Electronic Noticeboard

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Stefanie suggested last year that we should have an electronic noticeboard well here it is. As the technology begins to fail I realise how much I now depend on it. Today I couldn't print anythng so my new first years didn't get the homework that they were all expecting, internet failed as I opened a Java applet and I realised that Thomas was right I do need a new hard drive. Talking of Thomas I also realise there is no way I can carry on with snowshoveller pity to see a project with so much potential left on the shelf.
Did the last of the "big three" at Raudbua last night, feet popped off and I pulled a muscle in my shoulder. Hopefully get to myggvegggen before the end of the season. Went on the moonboard on monday, feeling strong but it is soooo hot in there.
Just got back from a very pleasant evening visiting some of my advisees "at home". It's my new term resolution to visit my advisees more often, don't want people to think I only communicate online.

First class

Here I am sitting in my room waiting for my first class of first years to arrive. Projector on, tablet connected, ready to go. Always a bit difficult to get going after such a long holiday .
Well maybe not First Class but we're off.
More alcohol meetings this week, wil be good to get this new policy understood and accepted by all, problem is it hasn't really been presented to students and staff yet so there is a lot of missinformation flying around.
Just installing XP back on my other computer, hope I haven't screwed up and end up losing all my files. Think I'll get a new one next term, I fancy a fast tablet then I won't have to carry two machines everywhere.

Mud

Now I have dowloaded software on the faithful tablet so can do pics again.
This one is of intro week after doing the raudbua path. Was out there today, met one of my neighbours, they were very pleased with the new path.

Partitioned Harddrive

My computer has crashed, can't get in to do anything. Have partitioned the harddrive and now need to re-instal XP. So for the moment no pics since the phone software is on the other machine. Could borrow Hilaries camera I suppose.
Intro week was fine and the Raudbua path is much improved (pics to follow). The "wine cellar" is apparentlly full of bottles ans it's not only wine. This is a huge step, never achieved before. Students and staff are still unclear about the details. Some students wanted their booze back last night to drink in the old style "off campus" way. It would be a disaster if this whole thing fell apart on the first weekend. The first party is on the 9th, hold on. The party organised by ex students that John and I went to is often used as an example of how a flekke party should be run (by John and me) so thanks to the group of 4th years who showed the way and lets hope that the first one is like that.
Looks like there are some keen climbers in the first year so that's good news. One of my first year advisees told me he'd been reading my blog all summer, maybe that's why he didn't ask me anything, already knows what I think.
Looking forward to teaching on monday although haven't a clue what I will do yet. If it doesn't rain I'll go to Raudbua today, found out on wednesday that my final project isn't that hard, should be in the bag this weekend.

First Day at School

Lots of students having their first day, what do I remember about first days at school?
Kindegarten: Ripping my coat in the struggle to get me out of the understairs cupboard where I had hidden in an atempt to avoid going.
Infant school: Swapping jokes with my new best friend in the playground. Suddenly laughing for no reason and saying that I'd thought of a funny joke even though I hadn't.
Secondary school: Just glad I wasn't the kid with the short trousers and the badge sewn on upside down.
University: Why do all the other first year students know each other and it's only me walking around alone. Luckily I had climbing to turn to during these times. Was it because of climbing all the time that I didn't know anyone apart from climbers or without climbing wouldn't I know anybody?

Processes and Blackberries

OK, I got the process wrong. Announcement will be made tomorrow when the first years get here. That seems pretty sensible since they are part of this community too. Met with the group helping with the Raudbua path project, I think they realised what my motivation was. Have spotted some very nice looking blackberries by the road, they are in the potato mans field I'll have to pluck up the courage to ask if I can pick them. Maybe if I give him a Blackberry pie or some jam in return he'd let me have some. On the way to work I pass a hedge with an incredible variety of plants in it including wild hops, elderberries, raspberries, redcurrants and a load more non edible things I'm not interested in. Wonder why there are so many plants in one hedge. Hope I can get out climbing this week.

