My regular readers know I’m a networker by heart. Some weeks ago, I got a new Facebook friend from UK. He found me in the Facebook group: ‘Get LinkedIn’. We are both listed at LinkedIn, of course, and soon we became registered as contacts there too. So far nothing extraordinary, as this happens all the time. But then things started to move in a new direction: My new friend Chris had a business trip to Norway and asked if we could meet – just like that – so we had a very nice time getting to know each other over a couple of beers in Oslo:
Taken with my Nokia mobile phone.
Click to enlarge!
Chris is COO at QuickStart Global, an IT Company with a very interesting business approach (click her to see for yourself!). Working in The Norwegian Computer Society sets me in a kind of network hub within Information Technology in Norway and I could give him some tips on how to approach the Norwegian market.
Chris and his family are kind of globe trotters who have lived in Toronto, Canada for 6 years, and recently moved back home to England. He and his wife have talked about moving back though, and then of course I suggested they moved to Norway instead. Why not? He text messaged his wife and she wasn’t exactly negative to the idea. So who knows?
Midsummer in Norway:
You might wonder why I put up this subject in a post like this. Well, it’s because my blog is about the significant four seasons, and we passed a very special milestone this weekend. The time between the 21st and 22nd of June was the ‘longest’ day on the northern part of the globe. In Oslo that means the length of the day was almost 19 hours. As I sit her now around 11PM, it’s still daylight (the sun went down 22:45).
This has been celebrated in Norway for thousands of years; there have been settlements here for more than 10 000 years back. Since they didn’t know the exact time then, the Midsummer Evening (St. Hans) has been celebrated the 23rd of June. This weekend it has been poring rain though, so you didn’t sees as many bonfires as is normal. So if you are interested in more background and old traditions, you’ll have to click here and check my post from last year.
Our Midsummer celebration is very much like our Swedish friends and good neighbors. The captain of our Cyber Cruise, Mrs. Lifecruiser, has posted about it today, so please click to read her ‘Midsummer flower power love’ post!
Now the school season is over and soon Norway is closing down for the summer. Most of us take at least three weeks vacation in July. No wonder we are eager to meet the sun: in December in Oslo, the length of the day is a mere 6 hours.
This was the only post imported without comments, so I transfer myself:
1:That must have been great! What an opportunity. Looks like you had a great time.
CHEERS :P
We’ve been lucky, not so much rain as you have had. I hope it stay so…. Very often we don’t get the rain, it kind of gets worned out beore it reaches the east coast and Stockholm since it’s very often coming here from west and UK.
Well, Fårö has almost always the best weather in Sweden, so we’re lucky to spend the vacation there.
By Captain Lifecruiser, at June 25, 2007 12:44 AM
2:Hey, Great picture, Renny!
Happy Monday morning to you!
By Maribeth, at June 25, 2007 2:36 AM
3:I had a similarly very fast meet-up, Renny, with a blogger from my photoblog whom I met online and then 2 weeks later we actually met each other in Amsterdam and spent several hours getting to know each other. It was wonderful. Since she’s young enough to be my daughter, we felt like we’d be friends for life!
By Ginnie, at June 25, 2007 2:54 AM
4:This is so awesome Renny…oneday, someday me gonna email you and say let’s meet …hmmm…if that oneday come sooner :)
This is wonderful news Renny :)
By Shionge, at June 25, 2007 6:32 AM
5:So, daylight slowly grows longer each day from this point onward in time down-under, while it slowly starts to grow shorter up-over-there. This will be the first ever Australian summer i’m actually looking forward to. It’s making me crave the heat as you northern folks are making it sound so good, even if it’s a sweltering 30C!
I was wondering if the record heat you experienced in norway recently would generate reciprocal “feedback” over here. It actually snowed in Leura on 20th June (very rare occurence). We sadly missed out on the winter-wonderland because we didn’t get any snow at our house. Only got to see the small tufts of it melting at my son’s school. Boo hoo! ;D
By aka R’acquel, at June 25, 2007 9:07 AM
6:The wonders of the net. It is so nice that we cna now manage to meet new people and make friends with them!
By chase, at June 25, 2007 11:58 AM
7:Cheers to new friendships forged through the blog!
By just me, at June 25, 2007 1:11 PM
8:Looks like you had an interesting time there Renny. And you know we are in desperate need of IT professionals in Norway. We even import professional from India. They stay here for up to 12 months – with Norwegian salaries, free lodging and travel.
And Midsummer this year in the Oslo-area. Well, it was not the first time with rain – but this much…. Only a few optimist took the chance to visit the Islands with their boats. Normally we see 1000’s from our Summerhouse. This year a handful. Fires? ha-ha. I think we were the only ones – late at night.
Looking forward to see you both soon.
By TorAa, at June 25, 2007 4:57 PM
9:I have only met one fine English gentleman blogger (he can be found in my blogroll) and it was so much fun!!
There were bonfires in Catalonia the eve of June 24th, they are supposed to keep the bad spirits away :)
and there were fireworks displayed as well.
There is some sailing on my blog today!
