Hot Hot Heat - Goodnight Goodnight

Because it makes me happy.
And goodnight.

... like...bobbypin

This reality is slowly but surely becoming my reality.
I've realized the past year was a completely different reality. More like a dream. And to try to keep the things and people in my dream alive, while I am living in reality is hard. It is possible, but hard. And believe me, I am trying my hardest.
The very same moment as I think everything is perfect, I can do it all, and I'm on top of the world - I feel the weight of missing everyone and everything in La Crosse. Everything is not perfect, at least not yet. And I can't do it all, at least not by myself. And I am not on top of the world, to quote a-number-of-different-bands, I can feel the weight of the world on my shoulders.
Today I have been home for 2 weeks. Can you believe that? 2 weeks ago I was sitting in the couch next to the girls who has meant the world to me for the last years, and I didn't understand anything of what they were saying or worrying about or thinking. All I could think of was the greater picture: The World. Rotary. Exchange. Peace. Travelling. Helping. La Crosse.
I still float off to this universe sometimes, but not as often as I used to 2 weeks ago. People have been helping me a lot, without thinking about it I think. or maybe not?

There are words in english I cant remember, like mashed potatoes. I had to ask Patrick what the word for mashed potatoes was, because I had completetly forgotten, and then again, there are words from my english that I've taken with me to Norwegian. Like bobbypin!! There is no word for bobbypin in Norwegian, and everytime I say it someone looks at me like what I just said doesn't make sence. Bobbypin. It's a part of my voacublary. In norwegian. Bobbypin.
And realized, which doesn't really fit into the Norwegian language, because we have words like 'realize', just not an exact word for it. So I use it. In norwegian. And it sounds stupid. Realize.

I guess what I'm trying to say is.. Thank you to everyone who supported my choice of going to La Crosse. Thank you to everyone who welcomed me with open arms in La Crosse. Thank you to everyone who took care of me and loved me in La Crosse. Thank you to everyone who cried at the airport when i left La Crosse. Thank yo to my family who were (A bit late) at the airport when I arrived Norway for the first time in 11 months. Thank you to my friends and family who stil lov eme, even though they haven't seen me in what seems like forever. And, thank you now, to everyone who's putting up with me and my... American-life-style.

today's agenda

1. Shower to get rid of the smoke, beer, tent-feeling, bobbypins in my hair that I can't find, grass, and loud music from Malakoff.

2. Eat fresh rolls with fresh raspberryjam. mmMMmmMMm..

3. Walk to Vie and buy grapefruit.

4. Stay in the sun.

5. Be bbboooooorreeeeeedd

Have a nice monday!

Mmmmmmalakoff!

And then, all of a sudden, I've been to a dozen more concerts than I had 3 days ago, I've lost many,many hours of sleep, I've laughed a lot, and I've caught up with people I've missed for 11 months. Yes, I've spent my weekend on a festival. (http://www.malakoff.no/) Not just any festival, but one of the best ones in Norway (??!).
And now I have a really bad cold. And I'm tired. And I've been sitting on the couch for at least 5 hours.
i hope everyone had a great weekend!
PS! notice the heavy backpack!!

Og koffor går det bare dritt på TV på søndaga??!

ooohhh myyy.......... gosh!

So now,

when I think about the last 12 months of my life... I'm jealous.

Of myself.

Of all the people I met.

Of all the people I learned to love.

Of the experiences I got.

And I just want to do it over, sooo bad.

And I woulnd't do a thing different.

St. Patrick

Everybody, it seems to me

Just wants to be, just like you and me

No one wants to be alone at Christmas time

Come January we're frozen inside

Making new resolutions a hundred times

February, won't you be my valentine?

And if our is all that we gave

And we someday, take that away

I'll be alright... If it was just 'till St. Patrick's Day.

Good Riddance, puh. Guess what? I did have the time of my life.

So I find myself in a WiFi zone in Amsterdan, Schippol, to be exact.
When getting ready to go off the plane I heard a family talking in Norwegian, and I immidiately thought that maybe, just meyba, they were going to the same plane as me to Bergen! And as I was approaching them, trying to decide whether or not I should talk to them, I realized they were talking in english. And not Norwegian.
Leaving La Crosse earlyer today (or yesterday actually, I guess) sucked. My suitcases were, together, 23 lbs overweight, and I didn't have to pay for it at all!! Everyone was at the airport, and we just took pictures and did a lot of activities that made the time go by quickly. Then I started walking through the line of Rotary people, host families and friends, and gave every single one of them a hug. And yes, my shoulder was rather wet from tears when I was done hugging. I got my suitcase and my backpack (who are both heavier than me, by the way), and walked through security where tthey gace me klinex. And one would think that I should know after living in the US for a whole year that I know how to use kleenex. (Because every single American has kleenex in every room, every pocket and every purse) But I don't. No one ever taught me, and I haven't been involved in a lot of crying since I got here, so I haven't really attempted opening the kleenex-box. So, anyway, this lady gave me three kleenex, or three sheets of kleenex? And I rolled them all together in my hand, and carefully dried my tears off my cheek with kleenex-balls.

