeroplane I was allowed to sit next to her, and after she had finished writing two very nice greetings – one for me and one for my class in school – we sat there talking with each other during the whole flight between Oslo and Bergen. It was really nice and interesting talking with this lady, and I felt we soon became friends and got along very well. I like to meet celebrities, like I also told this Christian politician, and I’m crazy and bold enough to go over to them and talk to them. But this time I was extra blessed, because I got to talk for a long time with this famous lady and therefore got to know her on a more personal level. I was also blessed by the things she wrote to me. One of those things was this: “You are frank/candid – a very important skill to take care of.” I think she meant that I was brave and bold in contacting her, and that’s true. Many times I’ve been bold and done things like that, things that many people wouldn’t do. The good thing about it is often that I get a great reward or a blessing in one way or the other, and at the same time God uses me to bless other people.

Travelling home from Bergen
Let me now focus on my travel home from Bergen. On the last plane, the one going from Oslo to Tromsø, I sat next to a cosy and friendly woman. She was a tourist from Austria, and I started talking to her in German. For the first time I used my German skills in conversation with a tourist from a German speaking country. I did my best and managed to understand most of what she said and make my self understood by the use of German, a little bit of English and body language. I became good friends with this lady from Austria and had a very nice flight together with her. Her name was Aloisia, she was in the sixties, I think, and this was her first holiday in Norway. We gave each other our addresses and phone numbers, so now I am blessed with a friend that can host me any time I decide to visit Austria. God is good!

Nearly home
When I came to my ferry’s quay at Hansnes, I met a young guy called Ronny. We got along well, and on the ferry he introduced me to a young lady that was working on the ferry. When she was finished selling tickets, she sat down with us, and the three of us sat there talking together during most of the ferry trip to Vannøya. It was nice talking with these people, that were not so much younger than me. I was also blessed by getting a free ride with Ronny’s uncle from the quay at Vannøya and to my home in Vannareid, one of the villages here. Later that week Ronny showed me around at his work place, but I’ll tell you more about that later…

Finishing the school year
In week 25 I had my last three working days at the school, before the summer holiday. These days I, the other teachers and our pupils were tidying, finishing art work, watching movies, playing and doing other activities that was necessary or suitable this last school week. On Wednesday the 16th of June the class I’ve had the most was gathered for the last time, because the next day someone was going to an official arrangement in the commune where the Crown prince of Norway would come and visit. So on that Wednesday I held a farewell speech for the ten pupils in that class. I also gave each one of them a little good bye gift and wished them a good summer. It was a fine day we had together, and it was good to say some nice, finishing words to the class and give them a little gift each. This was good for me, because I’ve got a permission for one year and will not work in the school the coming school year. When some of the pupils gave me some farewell letters that last week, that was very nice and touching. As I told my pupils, I think I will miss them, at least a little bit, and I hope I will be able to come and visit them a few times.

Last week I had a talk with the administration in the school about my year at Vannareid school. It was very nice to talk with them and sum up the year that had gone by. They also gave me some advice concerning my jobs in the future, and these were good and helpful. I have been privileged to work with a good administration that has supported me and helped me in various ways. I also have had a very good co-operation with my other colleagues, and I have learnt a lot through working with them.

This last school year has in many ways been a challenging and tough year for me. I’ve been through many tough situations and periods this last year, both in my working time and in my private life. It has also been a year with many new experiences and much learning. And of course there has been many nice and memorable moments too. God has been with me and helped me through everything I’ve experienced, both good and bad, easy and difficult.

Now that I have finished the whole school year without getting a sick leaf, I have won a great victory. God has brought me through this year by his grace and with his help. All in all I have had success and gained more wisdom and strength through this last year. Now I have finished this year with strength and dignity, and in victory I can sing with the new Norwegian pop idol, Kjartan Salvesen: “I’m standing tall. I’ve been through it all.”.

Yes, I’m standing tall – by the grace of God! :)

A totally new experience
Now I’ll tell you about something I’ve experienced after the school year was finished. As I mentioned my new pal Ronny showed me around at his work place. He was working in a fish factory, and I thought it would be interesting to see how things were and what was going on there. I had never ever been in a place like that before, but Friday the 18th of June Ronny showed me around in the fish factory in Torsvåg here on Vannøya. There was not so much work going on in the factory at the time, so I saw a lot of machines and got many explanations, but I didn’t really know what most of the work would look like or be like in practice. Later that day I got the idea of asking if I could try to work in the factory myself, and that’s what happened! I was allowed to work there, and started my new summer job Sunday the 20th of June. This day I took part in many different work duties, and they were all part of a process of receiving and making ready 15 tons of fish for exporting. The whole work day was a totally new and fun experience for me. I learnt how to cut off the fish heads, how to take out the guts and the blood from the fishes, how to pack the fishes in boxes and how to pile all the boxes. I thought it was nice to be part of this work process. Last week I also worked at the fish factory on Wednesday and Friday, so now I’ve tried working there for three days. On Friday I was happy when I got to learn something totally new again. This day my group and I worked with some nice cods for a period of time, and then I learned how to use some machines and to do different necessary things to prepare the cods for export. I was told that the cods were being exported to Spain, so in some days there could be someone in Spain eating a nice cod fish touched by the hands of Ruth Kristin in the north of Norway. :)

It has been hard work, but also very interesting and exciting for me to work at the fish factory in Torsvåg. And after I first visited the place Ronny has introduced me to his colleagues, his family and several of his friends. I have been very social and visited people and made many new acquaintances. I even joined some young people having a party with alcohol and tobacco last Saturday evening. I found it a good opportunity to meet people, talk with them and to learn more about their culture.

All in all
All in all my two last weeks have been quite packed and filled with many new and interesting experiences. Next week I will continue to work in the fish factory and probably also continue visiting people here on Vannøya. But first I am going to a bible conference in Harstad, and it starts tomorrow. And now it’s already past midnight, so I have to end this blog writing and get ready for bed quite soon.

I wish you all a very good week! If any of you would like to give me a comment on any of my blog texts you can write me a mail to this address: rudydudy@yahoo.com.

Greetings from a woman of worth – Ruth Kristin – standing tall

(Most of this text was written Tuesday, 29th of June.)