It is always hard to predict how a new project will start off. On my first day at work I planned a very casual workshop to meet some of my future colleagues and to make some rough plans for our project. But I did not know the mayor of Almolonga…

The day before the meeting, he called me and said there was going to be some small adjustments to the program. He didn't say exactly what, but of course I agreed. He's the mayor, after all.

It turned out he had invited about a hundred people. Including state officials from the military and educational departments, in addition to a nice little group television, radio and newspaper reporters. And of course everyone of any official importance in the village.

He had the Norwegian flag specially made; he somehow got hold of a cassette with the Norwegian national anthem, and he arranged for the biggest speaker set ever seen in the valley.

Before the meeting I had a total of about 12 days of Spanish classes. I prepared a little speech that contained just about all the words I knew, and a few more. And yes, I got to use every word.

See the movie of the speech and the ceremony (1.6MB, Windows Media Player)
[Movie trouble?]