E: Great hostess during rainy volleyball finish

My Friday to Monday took place on Norway’s west coast, in the cosy, yet rain-drizzling city of Bergen.

The weekend contained more than volleyball, but the voyage was booked to represent OSI’s first men’s team in the very last matches of the season. The ranking tournament was a chance, at least in theory, of capturing the top trophy in the division. Instead we blew it against an opponent we would beat 9 out of 10 times (or more) in the pre-quarter final match. After leading 12-4 in the first game, an injury on the last outside hitter and a very odd starting line up are not reasons good enough to explain how we could lose 2-0. Something in our machinery shut out, and we failed to do anything right. A complete report of the tournament, where we finished seventh (after winning our two matches on Sunday 2-0), can be found here (in Norwegian): Best når det ikke gjelder. I do not care to be reminded of the sad completion and mediocre placement in a season, which started out really well, actually leading the whole thing through most of 2006.

Personally I am content with my own performance, and extremely happy with not feeling pain in my back. The treatment on Monday, the exercises and the bandage all probably contributed, in addition to thanking the Lord.

What I will remember is good times with my wonderful hostess Ingvill Aa. The girl is oddly enough a good friend although I had only met her once before this weekend – in a wedding two years ago (!). I was the best man of Marit, who Ingvill knows through Bible college. We spoke a bit that day, and have been in touch via e-mail ever since. When I mentioned I was coming, she offered me a place to stay. Few other people inspire me so much to reflection, philosophy and deep conversations, and these things endorse much of our communication. The topics ranged from everything to discussion meaning of life to personality analysis. Talking, walking, cooking, attending church and watching a movie was a fun contrast to the volleyball misery what results concern.