My New Norwegian Home

I just have to get this bit of information out of my head and share. I noticed I actually had a difficult time finding things when we were shopping during my trip and I'm not sure how long that will last. I think this is actually odd and it is due to a lifetime of being accustomed to department stores like WalMart, Target, KMart, Mejer, etc. We do have some stores similar to theirs that sell a specific item, but ours are much bigger of course. Stores in Norway are based on the specific items they sell. There's a store named Princess that sells pillows for example. You want a pillow, you go to that store. There's also a store named Kitch'n which of course sells kitchen supplies. I would have thought the opposite, but for whatever reason I found it more difficult to go into a store that specifically sells a product or theme of products than to go into a large department store 100 times bigger. Of course I can't leave this alone without mentioning what all Norwegians...

I can’t help but TRY to stay optimistic and think after the next few months I can finally relax and actually enjoy life. No more of this balancing act. No more watching a movie and thinking “Wow, now I’m going to have to wake up 2 hours earlier so I can work on that research paper.” No more counting hours in the day I have to do things. No more isolating myself during the day or staying up until 3 in the morning to finish things that need to be done. No more reciting information in my head to prepare for a test while at work, in the shower, when eating, etc.  Outside the building I will take language classes. I can't wait!!!   Moving is stressful. Moving to another country is another story. Wedding planning is stressful. Wedding planning while your fiancé is in another country is another story. Being too busy to see family is stressful. Being too busy to see family when you’re 3 months from moving away is another story. Then there’s the fact that I’m optimisticall...

Flying over Iceland.  I am currently on the plane flying back to America (flying over Iceland now to be exact) and there are so many topics I can discuss in this blog about the trip, BUT I think I will save some and write a little at a time so I can have topics to write about aside from wedding planning and the moving process.             I told Arild just the other day that there are many many many more similarities between USA and Norway than there are differences. Aside from the 3 major differences: language, currency and politics; the differences are minor.             I will say that I absolutely love the country! I find the country very quiet, serene and comforting. This trip was great and better than expected. I wasn’t really surprised by any of it aside from how beautiful the scenery is. I was expecting a lot of nature, but wow, it just takes my breath...

Yogurt. Many expat Americans have said this is great stuff and I agree!!! I have a whole lot to say, but sadly, I can't write as fast as I think! The major thing that's been on my mind today is food here in Norway. I remembered Arild telling me earlier in the week that their food expired quickly so he goes to the grocery store usually every 3-4 days. He had a meeting at work this morning, so I was home alone and decided to have a  look in the refrigerator and started reading ingredients on the packages.To my surprise, the ingredients are much MUCH different! Yogurt: whole milk, strawberries, pineapples, etc. Chips: sliced potatoes with skin, peanut oil, salt. That's it! Ketchup: tomato puree, sugar, salt, vinegar, added vitamins A & D. Where is the xyanthium 5? <---- I made that up, but that's just an example of something similar I notice in American ingredients. We don't know what we're eating. We just know Twinkies are delicious and can be preserv...

2 days left until departure and I decided for my initial blog entry I should share my point of view on Norway and the image I have of the place in my head. I'm sure after visiting there and seeing my new home for myself the mental image I have will change. I guess I could also use this time to share any worries, concerns and excitement I have as well! :-) In the reply to Arild's first e-mail, I talked a bit about Kentucky and asked, “I don't know much about Norway. What's it like there?” Now, I could probably write a book (or blog?) about it. What I'm imagining is based on books, pictures, talking to Norwegians as well as American ex-expatriates and watching videos from Americans who have lived or visited there. So my impression is this: it's a long country so the temperatures vary, but for the most part the winters are harsh, long and cold. More so than in Kentucky. The people of Norway generally have a quiet politeness to them, some may view this as cold an...