Films & Thoughts @ Oslo's International Documentary Film Festival

Inspired into Action?

This week Oslo has been hosting the International Documentary Film Festival with the theme Human Rights & Wrongs. All week there have been a number of different film screenings, debates, talks, and art events. Unfortunately, I had a final exam so I missed a lot. On the bright side, there is still a lot going on this weekend, including tomorrow on the final day of the festival.

Film festival program.

I've never been to a film festival before, so it was really a nice experience! Not to mention the tickets for students were very reasonable and the venue (Vega Scene) was great. I'm hoping tomorrow to go to a couple of the lectures as well. I highly recommend going to the film fest or checking out some near you; documentaries can be really interesting! 

There really was a great variety of films with many different themes. See here for full event program. Today, I watched two documentaries, Anote's Ark and Grit.

First one in the theater; excited to see Anoke's Ark.

Anote's Ark was about former president of Kiribati, Anote Tong's journey of trying to fight to ensure his people will be taken care in the face of catastrophe caused by climate change.  What catastrophe exactly am I talking about? 

Program description for Anote's Ark.

Kiribati (pronounced Kiri-bas) is a series of islands located in a unique part of the Pacific Ocean, situated right along the equator, and in both the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. Historically, the region never had any storms, but with changing weather patterns has been pummeled by hurricanes, and tropical storms which have flooded villages, destroyed homes, ruined fresh water sources and agricultural lands. Even without the storms, the islands face a far worse fate. By the end of the century, the nation will be completely underwater due to rising sea levels. Where will the people go? Will they be able to preserve their culture and traditions? It's not a matter of if the islands will be swallowed by the sea, it's when, and which other nations will follow thereafter.

The story followed a Kiribati family making the move to New Zealand to start a new life, and also showed the president's journey to protect his nation's future. During the Paris talks of 2015, President Tong was instrumental in making sure large countries like the US would pay to help islands adapt. It wasn't a matter of 1.5 C or 2 C degrees, because climate change was already coming to conquer Kiribati. The president bought some land in New Zealand for his people to move to when they become climate refugees. Yet, there are still many questions. What kind of life would the people have in New Zealand? Do they need visas? What jobs could they do there?

Inside Vega Scene theater.

Refugees are forced to flee their homelands because they have no other choice. The islanders don't want to move. They don't want to lose their motherland, their lives, their histories. But there is no other option. Kiribati's story is not the only one that will end this way. Climate change, global warming, call it what you like. It is happening. It is everywhere. Maybe your home won't be swallowed by the seas, but the heat will grow, the rains will pound, or you will see other adverse effects.

The saddest part of the story is that the innocent people and countries, those who contribute least, pay the most.  Kiribati is just the first of many places which will meet the same fate from climate change. We must all work to do our best by consuming less, and ensuring opportunities for all to have a bright green future. Planet over profit, always. 

Anoke's Ark was a sad film, but an inspiring one too. It's easy to feel hopeless from all of the negativity, but sometimes you need to use it to channel change, and propel yourself into action. The movie was also quite touching, because before the film began there was a clip Anoke recorded specifically for us at the festival, to motivate, especially the younger generation to take charge of the future, and work to set things right. The film also won the honorable mention for the festival's Human Rights, Human Wrongs Film Award. Watch the trailer and learn more here.

Screen tonight after the showing of Grit.

The other film I saw today was Grit, which chronicled a young girl whose family's village was wiped out from the Sidoarjo mud flows in Indonesia. As the girl goes through middle and high school, she starts to be an activist in her community, and decides she wants to become a lawyer to fight for environmental justice. The film highlights the burdens placed on many communities, and the all too common injustice caused by rich companies' environmental negligence. 

Description of Grit from the program.

It all started in 2006, when the natural gas company Lapindo, carelessly drilled down too far into the earth, striking a mud pocket. A mud volcano exploded, burying sixteen villages. The mud continues to pour out every day, even though it's been thirteen years since the explosion. Today, the Sidoarjo mud flow continues to rise, despite also continuously draining into the local rivers.

The only thing preventing the mud from reaching more villages are levies, which are being built higher and higher as the mud continues to flow. The levies are just another disaster waiting to happen. Furthermore, there is speculation that the mud and fumes from the volcano are toxic, because people have died from cancer after working there, and there have been massive fish die offs in the rivers. Following the disaster, the government deliberately cut off studies of the mud from the area, so the health dangers remain a mystery, threatening those who are forced to work on the mudflats.

