Popular Posts

Sunday, 28 July 2013

Cheers South Africa - Howzit Norway!

Add caption

Okay - who the hell travels to Norway twice in one year? What the hek could be that great here to make me come back besides huge mountains, fjords and strawberries?

Saying good bye is never easy... It's as if you are asking for the change to enter your life. It is the kind of change you dream and seek of; you are not ready for it, but desire to have it every day. I am in the midst of that change; and within that, I still feel a certain amount of uncertainty and very little satisfaction. The aching I have had in my heart has not gone away since I have left; instead it has grown into something with a massive amount of depth.
How can I expect change, if I cannot change my own ways?

Scott and I at the airport

Weslee and I at the airport - drugged on tranquilizers   - LOL!
So Norway we meet again.

Walking along Mjosa fjord - 10pm at night
It is odd to sleep when the sun is up ‘til midnight... It's odd to walk in the streets after dark without fear of any kind... Odd to feel safe, carefree and 'happy'
Coming back to Norway a second time has made me long for home like I have never before. It must be the language - the ambiance, the smell or weather? Feeling homesick is literally like feeling ill, my tummy is in a constant knot and I feel like I could punch anyone who comes near me! Maybe I feel fury towards the contrast of our lands. I had this conception that people around here have very little knowledge of suffering... Or do they?

Yesterday, I happened to stumble upon a few young Norwegians having a drink in the park. They reminded me of myself a few years ago; the one girl had scars all the way up her arms from mutilating herself... I felt confused, why would someone mutilate themselves in a place where everything seems so simple? My only answer is: the human condition.
Are we ever truly happy in this life - we tend to look for suffering, a reason to punish ourselves. For example drugs are pleasure with terrible consequences - the type of consequences we are fully aware of.

But enough about my yapping on the social observations and comparisons I have made thus far. I would easily say I have had a wonderful time in Norway. People are friendly, much friendlier than what I had expected. They are curious, and each of them has an interesting fact to share in conversation. This must be a Nordic charm that they all have in common.

May + Bjorn Erik
Seeing Kim-Erik and his family again has been delightful. When spending time together it is as if the time had never even passed. They have all been kind and helpful... I wonder if I will have the opportunity to pass the hospitality and love to them too one day.
Norwegian food is delicious, I eat two ice creams at a time, the summer is hot, and Norwegians all take the time to sit outside and soak up the sunshine, they swim and laugh at the simplest things, making everyday a pleasure.
I find it odd that Norwegians are so cautious with everything, when driving, walking or locking up their homes, naturally you would think in the safest part of the world, those things wouldn’t be a concern... Maybe that is why we have problems in South Africa, people are too carefree...

Everything in Norway closes early, and if not closed it is really quiet. There are no real ques leading to tellers, or waiting to be seated at a dinner table.
There are no maids or gardeners around here, and having one is seen to be lazy. We are spoilt in South Africa, all the services that are offered to us in order to enhance job creation for our population. This is unnecessary in Norway since the government give a grant to those whom are unemployed, and the population that are employed earn quite decent salaries.

The Norwegians I have befriended are obsessive over gaming. I am a gamer myself, but because there are so many ways to stimulate ourselves back home, it is not the be all and end all after hours. I find this somewhat frustrating, but if all the stores close early, and you live in a small town, I guess this is all you really need to do?? This is one major reason I could never relocate to Norway.


Something else I find quite odd about Norway is the fashion and trends in store. Many of our merchandise are brilliantly marketed in SA... Millions are spent on selling a product, either they are sold through tons of research or are politically and racially branded. With the rich history of Norway, I would’ve have believed that the marketing would have been cultivated via this stepping stone. Seems I would have been wrong, Norwegians do not linger on the past.

What else about Norway... Hmm. I love how people behind the counters talk to me in Norwegian and I respond in English. Their faces are priceless, maybe its because they cannot identify where I am from with my unusual accent.
Norwegians spend a lot of time together - socially. I struggle with this because I am quite a loner - I am sitting in a room alone typing this while others sit downstairs chatting. I think coming from South Africa, we isolate ourselves more than usual, unless that could only be me? I am aware that I am a little awkward in social situations.

There is quite a sense of equality in Norway, this would be the perfect South Africa, I don’t know how I feel about this. I guess this reassures that as a South African nation we are far from ready for change. South Africans are far too rebellious, and untameable, we question everything, and find fault in any decision made in a higher power.

As any country, there is this social blob that affects us all - America. Listening to the radio, fashion & television all have that odd influence. I suppose this influence helps me feel a little more comfortable here and in some cases easily relatable.
Maybe my next blog will be a little more positive. I only have this opportunity once in my life. I need to start embracing it a little more and stop worrying about home and punishing myself for the circumstances and outcomes of events back in South Africa.


What will happen to me after three months time?

No comments:

Post a Comment