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Friday, November 29, 2013

A Month of Thanks (2)

There are so, so many things to be thankful for every day.  Last year, I posted about one thing every day for the month of November of which I was thankful.  This year, I am posting about 2 things per day that I am thankful for!!

November 1

Halloween
I love holidays, especially ones where you get to dress up.  Even as an adult, dressing in creative costumes is fun!!
Dexter and his victim


Thanksgiving
I also love this holiday.  I am looking forward to it already and it's only the 1st!


November 2

Friends who throw fun parties
Today was my friend's halloween party.  Lots of fun costumes, friends and cocktails on a Saturday night. Lovely (and spooky)!

Candy corn
Need I say more. Yum


November 3

We were hungover today, so it makes sense to be thankful for...

Netflix
Yes, we always look like we are having this much fun when we are watching Netflix

Frozen pizza
A large part of a Norwegian's diet (maybe because they are also hungover quite often)


November 4

Sometimes the quiet farm life needs a little excitement.  So, I am grateful for the things that keep me entertained.

Addicting series
Yes, we have finished Dexter, Breaking Bad, and are now working on Homeland and the Walking Dead (a perfect series for a house up on a dark mountain).


My boyfriends birdwatching hobby
One of my favorite things that happen throughout the day at the farm house is Isra looking out the window at his bird feeder to see if the birds are happy with his newest treats.  Makes my day.
Checking the bird feeder


November 5
Funny kindergartners
It is always funny to listen closely to what kindergartners have to say.  They are brutally honest and never embarrassed to share what's on their mind.  I think my favorite was "Ms. Liz, you have a big bottom".  Well, thank you M.

A quiet house
After a full day with kindergartners, I am so grateful that my house is quiet and childless.

November 6
Rema 1000
They had turkeys today, which means I get to celebrate Thanksgiving this year with a real turkey dinner!


A big freezer
The turkey is big.

November 7
Mom's emails
I miss my mom, and I love her funny emails.  They make me smile every time.

Bogetveit
I can't think of a more beautiful and peaceful place to live.  I am the luckiest to be able to call it home.



November 8
Our kind neighbors
My car is broken and needed to be taken into the shop.  I didn't have jumper cables so we asked our kind neighbor if we could borrow his.


Jumper cables
So I could start my car

November 9
Free firewood
One pack of firewood (about 6-8 logs I think) is about 50kr (9 dollars).  We go through about that much wood in one or 2 cold days.  We have a lot of wood stored up in our barn and don't have to buy it and carry it home.  Thank goodness for that!



My boyfriend who likes to chop and carry the wood
I don't like to do this.


November 10

Skype
I love being able to talk to my nieces and nephew on Skype.  These days, I love it even more that they love skyping with me.


Teacher in service days
Even though I am not getting paid for a day, it is still nice to have a day free.



November 11
My car
I have lived without a car for many weeks.  I forgot how lucky I am to have a car in Norway.  It is not easy here. But it is certainly easier than walking up and down the long, steep hill every day.

The repair shop 
The neighbor recommended a repair shop nearby who was able to fix my car and at a reasonable cost.  I am certainly grateful for both.

November 12
My nephew's imagination
Every day is different with Kaden.  Today, he was looking in his superhero book and decided "Thor" wasn't Thor at all.  He announced this character was ISRA-MAN!! Stunning resemblance.



November 13

Coffee
It was a long day, with many loud children. 


Chocolate
Sometimes it's a coffee AND chocolate kind of day.



November 14
Spanish food
I have learned so much in the last months about tasty Spanish food.  I love everything I've tried so far.


My Spanish man
There are many, many reasons why I love him, and his ability to make a delicious Spanish meal is only one of them.



November 15
Rain gear
I have never seen as much rain as I saw today, and I had to stand outside in it for nearly 2 hours.  Thank goodness for rain gear.

A roof
There is no rain gear strong enough to protect you through the night.  I am grateful I don't ever have to test that point.


November 16
Cooking
My cousin came over today to help me and Grandma make Fårikål (lamb and cabbage).  Grandma was so happy to see us cooking together to make one of her favorite Norwegian recipes.



Grandma
I am grateful for grandma for many reasons, but tonight I was especially grateful she is able to pass on some of her greatest recipes to us.

November 17
Peg tires
Expensive as they may be, they work wonders on a snowy hill.



Sand
For when the peg tires don't work.



November 18
Friendsgiving dinners
It's a bummer not to be home on Thanksgiving, but it is fantastic to have a wonderful group of friends to invite to dinner to celebrate.



A big kitchen
There is no way I could have prepared such a big dinner for 18 people without my big and spacey kitchen.



November 19
Leftover turkey sandwiches
I sometimes wonder if I enjoy the leftover turkey sandwiches more than the actual Thanksgiving dinner.



Bacon
Because leftover turkey sandwiches wouldn't be the same without it.



November 20
Chap stick
Isra might hate it, but I love it. I can't go to sleep without it.



Sunshine
Nothing brings a smile to my face like a little warm sunshine.



November 21
Amazon.com
Because you can find almost anything. For all of those random gifts I like to buy for christmas:)



Christmas shopping
I love buying gifts for people.



November 22
English
My first language.  The reason I have been able to travel and live in other countries, teaching English.



Norwegian's sick days
I make my living working for those who are out sick.  It happens enough that I can still buy groceries and gas.



November 23
Wool
In a place as rainy and wet as Bergen, you must be grateful for wool.



A warm fire
For the time wool won't do the trick, the warm fire certainly helps!



November 24
Cousins
I have so many that I always lose count.  They are a group that feel like brothers and sisters and act like great friends.  My group of cousins are especially unique and I feel so grateful that they are such a big part of my life.