Parties and Processes

Yesterday was the first Althing of the year and the way students deal with alcohol was discussed, some students tried to also discuss the way staff deal with alcohol but this didn't get very far. Basicaly there are two problems; first there are students who want to drink and second there are students who don't want to be disturbed by the ones who drink. In the past there has been drinking in the rooms, this is illegal and not nice for those in the room who don't want to be around people who are drunk. In the past we have tried a "sensible drinking " arrangement but lets get real (as Tony Macoun would say) we are the Nordic College after all and Nordic culture is not all friluftsliv, folk dance and kringla baking. From the Althing a small group met and finalised some details, this was fed to the Student Council who will report back to the student body in about half an hour. So what's the idea?
It will be made very clear to all students that the time to drink is at off campus parties. These will be put in the calendar so everyone can see when they are and can save their duty free stash for the correct occasion.
All alcohol will be stored in a wine cellar / booze cupboard this will be monitored by a student group. This will be opened before parties to allow students to select their finest wine.
There will be adults present at off campus parties (not the small group ones in cabins) to help out if needed. The role of the adults will be as Natt Ugle (see previous post). The adults will also be present when students return to campus just to make sure noone is disturbed.
So far I have a good feeling about this. I think all sides want it to work. Lets see.

Legal performance enhancement

Was out at Raudbua the other night, actualy spent the whole night there with Ben, Rowan had his friwnds round all night playing computer games so I took Ben away. Met Cato there for a bouldering session and completed two of my projects. The effect of an audience on performance should never be underestimated. I wonder if anyone has ever quantified this, world record with and without audience for example. In sportclimbing it's not such a problem because you always have the person holding the rope to perform infront of but bouldering is often done alone. I suppose half the students are back now but I haven't seen one yet, later today there is a satff and student meeting, we call these meetings "Althing" after an Icelandic gathering from the viking times. It's part of the democratic process by which changes at the college take place, lets see what happens.

Hugs

Almost time for the students to start arriving and the hugging to start. It's something I've never been comfortable with partly cultural mostly personal. It's not a big deal, just uncomfortable. I don't know if it's a uwc thing or an international youth thing but when ever the students arrive back from a trip they always hug each other and if I am in the target area I get hugged too. It's fine when it's someone that you know but often it will be people that I've never spoken to and don't even know the name of. Here is a common scenario; I'm standing with three other staff/students, student x (who is well known to the people I am with) comes along and starts hugging the others but forgets to stop when they get to me, a person who they have hardly seen before. The Hug only happens the first time you meet someone, so if I am in the same situation and someone I have met and hugged already comes along , all the others get a hug and I don't. This also feels awkward as the others give me that look as if to say, "well you're not very popular" so to counteract this I will make some sort of noise translated to mean "yes we met earlier today no need to hug again" followed by a hand on the shoulder or something. When the first years arrive things get worse, suddenly I become best mate to all second years. Second year walks past with three first years "Hi Chris how were the holidays, do some good climbs?" "Yeah hi, who are you?"
I quite like these few days with loads of friends.
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Clogs

More meetings and things seem to be moving in the right direction, will be interesting when the students come back to see how some of the ideas are received. Blogs came up as a replacement for the CAS diary (A Clog perhaps) was surprised how few people knew I had a blog, it's not that difficult to find. If blogs are going to be used as a way for students to reflect on their daily life then some people will have to get used to reading things that they don't like reading. If you ask someone to write down their honest thoughts and feelings then sometimes you might not like what you read. I wonder how long it will take before someone is asked to remove something. Have started running with Rowan, was surprised that I could still do it after 8 years with not every day being exactly condusive to honing the running skills if you see what I mean.
I always have a strange feeling the day after doing a really hard climb, I have this internal excitement that no one knows about, a sort of smug satisfaction that I have done something really good, like doing something a bit naughty that you can't talk about. No point in trying to tell anyone they wouldn't understand anyway. I register all my routes on a website (8a.nu) so at least my climbing friends will know.

