Wordly Treasures

The Schools

2010-04-06T18:20:00.000-07:00

No wonder these kids are brainiacs! The amount of schooling they go through is really something else. I have never seen anything like it. All children go through public schools and most families send their children to “Hagwons” which are private schools for extra training. I work in a Hagwon, the class sizes are much smaller than the public schools. Public schools have about 30-35 children per class and the Hagwon’s have about 7-12 kids per class. These Hagwon’s teach the important subjects according to Koreans; Math (being the most important), Science and English. One would think that because it is a private school that they might just attend these classes one or two days a week. But no…they go everyday even Saturday and Sunday. This is a typical schedule for a Korean child.

Elementary students-M-F public school 8:30-4p then the Hagwon from 5p-7p and Saturdays from 9-1.

Middle School students- M-F public school 8:30-4 then the Hagwon 5-10p, Sundays 9-3 and some Saturdays when studying for exams.

High School students- M-F public school 8:30-4 then the Hagwon from 5-11p, Saturday and Sunday’s from 9-1 or 3, I think.

You would think these kids are pushed to the limit, however, the elementary and middle schoolers attend, piano and tae kwon do on top of their schedule! NOW, these kids are pushed to the limits and you can feel it and see it on their faces. They are worn out and stressed. Especially the high schoolers. Anytime, I do an assigment that allows them to be creative and dream a little each one of them says the same thing---they just want a day off.

They do get “winter break” and “summer break” but not really. They get the public school off and still attend the Hagwon—but the Hagwon is full-time during the break. So, really they get no break. Poor kids. When do they play? In between classes and during “dinner” break.

I have read in the “Korean Times” that the education system has been debated for some time now. Some Korean’s think they are pushing there students too much. Will it change? I don’t know, I hear their Preisdent enforces education of this nature. Korean’s feel that because they are such a small country that the only way to be truly powerful is to be exremely intelligent. Intelligent they are.

Sending a child to a Hagwon cost about $200 a month for one kid. And if a family doesn’t send there child, it is highly frowned upon. You see the poor scraping every dollar they can find to send their child to extra schooling.

With all of that being said, South Korea has the highest suicide rate of any “developed” country. Why? Competition (Pressure of being the best), finances, and overworked. When they become adults this sort of thing doesn’t stop, they work all the time hardly taking a day off. No vacation time is given to the Korean teachers where I work.
They are very smart, I do have to say! And most kids are very well behaved. Out of 28 classes I teach each week, which is about 300 kids a week I only have a handful that are truly terrors. So, I can’t complain. A lot of the young ones don’t know any better and are so happy, loving and sweet! Always, yelling and waving “Hello Jodylynn, Nice to meet you Jodylynn”. They are my favorite ones to teach.

These pictures were taken during Halloween.

2010-04-06T18:14:00.000-07:00

Random Christmas decorations in Seoul

2010-01-29T03:40:00.000-08:00

Hotel Room Service

2010-01-29T03:37:00.000-08:00

30,000 won is about $30 USD...exactly, huh? What?

Korean money

2010-01-29T03:34:00.000-08:00

Korean won

Korean Food

2010-01-29T03:25:00.000-08:00

Here is some Korean food! I am not a fan. A lot of meat eaters do like Korean Food...so maybe you would enjoy. But it isn't my thing. So, I head to Seoul every other weekend to get me some good Indian Food! :-)

Anchovies...they put them in EVERYTHING! Even granola bars!

Live crab--they were actually still moving. Being the vegetarians that Steve and I are, we wanted to grab them and quick run to the sea and let them go! :-)

Ginger

Dried octopus anyone? They actually sell very small versions as well at the check out lane at the convenient store.

Pork

They eat silk worms. Yes, they do. This is a pot of good ole' silk worms. They are fat and juicy and are from trees in the mountains. They look horrible, just horrible, like big fat caterpillars. Gross!

My Christmas Gift!

2010-01-18T03:20:00.000-08:00

A hot and sexy hunk of San Diego love! His name is Steve and he is from…you guessed it, San Diego, California. Yes, my Christmas gift was my newfound love. We met on a spiritual website in June of 2009 and have been chatting for six months; he came to visit me in Korea and arrived exactly on Christmas Day! Merry Christmas to us! We had such a great time, and we are very much in love. Isn’t he adorable? I am very happy as you can see! We spent some time in Seoul and visited a Palace, went shopping in Namdaemun Market which is a market where many western foreign goods are sold like; cocoa powder, oatmeal, vitamins, deodorant, chocolate, soups, and cheeses etc. and of course, are at very high prices. They want $15 USD for a regular size oatmeal box. I didn’t need oatmeal that bad! We dined and well...just enjoyed each other. It was so nice and I am very much missing him. He left on January 11th. But....he will be coming back--in May! Makes my heart patter. Three more months and counting.

He took a lot of great pictures, so I will post them soon--in a few weeks!

Namaste,
Jodylynn

2010-01-18T03:19:00.000-08:00

2010-01-18T03:15:00.000-08:00

Alcohol

2009-12-14T06:00:00.000-08:00

Hello all! Times have been very busy here in Korea. I am working a part-time job as well as my full-time job and I am tutoring a woman. So...very busy -thank God, I love teaching English! When Thanksgiving hit, I did become very homesick. I missed the craziness of the holiday season; the baked goods, the food...oh God the FOOD, the gazillion Christmas parties, the Christmas lights, the mounds of snow (no snow here yet), the football game, and the 5:00 a.m. crazy American Black Friday shopping(which I hardly ever attended), the fun "night out" with my girlfriends the day before Thanksgiving....all of these thoughts came tumbling down and caused me much grief. Trust me, Americans know how to do the holidays up! I understand that now and realized that I took for granted all of these things and used to think most of them were quite annoying--not anymore my friends! I long for them and miss them dearly. But with that being said, I am better now and have a special Christmas present arriving on December 25th. I will save that story for January!

