plain and simply norsk.

Soooo I thought I would blog a little about my favorite things and things I like about living here in Norway that we don't have in the US and my favorite things in the US that I'm basically DYING without here ;).

HEI! I LOVE ANDREA SKAFLESTAD <3.>

NORWAY:

-Public Transportation: the buses are literally amazing. They aren't SO expensive & I can get where-ever I want. I don't have to drive anywhere & if the buses aren't running I can just walk because everything is so close.

-Grønn Lime IsTe: one word. Amazing. I LOVE iced tea, but I'm pretty sure this is the best iced tea in the world (minus Arnold Palmers of course;))

-Melkskjokolade: It's basically milk chocolate but BETTER. For those of you who think "Hershey's" is good you are being DECIEVED. I really don't like milk chocolate at home but let me just say that this Norwegian chocolate here is to die for. Its def the culprit for the extra pound-age thats goin' on right now.

-OSTEHØVEL!: Yeah I mean they sell them in the US & I'm sure people use them, but I had NO idea what it was when I came here...I've never used one before now. It's just so...efficient.
-Wearing leggings as pants: So I REALLY love that I can go to school or out in public for that matter in just leggings and a top. I do it in the US too (not to school because that's "against dress code") but I've been told to "PUT PANTS ON!" before or have been asked "Why are you wearing leggings?". Idk the style is just more laid back here.

-Norwegian songs on the radio: Its exciting to hear Norwegian songs on the radio because we don't have them (obviously) in the US.

• HAHAH: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=aqGrgaQsIIE (not norwegian language parsay but she IS Norwegian and I have NEVER heard this song before coming here.)





• Okay now more seriously: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=uVRT2O9L3vk

-Matpakke: I'm really not sure what I'm going to do without it. (Matpakke: an extremely efficient system of packed lunch usually consisting of a couple of bread slices with an assortment of toppings ranging from cheese to leverpostei...for those who don't know what a "matpakke" is.) Seriously, I've learned to live off of bread slices and cheese slices. Two things I don't really eat that much of at home have now become like my two main food sources.

-KANTINA:

-Snow in April! <3<3<3<33<3<3<33<3<33<3<33<3:>

- BREAD: the bread here is like 738273987398273897 times better than it is at home. It just is way more fresh and the taste is just better.. I know that a boy who was a foreign exchange student in my school last year from Norway can vouch for that (HI WILHELM!:))

-Fashion style: I love the way people dress here. It's so different in the way that they dress out compared to how people dress in the US. I feel that people care more about how their appearance is really without that much effort. One major difference is the way the boys look. HERE in Norway they actually maybe even look in the mirror before they walk out the door or dress out a little more. PERSONALLY, I think it's classy and attractive:). As for the girls when I first came into school I felt SO American & somehow my clothes that I had were like 3873987398 times more uncool than what everyone else had on because everyone looked so nice! I feel like Europeans are more "fashionably aware" and it shows in how they are just dressed so much nicer and chic-er than Americans. I love it.;)

-Paradise Hotel: like a "Real World" type TV show except the people are WAY more rediculous in this one. shallow/rediculous/extremelyunintelligent people+paradise+a lot of partying=<3.>

-COMMERCIAL-LESS TV!: Seriously. America has way too many commercials. I love it, there are barely any here.

USA:

-Arnold Palmer: MY SURVIVAL DRINK. seriously, I wish they sold it here in Norway... Half lemonade and half iced tea? genius. (PLUS ALL THE ARIZONA ICED TEA THINGS AS WELL)

-Kirkeland's Trail Mix: SOLD AT COSTCO! BAHH I miss it. Yes, they have trail mix here in Norway but Kirkland has got it down & its HANDS DOWN world's best trail mix.

-Reeses Peanutbutter cups: :( WORLD'S BEST CANDY!

-New York City: favorite city on earth. I'd give anything for one of those spontaneaous New York trips with Momma J and Emmaleah! (mom and sister).

-NO (or rarely) SNOW IN APRIL: yes. not a joke. (okay now I'll stop complaining, its really not THAT bad)

-CHEAP FOOD.

(okay now I'm realizing all of my "items of nostalgia" are all food-items. I promise there is more not-food related things I just can't come up with any RIGHT now. haha)

hello stranger.

HIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII.

Ms. "I'm the world's worst blogger" here again attempting to update you with everything that has happened since the last time I blogged, which is next to IMPOSSIBLE btw. So much has happened as of late that I, myself, am beginning to lose track of the details which could be essential in describing the events in the last month or so :). But here we go...For a shortened version I've been to Paris, party at bada bing (again), went to Oslo (I shopped a little. ONE coffee and some redbull to be completely exact, haha. Its sad. I REALLY can't shop any more.), soccer game in Oslo, had a visit of my host sister who lives in Oslo and her boyfriend, fallen in love with John Mayer (it's official now), found out that the sun DOES exist in Førde ;)(& I LOVE it.), & painted my nails blue (yesterday, in case you were wondering.).

