Brief Norge Review

Needless to say, Norway is gorgeous and I had fun traveling there. (Of course there were some downer moments, but the experience was well worth it.) The best thing would be the art museums, especially Edvard Munch's paintings in Oslo. The Historisk Museum had an impressive collection based on life in the Arctic Circle, but after going to the Pitt Rivers it seems slightly...barren in comparison. Would have no objections about returning there only when I i) get a job and make enough money (because everything in the country is expensive) ii) manage integrate outdoor components into the travel plans (cycling around the fjords would be incredible!)

Though must also add that I'm glad to be back in the U.K. Vacations are fun, but there is also work to be done. And it is nice to return back to the college and meet up with friends before they leave for the summer/permanently for home...not to mention, meeting up with other people to watch the new Harry Potter movie. (And as for the movie, I do have some complaints regarding the way the storyline was altered...but then again I watch for the special effects. And I've rambled enough about it to my friends, so posting about it seems a tad excessive.)

Must say that when you are my age and heard all sorts of shoddy innuendo used by other people in bars/clubs/pubs, the script in that movie did set off a few alarms here and there...and I'm not the only one that thinks that way. They even have a facebook group based on the dialogue...

Vendredi

Yesterday I finally summoned the nerve to take my GRE exam. I know I could have done better, but the score I have right now is above the average and can fulfill the requirement for the grad schools I am interested in. Those exams are bloody expensive, costing 140USD each time, not to mention that the taxi fare from USC to the test centre (and back) totals up to 60USD. That means I have to spend 200USD each time I take the test.

No wonder so many people are put off by grad schools. Even if they do get scholarships and stipends, these other grad school application requirements are very financially draining.

But to celebrate the end of the exam, I decided to go and watch the 5th Harry Potter movie. Alone. Since my acquaintences (they used to be my friends, but they've been demoted since yesterday hahaha) decided they have more important things to do....like get drunk. Anywho, the movie is pretty good, but I must say that if I haven't read the book beforehand some of the scenes would appear very sporadic. Everything went by so quickly, and even Harry's teenage angst seems to have diminished somewhat in the movie. But the good thing about this is: I didn't end up crying my eyes out like I did when I read the book.

Potter, Over

I finished reading the last Harry Potter book. Took me twelve hours, but it was sure worth savouring every single page. No spoilers here, because I'm sure some dear child out there is still plowing through the book, but let's just say I'm sad but very happy.

Now, I must reread the book.