Wow... I am a blogger!
Everyone is doing it... thought I might as well. Finally a place to jot down all of the things I think are funny or annoying about living in Norway.... and life out of the US in in general.
I read so many neat expat blogs... a lot of them are cool college students traveling around Europe/World with their whole lives ahead of them. Been there/done that... (before Al Gore invented the Internet)... I am SOOO jealous. I had diaries... and rolls & rolls of film. Gosh remember the days ? Back when we would have to wait 4 days to get our pictures back only to discover most of your pictures were crap? I LOVE the Internet & digital cameras...
I also love all of the blogs from the expats abroad for a year or two. They cram as much traveling into the time they are abroad.... and enjoy every moment... knowing that it is only a matter of time before they go home.
Then there are those of us... who have married abroad and know that this is now home...FOREVER... totally different feeling.... F O R E V E R.... (maybe I should rename this middle age grumpy mom abroad? ) How sad!
No but really.... I think when you know you are here to stay or at least for a good while, it is very easy to overlook the things that tourists come to see. As I look back it is sad to see how many places I have lived & not taken full advantage of being there... for example Philadelphia... lived there for 4 years (OK, Delaware...but close enough) & never made it the Liberty Bell... Frankfurt, Germany... & really the only thing I can go into great detail about is Sachsen Hausen.. (BARS, BARS, BARS.... granted I was 19 & it was pretty cool). Chicago, Houston, Kansas City, Mannheim, Germany... (Maybe I should call this American Nomad Abroad?) & I missed a lot of really cool stuff... planning the next move.
Now, I live about 5 min. from the "beach" and it amazes me each summer the people I meet that are on Holiday HERE.... HERE? Maybe I need to look through their eyes and see Fredrikstad... as the great Norwegian Tourist destination that it is.... ( I am REALLY trying)
Hmmm... thought for the day... I AM LIVING IN PARADISE... Repeat.
I read so many neat expat blogs... a lot of them are cool college students traveling around Europe/World with their whole lives ahead of them. Been there/done that... (before Al Gore invented the Internet)... I am SOOO jealous. I had diaries... and rolls & rolls of film. Gosh remember the days ? Back when we would have to wait 4 days to get our pictures back only to discover most of your pictures were crap? I LOVE the Internet & digital cameras...
I also love all of the blogs from the expats abroad for a year or two. They cram as much traveling into the time they are abroad.... and enjoy every moment... knowing that it is only a matter of time before they go home.
Then there are those of us... who have married abroad and know that this is now home...FOREVER... totally different feeling.... F O R E V E R.... (maybe I should rename this middle age grumpy mom abroad? ) How sad!
No but really.... I think when you know you are here to stay or at least for a good while, it is very easy to overlook the things that tourists come to see. As I look back it is sad to see how many places I have lived & not taken full advantage of being there... for example Philadelphia... lived there for 4 years (OK, Delaware...but close enough) & never made it the Liberty Bell... Frankfurt, Germany... & really the only thing I can go into great detail about is Sachsen Hausen.. (BARS, BARS, BARS.... granted I was 19 & it was pretty cool). Chicago, Houston, Kansas City, Mannheim, Germany... (Maybe I should call this American Nomad Abroad?) & I missed a lot of really cool stuff... planning the next move.
Now, I live about 5 min. from the "beach" and it amazes me each summer the people I meet that are on Holiday HERE.... HERE? Maybe I need to look through their eyes and see Fredrikstad... as the great Norwegian Tourist destination that it is.... ( I am REALLY trying)
Hmmm... thought for the day... I AM LIVING IN PARADISE... Repeat.
Comments
I lived in Norway for a couple of years w/my Norwegian husband. Thought it would be "forever," but, well, we're back in the States. ;-) We now bring the kids to visit Bestemor & Bestefar and the rest of the family ... tho I'm hoping they come visit us next. With the sorry state of the economy, it's incredibly expensive to travel over there.
Cheers!LOVE YOUR BLOG!
Linda Sue
Lindahoof@comcast.net