Event posters inside of Vega Scene.

Following the disaster was poverty and problems for the locals, who had to fight for over nine years to ever get any sort of compensation. Justice still isn't served. Lapindo has started to drill again, the mud continues to flow, and corruption continues to buy free passes for powerful companies.

It was my first time hearing about the mud volcano in Indonesia, so I found the film very interesting. However, at the same time I was also very angry about the greed and injustice. Too often those with money take advantage of others; hurting people and the planet in greedy pursuit. Overall, interesting movie, and I hope Indonesian activists will continue to fight to protect their communities. You can check out the trailer and learn more here.

Festival posters inside Vega Scene.

Thank you to the Human film festival for bringing global problems closer to home, teaching me about the injustices, & inspiring me to want to fight to make things right!

Homemade Vegetarian Quiche

Healthy, Delicious, Homemade 

Trying to decide what to eat for dinner? Spice up your nightly meal with a healthy potato-crusted quiche! This recipe is simple to make and delicious too.  Feel free to sub in your favorite ingredients and enjoy. Happy cooking!

Ingredients:

Quiche Crust:
1 sweet potato or yam
1 tbs olive oil
salt (optional)

Vegetable Filling
5-6 mushrooms
2 cups spinach
1 stalk green onion
1 small yellow onion
1 tsp olive oil

Egg Filling:
5 eggs
1 tbs Greek yogurt (optional)
1/2 tomato
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder

Quiche Topping
1 cup shredded cheese

Sliced yam crust ready to go into the oven.

Potato Crust Instructions:
1. set oven to 350 F (180 C)
2. add olive oil to pan
3. thinly slice sweet potato or yam so that entire pan is covered with a single layer
4. use potato slices to move around the olive oil, while making sure to coat both sides of the potatoes
5. lightly sprinkle salt over potatoes
6. bake 20 mins

* I prefer to use sweet potatoes/yams because it adds an extra flavor to the quiche.  It's also possible to use alternatives, such as yellow or red potatoes sprinkled with rosemary. Don't worry about peeling off the potato skin, just slice and cook. The potatoes will shrink up a little bit in the oven, and don't need to be overlapping. Finally, I have a fancy salt blend with lavender, sun dried tomato, thyme, rosemary, and pepper blended in. Feel free to just use normal salt and add in any seasonings you enjoy (this goes for mixing in the spices with the eggs too).

Veggies ready to be sauteed.

While the crust is in the oven cooking, it's time to get started on making the quiche filling.

Quiche Filling Instructions:

1. chop mushrooms and onions, then combine with spinach and olive oil in a pan

2. saute veggies until the mushrooms have cooked down and the onions have turned clear

3. once you've finished cooking the veggies, drain any excess liquid before pouring vegetables into the cooked potato crust

* The mushrooms and spinach cook down a lot, so you may want to add more. Once the potato crust comes out of the oven, pour in veggies and evenly spread them within the crust (as pictured below).

Cooked potato crust with sauteed  veggies.

Once the vegetables have been sauteed and added to the potato crust, it's time to get started making the egg filling.

Egg Filling:
1. in a bowl, combine the eggs, yogurt, chopped tomato, salt, and spices
2. mix everything until the eggs are completely scrambled
3. pour egg mixture on top of the vegetables
4. being careful not to spill the eggs, tilt the pan slightly to the side, making sure the eggs have been able to evenly spread to all of the edges and coat the veggie filling/crust

* I don't typically have milk, so if anything I add in a small scoop of yogurt. However, this isn't necessary and I often cook without adding it in at all. There is no difference to the taste or quality of the quiche whether it's added or not. Also, it is perfectly okay to throw in the tomatoes with the vegetables rather than putting them in with the eggs. Sun dried tomato makes a nice alternative to try too. Feel free to add in spices according to your personal taste. I'm a bit boring with my flavors so I don't put too many spices.

Eggs, tomatoes, yogurt, spices all mixed.

Once the eggs have been added to the quiche, the last step before it goes into the oven is to coat it with cheese. Use approximately 1 cup of shredded/crumbled cheese (you want enough so the surface will be covered when the cheese melts down).