So, these Koreans (like any other country) like their alcohol. I am adding this section because it is a big part of their lives just as red wine is to Italians. More so, for Korean men. Koreans drink of the day is "Soju". Which is a Korean rice liquor (a rice vodka w/a hint of ginseng). I am attaching a picture (it is an advertisement). It is served in bottles similar to wine cooler bottles. The drink is to be poured in a pretty shot glass and sipped. (One person per bottle is normal--remember the alcohol content is vodka content...so VERY potent stuff!) And trust me, they drink this stuff by the BOTTLES. Ewww...I drank two bottles one night and well, let's just say I won't touch the stuff again.

Their beer here is nothing special. It is called Cass or Hite and is very similar to Miller Lite. Most restaurants/bars only serve beer and Soju. Beer is about $2.00 USD a bottle and Soju is about $1.50 USD a bottle. You cannot get a mixed drink or a glass of wine at most places. Woes me because I prefer red wine or a martini. I am beginning to think that the whole martini and mixed drink thing--is definitely an American tradition. I have found two places where I can get a mixed drink but it depends on who is waitressing because most of the bartenders do not know how to make the drinks that are on their OWN menu. Now; with that being said...you can buy liquor at most bars/restaurant but you have to buy the ENTIRE bottle. For example, Jack Daniels is $140 USD and Johnny Walker Black Label is $70 USD. You can by wine too at about $80 USD a bottle. Oh and what I did find interesting is that if you buy a bottle and don't finish it, you can give it to the bartender and they will put your name on it and "save" it for you for next time. I thought this was very cool, it gives the place a small town feel which can't be helped as the population in my little village is only 100,000.

If you are with a bunch of Koreans on a Saturday night, it is typical to see a bottle of Jack Daniels, Soju and beer at their table. A Korean teacher, Mr.Sung, told me that he and two others went to America for two weeks to visit and when they were at the bar they asked the bartender for a "bottle of Jack Daniels" (As this is how they drink it)they couldn't believe the bartender's reaction when she said, "Excuse me, the entire bottle? How the hell do you think you are getting home?" They told her by taxi --of course! They got served a bottle with the managers approval!

There is a "how you drink your drink" tradition as well. You are NEVER suppose to pour your own drink. You have a friend watch over your drink and he/she keeps it filled and you keep theirs filled in return.

Unfortunately, you see many Korean men out late or early morning vomiting on the street from too much alcohol. Beware of your step! This is very common and they are not in their 20's...most of these men vomiting are in their late 40's early 50's.

I am attaching photos of my hike up a beautiful mountain (10 minutes from my apartment) called Maroon Valley. The woman with me is the woman I tutor, Peyoung Chi. We have become good friends! Well folks...that is it for now, if you are still reading....stayed tuned next month will be about the schools and the student life and my Christmas present!

Merry Christmas and Happy Holidays...America is very much missed!

2009-12-14T05:02:00.000-08:00

The toilette

2009-10-18T02:24:00.000-07:00

People did warn me before coming to Korea that their toilettes were "different". They do have modern toilettes but in public places, most of the time, they use what are called squat pots. They are sort of like a urnial but on the ground. So you have to REALLY squat. No matter what,I cannot get used to them. I have attached a picture. Not the funnest. People keep telling me I will get used to them, but it has been two months now, and I still don't care for them. And well, if you have to go number two---exactly....don't even go there Jodylynn. I have heard some people say they are more hyegenic. Hmmm.....how can this be, when about 95% of the time, there is no toilette paper, no soap to wash your hands and nothing to dry your hands. I also find it very perplexing that there is always water all over the floor and it hasn't been raining outside. Hmmmm....

Now, with all of that being said, there are places that have extremely high tech toilettes. That do the cleaning for ya! I have attached a picture. As you can see there are many buttons. Well, curious minds wanted to know. One button is to heat the seat...kind of nice. The other squirts water on your hiney and you can even tell it what direction--front or back squirt!!! The last button is the dryer...blows your butt. I was laughing my butt off...pun intended. Most public facilities have squat pots...but there are some that have regular toilettes. If I am out and about...I try to stick to where I know they have the regular ones!

I am also attaching a picture of a button. These are at tables when dining out. When you need the watiress you just ring her! Nice, huh? Also, when dining out the biggest napkin you ever get is a cocktail napkin. Very stange. I went to a pizza place--PIZZA and we got several small cocktail napkins to use to clean up with. I was at a "high end" restaurant today --same thing...several cocktail napkins. Very strange. There are bar/restaurants where the toilette paper for the bathroom is at your table. Just a roll of toilette paper is sitting out by the "bell". They have a hard time with paper prodcuts here, I don't understand why they are not in the bathroom? Most places don't ever have any papertowel to dry your hands. Some places have actual "towels" like cloth towels and bars of soap (if there is any soap). But never liquid soap. Interesting...

Stayed tuned next...alcohol.

Food

2009-09-27T02:03:00.000-07:00

Well I have lost five kilos in one month since I have been here! (what does that tell ya?) There food is very different. You won't find cheese, tortillas, salsa, Mexican anything, they have pasta sauce--but I have yet to find the pasta...ho hum.

Korean's live off of kimchi and rice. Kimchi is a cabbage dish. There are about 200 different varieties. When dining out, you are always served a side of Kimchi. They eat it for breakfast, lunch and dinner but at dinner time it is accompanied with Kimchi soup. I don't eat it--because most of the time they add fish oil to it. They absolutely add fish oil to everything!

They eat a ton of fish, seafood, and veggies here. No wonder why they are so small! Most people have their own gardens. It is very customary to grow your own fruits and vegetables. There are crops everywhere. Even in the city. A tall skyscraper is surrounded by cornfields. There is very little grass here, because even those that have little land use it to its full potential.

One would think that because they eat very clean (meaning foods that are in their most natural state; from the ground) that being a vegetarian would be easy. But dining out and going to visit people, it is not. They use meat and fish in everything and chicken broth or fish broth for their soups. Yes, I cook at home all the time which is fine but they don't have "my staple" food items. Also, I miss dining terribly.

