The new term starts

2018-10-16T09:34:01+01:00August 26th, 2013|

After the long summer break, the new term has begun.

The Summer Course was nearing the end of its 3-week programme at the College when second-years arrived in Oslo on 17th August for ‘Oslo Day’. Accommodation was generously provided by Berg videregånde skole, guides to take small groups of second-years around the city were arranged by the Norwegian National Committee, and a museum tour and food were given by Marianne Andresen. We were also very fortunate that Kåre Willoch, a former Prime Minister of Norway, took a group of students on a tour of the parliament buildings. Many thanks to all these for their generosity and kindness.

Former Norwegian Prime Minister Kare Willoch giving students a tour of the parliament buildings

Kare Willoch, former Norwegian Prime Minister, gave a tour of the parliament to the second-year students

Returning to the College the students prepared for the arrival of their first-years. Simon Walker, a visiting speaker who had been giving workshops to staff, delivered a very well-received talk to the assmbled second-years about the challenges and opportunities that the coming year will bring and about the guiding role that they will have in helping the first-years adjust to life here.

That same night, with much whooping and hollering, the second-years greeted the first-year buses as they arrived in the early morning of the 20th August. It must have been very exciting and slightly terrifying!

Once here, after a few hours sleep, all students and staff were welcomed by Larry in the Auditorium. He gave an address that reminded us all to take care of each other – of the importance of compassion, conversation and companionship as we live, study and work together at the College. Read his address here.

The activities of Introduction Week began on Wednesday 21st: being taken on a tour of the campus with their new roommates; finalising academic subjects; having photographs taken for student cards; meeting with Advisors and House Intro WeekMentors; being introduced to the Leirskule activities they will be involved with during their time at the College (archery, canoeing, climbing, cultural sharing and more). The weather was kind for much of the week, and the sun shone as students played ‘getting-to’know-you’ games, particpated in inter-house competitions – including the inaugural football competition on the newly-completed Ballrink between student houses, staff from the College and Haugland Rehabilitation Centre.

Classes will begin on Wednesday 28th. We are all looking forward to the year ahead.

See a slideshow of images from the week

Summer Course 2013

2018-10-16T09:34:01+01:00August 25th, 2013|

The 2013 summer course got off to a great start at the end of July, with the arrival of the 16 students from Latin America, the Middle East, Asia/Pacific, and Africa. Two English language teachers, RCN alumna Madeleine Benishek and RCN teacher Peter Wilson were ably supported by a team of volunteers who led extracurricular activities including sports, fishing, cooking, and hiking. We also had eight Norwegian Fredskorpset volunteers who were given hands-on training and teaching practice under Pete’s experienced eye, training for their assignments in Tanzania and Thailand. They did a great job in setting the tone for the whole course – a mixture of serious learning and fun.

Students, volunteers and teacher Peter Wilson in the classroom

In the classroom – students, FK volunteers and teacher Peter Wilson

Madeleine, coming to the end of the 3-week course wrote:

As a newcomer to the summer course I did not know what to expect when I arrived at RCN to teach students from thirteen different countries, from Thailand to Colombia to Angola. After a week of planning the students arrived and names on a page became faces and personalities. Despite arriving in a completely new setting and encountering a tremendous linguistic challenges the students jumped wholeheartedly into activities, games and classes.

On typical days the students had intensive English classes from 8.15 to 12.15, followed by lunch and afternoon activities including hiking, canoeing, drawing, football and even a campus-wide scavenger hunt (culminating in an improvised sun dance!). The evenings were filled with group activities such as a campfire, karaoke, movies and even a night of Norwegian folk dancing. On the weekends the students enjoyed visiting local sites such as a medieval millstone quarry and a glacier museum.

Fun and getting-to-know-you games

Fun and games on the Summer Course

Through spending three weeks together, the students have truly come into their own. In the beginning many students were quiet and timid, yet on one of our final evenings together the same students were singing karaoke in front of friends who had only weeks ago been complete strangers. Others were eagerly sharing traditions from their own countries such as a West Saharan tea ceremony or a Chinese folk dance. The summer course students will bring tremendous energy and creativity to intro week and beyond and RCN will be a richer place because of each one of them.

A special thanks go to our team of volunteers: Robin Tyne, UK (UWC Adriatic 10-12), Clara Mareschal, Belgium (UWC Adriatic 10-12), Jesper Bak-Christensen, Denmark (UWCRCN 08-10) and Kirsten Fix (USA) with current RCN students Edwin Gonzalez, Suwanna Mabangklu and Mahfoud Bouad.

 

New Ballrink – Let the games begin!

2013-10-09T05:08:34+01:00August 24th, 2013|

Boots were polished, kit was cleaned and the sun shone down on the eight teams who took part in the inaugural five-a-side football tournament on our newly-completed ballrink on Saturday 24th August. Each student house fielded a team as did the education staff, support staff and Haugland Rehabilitation Centre. Referees were impartial, play was fair, skills were mixed, there were spectacular goals – scored to rounds of cheers from the spectators – and no serious injuries! All in all, a great success.

The overall winners of the hard-fought tournament were Iceland House with the only goal in the final being scored by Mario Midence from Honduras. Congratulations to all the players and to the organisers, referees and the refreshment crew. We look forward to other tournaments. Inter-IB Subject teams perhaps?

The students and staff are delighted to have this resource that will be used for play and exercise all year round.

The College would like to formally thank:

  • Ingborg Opdøl Tysnes, Fjaler Kommune, for all help with applications for “Spelemidlar”
  • Harald Berg, and the team at Scansis, for their practical help in all stages
  • Sparebankstifitinga Fjaler, for supporting the initiative
  • Marianne Andresen, for her generous contributions
  • The alumni of 2000 – 2001 for their support.

Surprise Visit

2018-10-16T09:34:02+01:00August 22nd, 2013|

Cycling south after a good nights sleep at the College

Having stayed a night, cycling south. Good luck!

Three recently-graduated UWC Mahindra alumni from Norway – Ulrika, Liv Artemis and Katarina – pedaled into RCN this week. They have travelled on bicycles from Nordkapp (71 degrees North – 2,200 kilometres north of the College!). They camped at the College overnight and left the following morning on their way to the southern tip of Norway, Lindesnes (only 560 kilometres to go!).

We were impressed with their way of gaining perspective on their return to Norway. They left Flekke on a foggy morning, smiling and laughing, heading into the sun on the way to crossing the Sognefjord. Mahindra Graduates on their way

Thanks for the visit – og god tur!

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