Family support
Even with all my international travels and crazy ideas, I always have support from my family.

November 25
American football "matches"
Staying up late on Sunday nights to watch the Broncos is one of my favorite things. Mostly because Isra loves it so much!



American commercials
I used to hate these, but these days, watching them during the football games makes me happy.

November 26
Phone apps
I found one today that helps me practice spanish.  So, for an hour each way to and from work, I can practice!!



Duolingo
This is the new spanish app.



November 27
Birthdays!!
Today was a co workers birthday and we got cake. Yum.



3 year old honesty
As I walked into school today, late and flustered after running through the rain, a little boy looked up at me and said "Ms. Liz, your hair looks weird today".  I walked a little further into the classroom and a little girl saw me and said (with the biggest smile on her face), "MS. LIZ, are you with us today?!!!".  You never have to wonder if the children are telling the truth.  It's always the truth.



November 28
FAMILY!!!!
Just the best



FRIENDS
Couldn't live without them!


Saturday, November 9, 2013

The "Dark" Side of Bergen Farm Life

The title of this post is quite literal.  Winter is here, and it is DARK.  It is not my first winter in Norway, but it is my first at the farm.  Last year, I thought it was dark in the city, but I had no idea what it could be like in the country.  Here are a few of the new things I have discovered about the Dark winters at the farm so far...

Morning over the mountain (8:00)


1. The Dark Walk
A working weekday...
It's 6:45am.  My car is still broken and I have to be at work at 8:15.  It is pitch black outside and raining sideways.  It's so dark that I have to check my phone again to make sure I set the time correctly.  Yep.  So, it's a 20 minute walk down to the bus, then an hour long ride into work.  The walk down Bogetveit hill is about one km and steep downhill. There are street lights that give just enough light to see the street, but not quite enough to see into the forest that lies on both sides of the street.  There is no telling what is in those trees.  Most days, it is raining and you can hear the creek rushing while walking down. Most mornings, it is scary..but also oddly calming and beautiful.
An evening walk home...
It starts getting dark around 5:30, so most nights after tutoring (around 6:30), it is beyond dark.  Walking up the hill in the dark is the same as going down, except it is a hike, UP hill to the farm.  Man, it feels fantastic to get inside where the fire is burning and the house is warm!

Walking to the bus in the dark morning

The view of the street while walking down the hill


2. Dressing for dark winter
Like I said, most days it is raining, and the Norwegian saying is true "there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothing".  If you can dress properly, you can feel comfortable walking through any amount of rain.   So, to prepare for the rain, I put on rain pants (or snow pants), a wool sweater, a scarf, a warm jacket covered with a rain jacket, my backpack covered with a rain proof bag jacket and of course rain boots.  I haven't figured out how to protect my face from the sideways rain...I think ski goggles might be a little extreme.  You can imagine that this is all very attractive:)
Dressing for a trip into town

This used to be my snowboarding outfit


Dressing for the rain is not the end of it.  You also must prepare for the dark.  REFLEX are well known pieces of your wardrobe in Norway.  They are similar to slap bracelets I used to have as a kid.  There are also cute attachable reflexes (I have an owl and a ghost).  I have a slap reflex on one arm, a hanging owl on my jacket and my ghost on my backpack.  With all of this, any car is sure to spot me while walking down the hill.  In addition to this, I have my flashlight safely tucked away in my bag, in the event of any broken street lights or dark passageways...

My owl relex
My ghost reflex



2. Dark winter weather
Last night I woke up about 5 times.  I couldn't figure out what it was then finally realized it was the LOUD wind and rain banging on my window.  This old house creaks and shakes, and it is not delightful at 2am (and especially not after a scary movie!)  When you look out the window, you can't see anything but darkness.  The light from the inside the house reflects the water dripping down the windows outside.  On a very rainy day, it reminds me of being in one huge car wash.  Sometimes, Isra and I shine the flashlight out the window to see a little better.  On the "bright" side, when there is no rain and you go outside, you can see more stars than I ever knew possible and it is beautiful!



3. Social life
Regardless of how positive a person you are, I think the dark, cold weather makes life a little slower, quieter and darker.  I consider myself to be a very positive person, but I can see the dark making me drowsy and a little lazier.  By 8pm, it has been dark for a few hours already and I always think it is close to bedtime.  It is extremely difficult to get up in the morning and leave the house when it is still dark as night outside.  And getting dressed to go downtown when it feels like you should be getting into bed is not an easy task.
The mix of the hour long trek into downtown and the dark weather make it difficult to be social in the winter months.  I LOVE the feeling of living away from the city in a calm and peaceful place, but it makes it very challenging to be a social butterfly.  I certainly have a hard time making the long trip for a coffee visit or lunch with friends.  Any outing is an adventure, which includes dressing for the weather, a hike, and a 2 hour travel time (round trip).
I won't hesitate in saying that I really hope my car can be repaired so it might get a little easier in the next few dark months...

Looking out the bus window


4. Cozy, dark nights
Koselig (def: cozy) is a very commonly used word in Norwegian, and I think I know why.  The dark weather mixed with the rain/hail/wind/sleet/snow make staying inside cozy all the time.  Add a fireplace, a comfy couch, a blanket, warm socks, a movie and a boyfriend, and you have everything you need to have the perfect definition of cozy.  After a long day of work, nothing feels better than sitting on the couch with all of the above and watching a movie before bed.

Our fireplace

My view almost every night...

Life is an adventure.  I can say without a doubt, every day at the farm is an adventure.  It comes with it's dark side, and can sometimes be a little scary, but in the end is something new, challenging and adventurous.  Come on winter, I'm ready to see what you will bring...