Going to the grocery story is very intersting...not only can't I ready anything but I have seen some vegetables that I haven't seen before. Alot of them are from the sea. I want to experiment; but --have no idea how to cook it. I will have to do some research and get back to you on that.

When getting beers, they serve you sweet pickles and dried corn as you can see from the picture. And of course utentils are chopsticks which I am getting better at! Also some places serve these puff thingys that are terrible, they taste like styrofoam. As you can see from the picture below, some places also serve dried ramon noodles. YUP. They just mix the seasoning mix on them and serve. I am not a big fan.

The last few pictures are of me at a traditional Korean restaurant. You leave your shoes at the door and sit on the floor. There were about eight of us at a rather large table. They were served a HUGE pasta dish with fish (I have never seen this type of fish before and thank God I am a veggie because it didn't look very appetizing as you could still see the "whiskers'....just saying.) Their appetizers were all veggies dishes and about 10 of them...small dishes of different veggies all seasoned differently. Most of them were extremely HOT, SPICY HOT. I was only able to eat about three of the dishes because the rest had fish oil. They did make me a soybean soup and rice....aaahhh... It was good. But I am not a fan of Korean food and am missing American food!! I miss whole wheat and rye bred, torillas, Mexican food, low-fat peanut butter, protein powder, my good healthy version of a pizza, cottage cheese, ricotta cheese, oatmeal, grains in general, beans, pasta, sour cream, good chocolate, baked potatoes, good sweets in general, spray butter and of course Martinis! I am beginning to think that the whole Martini thing is an American thing! Stayed tune, next time --the TOILETTE.

South Korea

2009-09-18T06:47:00.000-07:00

Hello all! Sorry it took me so long! South Korea has been very intersting to say the least. I have so much to say that I really don't know where to begin. It is definately very different. I had MAJOR culture shock in the beginning but am adapting well. These pictures are of a hike I took up a mountain....called Small Mountain. At the top of the hike is a little treasure--a Buddhist Temple. Very beautiful! The two Korean's in the picture are the owners of the school that I teach at. The have been very nice and very helpful.

In the pics you will eventually see, little rocks put on top of each other. These are called wishing rocks. A person picks a rock and makes a wish and sits it on top of another. Well, because I love dreaming and wishing....of course, I picked my rock and wished!

Just about everything is different here. Obviously the people. Very hard to shop here, because they are all little people. So, even buying shoes is very difficult as they only go to a size 7 1/2 and I wear an 8 1/2. Bra's...well that isn't even gonna happen as they only sell A and B cups. The largest clothing size I found was a size 10...and I am a 14. And if you are TALL, you will definately NOT find clothes here. Hmmm.....this is a dillema. Being blonde I stick out like a soar thumb and am constantly being stared at. But people are VERY friendly. I have people come up to me ALL the time. Trying to speak English. It is rather cute. When I go to the grocery store, little children tug on my shirt and say "HELLO!" Which is SO adorable. Because Hello in Korean is 'Ano ha say yo". So they are letting me know that they can speak a little of my language. I LOVE TEACHING. The kids are fabulous. But of course, there are some that are....very naughty and challenging. I have had to seriously work on my classroom mangements skills.

The food is VERY different and they put fish in EVERYTHING. And boy do I mean EVERYTHING. I am a veggie and don't eat fish or meat...so dining has been somewhat eliminated. Oh well, I'm sure I will lose those extra pounds that I have been meaning to lose! LOL When going to a Korean Restuarnt, you take your shoes off at the door and sit on the floor and of course, only use chopsticks! I have been getting better at chopsticks! One day, I went to a convenient a store because I was hungry and tried to see if I could find an energy bar. I can't read Korean (they use symbols which makes it EVEN harder), so I looked at the pictures and found one that had peanuts in it. It had three different kinds of peanuts. YEAH, fabulous. I bought it for about 80 cents. I opened the wrapper to find little beady eyes starring at me. YES, they added dried anchovies to the energy bar! Very strange...of course, I threw it out. YUCK! They put dried anchovies in EVERYTHING.

The language barrier is very difficult because of the symbols they use. So getting around is very difficult. I live in a very small village so NOTHING is in English. When taking the bus, they DON'T tell you the next stop...you are just "supposed to know". Hmm....and when taking a taxi home, if you don't know how to prounounce where you live, you are screwed because you obviously can't "spell it' in Korean. The first I used a taxi, they couldn't understand me....now what hell was I going to do? How do I get home? I had to call my boss and give the taxi driver the phone so she could translate. I have now gotten wise, and have had her "write" certian things (my apaartment being first) in Korean, so if they don't understand, I just simply point.

Anywho, enough for now. I will email more later. It has been quite the adventure!!

Enjoy the pics.

Many hugs from South Korea!

2009-09-18T06:41:00.000-07:00

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Arizona

2009-08-01T10:25:00.001-07:00

Here are some pictures of my family. My grams is in pink, my mother next to her and our very dear friend Sally. There truly is nothing like family. I very much enjoyed my stay with my family and cried and cried when they dropped me off to the airport. I didn't get any pictures of the scenery, it was 115 degrees outside, so needless to say--many days in the house. :-(

I am sitting at the San Francisco Airport and about to board my flight to South Korea in 3 1/2 hours! Next pictures...South Korea.

Hope everyone is well.

P.S. Why have I been wearing the same outfit in most of these pictures lately? I do have more clothes...I swear! ;-)

2009-08-01T10:22:00.000-07:00

Michigan-Home

2009-07-28T23:59:00.000-07:00

Home Sweet Home. I enjoyed my stay in Michigan! It was so nice to see everybody!!! I am a little behind posting pictures, lost my camera cord and just found out by my very good friend, that I could insert my camera memory card into my computer! Fabulous! I don't have to carry another cord around with me.

Arizona pictures coming soon!!