* I buy blocks of standard white Norwegian cheese (because that's what's available where I live) and crumble the pieces up. If you want a nice melted layer of cheese, I recommend using a harder cheese (not something soft like brie). Of course, the kind of cheese you choose is up to taste and what flavor combination you are going for. For example, feta cheese can be nice with spinach, olives, and sun dried tomatoes. No cheese is absolutely okay too!

Almost ready to go into the oven.

Now that you've sprinkled on the cheese (if desired), it's time to get the quiche in the oven.

 Cooking Instructions:
1. bake quiche for approximately 30 mins at 350 F (180 C)
2. cheese should be melted and slightly golden, and egg should be solid
3. let quiche cool off for a few minutes, and enjoy!

Finished quiche.

Prepping shortcut method:

Want to skip some of the extra prep time? Don't worry there is a shortcut which is just as delicious. Rather than sauteing the vegetables and roasting the potato crust, simply combine everything and cook it one time in the oven.

Ingredients:
1 sweet potato/yam
1 tbs olive oil

4 tbs black olives (preferably sliced)
2 mushrooms
1/2 tomato
1 cup spinach
1 cup broccoli
1/2 stalk green onion
1/2 small yellow onion
1/4 cup turnip

5 eggs
1/2 tsp salt
1/2 tsp oregano
1 tsp onion powder
1/2 tsp basil
1 cup cheese

Finished prepping shortcut quiche.

Instructions:
1. set oven to 350 F (180 C)
2. add olive oil to pan
3. thinly slice sweet potato or yam so that entire pan is covered with a single layer
4. use potato slices to move around the olive oil, while making sure to coat both sides of the potatoes
5. slice mushrooms, tomatoes, broccoli, onions, and turnips
6. evenly spread the vegetables layer by layer over the potatoes
7. in a separate bowl, mix together eggs and spices
8. once blended, pour eggs over vegetables, tilting the pan so the eggs spread to all sides
9. top dish with shredded cheese
10. bake approximately 50 mins

* The quiche takes about the same time to cook, however prep time is saved from not having to saute the veggies or precook the crust so you can sit back and relax while the oven does the work. Also, because the mushrooms and spinach isn't cooked down on the stove, not as many is needed in the filling.


There are endless combinations to try out with these simple, but delicious quiches. Enjoy!

Ice Sculptures in the Evening

Lysvandring i Botanisk hage

Plants alight in the botanical gardens.

First of all, sorry I haven't posted anything in quite awhile; I've been very busy with studies, an internship, and working on several proposals. I'll try to post more things in the coming weeks. That being said, I hope everyone's 2019 is off to a great start! 

Semi circle of ice sculptures.

Valentine's day isn't a big thing in Norway. Really it felt like a normal day, until the occasional man carrying flowers reminded me it wasn't just a typical Thursday.

Ice sculptures.

Rather than going on a fancy date, or being spoiled with flowers and chocolates; I enjoyed a quick trip down to the natural history museum's botanical gardens for an evening of lights and science.

Lights, colors, ice.

In coordination with the 2019 European Green Capital festivities happening in Oslo, the botanical garden hosted a display of carved ice sculptures, lights, and educational activities. 

View of the ice sculptures.

Throughout the gardens there were stands relating to health, anatomy, insects, and climate; offering visitors the chance to view the museum collections and learn something during their nighttime stroll.

Frozen 'virus' sculptures.

Unfortunately, I didn't have too much time to spend checking out the stands, because I needed to get home to finish an application. So, I mostly came to enjoy the ice sculptures.

Bright blue ice virus.

Lysvandring i Botanisk hage (light walk in the botanical garden) did not disappoint. I enjoyed getting to see the different light displays, and even saw a stand with self playing guitars.

Ice sculpture of a virus.

My favorite part of the evening was looking at the ice sculptures all lit up. The theme for the sculptures this year was viruses, which explains the variety of different abstract shapes.

Glowing virus sculpture.

Fortunately, yesterday was much warmer than earlier this winter (3-5 degrees C; hot compared to the typical negative temps), making for a pleasant walk. The only problem with the heat is that the snow melts, making the paths much more slippery. Luckily even with the dim lighting I managed to stay on my feet.

