ISFiT Diaries IV - ISFiT Nights

Recollections from the International Students’ Festival in Trondheim 2013

The evenings are kicked with dinner and discussion at NTNU (Norwegian University of Science and Technology). Megha, the veggie, never fails to remind me that the food is ‘spice-less’. I immediately suggest her, “when in Norway, do as the Norwegians do”. She doesn’t appear convinced enough to enjoy eating spice-less food. Also, she prefers walking down to Studentersamfendet, passing by, what is called the Harry Potter Building (Gløshaugen).

Photo credit: Fotogjengen, Samfundet

ISFiT evenings are lively and full of fun. We rock and roll, dance and drink, chill and cheer. Every day, a new DJ hits the stereo, high-volume beats pump adrenaline and I witness electrifying moves, exception applies to D for Danladi who doesn’t D for Dance. Danladi Anagi is a promising Ghanaian. Many dance until they ass is kicked out of Studentersamfendet. Ivana aka Lola, a Croatian with a face piercing, has a loud laugh and a contagious energy, is outside at 4 in the morning when she updates her Facebook status. Is there anyone out there, who can party harder than Ivana?  

The Monkey Cartload
Photo credit: Fotogjengen, Samfundet

Photo credit: Ghislaine Assou

One frosty night, we all walk down to Kristian’s place for what is called a pre-party. And on our way, we drop by a store. I roam around the store, comparing prices of the same things to those in Karachi. Alexandrina, a short haired Moldovan, outspoken, her idiosyncrasy being moving her fingers through her hair as she speaks, comments, “Shopping in Norway is like being in a museum, you can only see things”.  At Kristian place, I had one of my best times. The sitting room, with a Scarface poster, was jam packed with alcohol-drinking monkeys. Chris, a heavy voiced Australian wore a punctured tee shirt. We laughed out our lungs at the mimicries. My favorite mimicry was Hector’s, an Argentinean who wears a cap printed in the South African flag and a very close friend of mine. But there was nothing like Jay’s mimicry, which unleashed a torrent of irrepressible laughter.  

The International Chillout Zone is a a comfortable place to sit and drink and eat and fart, for free. I learned about the Indonesia-East Timor conflict from Rajik, an Indonesian, and a proud sponsor of the Smoker’s corner at the monkey business workshop in association with Alex’s wannabe partner Rafi, a Bangladeshi law student, who keenly questions my views on the creation of Bangladesh.