Michigan-Home

2009-07-28T23:48:00.001-07:00

Ho hum

2009-06-18T04:03:00.000-07:00

I leave for the States in less than a week. I am excited to see all of my family and friends. But I feel a little sad about leaving Oslo as well. Time went by so quickly. I did find a job here at a local bakery. The place is called "Utsinkt" and it means The View. The place is top the Fjord and it has all outdoor seating that overlooks the city and water. Very beautiful. And I love the job, even though I don't speak Norwegian fluently, most people have been okay with it. A few get irritated that I don't speak Norwegian---understandable. But they won't let me speak Norwegian!!! I mean, seriously people, in American, can you even imagine going to a coffee shop and ordering cake and coffee and the clerk speaks NO English! Americans would go crazy, probably postal! But, you have to understand that ALL Norwegians speak English and very well. I know the basics, "to vaffel og to kopper kaffe" (Two waffels and two cups of coffee). But then they want to talk....and blah, blah, blah, blah. I then say "Jeg snakker lit Norsk". (I speak little Norwegian). I have to say, I get very embarrased saying this, working in their country and not speaking their language fluently. Most of the time, they laugh hearing this and then will start to speak in English. Whew...

And most of the time, when I try to speak Norwegian, they just start to speak English, like it is painful for them to listen to me. So, it isn't like I haven't tried! The only problem with this job is that if it is raining or it is cold, I don't work. So needless to say, I have been scheduled to work about 8 days and have only worked 3. Today is another rain day, not good for the pocket book! I make 120 Kroner an hour, which is about $17 USD. You got it, at a place that is like "Sandy's Doughnuts". But they have to pay this much, it is so expensive here. My plan was to save my Norwegian cash and trade it in the States...get more for it! But the weather isn't cooperating with my plan. I am very thankful, however, that they have allowed me work in their country!

A few things I want to comment about my experience in Norway. Althought it is extremely expensive, (I think they should be fined for how much they charge for things)the beauty of Norway does put you in a trance of almost forgetting the prices. Not only is the landscape beautiful but so are the people, I would say some of the most beautiful people I have seen--and many of them. Yes, most are blonde and blue-eyed. They are very introverted, quite shy, quiet and they exude a sort of sweet innocence about them that is quite beautiful. When talking about their culture they use more "we" rather than "I". For instance, "we" eat bread and cheese for lunch, a cold lunch they call it. They asked what Americans ate for lunch. My answer wasn't "We", because I said everybody is different, there isn't a traditional "lunch meal" for Americans. Some eat salads, some eat out at McyDee's, some eat leftovers from the night before. It depends on the person, I guess.

Another thing that I have noticed is when someone here obviously looks like they are from another country and not Norway, I was perplexed by how to handle these situations. Because of my American manners, I do not ask them where they are from. I asked, one time...have you lived in Norway all your life to a person that looked Asian. They were extremely perplexed by this question and said, "Do I look like I am from Norway?". I thought immediately, is this a trick question? How do I respond without offending anyone. My point is this, in America if someone looks Asian and you ask them "Where they are from?" and if they are from America...they are HIGHLY offended that you asked such a question, because they are FROM AMERICA. I mean what does the typical American look like? Exactly...we are a diversified culture. So I found, here in Norway, it is okay to ask people where they are from without offending anybody.

I would say that the most difficult for me to adapt to has been the food. When I first got here, grocery shopping was painful. I couldn't read anything and being a vegetarian, wasn't easy. I am much better now, and know my way around the store. But their selection of food is minimal. I say minimal because obviously I am from American and didn't realize what "consumerism" truly means. Now, I understand it. For instance in Norway, there is only two types of frozen pizza (I mean brands) okay, maybe three...unlike in America where this is about 20 different brands of frozen pizza...probably more. Where is the low, sugar peanut butter, where are the low carb tortilla wraps, where are the Weight Watcher's ice cream sandwiches, or what about Lean Cuisines, or light Pringles (I don't care for the regular Pringles, they are too greasy and taste funny) or the $12.00 container of whey protein supplement, and most importantly what about the chedder cheese preferably; Kraft, sharp chedder, and of course lowfat? Ho hum.

I didn't think that I would miss a Meijer--but yes folks, I do. There is something about taking a stroll on a Sunday morning, stopping at the Starbucks kiosk, getting a latte, and a cart and strolling down every ethnic aisle on the planet; the Asian aisle, the Polish aisle, the Hispanic aisle, the Itialian aisle and thinking---hmmmm...what fun new stuff can I try? Then strolling over to the wine selection. And then strolling over to the magazine section where there is a magazine for anybody's interest. Then strolling over to the electronic selection, wondering what new CD's might be on sale, and then of course, I need a new tank top---a black one to go underneath a red top, and I only want to pay $8.99. Of course, after a few hours of strolling in Meijer, I am at the checkout lane and notice that my cart is filled with stuff that I didn't need and was really there for bread and milk and ended up spending $100.....hmmmm, those crazy greedy Americans!

Clubbing it!

2009-06-14T06:27:00.000-07:00

I am not a clubber. But do very much enjoy dancing. My friends have asked me many times over the past six months if I would go to the club, I declined. It was their last night in Oslo, so I decided...I will go and shake my butt for four hours! Whew...it was fun, I felt like I was 23 again, not such a bad thing. It is all about experience.

2009-06-14T06:23:00.000-07:00

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May 17, 2009 National Day in Oslo

2009-06-14T06:17:00.000-07:00

Norwegians take pride in their National Day as you can see. It was a beautiful day.

2009-06-14T06:13:00.000-07:00

Norway in a Nutshell

2009-05-19T06:30:00.000-07:00

I found God and she is in the Fjords! Grete, Petter and I took a trip through the Fjords, Norway in a Nutshell. We took the train through the fjords, then the boat, then the bus, then the train again to a beautiful city called Bergen where we stayed the night. It was the most awe aspiring beauty that I have ever seen. If you ever come to visit Norway, please do not leave without seeing the Fjords. Enjoy.

2009-05-19T06:28:00.000-07:00

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Wishing upon a star

2009-05-06T04:19:00.001-07:00

My first week in Oslo, I saw two falling stars. Because I am a dreamer, of course, I made my wish. And it inspired me to write a poem, maybe the poem is a little premature--but I thought it is was fun.