Vesle Daniel

I did my project, the plan worked. Boulder for two weeks to increase power and try again. It's very powerful and dynamic. The exploding powerhouse is back! Vesle Daniel 8a.
I have written quite a few posts about the role of the advisor and today the staff discussed this topic. One suggestion was to have a fixed hourly meeting each week, I must admit I'm not keen on that one. I agree that there should be more possible contact time (for those who need it) but why put it all at the same time. I prefer a less rigid solution that all advisors select their own time. I would personally like to spend an hour or so down in the village maybe visit a room if invited (hint hint). Problem is that as soon as visiting rooms is mentioned some people think of checking up on students, I honestly don't. I just think it might be good to make myself more available and also see a bit more of the student life down there. Replacing the college meeting with an advisor slot was also mentioned (by me). I reckon it would be more efficient dissemination of info. if all advisors got a bulletin that they could go through. It would mean people would have to be a bit more organised though (Might be a good way to make that happen). In the afternoon we talked about this pedagogic platform thing, it's the ideological basis of everything we do here. We also had some small group work trying to come up with some projects to promote cooperative learning. I'm not sure about pushing this team building thing, the satff here is a strong set of individual performers,why should we work as a team when we aren't playing a team game. I'd rather look at the strengths of the group and see how we can make the most of them.

Staff Meetings

I'm not going to post all the details here but we've made a start to the year and have actualy being trying to get down to some nitty gritty although haven't actualy resolved anything yet. Main issue of the morning was how to increase the contact time between advisor and student. Several suggestions, no decisions. This afternoon it's the "pedagogic platform". Not sure what that is but maybe I'll know after the meeting. Hopefully it won't go on to long because I've arranged to go climbing at 16:30. Raubua of course but this time with a rope. Going to try the project, hopefully the last two weeks intense bouldering will have given me the increased power necessary, we'll see. Going to see if I can get all my advisees to start blogs this year, that way I can follow what they are doing and they won't have to do a CAS diary. I'll still meet them as before of course.

Deep Mountaineering

When people ask where I have been this summer they may think the answer is a bit sad. I've basically been to Raudbua, to be more precise I've been to a boulder at Raudbua. In fact I've spent a lot of the past week on one bit of a boulder, actualy one hold. (see chalk marks in photo) This hold has been brushed to perfection, studied from every angle and eventualy used to create a three star problem that may never be done again. Why? As a physics teacher I never answer the question why, maybe the question "what for" is more appropriate, however I can't answer that one either. Arne Næss talks about "Deep Ecology". Taking a small piece of earth and looking deeply into it. He believes that you don't need to look at breathtaking views and glowing orange sunsets to be able to appreciate the environment. I think bouldering is like "deep mountaineering". In visiting Raudbua boulder I believe I am experiencing something like that experienced by mountaineers in the Himalayas but in a condensed version. It is also very much to do with finding this thing in nature and making a lot of effort to physically connect with it. I wouldn't say that I am "at one with the stone" but we do have some connection and it has taking a lot of effort to make it.
Just found this about deep ecology in an Introduction to deep ecology by Michael Zimmerman; "The second component of deep ecology is what Arnie Naess calls the need for human self-realization. Instead of identifying with our egos or our immediate families, we would learn to identify with trees and animals and plants (or rocks), indeed the whole ecosphere."
Well, well.

GM

Hilary pointed out these horrendous caterpillars in our Garden, they were working as a team eating their way along a branch stripping it of all it's leaves. I wonder if they could be genetically modified to eat paint, they could then be used to strip old paint from the walls of houses. May be difficult to confine them to only the houses that needed stripping though. Great for paint manufactures. Then we'd need bug number two that repaints the house. Earlier in the summer I found an even worse lavae that was boring into a large piece of wood. Too frightening to photograph. Spent the night at Raudbua with Ben, saw an Eagle when we got up, it must have been roosting on the cliff.

