Alt for Norge Daily Journal: Day 38 - May 30, 2012 (Episode 6)

Today is a big day! I may be going home today! Have to stay focused!

The previous night, we were informed that our individual challenge was not going to be a physical challenge, so I got up and went for another run. From our excursion two nights ago, we had found an old hitching post that had some papers that showed how to tie four different types of knots. I wasn’t sure if that would be a part of the competition, so I decided to practice and memorize all four knots. As soon as I had those, I headed back for a quick breakfast and a shower.

Prior to our individual challenge, we snapped a photo
with the creators of the show.

Around 10:30, we gathered for the revealing of our competition. We would each have one hour to meet as many locals as we want and gather as many compound words that start with Fiske (Fish). In that same hour, you would use whatever time you want to memorize the words that you’ve gathered. Then, at the end of the hour, you would have to leave all your papers behind, walk up to a board filled with pre-written words that may or may not be combined with Fiske to make an actual Norske compound word. (There were also a lot of blank spaces and a sharpie, in case you wanted to write a word that wasn’t already written.) For every word that you chose or had written that correctly forms a Norske compound word, you would earn a point. However, if you created a word that doesn’t exist, you would lose a point. You would get 15 minutes to form as many words as possible. At the end of the 15 minutes, whichever contestant had the least amount of correct compound words would be heading back home! We drew the order.

After drawing names from a hat, it would be Tara first, then Jessica, myself, finishing with C.J.. Due to this, I would have about 3 hours until it would be my turn, which sucked because we had to all stay in a special room and be constantly supervised, so we wouldn’t talk to each other about the competition or go find words that we could use. I spent most of the time lying on the floor, listening to my iPod. (One interesting thing that happened this week was that we got to meet the show’s creators. Throughout the last couple of days, as well as during today’s wait, we were witness to the two of them in work-mode! Basically, it simply involved the two of them shooting ideas for new TV shows back and forth at each other over a cup of coffee, typically with one of them pacing and the other calmly sitting behind a laptop. Very interesting that this kind of conversation was what began the show of Alt for Norge!)

We all settled in for a long wait and off went Tara. About an hour and a half later, Jessica headed out for her turn. Finally, three hours later, it was my turn. I was very nervous going into this competition, because I knew it was basically a straight memory challenge, something that I don’t consider a strong suit of mine. However, knowing that it wasn’t my strength, I made a plan to spend at least 20 of my 60 allotted minutes working on memorizing the terms I’d collect, instead of using that time to gather more words. I got started.

I ended up running to five different groups of people, four of which were locals that the film crew had asked to help participate in the competition (basically, planted locals) and one was a local mom that I remembered from the bryggefest two nights prior. I was allowed to spend up to five minutes with any group/person I went to. I spent the full five with the first three groups, but not the last two. I had already gathered enough words that it was becoming hard for people to think of more terms, so instead of wasting time waiting for them to think of more, I said goodbye and took off. I ended up going to study with 25 minutes left and memorized (or tried to) the 58 words I had gathered. I immediately ordered everything alphabetically and tried to find different things that would trigger memory of those words. Even with the 25 minutes, it was hard! If I make it through this thing, I need to find some tricks to short term memory for future competitions!

As soon as my time was up, I dropped the papers and headed to the board. I was able to find a lot of words off the board that worked, but a ton that I wasn’t familiar with, so I started writing down the other words I remembered on the blank cards. It ended up being a lot tougher than I thought it would be and the words just wouldn’t come back to me! Eventually, I finished by going back to the board and pulling a couple words that seemed like they would make sense and hoped that it was right. It was a little risky, but I just went for it! Time was up. I did some interviews and felt pretty confident then headed back to the our hangout which is when I noticed Jessica and my confidence was shot!

I came inside after my turn and briefly spoke with her. (We weren’t supposed to talk until after the results, so we had to make it quick.) She mentioned that she needed extra blank cards because she was writing so many words. Immediately, my confidence was shot. Even though my focus was on Tara, I had assumed that she and C.J. would be best in a memory competition like this. That leaves Jessica as the one person that I thought I could beat and if she needed extra blanks and I barely used any of mine, there was no way I was winning this thing.

I spent the next couple of hours hanging out with the rest of the cast and our Mamas while waiting for C.J. to finish his turn. I used my time working on getting myself in a better mood and planning my goodbye speech for when it was announced I was the one going home. However, just as happened with Barbara the episode before, I noticed how down Tara looked. While everyone else was hanging out and having a good time, she was off in a corner sitting by herself and looking like she was having some pretty heavy thoughts. Maybe there’s a chance? You just never know. At around 4:30 p.m., they did the results.

C.J., as expected, finished first with 48 words. We saw that coming. However, what I didn’t see coming was Jessica getting second with 46 words! She’s a much bigger threat and better player than what I originally gave her credit for. I was extra nervous now! It was just Tara and I left. (We filmed this on a pier, so I started envisioning doing a back flip off the pier as soon as they announced I lost! Thought it would make for great TV!) Then, Henriette said that one of us earned 43 points. I had assumed that I was in the mid-30’s somewhere, so it reaffirmed my thoughts that I was going home. Then, Henriette announced that the other person had 42!! One word would separate the person staying and the person going home! (Funny thing, we later discovered that there were two words printed on a machine 20 feet from the board and in clear sight, yet none of us noticed them!) After a brief and agonizing wait, Henriette said, “Congratulations Todd!” I beat Tara by one word! I was so relieved! I get to stay for my birthday! (By the way, interesting note; at this point, we’ve picked up on a “tell” from Henriette. During those long pauses, right before they announce a winner, she’ll spend that time looking back and forth between the teams or at each individual contestant. Jessica and I have noticed that she never looks directly at the winner. In essence, as that time is going on, you don’t want her looking at you, which is exactly what happened as we stood on the pier! She would look at Tara and then look right above my head. Back at Tara, back to something just off my shoulder.)

We all said our goodbyes to Tara and followed it with some interviews. I was flying high! Not only do I get to continue onto another week, but I now get to celebrate my birthday in Norway! Incredible!

After interviews, we went to a spot on some rocks next to the waterside to shoot our closing scene around a campfire and to do the Spirit Award. We started grilling some hot dogs and started talking about the week. Shortly after that, Henriette came in to announce the winner of the Troll. We all assumed it was going to be C.J., since he and Austin were the only ones left who had not won it yet and his general attitude keeps us all upbeat. However, in a surprise move, it was awarded to Jessica for the second time! They’ve never given it to the same person twice in one season. You can see that the crew really feels bad for her, seeing that she has now been on every losing team, but she deserves the Troll, because she keeps a very positive attitude throughout it all.

Snapping a photo with Odd, one of our favorite crew members. He was going
to take some time off after this, so we weren't sure if we would see him again.

After we finished, we headed back to the hotel for dinner and things quickly got crazy! It was our last day of shooting and the cast and crew were ready to cut loose! Everyone had a few extra drinks at dinner and then headed back to one of the crews hotel rooms for an after-party. Austin and I were in rare form and having a great time! We stayed up until 3:00 in the morning, as did most of the crew, and again, it was still bright out! (I know that things aren’t going to change overnight, but it’s just such a weird thing to be looking at your watch and it’s well past midnight, but yet, it’s bright as it would be at noon! Crazy!) It was a lot of fun hanging out with the crew away from “work” and getting to know them better. They’re all some really great people and I hope to stay in touch with many of them as well as see them when I come back to Norway! (Oh yes, we will be coming back!!) Good times, but best of all, my journey continues!

Day 38 Over!!