January 20, 2009

Stardust

There was a star that lived very far
Its light shined so bright
That the other stars were in fright
Dark into the night; one could only hope
to wish upon this star
Because the star was a special star
Not only was the star very bright
But it caused great energy into the night
When wished upon; the energy soared
Creating mystical flights of light
One could only hope their gift was precise

-Jodylynn

TEFL Celebration-the TEFL Family

2009-05-03T07:08:00.001-07:00

Thank God, my course is over! Although, it was very rewarding; it was very intense and challenging. I felt like I was in medical school for a month. Many sleepless nights. But, I passed with a STRONG PASS! YEAH!

This is the last day--our champagne celebration, we deserved it!

Cherio!

2009-05-03T07:04:00.000-07:00

Last days in Prague

2009-05-03T07:02:00.000-07:00

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2009-05-03T06:58:00.000-07:00

Prague-Culture Shock

2009-05-03T06:45:00.000-07:00

I definitely had more culture shock in Prague then I did when I arrived in Norway.
My arrival started with some serious lock issues. Let me start at the beginning. After arriving in Prague, a driver took me to my hotel where a woman from the TEFL (Teaching English as a Foreign Language) helped me to get settled. There was another gentleman that arrived very shortly after me. His name was Daniel and from England. The woman gave us all kinds of information about Prague and then we took a taxi ride to drop off Daniel at his place. It is very cute, nice quaint villa like. I am all excited, very motivated! Hmmm…I wonder what mine looks like! I can’t wait! The woman then has the driver take me to my place, I am kind of wondering why I am not staying in the same building as Daniel…hmmm…we take this ride and we get to a very shady looking place (graffiti filled buildings, trash everywhere) and we stopped at a place that looked like a place in Chicago that I would never set foot in. The lady saw that my eyes were getting very big and I was getting very fearful.

I am stunned so stunned that when she tells me how to use the locks on the doors, I am not paying attention—I mean it is a lock, how big of deal is it, turn the key and push….(WRONG, way more complex). Anywho. We get inside the building and I think I am going to have a panic attack…it looks like a dungeon. I finally said, “is this where I am staying?” She said, it is okay…it is just under construction—wait until you see your flat, you will be happy. I then said, why can’t I stay at the Villa place where Daniel is…she said because you wanted your own apartment and these are the apartments. (I had to be the independent American and get my OWN place…buggin)

We then attempt to get into the elevator. I say attempt because it is extremely small. The lady and I and my two pieces of luggage were sandwiched in the elevator. I could barely breathe. I have never seen this small of an elevator before. We get out…the 5th floor, I am hoping it will be better...again, the lady shows me how the keys work---I’m not paying attention. We get to my flat, and yes it is very nice. Very clean and very nice—quite cute actually and I even have a balcony --- but it views three piles of garbage and an old abandon building. I then ask her if anyone else from our class will be staying in this building with me (this might calm my nerves). She said No. I am now panicked. Actually panic never ended, it just was getting more intense. I have no idea why I didn’t say anything at this point. Like, no---I don’t think I can stay here in this building in this “shady” area. I felt like I was in the slums of Prague. But something tells me that maybe I am being too princessy and need to relax.

The lady leaves and I get settled and call Daniel for dinner. I get ready to leave my flat. I open the door and noticed it is pitch black in the hallway. My panic level goes up again. Why the hell is there no fricken lights on in the hallway? How the hell am I going to lock my door and find the elevator in the dark? What the fffff? Something tells me to walk a little down the hallway…so I do and guess what, a light comes on. I guess they have motion lights throughout the building. For the love of God! So, I go and lock door, and I am beginning to realize this is quite complex. I have three keys, one to building and two to my flat. One of the two to my flat is a skeleton key (these are very old buildings). I realized that I locked the door, but I thought—I better check to see if I can open it. I start turning this key that way, the other this way---I am hearing click, click…but nothing…I can’t get the door open. I panicked again! What the ffffff? After about 10 minutes, the door flies open and I fly through the door almost falling on my ass. I have no idea how I opened it. Hmm….I then decide to leave and get dinner. Daniel and I had dinner then met up with some other people that already finished the training. So we stay out way longer than expected, of course! I ask the group if they could walk me home as I was nervous going by myself at 4:00 in the morning. They had no problem with this. They walked me to my flat. I say thank you and off they go! I go up to my apartment and can’t unlock my apartment. I am panic stricken (with all of this panic, it is amazing to me that I didn’t have an actual panic attack), it is 4 o’clock in the morning and I can’t get into my apartment. I immediately call Daniel, him and the other girl start walking back to my apartment, thank GOD!!! I don’t know what I would have done---except cried. Well, neither of them can get the locks to work either. Great, now what? It is now 4:30 in the morning.

The girl with us has a brilliant idea, lets go to back to the hotel where we originated from, they should at least be able to give me a place to sleep tonight and figure it out in the morning… So we walk back, I am walking in a fury…like a person that may miss the boat! I get to the office, aaahhh..they are friendly and understand that I am a crazy American that cannot open her flat that was probably built in the fourteenth century!

So, they let me stay the night in a room until the Landlord can help me. I wake in the morning, the landlord drives me to my flat…there is the “training session” on the locks “American’s have a hard time with these locks’. I don’t know why –I mean I don’t know a lot of buildings in American that were built in the 1400’s. (okay I am exaggerating, but you understand..maybe 1500’s ) So the Landlord leaves, after he leaves, I decide to play with the locks just to make sure I got them down pat. After much tinkering…I get the lock stuck and can’t close my door, at all! So, guess what I have to call the landloard again…for the love of PETE! Somebody give me sanity!

Landlord comes back (by the way he is quite handsome; maybe my subconscious was onto something!), bless his heart…because he was really nice, a little frustrated (to be expected). So, I asked the landlord, “Lets keep it simple, can I just shut the door…without locking it?” Ahha..yes, I can and guess what? It won’t open from the outside, so it is “locked” but there is a creative way to get it open. So, he tells me…much simpler than before (I guess). I thought dude, seriously, if somebody can figure this shit out and tries to break into my apartment…maybe they should just keep whatever they are looking for, they will probably deserve it!!

