Gausdal is a small town in Norway. It is famous for its mountains and ideal skiing conditions, making it an ideal tourist hotspot. Many from the neighbouring countries come here to practice their skiing skills. Also, every year, in the month of January, a seminar on human rights is arranged here. So, skiing it was for me as I set forth to represent Pakistan at the human rights conference.
Gusdal is a perfect spot for a good, icy winter vacation. There is a five star hotel, and a ski training school, right in front of it. During my stay there, I was one of the school’s numerous new students.
The road to Gausdal was covered with row after row of snow covered trees. It was as if birds were sitting in the queue after building their nests! Upon arriving, we had supper. It was a bit warmer than expected, minus 10 Celsius! Normally in Gausdal, the temperature is below 20 Celsius. Still, during my journey, I saw a full layer of ice on a river. Immediately after the meal, the organizers handed us copies of the programme, topics and speakers of the forthcoming seminar. A very tiring day was coming to an end.
The next day, I went down for my first skiing lesson. When stepping into a pair of skies, a learner is like a small kid trying to walk. Two sticks in the hands and two tied well around the feet, you have to run on the snow. It is an art, that took me some time to master. On the first day, I fell at least 20 to 25 times. My whole body was aching. At first, it is difficult to stand even with the skis on. Even a little movement of the feet will result in you falling down. The trainers at the school are mostly local farmers, who add to their income from teaching skiing. In Norway, children learn to ski first and walk later! Skiing is not only the country’s national game, it is their passion. The snow here is in larger quantity than in any other Scandinavian country. And Gausdal is one of the better places in Norway to enjoy skiing. People come here for the winter and live here in their personal cabins. In the summers, green grass replaces the snow.
Coming back to skiing, our instructor warned us of our fears, before taking us to a steeper place. Then we started our downward journey. Everyone in our group had an encounter with almost each other, on the thick and good quality snow. I had my fall with a Chinese guy, in such a way that our skies became tangled with our bodies. We were half in the snow. If I put my hands on the snow and tried to stand up, I would sink only deeper. At last, a man from Bangladesh untied us and we were free once again. On another instance, I drowned in the snow so deep that only my neck was visible. I was buried alive! Each and every one of my bones moaned. I felt as if someone had broken my body. Suddenly I saw my tummy. Oh! It had almost receded an inch. I was happy to see this miracle and decided to go for skiing everyday.
The fun was over in the evening, as the conference for human rights started and we got down to discussing the serious matters of life.
Later in the night, and after the conference, we enjoyed a nice hearty dinner and then stepped into the ballroom for some music and dancing. Somebody came and told me that the disco was open that day, and that the entrance was also free. Usually the entry fee in Norwegian discos is 50 kroner. But in Gausdal, the entrance is free. I jumped from the ballroom and went to the disco.
The next day, I again set forth for the hills. Skiing was something I was started to enjoy. However, this time around, I made company with some Pakistanis, who had also come for the conference. We used to be together almost all the time. These people were from different provinces. Thus we spent a lot of time, telling stories, of our provinces, to each other. However these Pakistanis did not attend the seminar and slept during that time!
Norway is home to more than 20,000 Pakistanis. Most of them live in Oslo and are workers, owners of departmental stores, wine shops and restaurants. I found a few educated Pakistanis and enjoyed good company with them during my stay. On that very day, there was news in the papers about Pakistani gangsters in Norway, who were terrorizing local shop-owners. Thank God no one talked to me about incident.
On the last day in Gausdal, an international cultural evening was held where every country had a cultural presentation in the ballroom. The participating delegates sang their folk songs and tapped to their folk dances. The evening really looked like an international gathering as people from China, India, Zambia, Uganda, Bangladesh, Sri Lanka, Nepal, Maldives, Pakistan and, Norway were present. From Pakistan, we were only five people (and all men, no woman). We wondered what to perform. Numerous songs and dances echoed through our head, but they were impossible to perform without practice and rehearsal. And because of the language barrier, we had to perform something which at least a few could understand. Hence I thought, Urdu would be understood by the Indians, Bengalis and Nepalese. We performed a song and a dance, which is very popular to sing at marriages by the friends of groom and bride in Pakistan. Here it is:
Be happy, be happy and be happy! Those who have golden rings in their hands, Those who have green sticks in their hands, Those who have red bride in their arms, Those who drink green and red wine together, Be happy, be happy and, be happy!
All of my friends danced to the song and I joined them in the end. What a pleasant moment it was to sing your land’s song in a foreign land. I remember many events regarding that song. Everybody was wearing his own dress and everybody was looking different, as if this was the way he or she was suppose to be.
Gausdal is a small town in Norway. It is famous for its mountains and ideal skiing conditions, making it an ideal tourist hotspot. Many from the neighbouring countries come here to practice their skiing skills. Also, every year, in the month of January, a seminar on human rights is arranged here. So, skiing it was for me as I set forth to represent Pakistan at the human rights conference.
