- That tax is included in prices. Back in August I bought a cheap hair straightener for 300 kr, and paid the cashier with two 200 kr bills when I clearly had another 100 bill in my hand. She looked at me like I was crazy, but it never occurred to me that when it says 300 kr, you actually pay 300 kr. It makes life sooo much easier when you don't have to estimate how much tax will be, and always pay in weird numbers leaving you with awkward amounts of change.
- Subtitles on TV. I've gotten so used to having Norwegian subtitles on English shows and movies, and read them subconsciously even when I understand what they're saying. I was watching a movie a couple weeks ago and the subtitles were partly off the screen, and it felt really uncomfortable not being able to read the Norwegian text, even though the movie was in English.
- Public transportation and having a bus pass: It's so nice to be able to think "hmm I want to go to IKEA" and just get on a bus, transfer to another bus, and get there. The system here is far from perfect, and that particular bus from IKEA was half an hour late. But for my purposes the bus and train system here is amazing.
- Being able to act both foreign and native: Being with other English speakers walking around the tourist shops is so different from being with Norwegians and just waiting at the bus stop. It was so fun to get all the strange looks speaking loud English with Marlies and Annalea while we were hiking, yet it's also amazing to buy a pack of gum at the grocery store and knowing the cashier assumes you're Norwegian. Whenever I talk about speaking English I feel the need to add in "loud", but it's true, English speakers talk way louder. I feel so conspicuous speaking english here, especially on the bus or train.
- Although that doesn't mean it's unusual to hear english; in the center of Bergen it's everywhere now with all the tourists. I was in a curious mood while hanging out with a couple exchange students the other day, and asked several english speakers where they were from. They answered in a a far less excited tone than mine; I guess another person from an english speaking part of the world means nothing to them. I guess I've just been kinda isolated from tourists over the winter? Plus that North America feels so far away after being here so long. It blows my mind that someone can just go to the US for a week and come back, it's like Norway has been mentally drifting further and further away from home since I came.
As usual once I started writing this I forgot all the other things I was going to write, so I'll leave it at that.
Right before I came on exchange, due dates on food were so exciting. I could think "by the time this milk goes outdated, I'll be in NORWAY!!" The same is happening again, but feelings are much more mixed. Of course I want to go home, and I'm excited for that. But it's not easy to build up a new life and then leave it behind again, especially when goodbyes here really could be for good. At least when I came to Norway the goodbyes were only for a year.
It hasn't hit me at all though; that this time next week I'll be in Nelson. That I'll have spent eleven months of my life in another country, and that I'll no longer be an exchange student. So I just keep going through the hugs and goodbyes feeling like they're only for a week. Because the concept of years, and in many cases forever, is way too hard to grasp.
...Thank god for facebook and skype and technology in general!
I could ramble sentimentally on for hours, but I'll spare you guys and give a quick update since I last posted.
The last day of school was Wednesday the 22nd, which was fairly uneventful. I just got back from visiting Noellen one last time in Larvik, where we enjoyed the sun which finally came out, made brownies and pumpkin pie, and went fishing in the ocean with her host family.
Night train both ways equals very little sleep
Found a bag of chocolate chips....for 10 bucks!
Shrimp sandwich picnic for lunch
Fishing in the ocean
I took the night train back on Friday without managing to sleep more than half an hour, came home and slept, then had one last little goodbye party with some friends. We hung out here for the evening, then went out around eleven. I got the most amazing goodbye gifts; brown cheese, earrings, a little troll and chocolate, so perfect! I'm so lucky to have made such amazing friends here! It was a fun night.
Today we had our last Sunday dinner and I got even more gifts...seems a little backwards to me! Taking me in for so long has been plenty of a gift. But they were all so perfect! Cheese slicer, black licorice, more brown cheese which I hope I can get home, and a cute card from Liv. And some amazing knitted mitts from Evelyn!
Did I mention I have an amazing host family?
So that was the last little while here in Norway, 4 days until I leave Bergen, and 5 until I get to North America. So weird to write that down. crazycrazycrazycraaaazyyyy
...I should probably go to bed!
natta <3
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