So, I am feeling much better about the lock situation (not the neighborhood), but okay….but it isn’t over. I then have to get to the ATM to withdraw money. So, I stop on my way before meeting everybody. The ATM door is locked (for the love of God) and you have to use your credit card (swipe it) to open it. Okay, so I do this…..I go in and get my money. I then try to leave…guess what? I AM FRICKEN LOCKED IN THE ATM BOOTH! I can’t get out!!?? I mean seriously, people. By this time, I am so beyond being angry that I am laughing my ass off! I call Petter, laughing like a crazy person which was probably better than the call 30 minutes earlier where I was crying and wanting to come back to Oslo.

After about 15 minutes, I got a hold of someone in our “group” and they came and rescued me. Thank God for cell phones. Well, after those incidents the lock issue happened two more times (Lanlord is married  --but I think he thinks I’m cute which is fine for now!) Cute Landlord finally fixed the lock, Aaahhh, I wasn’t the crazy American after all, there was a problem and it wasn’t me!

Welcome to Prague.

President Barack Obama

2009-04-24T04:03:00.000-07:00

Yes, Obama was in Prague, can you even stand it? I couldn’t and of course was there to see Mr. Obama. It only took me three hours of walking the entire city to figure out where he was, but I made it! Way in the back I stood, but I was there and got to hear his sweet, passionate voice. I love Barack Obama.

Beautiful Prague

2009-04-21T03:45:00.000-07:00

Fun day in Drobak

2009-03-14T11:49:00.001-07:00

I went to Drobak with Petter's parent's; Grete and Bjorn. Drobak is a quaint town in the Fjord. It is very cozy and nice. As you can see we have a lot of snow and it is still very cold here. I am sure this town has to be beautiful in the summer time!

Day in Drobak--All Year Around Christmas Store

2009-03-14T11:45:00.000-07:00

This is a very fun all year round Christmas store. Like the one in Frankenmuth, Michigan. As you can see very traditional Norwegian style! Very nice!

Day in Drobak

2009-03-14T11:33:00.000-07:00

Street Musicians

2009-03-14T11:29:00.000-07:00

Fun pastry shop!

2009-03-14T11:26:00.001-07:00

THis is for Michael, enjoy!

2009-03-14T11:24:00.000-07:00

2009-03-14T11:13:00.000-07:00

Chanting Circle

2009-03-08T04:10:00.002-07:00

My Oslo trip is coming to a close as I will be leaving for Prague in two short weeks. This trip has been so very nice on so many levels, especially spiritually. This is a chanting circle that I went to on Saturday. We get together and meditate and chant. It was very nice. And this is Petter's band, Red Bliss. I have attached videos, so you get an idea of the music. The video's with all of the band members starting on lef;, Martin, Giita, Tom Andre, next to Tom Andre ..not sure who this guy is, and then Petter. I will need to play with my video on my camera-because it didn't come out that well. Hopefully, you get the idea.

Chanting

2009-03-08T04:10:00.001-07:00

Chanting Circle

2009-03-08T03:47:00.000-07:00

Chanting Circle

2009-03-08T03:32:00.000-07:00

Public Transportation

2009-03-05T11:56:00.000-08:00

I love not having a car! This is my subway station, Nydalen--is the subscity that I live in in Oslo. The last picture is the Jernebanetorget--Oslo Central Station, you take the train out of the city here as well.

Toy Store

2009-03-05T11:51:00.000-08:00

This is kind of cool, I think it is a toy store. It is kind of like window shopping at Macy's in Chicago. Yes, they still have some Christmas stuff up....I thought we were bad!

Finally a real martini!

2009-03-05T11:45:00.000-08:00

So, I found a TGIF's (yes they have them here in Oslo), I decided maybe I should try a Martini here...it has been two months since I had a Martini. :-(

I figured, Friday's should be able to know how to make Martini's. Aaaaahhh...getting closer! Much better than last time, not quite $20 worth, but getting there.

I will be having Martini's at Petter's parent's tomorrow, aaaaahhhh. I may not get out of bed the next day. :-)

My favorite picture at the Art Gallery!

2009-03-05T11:34:00.000-08:00

So, the first picture is of the National Theatre here in Oslo. I enjoyed a few hours of fabulous Norwegian Art and art from the famous Munch. Very interseting. As you can see the next picture is my favorite! Ooooo la la.....

No, silly! This wasn't from the Gallery....it was actually artwork on a bathroom stall in a restaurant. Ahhh finally women are treated equal in regards to fun, sexy men in bathroom stalls! Now, if only he was real. :-)

Some random photos

2009-03-05T11:22:00.000-08:00

Sorry, been a little busy...enjoy.

A Winter Wonderland

2009-02-07T12:17:00.000-08:00

This is one of my favorite places so far. Oslo has a fabulous transportation system and you can get around by subway, tram, bus or train. It is so convenient and I have not missed my car at all!! Many people have talked about this spot, so I had to check it out. Line 1 of the subway goes up the fjord. Once at the end of the stop, people get off and ski or sled. The subway is packed with people and kids with sleds or skiis. This spot is about a 22 minute ride from the city. I was not prepared (clothes wise) to hang out, so these pictures are coming right off the subway.

The pictures do not show the true beauty. I have seen the beautiful snow fall after a storm in Michigan but this is not even comparable. I was awestruck. I will be going again soon, and will be ready to walk around next time. I have never skiied--so I will just a take a "little" walk!

Winter Night View

2009-02-04T05:48:00.000-08:00

This is not my picture, but wanted to share it. This picture is on the Oslo Daily Photo blog and was taken my Stormel. I love this shot!! It shows a great picture of the city that I am living in!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

2009-01-23T13:46:00.000-08:00

I have wandered the city and have discovered things that I find very interesting. So I call this blog..."Things that make you go Hmmm... or Ah ha!" It is definately up to you if you think it is totally cool or totally not cool. Of course, being the opinionated lady that I can be, I have given my opinion.

