Back At It

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Wow, it's been a while. 3 years. So the pandemic, huh? That was a real inconvenience. 

In the three years of my absence from this blog, I've written a book. So there's that. It's not published yet. I've been diligently seeking publishing houses and agents to send my manuscript to - 35 since January. I've decided to write another one as well. Might as well while I'm figuring out which direction to take the novel I just completed. The second book will be similar to my blog entries about life in Norway. I've grown more cynical with age and the 11 years I've been living here, so sarcasm presents itself as a coping mechanism. It's a necessity. 

So, yes, I'm still around for those of you who have followed this blog and my strange but wonderful journey managing life in Norway. If you stick around a little longer, you can expect to see a book. Although, I think it will take less than 3 years to complete this time around.

Oh, and I should mention, I'm a Norwegian citizen now. My dual citizenship was granted in 2020. I don't feel Norwegian. Well, maybe a little when I return to the United States. I complained to my husband about a hotel we stayed at using one-time-use disposable cutlery and plates. It's so wasteful! I also miss Norwegian water when I'm in the United States. Also, children's car seats. I trust European children's car seats with proper Iso-fix latches. Those seats aren't going anywhere. However, on days I have a shopping list when I have to run errands and I have to stop at 7 different stores, I think to myself wouldn't it be much easier if such a thing as Target or WalMart existed here? (Spar Kjøp and Europris are not equivalent.) If you can't buy alcohol, tampons, get a tire change, have an eye doctor appointment, and buy your groceries all in one stop, it doesn't count. I still miss having a large variety of food. Just the experience of going into the store and having giant aisles of whatever food you could imagine to choose from is magical. Of course, it's been a while since I've been to the US, I'm in the "daydreaming about American food" stage of homesickness. 

Sometimes I feel like my calling in life is to be a parking lot architect because parking a car here is only for experts and no matter how far away you park from other cars, someone will park over the line right next to your driver's door. The same logic is applied to standing in lines. Something rebellious is in Scandinavian DNA and they cannot form an orderly line when waiting. So maybe I feel a little in between. 

Comments

Anonymous said…
Long time no seen. :-) Sure takes getting used to living in another country. Have you considered self-publishing on Amazon btw?
March 6, 2023 at 1:34 PM
Alicia M said…
It's so great to see you back on the blog! Wow, a lot has happened in three years. Congrats on writing a book—what an accomplishment! I admire your determination to keep pushing forward with the publishing process. I think many of us who have followed your journey can relate to that feeling of being 'in between' cultures. Your observations about Norway versus the U.S. had me laughing out loud, especially about the one-stop shops like Target or Walmart. I’ve lived abroad too, and I completely understand the homesickness for specific foods and the convenience of those big stores.

Also, congrats on your Norwegian citizenship! It's funny how certain habits and preferences change when living abroad for a long time. I loved the bit about the disposable cutlery and children's car seats—that’s when you know you've been 'Norwegianized.' Looking forward to hearing more about your new book project, and I'm sure it'll be just as insightful and witty as your blog posts!


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