Ice sculpture.

Overall, it was another lovely night in Oslo. Tusen takk!

Sunset over the Sea

Sunset over Oslofjord: painting the winter sky

Sunset at Oslo Harbor

As 2018 draws to a close, it's time for the sun to set and for the final lines to be written for 2018. Just as the sunset casts reflections in the ripples of Oslofjord, I'm going to use this last blog post of the year for reflection, and to just share some of my favorite photos from Oslo.

Sunset over the boats at Aker Brygge.

One year ago, I could only dream of living in Oslo. Now after several months, full of wonder, and sometimes struggles, I'm so blessed to be able to call this city my home.

View of the boats and Akershus Festning.

In the short time I've been here, I have absolutely fallen in love with the nature; islands, parks, forests, and lakes around the city.

Boats in the harbor.

I'm so grateful for my parents who have always supported me, and continue to have my back despite the distance. I am also grateful of my classmates, friends, and Norway for welcoming me with open arms and helping me to feel at home.

Statues along Oslo harbor.

Despite the challenges I've faced and those which will surely arise next year, I feel so blessed and happy. This next year; dream big, work hard, and never give up! Anything is possible if you believe!

The setting sun.

Thanks for taking time out to read my blog! I look forward to sharing new adventures and photos! Wishing everyone a safe, happy, and healthy 2019!

Godt nytt år!   Hyvää Uuta Vuotta!   Happy New Year!

Ships & Sightseeing

Viking Ships, a Fortress, Palace & Lots of Snow 

Gokstad Viking Ship.

Two weeks ago I had the pleasure of hosting some family from Finland for a weekend trip in Oslo. I had such a great time getting to play tour guide and show them the city. One of the places we went to was the University of Oslo's (UiO) Viking Ship museum in Bygdøy.

Gokstad Viking Ship.

In addition to three authentic viking ships on display, there are lots of different artifacts, and a brief film showing what life was like for the vikings. The Gokstad ship on display dates back to the year 900 AD and was the final resting place of an important man. Despite being plundered, the ship still had some tools, a board game, small boats, a sleigh, and the remains of different animals offerings.

Oseberg Viking Ship.

The Oseberg ship was built around 820 AD and used in 834 AD to bury two powerful women. The grave had several sleighs, intricately carved posts, and sacrificed animals. The museum also hosts the Tune ship from 900 AD, and other grave goods and riches.  Despite being a rather small museum, it is a nice to visit if you are interested in learning about vikings, plus a visit to UiO's Historical Museum is also included in the price of admission.

The Oslo Opera House (Operahuset).

Just across from Oslo Sentralstasjon (Oslo S or Central Station), the world famous Operahuset sits along the fjord's shore. Completed in 2007, the opera house is iconic for it's exterior sloping roofs, which visitors can climb up and sit outside on. Even during the wintertime visitors can scale the building to take in the views, but it can be quite slippery so be careful if you choose to do so. 

Shirt art project outside of SALT.

Across from the opera house is the large Nordic sauna known as SALT. The main sauna seats approximately 100 people, and hosts different events and evening activities. Outside of SALT there is currently an art installation with t-shirts from Norwegians and Finns hanging in the "Arctic Pyramid" which is a triangular tunnel made from traditional fish racks. 

View of the fortress.

A short walk along the harbor from SALT and past the Norwegian Armed Forces Museum (Forsvarsmuseet), one can glimpse Akershus Fortress rising in the distance.

View of the fortress' South Wing.

Akershus Festning or Akershus Fortress dates back to the medieval ages with the first construction of the fortress beginning around 1290 AD. By the early 1300s, the fortress faced it's first defense against invading Swedish forces.

Cannons in front of Munk's Tower.

Over the years, the fortress has undergone a lot of changes, from creating new entrances and military reinforcements, to remodeling and modernizing the castle's interior. The fortress has also served many purposes ranging from being the king's residency, to a prison, military post, and a royal mausoleum and house for the crown jewels; thereby cementing its role as an important cultural site. 

View of the fortress chapel and inside courtyard.