Enjoy!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

2009-01-23T13:37:00.000-08:00

Being that I love my drink…this is definitely a big Hmmmm…. For me! LOL

In Norway, the state highly regulates alcohol. You can only purchase beer and some wine coolers (depending on the alcohol content) at grocery stores. To get liquor you have to go to what is called Vinemonoplet. It is a store run by government so highly regulated and you can get licquor and wine here. But NOT on Sundays and only during certain hours and they close at about 6p. Most places close here at 6:00p, all malls YUP, even malls…you cannot “shop” until 9 or 10 at night, unless you shop for groceries or go to a restaurant. Other than that…sorry buddy, your screwed. And liquor is so high priced that Norwegians try to get over to Sweden to get it cheaper. A cheap bottle of wine is about 73 Kroners which is about $15. No $7 bottle of wine here! My Skyy vodka here would be $50 and I pay $19 in the states. Hmmmm…..if you want to sober up, no rehabilitation required, just move to Norway! Ah ha!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

2009-01-23T13:28:00.001-08:00

This is a toilette paper dispenser.

Kind of goofey, I know but I LOVED THIS. You know how MANY times in public restrooms you are spending minutes trying to get the fricken toilette paper out of the dispenser and it only gives you one square? And you are trying to move the whole damn thing and it is so tight it won’t move…no more one squarer’s here! No more "Can you spare a square" (For all of you Sienfield fans)Ah ha!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

2009-01-23T13:09:00.001-08:00

Lets talk about signs—the first one says "BARN" I love this one!! Barn in Norwegian means children. This is at a restaurant, you can just drop your kid off. Inside is a play area and it even has video games (I have even seen adults playing the video games too…just saying) so the parents drop their kiddos off and enjoy a quiet meal. Ah ha! I am surprised that American’s have NOT thought of this idea…especially with how much we love to dine. And this isn’t at a McDonalds…this is at a place similar to a Fridays.

This green sign, maybe it is obvious to you all…but I was like—hmmm…am I supposed to run now? And if so, why am I running…for what? No, crazy American it means EXIT. Hmmm... I said, you know us Americans are stupid and we literally put “exit" on our "exit" signs. Then Petter made a good point, he said these signs are universal for all of Europe, so that if you go to London or Italy all the signs are the same and you understand because obviously the languages are different and nobody understand. Ah ha!!!!

2009-01-23T13:03:00.000-08:00

Okay—I had to remark. The toilette and the shower are in the same place and well so is the basin. You can literally shit, shower and shave!! See how there is no distinction as to where the shower stops because it is all one floor—there are no boarders. So YUP, you got it, water tends to go everywhere. With them being very modern here in Norway and they are very proud of their architecture and design…well why the hell did they forget about the shower? I haven’t understood why this is? Am I missing something? I mean seriously; who has the time to clean up all of the water after you shower…obviously these Norwegians, have all the time in the world hmmmmmm…...

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

2009-01-23T12:51:00.000-08:00

I love this! This is two parked cars on the street. I will never drive here, these people are nuts. They have very small cars and zip around everywhere in any lane that they please just long as nobody is coming. And if somebody is coming your way, you just zip out of the way! And they park wherever they damn well please too. In Michigan, anyways you would be ticketed for parking like this. Hmmmm… or Ah ha! This could go either way depending on if you are a crazy driver. I tend to drive like a grandma so it is a Hmmmmm…to me.

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

2009-01-23T12:45:00.000-08:00

Okay, most of us our Michiganders and we can bear (pun intended) the snow…we are STRONG, we have walked in 10 feet of fricking snow, up hill both ways and have lived to tell about it!!!! And boy do we tell about it! I have been known to even wear my flip flops when it is like 35 degrees out. Well, we have nothing up on these Norwegians. They sit outside for dinner no matter how cold it is. The restaurant have blankets for them…no weenie outside heaters here, just good old company, drink, and blankets. (sorry, my camera doesn't work that well...but hopefully you get the idea.)

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

2009-01-23T12:43:00.001-08:00

Ahhhh…those crazy Europeans. Sex isn’t hidden in the back of the book store like it would be in America…nope Sex is right out in front the door before you even get into the bookstore and right next to the recipe books. I wonder if this was a marketing tool, cook your man dinner and enjoy sex as your dessert! Ah ha…or to some hmmmm….I vote Ah ha!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

2009-01-23T12:30:00.000-08:00

I love this idea. People on bikes or people with a baby stroller don’t have to try to figure out how the hell they are getting up the stairs with that thing…just wheel it up. Ah ha!

Hard Rock Cafe

2009-01-11T03:01:00.000-08:00

Of course...I had to stop. I did stop to have a Martini here, hoping that because it was a Hard Rock Cafe, they may know how to make a martini. No luck. :-(

I want to live here!

2009-01-11T02:59:00.000-08:00

What a nice quaint place, I wonder what these apartments look like!

Peppes Pizza

2009-01-11T02:10:00.000-08:00

My first time out by myself. It was a Sunday and not much is open unless you want to eat. So I took a nice leisurely walk around my area...wasn't up to braving the subway just yet! I had three choice;, the Radisson Hotel, a Chineese Restaurant that was closing in five minutes or Peppes Pizza. I was a little disappointed. Because, I wanted a drink and some good food, not a fricken Pizza HUT for crying out loud! Well, I ventured to Peppes to check it out. OH...it isn't a Pizza Hut at all, it is more like a Fridays and is open till 11:00p on Sundays and they have spirits. We like spirits! YEAH!! The candle in this picture is so old traditional Norwegian...which is why I took it.

I have included a picture of a Martini. As most of you know, I LOVE my martinis. Well, Martinis will be the thing of the past as they are about 100 Kroner (almost $19 US Dollars) YUP 19. And this is what I got. If you are a Maritni drinker in the states you will see that I surely didn't get much for money. In the States this glass would have been full! What the hell am I supposed to do with this? Seriously...come on! I will need to show them how to make a good maritni, obviously.