I am not yet sure of how I can describe my year, or all the possible ways it has changed me, but it has made me a bigger person. A lot bigger (physically).
But going home is going to feel nice. And relaxing. I am beyond excited to see my 12, going-on-thirteen brother, and tell him what every sister that has been gone from her babybrother for a year would say: You're so much taller! Hos much have you grown??

I still have almost 3 hours in Amsterdam. And im 18. What fun.
(Just kidding. I have decided I am not even going to go to the bathroom while I'm here cause then I'd have to leave my luggage)
hei pus, love gurthi

322

Naar eg vaakna i dag tidlig satt eg i senga i hvertfall 40 minutt. Og stirra ut i ingenting. Sakte men sikkert gaar det opp for meg at eg har mindre enn 24 timer igjen i La Crosse. Eg er forberedt paa et helvettes spetakkel fra snoerr og taarer paa flyplassen i maaratidlig, men eg skal og innroemme at dess meir tid som gaar, dess meir gleda eg meg til aa komme heim. Det er vel og saann det skal vaere, er det ikkje?
Alt i alt har eg hatt 323 daga i USA. I dag er min 322. dag. Er ikkje det vilt?

Det hoeres saa kjempemasse ut. men tida har gaatt saa vanvittig fort. Eg er hvertfall glad for at eg ikkje satte meg ned aa talte dagane i begynnelsen av aaret, for daa hadde det sett endelaust ut.

Legger ved naaken faa bilder fra "konferansen" den helga her: ROTARY!

District 6250!!

hei pus, love gurthi

reverse culture shock

Saa den helga her, i Grand Rapids, hadde vi uendelige menga med soevn, og eg kan telle timane med soevn eg fikk paa ei haand. Eg hadde den beste room maten i heile verden, og fikk nok en gang, siste gang, vaere med aas ette opp showet som vi jobba med i fleire uker i vinter.
Men det som var hovudfokuset den ehlga her, spesielt for "inbounds", var reverse culture shock. Og eg er 100% sikker paa at eg kommer til aa oppleve reverse culture shock naar eg kommer heim. Og det av den enkle grunn at det aaret her har vert helt fantastisk.
Saa eg tenkteeg skulle gjoere det LITT lettare for meg naar eg kommer heim med aa la daake der heime lese litt om reverse culture shock. INGEN TVANG!
Here it goes:
Experiencing reverse culture shock is extremely common and may include any to all of the following emotions:
• Restlessness, rootlessness
• Reverse homesickness-missing people and places from abroad
• Boredom, insecurity, uncertainty, confusion, frustration
• Need for excessive sleep
• Change in goals or priorities
• Feelings of alienation or withdrawal
• Negativity towards Norwegian behavior
• Feelings of resistance toward family and friends

Reverse Culture Shock (a.k.a. Re-entry Shock, or own culture shock) may take place — returning to one's home culture after growing accustomed to a new one can produce the same effects as described above. This results from the psychosomatic and psychological consequences of the readjustment process to the primary culture. The affected person often finds this more surprising and difficult to deal with than the original culture shock.

No skal eg begynne aa pakke! Ha ein fin uke, oggled deg til eg kommer heim!
hei pus, love gurthi

sommer 2010

Det var til min forskrekkelse eg oppdaga at eg ikkje har oppdatert bloggen min på ei uke, og vel så det. Kanskje to uker til og med?

Unnskyldninga mi er at dei siste dagane her i La Crosse har gått heidundrande fort. Eg har no 12 dagar igjen, og det er helt forferdelig å tenke på. Men jammen har eg hatt det kjekt, sida sist har eg fulgt mamma på flyplassen, flytta tilbake til vertsfamilie nr. 2; nan&Jerry (og Gus), hatt mine to siste rotary møter med La Crosse Down Town Rotary Club, vert i USA's største utendørs vannpakr - Noah's Ark, eg har feira bursdagen min, og sist men ikkje minst har eg blitt dei hellige atten år! Endelig. Eg har tilbragt uendelig mange timer på stranda med gode venner, og det er for tida River Fest i la Crosse, og det minner meg en smule om folkemusikk festivalen.Dei to siste dagane har eg sett en hypnotisør to ganger, spist onion rings og drukke fers lemonade, og neste uke venter time hos en 'phsycic reader'.. Synsk person? Ja, eg fikk et "gavekort" dit til bursdagen av Zach, og det gleder eg meg til! Og gruer meg... litt.

Fleire bilder fra sommer i USA kommer etter 4. Juli. Ha ei fin helg!

hei pus, love gurthi