An Englishman in the Kindergarten

SOGN AVIS 14.10.02 Oddrun Midtbø

It was first when I met Norwegians abroad, that I thought they were nice, says Thomas James, who after that – gave Norway a new chance. Now he’s enjoying himself as a hybel-liver in Sogndal, working in the kindergarten in Hafslo.

- Foreign youths make Norwegian youths look upon their own homeplace and situation with new eyes. A very useful experience, claims the man behind the international youth work in the county, Roger Kløvtveit.

18 years old Thomas James from Wales might be taken as a tough hooligan at first glance, but after a short conversation with this young boy I realise that it’s not how it is. Dressed in the supporter shirt of Sogndal Footballclub, he tells us about his experiences with Norway and Norwegians.

- First time I was in Norway was in 1999, in connection with a youth exchange program. I didn’t like the country at all, the weather was bad, the food was very special, and it was not easy to get in contact with the local inhabitants. I couldn’t wait to get back home. Home for me, is a city with about 50 000 people, close to Cardiff.

Nicer abroad?

The year after, I met many nice Norwegians from the HAFS-region – at a youth exchange in Estonia. They were nice, and I decided to give Norway a second chance. I am glad I did. I’ve been back here several times, and I like it very much, says the English youth in bad Norwegian. His English friends – and eventually – his Norwegian ones, has difficulties understanding how Norway can be of any interest. But Thomas lists up lots of positive results he has achieved after settling down in Sogn & Fjordane.

I’ve got a lot of new friends, useful contacts and experiences, it has increased my appetite for travelling, and last but not least – a bettered ability to take responsibility for my own life. Even though Wales is not far away, is the nature completely different here, with mountains and lots of fish, says Thomas, who is not homesick any longer.

He works as a volunteer, a volunteer in Gamlestova Barnehage (Gamlestova Kindergarten) in Hafslo and lives together with Norwegian students in a hybelhouse in Sogndal. He often spends weekends at United World College in Fjaler, or in Askvoll. He is studying local history at the Høgskulen i Sogn & Fjordane, and; he is very satisfied with his present life.

A problem for me who wants to learn Norwegian, is that most Norwegians know English very well, and wants to use their English when they’re talking with me.

It’s different with those he meets at daytime; the kids in the kindergarten do not have any problems with talking, or correcting, Thomas’ Norwegian.

It is practical for me, especially if I want to become a teacher, he says, and tells us some words he would not have been taught if he was studying Norwegian at an ordinary school. Words that leave us with no doubt that he has been tutored by four year olds.

Tom is popular

Wonder what the kindergarten feels about having a foreigner among the children. I phone Gamlestova Barnehage.

Thomas James…?!! Oh, do you mean Tom? asks the department manager, Tordis Ospseter. – Absolutely fabulous! Tom is very popular among the kids, and they have become very interested in English. The oldest kids noticed that he is talking differently, corrects him, and tries to talk English themselves. The smallest ones talk their own

language, but the contact is there, she says

Tom is nice, social, and good with kids, and it’s a great help to be one more adult at the department, free of charge. He’s going to be here for an entire year, and we’ll probably learn a great deal about Wales and English songs in that time, says the department manager and adds that it is very nice to meet such a duty-fulfilling and dedicated youth.

There is no doubt that the kids and the employees will get a special relationship to Wales during the year that Tom is with them.

A new view of their homeplaces

Youths get a new view of their homeplaces when they see and hears how exotic and great foreign youths see it as. They learn to become more open for foreign impulses, and more including, says the leader of the youth exchange program Vesle Daniel, Roger Kløvtveit.

Such work takes time, but Kløvtveit means he can see quick results with youth exchange – especially in work against racism. With a base at the United World College in Fjaler in Sogn & Fjordane, has he sent 18 youths from different parts of the country to different European countries; for a period of six to twelve months.

Just as important as sending youths abroad are the group exchanges where the coast-municipalities of HAFS in Sogn & Fjordane welcomes around 45 European youths who will experience among other things; coast culture, nature, tissing, theatre and climbing, and tying bonds with local youths. So far there has been four such exchanges and the project is financed through the EU system, tells Kløvtveit. He would like to see that more youths and municipalities knew about it, and used it.

All videregåande schools in the county got information, but only one took contact. It is not very encouraging, he says, and wants more attention from both Nordfjord and Sogn.

International competence in a wide aspect, is important for youths who are going to work and live in the districts the following years, says Kløvtveit and claims that the schools have a responsibility to let the students know this. THE HERO: Tom, Tom, see! The kids have got a special relationship to the youth from Wales. And Thomas learns many new things in the meeting with Norwegian culture. Here they are picking cranberries. Picture 2 (Coming soon):


Youth exchanges have many aspects; one thing is that district-youth gets a possibility to see their own homeplaces from a new perspective. What they look upon as boring, foreign youths look upon as exotic and exciting, says project leader Roger Beard Kløvtveit. The city boy Thomas James has made many reflections over Western-Norwegian Villages. Picture 3 (Coming soon):

It wasn’t before I met Norwegians abroad that I wanted to give the country a new chance, says Thomas Fart James. He works as a volunteer in a kindergarten, and can easily recognise details in a work of art at the Kindergartenjubilee in Førde. Words such as ‘suck’ and ‘nappies’ are part of his Norwegian vocabulary.

Translation by: Audun Kjørstad