Jeg snakker litt norsk

Hei hei!

The good news (and in some ways bad news) is that we have had our first signs of the weather to come- we have had a very warm week, with temperatures hovering near 0 degrees for the last few days. There is still plenty of snow, but a lot has melted. We have to hope it doesn't suddenly get cold again, as it will get very icy if that were to happen.

I'm now well into my pediatric rotation, having spent time on the wards, in the NICU and at outpatient clinics. Next week I'm off to health care centres where they do well-baby exams. These are not at the hospital I've been assigned to, but are out in the community. Interestingly, I also spent some time in 'emergency' on Tuesday, but it was not as interesting as I had hoped. Firstly, being winter, every child had a viral respiratory tract infection. Secondly, all patients must attend an after hours clinic in the centre of Oslo before being sent to the unit I was in. Thus, they are sort of triaged as to whether they can be managed in the clinic or in the hospital. Finally, there is also a separate emergency department for surgical emergencies (eg appendicitis) and trauma cases, meaning that the unit I was in was ghost-like quiet for several of the hours I was there. It's been interesting going on the wards as there's such an emphasis on cleanliness, eg the first thing doctors say to us is to outline the rules about hand washing, donning separate gowns and gloves for each infectious patient and isolating any patient who has been to hospital overseas to prevent spread of golden staph. But with all these precautions (which I agree are sensible, given Norway has no golden staph), the same doctors will bring their stethoscopes into each room without disinfecting them between patients, thereby providing just as good a transport route for bacteria as hands! Admittedly, the cleanliness thing is adhered to better than in Aus, but it seems funny that some things are forgotten about.

Similarly, there is a high emphasis on research. For example, whilst we gown and glove for patients with respiratory infections, we do not wear masks because apparently research has found no benefit in doing so. Having said that, I've come down with a cough this week, which I'm wondering if I picked up in the wards!

For good or for bad, Australia has a better screening program than Norway, for example the heel prick blood test that our infants receive screens for a far larger amount of things than the Norwegian one (this may change soon). Equally, Oslo (it varies by regions) does not routinely screen pregnant women for group B strep (unless they have had a previous baby with an infection from group B strep). This is not accidental: the doctor I asked about it put forward a strong argument justifying this decision (eg spreading antibiotic resistance by treating some women unnecessarily).

Anyway, on to some other observations about life in Norway. Child care is very well organised and there are child care centres everywhere. It's always funny to walk past and see these kids bundled up to the nines running around, sliding down slippery dips and sledding down gentle slopes at these centres. Apparently, if the weather is above -10 degrees they are allowed to play outside. Kids seem to start quite young in child care, and stay there until they start school (I think at age 6 or 7).

I've mentioned before how well educated the population is. I now have some examples to add to this: the other day I was in town when a beggar asked me for money. Thinking I could get out of it by not understanding Norwegian, I told her as much and was shocked when she switched to English and continued her conversation with me! In another case, I was approached outside the main train station by a man standing in a group of people of all ages and races. He spoke in rapid Norwegian and I pulled out my trump card "Jeg snakker ikke norsk (I don't speak Norwegian)". He again replied in English, offering me the opportunity to buy some hash!

I went to the Norwegian resistance museum the other day, which outlined the history of the German occupation of Norway in WW2 and the resistance to this occupation. The Norwegian teachers were told they had to join a Nazi union and teach the children about Nazism. Of all the teachers in Norway at the time, only a very very tiny number agreed to join (I think something lik e98% refused to). The remaining teachers were repeatedly asked to join, but claimed they could not go against their conscience. This lead to 6 or 700 of the teachers being sent by cattle car to a concentration camp in the far north of Norway. Even then after some months of forced labour and little food, they still refused to join, and after some time the authorities gave up and allowed them to return. Norwegian resistance groups were formed and assisted to some degree by the allies, when it helped their war efforts. Whilst quite patriotic, the museum was an interesting exploration of life in Norway during the occupation and the military tactics used by both sides involving Norway.

Last Friday a group of international medical students and I went to a cabin in the woods owned by the medicine students group. Many people and organisations in Norway own cabins, ranging from basic huts to large luxurious homes. These cabins are usually some hike or ski away from main roads and are similar to beach houses that many Aussies own- used for weekends away with friends. The medicine one we went to (a small group of exchange students, plus about 40 Norwegian medical students- mainly 1st years) was about 45 min walk up hill through a forest from the bus stop (but cars could drive reasonably close to deliver supplies). When we arrived (hot from the cracking pace the Norwegians walked at), it was freezing! There is no electricity in this cabin, so it was quite dark and cold until a fire was lit and dinner started. Upstairs was bunks and rooms with mattresses and downstairs a large room with a long table, a couch and a fireplace and various decorations including road signs, skulls and whale bones; as well as a kitchen and a cellar. Outside, some distance from the cabin was a long drop toilet. There used to be a sauna and hot tub but these burnt down the last time the medical students went to the cabin!

It was a fantastic, really Norwegian night, with a raging fire, candles lit for light and a cosy traditional log cabin atmosphere. After a few drinks and a quiz, we were handed dinner and later song books printed especially for the cabin, with a mix of Norwegian and English songs such as the beatles, songs from monty python and old time songs such as 'on the sunny side of the street'. There was a giant sing along and we learnt a few norwegian songs too! As the night progressed, things got crazier- including a group of guys who stripped down to their undies and went swimming in the snow.

The whole place is built of wood, with running water only in the kitchen. There are candles everywhere, including candles in the toilet that were precariously close to the toilet paper roll! The whole place burnt down about 10 years ago, and there was a fire in the sauna and hot tub (outside) last year. I'm surprised that fire did not happen more often: drunk, crazy people, a wooden cabin and candles are never a good mix!

I've been eagerly booking trips away with the recent ryan air sales. In two weeks time I am going on an amazing voyage from Bergen to Kirkenes on a coastal steamer/ferry/cruise ship called the Hurtigruten. It's a seven day trip with the opportunity to see amazing scenery, visit small towns, cross the Arctic circle, go to the north cape, hopefully go dog sledding and finally get off 10km from the Norwegian-Russian border. We also hope to see the Northern lights at some stage on the journey as well!

If you're interested in it, see http://www.hurtigruten.co.uk/classic-north.asp

I've also booked cheap flights to Frankfurt for a weekend, to Copenhagen on the ferry, to London for a weekend and hope to go to Stockholm as well. I have a week off before Easter and am still trying to work out what to do then!

Meanwhile, my Norwegian is slowly improving (hence the title of this post- I speak a little Norwegian) and I think I am slowly becoming immune to the high prices (or better at finding cheap deals!)

All the best to you all, and I hope for an end to the fire season as soon as possible.

Anneke