Settling In....

I've been here all of three days now and I think I'm relatively settled. Yesterday I walked around the city center which is about 40 minute walk from my room, not too bad but not something I see myself doing all the time. My school is about a 30 minute walk away and I'm debating whether or not to get a bike. There are only two reasons why it's up in the air:
1) It starts getting dark here in October and I don't know how comfortable I'd be riding around in the dark. Also, if it's dark it's probably also cold, am I really going to bike around when it's cold?
2) I live on a hill. Riding into to the city would be very easy but coming back is a constant incline the entire way.
The weather is so nice right now I don't mind walking but we'll see; I get jealous when people speed by me on their bicycles as I amble along.
So far the most interesting observation I've made about Norwegians is that they really love those big blue trampolines. I find it fascinating how many yards have one but I have yet to see anyone bouncing around.

Trondheim is a cute city though it's actually bigger than I imagined. It has some really pretty areas, Bakklandet so far is my favorite with some cute wooden shops and houses (pictured below from the river side).

However, other parts of the city are just...city.  I think I was picturing a city of purely old buildings and cobblestone in my head. That's ok, it's a treat whenever I do stumble upon the old areas.  And of course, I hardly explored everything in one day and the main charms of the city will be discovered in time. Whenever I move to new places I always get anxious that I'm not seeing enough or absorbing enough culture right away but these things will come. I've finally met and chatted with two of my flat mates; one is from Albania and other from Spain. Nice girls and they seems pleased to be living with an American to help them with their English. One was surprised to hear that I'm almost 28 though...."You don't look 28!" I guess that's good? Oh well, at least I know my age and wisdom will help keep me focused more on my studies than the parties (fingers crossed).  Actually, it'll probably be the the cost of alcohol that keeps me from attending too many parties, that and the extreme difficulty in buying anything but beer! If you want to buy beer (or any alcohol) that's more than 3.5%, you have to go to a special government owned store and I have yet to see one. I might go through wine withdrawals. Can I get Wine of the Month Club in Norway? I've never seen so many people rushing a Duty Free store than when I flew into Oslo and it took me a couple minutes to realize why. Thank you Dani Peebles for my travel sized Deep Eddy vodkas! I will treasure them.
Tomorrow is the start of my week long orientation and I am excited to meet the people who are in my same program but I'm also very nervous. It's the first day of school all over again! What should I wear?! Yikes! I hope my hair looks good....