The fortress grounds are open till 21:00 everyday and free to walk around. There is also a free museum displaying artifacts and detailing the history of the grounds. A fixture to Oslo harbor and one of the few places where you can find free public toilets (which can be important when you're out and about), I've been to the fortress quite a lot since I've lived in Oslo. However, it was the first time I actually got to go inside the castle courtyard. Normally, the doors are sealed with a guard patrolling outside.  On this particular day, the gates were open for a church service taking place in the chapel, offering us the chance to take a peak inside.

The North Wing from the inner courtyard.

From the courtyard one can glimpse the chapel built in the 1500s, and the South, Chancery, and North Wings. The South Wing host's the original castle entrance from the 1300s which can still be seen in what is known as the "dark passage." Today, the South Wing serves as the reception room for the castle, meanwhile the North Wing holds the castle's cellar, and several elaborate halls including the Lady's Hall and Royal Hall. Historically, the Chancery Wing held the castle's lavatories, whereas beginning in 1648, the North Wing has been the castle's main entrance. 

Portion of the Royal Bastion.

Today, visitors can marvel at and take photos of actual servicemen and women from the king's royal guard who patrol the ramparts and castle gate. The armed forces continue to have a presence on and around the fortress in the nearby military base, school, and museums.

Snow covered Norwegian Resistance Museum.

During WWII, the fortress was occupied by the Nazis and the grounds were used to execute Norwegian's from the resistance. Since 1949, there is a memorial near the Resistance Museum for those who lost their lives there. Beginning in 1652, the fortress also became a prison used to house and rent out thieves and criminals to do hard labor around the city. Finally in 1950, the prison closed after several centuries of housing criminals.

View of the fortress' frozen pond.

Following a fire which destroyed Oslo, the current city foundations emerged around the fortress in 1624. Not only is Akershus Festning central to Oslo, but being steeped in over 700 years of history, it serves as an important cultural and historical site for all of Norway. 

Rådhus (Oslo City Hall).

Just down the street from the fortress lies Rådhus, or Oslo's City Hall. Visiting a city hall may seem a little unconventional, but I highly recommend heading inside for a look around. Finished in 1950, the city hall is enormous and boasts many large murals, paintings, sculptures, and a hall displaying the gifts given to the city of Oslo over the years. In addition to making sure things are running smoothly in Oslo, city hall also hosts the presentation of the Nobel Peace prize each December. 

Christmas tree and CO2 display at Universitetsplassen. 

Across from national theatre lies the University of Oslo's Universitetplassen, or University Square surrounded by three of UiO's law faculty buildings. Each December, a giant Christmas tree is lit on the square. This year the 1 Tonn of CO2 earth balloon was raised on the square during Oslo's Peace Week earlier this December, to correspond with the awarding of the Nobel Peace Prize. Furthermore, Oslo is the 2019 European Green Capital!

Slottet (the Royal Palace).

A short trek up from Universitetplassen lies Slottet or Det kongelige slott (the royal palace). Built in the 1800s, the palace overlooks Karl Johans gate which is one of the main streets in Oslo. During summer, visitors can marvel in the gardens or take a tour of the palace. Beginning in autumn, the royal family moves back into the palace for the winter months, as signaled by the red flag that flies high above the palace when the king is home. One can still walk up to the palace, watch the changing of the guards, and explore slottsparken (the palace park) which remains open in the northern and eastern sides of the palace year-round.

View of Karl Johans gate (street) from Slottet.

During December Oslo boasts many different Christmas markets. The largest one is the Julemarked (Christmas market) located at Spikersuppa park just down the hill adjacent to Karl Johans gate. The market offers lots of food, Norwegian products, and also rides and an ice skating rink. The market at Spikersuppa is pretty commercialized and very crowded during the weekends, but is nice to stop for a snack. Throughout the city, there are many other Christmas markets that remain up all month, in addition to weekly artisan markets; providing many opportunities to soak up the holiday cheer.

Carolers at the Prindsen hagen julemarked.

On the last day my family was visiting, we did a walking tour around the city going to all of the places mentioned above, minus the viking ship museum which we visited on the day before. We then ended our day at the Prindsen artisan Julemarked, and wrapped up by having waffles with traditional brown cheese and jam while we listened to carolers. It was an absolutely lovely day in Oslo.

Christmas tree in front of city hall. 

I love getting to play tour guide, so if anyone is in Oslo and looking for someone to show them around or recommend places to check out, please don't hesitate to ask!

Happy holidays!