Ten-year-old Tormod Torsvik Stokersen has never been to the Norsk Hostfest in Minot until this year.
Tormod and his mother, Torill Torsvik Stokersen, of Hosteland, a village north of Bergen, Norway, are operating the Norwegian Roots & Travel booth in Reykjavik Hall in the State Fair Center.
Norwegian Roots & Travel is owned by Elisabeth Sleire and Torill Torsvik Stokersen. Sleire could not attend this year so Tormod is helping his mother with the booth.
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Eloise Ogden/MDN • Torill Torsvik Støkersen, left, helps her son, Tormod Torsvik Støkersen, 10, adjust his bunad Wednesday at Norwegian Roots & Travel, in Reykjavik Hall at Norsk Høstfest in Minot.
Sleire and Torill have a number of years of experience in the travel industry. They grew up next door to each other and also are related.
Norwegian Roots & Travel was established in September 2007 and its main purpose is to plan individual or small group vacations to Norway. They will also assist people in finding their roots and finding relatives in Norway.
The Torsvik Stokersens home at Hosteland is north of Bergen, Norway, Torill explained. She said this is her fourth trip to Hostfest.
She said the bunads, or Norwegian folk costumes, that she and her son are wearing at Hostfest are from Masfjorden, a municipality in Norway.
Torill and Tormod arrived in Minot Monday.
"He was so pleased to arrive," his mother said, noting the fields and other scenery they saw on their way here. She said they flew from Norway to Minneapolis and then drove to Minot.
While in Minot, Torill said Tormod, who is in the fifth grade, was scheduled to visit a school class here this week.
"He's learning English," she said. She said the Minot classroom visit will help her son learn English and about American culture.
"Minot is a nice city," Torill said. She said they've been shopping while here. "We've been to Target," she said, noting they've already made a few trips to the store.
They will be leaving Minot on Sunday.
For more information about Norwegian Roots & Travel, visit (www.norwegian-roots.com).