Last of the Mokringlas

Didn't go surfing but did have a good bouldering session, can feel the difference now it's a few degrees cooler. Should try the project on the Raudbua roof soon, feeling strong. Hit my shin trying one project, I'll have to borrow one of Rowan's shin pads for my next attempt. He won't be needing them now he's given up football. Trouble with the football scene is that if you aren't quite good enough to make the first team then you end up driving miles to get to a match then sitting on the bench for an hour and a half. The trainers have one thing in focus - to win - nothing else matters. Had a phone call late the other night from Are Morten, he is keen to set up 3 or 4 dates for theme dinner evenings at Lillingstonheim. Will be a good start to my new career. have been watching "master chef goes large". Competitors try to impress judges to get a job in a top restaurant. Seems a bit of a strange competition, they are all middle aged people looking for a shortcut to a new life. Can't see how you can sudenly become a chef without all the training. Will hopefully be making my last batch of Kringla today.

Holidays not over yet

That's a nice way of saying the holiday is nearly over. The spiders have all gone, they've retreated to the trees where they are sitting in their nests. I never realised how short the web season was. International Sheep Rescue just got another call, going to have a look on friday. May go surfing today, surf forecast is quite good. Went to Raudbua yesterday evening, did a direct start to Salvador. Hilary and the kids now back home, Ben went wild when they arrived as usual, wonder how he'll be when Jelena gets back. Students don't get back for another week but meetings start on monday, hopefully tackle some of the issues from last term, wonder if alcohol and parties will get a mention. After contacting the IB about 10 of the exam grades went up so that was good news.

Wallpaper

Well, two posts in one day! Just thought that those of you who are used to seeing my desktop projected onto the clasroom wall might like to know that I have changed my background. It's a piece of the boulder at Raudbua. Wonder what sort of rock it is? The chalky hold is the first hold on salvador Dale.

Spiders

So we have had infestations of midges, horse flies and now spiders. Seems logical really that the peak in the spider population should follow the flying insect population. Problem with spiders is they make webs across all the paths, when I walk to Raudbua I have to walk through hundreds. It seems such a shame to ruin all the spiders hard work so I try to duck under or walk around but such is the construction that even if you just catch one thread the whole lot folds sending the spider running for the nearest tree. There is one particular one that is there everyday,I tried to photograph it but realised that it needs not only a low sun but the web needs to be covered in water droplets. One morning, after a shower they were showing up great but I forgot the telephone. I think I'll have to cheat with a water spray. I tried to avoid one particularly fine web yesterday but caught it by mistake, as the web folded I actualy said sorry. I guess the spider won't have understood but will have probably realised I was one of those polite Englishmen.
Have been continuing my Raudbua campaign. Got all the neighbours talking when I started carrying sacks full of wood chippings out to the boulder. I was using it to make a nice landing. Thinking of making a sort of guttering so that water doesn't drain down the rock. Have completetd three more problems but am working on three hard projects. The one next to Salvador Dale is called the Dale Lama.
By the way, the library is coming on well.

International Sheep Rescue

Yesterday evening I had several phone calls regarding a sheep that was trapped on a ledge somewhere up a mountain. Since everyone knows about my rock climbing habit I sometimes get calls like this and as a responsible member of the community feel the duty to respond. Actualy this is one of those rare opportunities when I don't feel like the helpless foreign idiot and can actually use my skills to help someone. So early this morning I got picked up by the owner of the sheep in question and was driven up into the hills. After an hour and a half walking there it was stood on a ledge to the left of a gulley. It's offspring was also there, on the other side of the gulley, the two could not reach each other. If the lamb had any sense (they don't generally) it could have walked off to the left and walked round to meet it's mum. Anyway I set off climbing up vertical grass, slippy loose rock and mossy ledges to fix a rope to a bush/tree above the sheep. The idea was to abseil between mum and child and force each to go down in different directions. As I was fixing the rope the lamb made my job easier by trying to run across a vertical wall, as anyone who has tried this will testify it's not possible (even though Tony Hawks does it on X Box). Unfortunately the lamb died, I felt quite upset about it, seemed such a shame. Strange really since if saved the lamb would have been sent to the slaughter house. At least then it would have been eaten. Probably being eaten by Eagles right now. Anyway to cut a long story short after a bit of swinging on the end of the rope managed to lower mum to safety. I guess she wasn't so happy about Larry though.