By mar, at June 25, 2007 6:57 PM
RennyBA’s answers:
@Captain L: Yea, we had!
Your Midsummer post where great!
@Maribeth: Thanks and happy week to you1
@Ginnie: You know I love to hear that kind of stories – hope you’ll come back to Oslo one day!
@Shionge: Looking forward to that mail my friend!
@aka R’acquel: Wishing you a lovely summer when the sun reach you down under:-)
I feel like the weather is a bit strange, yes:-(
@Chase: Yes and you where the first blogger friend I met remember!
@just me: I agree!
@TorAa: Yea, and Chris works in that field you know!
Midsummer in the Oslo area was just to wet – let’s hope for a more sunny summer – at least when you come and visit!
@mar: Sounds great – I’ll check!
Thanks for the Spanish Midsummer update:-) I’ll check later!
By RennyBA, at June 26, 2007 12:15 AM
10:wow new friend found in blogging world. i seldom comment here coz i’m afraid that you dont understand my english :D but i do visit you.
By scart, at June 26, 2007 2:06 AM
11:That’s great that you met an online friend that you can recruit to Norway if it works out. Y’all look like you’re getting along pretty good.
The beers look awesome! YUM!
I’ve never met an online friend in person. Maybe one day. :)
By Sword Girl, at June 26, 2007 3:35 AM
12:Here’s to summer! The sun here isn’t setting until 9:30 p.m. and is up at 6:00 a.m. We are having sunny days but not much rain. The farmers say we need it!
By Mother of Invention, at June 26, 2007 4:26 AM
13:Sounds like a nice visit!
By Teena, at June 26, 2007 4:29 AM
14:i also have a facebook. hahaha. haaay… i really hope i can claim my free lunch. hehehe.
11pm and you still have sun? wow! and it’s the start of summer there? summer has ended here already. it’s rainy season once again :)
By tin-tin, at June 26, 2007 6:52 AM
15:Its my first time here on your blog, and i love it. so neath and clear, calm ambiance.
and about St. Hans, my cousin live there for two years and she has told me thousands of stories about it and that was really amusing. to have teh ‘sun’ at 11pm is simply amazing. i guess it gathers many tourist around in your country.
have a nice day ahead.
http://www.netherchild.wordpress.com
By lance, at June 26, 2007 1:57 PM
16:Wow. Sunset at 22:45?
So I take it that Oslo is still too south to experience midnight sun? Where could one go to experience it? Do I have to go as north as Tromsoe or not really?
By Linguist-in-Waiting, at June 26, 2007 4:05 PM
17:Now that’s a networking story!
By Desert Diva, at June 26, 2007 7:24 PM
18:facebook is cool but link thingy scares me!
By ShadowFalcon, at June 26, 2007 7:27 PM
19:Meet a blogger friend is a consecration of a beautiful hobby!
I could be I meet Mar in Marseille in july; I’m so happy to have this great perspective!
In France, the “Fête de la Saint-Jean” (feast of St John), traditionally celebrated with bonfires (le feu de la Saint-Jean) that are reminiscent of Midsummer’s pagan rituals, is a catholic festivity in celebration of Saint John the Baptist. It takes place on June 24, on Midsummer day (St John’s day).
In certain French towns, a tall bonfire is built by the inhabitants in order to be lit on St John’s Day. In the Vosges region and in the Southern part of Meurthe-et-Moselle, this huge bonfire is named “chavande”.
The 21 June is also known as the Fête de la Musique.
When I say you that we are swimming in the same cultural bath!
By claudie, at June 27, 2007 2:04 AM
20:Hello Renny!You’re looking great as usual!It’s awesome indeed having sun light til 10 in the evening but only thing that’s bothering me having sunrise at 4 in the morning lol
I’m doing great my friend, only busy with active kiddies so no blog update as of yet;)
Warm regards,che
By CheH, at June 27, 2007 8:30 AM
21:It is great how blogging and internet give us world wide friends.
By Britt-Arnhild, at June 27, 2007 10:16 AM
22:How lovely, dear Renny, to meet a fellow Interneter…(Is there such a word?) I would love to meet you someday but you will have to come here to California…Which ain’t bad! (lol)
When I had ny Birthday in The Cotswolds in 1993…it stayed light until 10pm…! None of us had ever had such a wonderful long day and the celebration went on into the late evening…! And it was just after your Summer Solstice…! Amazing, my dear, AMAZING!
By OldOldLady Of The Hills, at June 27, 2007 7:04 PM
23:Woot! It is great meeting your blogger mates. I just met 10 in Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia and will be going for another in 2 week’s time.
:)
Would love to meet you in Oslo too. I want to taste your missus wonderful cooking. mmm……
By eastcoastlife, at June 28, 2007 2:58 AM
24:The networking power of the blogosphere continues to amaze me. It’s been less than a year since I began my blog and I have already made quite a few contacts, and have been able to provide help regarding India & IT to a couple of them as well.
Norway fascinates me! Didn’t know much before I began reading your blog and another photoblog (http://blog.thomaslaupstad.com/)
By Shantanu, at June 28, 2007 6:31 AM