As of my state of being in the current moment. I'm really content; I'm comfortable with my life here and my current state of mind believes that I really am NEVER leaving here. It's a dangerous thought because then I'll just have to break it in about 2 and a half months when I get on the plane "States"-bound. I kinda get really nervous thinking about because I REALLY hate crying in front of people & I'm prettypositively100percent SURE that some tears will be shed, if not buckets full. But anyways, its an inevitable thought that I really won't be able to shake off. On the flip-side, I'm pretty excited to COME home (not GO home, if that makes any sense at all. I'm really excited to Come home but not GO home FROM Førde...yeah.) I miss my family and my friends every day & to be able to be with them again is going to be so great. :) but we're not going to think about that now. Let's live in the moment, shall we? :)

PARIS:

Seriously one of the best trips I have ever been on:). It was a school trip and let me tell you that it was definitely unlike ANY school trip I have ever been on! Once again with the independence of European kids vs. the independence of American kids are two completely different things. American kids are definitely more guarded and supervised than European kids. I don't really know why EXACTLY that is true, but I could relate it to the fact that so much has happened to America in the last century that maybe leads the American people to believe that the world is more bad than good. Is it because we're scared of anything more happening to us? or is it that we're scared to "let go" and instead of interacting with new things and countries in the street below we view them from the balcony at a safe and sometimes un-satisfactory standing point. I don't know.. It's just something I've thought about as I saw the groups of American kids and their tightly packed groups with like 273873987 million parent chaperones plus a teacher vs. our small independent group with two teacher chaperones. Besides going on vacation with my family (vacation with the Joneses is an experience LET ME TELL YOU.), I've never seen so much on a trip before. We saw the Eiffel Tower at least once every single day (of course), experienced tourist-covered landmarks AS WELL as "more local" places. We had a lot of free time to ourselves to do what we wanted to do and see what we wanted to see. We were allowed to go alone in groups of no less than 3 in the daytime and no less than 4 in the night time. It was SO nice to do that and A LOT more relaxing. Our days began with a little touring as an entire group and then after a few hours were we allowed to just go around and shop and see things. so BASICALLY we just overtook Paris ;). nbd...Our group got pretty close too because we were only 9 students and we kinda just all hung out together. To sum THAT up, I had an amazing time with the people on the trip and it was DEFINITELY something to remember:).

BadaBing: whatevaaah. same old same old.

OSLO!: Finally instead of just driving through Oslo, I actually got to legit-ly visit it during Easter Break! To say the least, it's a pretty cool city. Pretty chill, but I wouldn't really call it like a huge city. It's definitely NOT New York or L.A, but it's special in the way that its really unique from any other city in the world. I feel like the Norwegians are really proud of Oslo in it's structure and atmosphere and I thought it was beautiful (minus the BAD WEATHER). There Sanne and I stayed at my host-sister's house for 3 nights :). We also got to see a Soccer game Vålerenga vs. Rosenborg (idk If i spelled that right...) which was kinda fun. The action of the game wasn't SOOO amazing, but it was fun to see a professional soccer game. It made me miss soccer a lot! I want to play again!! We also went shopping like everyday. (I DIDN'T BUY ANYTHING.) partly because I can't and partly because I forgotmy card at home hahaha. ;). silly me. It was nice to spend time with Sanne, my lovelllllly host sistaahhh, even though she's like the weirdest girl in the entire world and I don't ever want to be seen with her ever. oh & Justin Bieber loves me more than Sanne. (totessss kidding.;) luhhyou) Then on the Wednesday of that week we DROVE home with my older host sister, Sabrina (WHO IS PREGNATE BTW. congrats beautiful!) and her boyfriend, Stian (who is cool too). The 8 hours to Førde from Oslo were relaxing (well, for me who was like lazy ass to the MAX in the back seat) and I got to look out the window, which is my FAVE part about car trips in Norway. There is ALWAYS something to see. Anyways they spent Easter with us:), & it was really cozy and relaxing.

MY NORMAL LIFE IN THE LAST FEW WEEKS:

After Easter break we only had 3 days of school. Actually I only had two real school days because Friday there was a writing test for Norwegian Class, and because I don't get a grade in Norwegian, I didn't have it. However I DID have a project due the DAY that classes began again PLUS a math test. The project went suprisingly well and the test I hope went well.

This weekend has been fun:). I went to Jessica's to celebrate a little her 18th bdaaaay (HAPPY BIRTHDAY darling!)! ;) It was reallyreallyreally fun with a lot of dancing and potentially embarassing photos. (you guys are the bestttt:)lurrrvyouu!)

JOHN MAYER IS GOD.

Upcoming events:
-bingen på fredag?
-DENMARK!:)
-Synniva sin BURSDAGGGGGGGGG wowowooooo 18års!

until next time!
loveyou!

SONGS OF THE MOMENT:
-Stop this train by: John Mayer
-Our Own Way by: Klaas (HAHAHAHA.)
-One Love by: Bob Marley
-Only the Good Die Young by: Billy Joel