Hundesport !

Yay. :)

Yesterday, I wrote a short e-mail to an agility club I had found in Bergen. I immediately got a very long, very friendly answer in English and the invitation to come train with them today! And so we went...

Reaching the training ground really gave me the chills. It was almost on top of a mountain. At least if you ask me, a born lowlander. ;) And it had everything I don't like about Norwegian streets: steep, winding, narrow, with tunnels and big holes, and oncoming traffic, with which you have to battle for the right of way... I am starting to get better at this, but I can tell that only now I am beginning to learn how to actually drive a car! Everything before was child's play only! :-D

And then we were there. I was welcomed very warmly. Everybody introduced themselves, spoke English, involved me right away, told me what I could do and how I could help. I have been looked at. Smiled at. Talked to. Asked stuff. And obviously people were complimenting me on my 2 awesome dogs! ;-)

I was so happy! It was fun! And even though the standard of agility wasn't by far as good as in Finland (the places where I have been) - we had to carry all of the obstacles out of a barn onto the field, and some of the equipment was barely sticking together - but I can't wait to go there again! It was everything I have been missing in Finland so very much - this fun of doing together what everybody coming there loves: their dogs and the sport. Together. :-)

I don't know what my foreign colleagues, who "warned me" about the distant behaviour of Norwegians, were used to before they came to Norway. But I don't even expect people to invite me to their homes or to go out with me etc. I understand that everyone has their own busy life... But when you meet for a common hobby, that's when I would like to share my passion with the others. And that has been a problem in Finland for many years in different hobbies - for me anyways. Of course, I have also met friendly Finns, who acknowledged that they have seen and met me before. ;-) But there were so many more, who didn't even say "Hi!"...
Well, as you can tell, this lasting "being invisible" has been eating on me. :) Maybe that's why I am currently also overly enthusiastic about Norwegian hospitality. My perception may be clouded. :) But I know that other foreigners moving from Finland to Norway feel the very same way. So there must be something to it... 

But I shall continue observing the Norwegian lifestyle! I may not be an expert yet... ;-)

Agility training with a view...

 ...and cooling possibility, which may not be needed that often.

But today was a very warm day! :-)

 With Charlie I am taking it easy - I'm afraid he might get back problems again.

But hopefully Stöpselito will discover his agility talent! :)

P.S. One of the trainers told me that she knows a few Finnish words: yksi, kaksi, kolme, and hyllätty! ;-D She's clearly been competing in Finland. :-D