More picture of the Spiritual Retreat

2009-01-08T06:19:00.000-08:00

Petter singing

2009-01-07T11:00:00.000-08:00

Videos of Spiritual Retreat

2009-01-07T10:33:00.000-08:00

Videos of Spiritual Retreat

2009-01-07T09:55:00.000-08:00

More pics of the spiritual retreat!

2009-01-07T09:44:00.000-08:00

Sweden-Yogi Spiritual Retreat

2009-01-06T12:16:00.000-08:00

On December 27th we (Petter and his friends, Tom Andre and Giita (they are a couple and her name is pronounced Geeta) drove to Sweden for a Yogi -Ananada Marga-Spiritual Retreat. The drive was about eight hours. I love his friends, they are adorable and an adorable couple to boot! I have to admit, I was a little scared and nervous about this retreat as I didn’t know what to expect. I had done some reading about Ananada Marga and it is very similar to what I believe so I was good with this, but didn’t know how I would do when I finally arrived. When I think of yogi spiritual retreats, I think of what I read in the magazines; peace, serenity, mediation, yoga, your own room, reading, beaches, beauty, calmness and well, being pampered. There was no pampering there!! It was more like camping. We stayed in bunk beds and had six people to our room. Thank God they put all of us in one room and Giita’s parent’s came which made six!

Let me tell you the point of this retreat…the point is to bring in the New Year doing Kirtaan (basically singing to God) Kirtaan starts on the 27th and goes for 24 hours till January 1st at 9:00a.m. You are put into groups and have a scheduled time that you are supposed to do Kirtaan “keep the music alive”. There were times that we were scheduled at three in the morning then at four in the afternoon, so your schedule is very off for the entire time you are there. When it is your scheduled time, your group goes and sings for one and half hours. This is how the singing continues and never stops. We sing the same verse over…..nothing else “Baba Nam Kevalam”—basically meaning “Love is the essence of all things or God is the essence of all things (means the same thing as God is Love and Love is God). There are many instruments and one can play or just sing. Many play the instruments and put together new beats so the music is different… giving the music some spice. But the point is to sing and allow you to be moved by the music and hopefully connect with God.

There is an alter in the middle of the room that has pictures of Shrii Shrii Ananadamurti (The founder of Ananada Marga) you walk in a circle with hands in prayer position and sing (or hands overhead). And yup, you do this for about 1 ½ hours. It is sort of a meditation with music—to allow you to be taken by the music in hopes of connecting with God. Some people have a way of letting themselves be taken away with the music that they go into a deep trance and have actually fainted (this did not happen to me). I did however; have visions of being a hawk and flying across mountains and waters. (No drugs or alcohol required!) At first, this was a little strange to me, but after a while I got used to it and enjoyed the process.

You can also do Kirtaan anytime you desire. The retreat also included; meditation, networking, chores (yup we had to do some work!), walks in the forest (which was beautiful), and eating very good vegetarian foods. There are many DiDi’s (Dee Dee) and DaDa’s to talk with as well. They are similar to nuns and monks. They have dedicated themselves to a life of worship. They wear orange attire.

I met all kinds of people from all over the world which was so very nice. There were two other Americans there but they hadn’t lived in America for about 20 years as they moved to Europe for love and never went back. Other nationalities included, Russians, Danes, Germans, Italians, Spaniards, Indians (from India), English (from England), French….and many Norwegians and Swedes.

During the retreat, I had some ups and downs. I was at peace and high on spiritual food most of the time. But due to all of the mediation and Kirtaan, your mind brings up baggage; baggage that probably needs dealing with. One day, I cried in meditation for about two and half hours. The next day I definitely felt a huge weight off my shoulders. Some days I had huge headaches because of all of the new input that was going on and the lengthy philosophical discussion (which I loved by the way).

People kept telling me that “landing” (going back to reality) would be very tough for the soul. I wondered about this, as I was surrounded by a world that consisted of peace, love and harmony for six days. This type of surrounding gave me a taste of what life can be like if everybody were loving, peaceful, kind and spiritual…ALL THE TIME! I felt like I experienced a little piece of heaven. If only everyday was this way, devotion to God, love, peace and a love for all humanity. How could I go back to the negative world forces?

If interesting in know more about this Ananda Marga view this site,
http://www.anandamarga.org/sarkar.htm

I've arrived!

2009-01-06T12:03:00.000-08:00

My arrival in Oslo, was perfect no delays whatsoever. Petter picked me up and we were off…to downtown, got some coffee (which I thought was the best coffee I had ever had and he thought it was just “coffee”). Then we did a little shopping and driving. The city is absolutely beautiful how it is enveloped in the Fjord. We went into a grocery store and I was absolutely in heaven and didn’t want to leave. So many breads (no Meijer bread here!) and cheeses and chocolates and … well just yummy everything. I soon realize there is a problem. I can’t understand anything. And figure this could be difficult when I have to buy groceries without Petter, wish me luck!

So, we celebrated a traditional Christmas day and we are going to Greta and Bjorn's, Petter’s mother and step-father, for dinner. I adore his mother and stepfather!! The day before Christmas we were invited for “porridge”. This is the tradition. Porridge is similar in consistency to oatmeal, but different. We eat it with brown sugar and milk. It is very tasty. Christmas day, Greta had the table decorated beautifully, as you can see from the picture. We started with a hot wine drink. I can’t remember the name. But it is like a fruit juice with red wine added but warmed and then you add nuts and fruit. It was very tasty and I had two glasses. Then off to church! We sang mostly or I should I say “they” sang as everything was in Norwegian and I have a hard time pronouncing the words, so I just listened.

There many men and women that were wearing the traditional Norwegian outfits, this was very nice. They wear these outfits during Christmas and Independence Day. I have attached a picture of the outfits, these are similiar and I guess these outfits are VERY expensive. Dinner started with champagne (my kind of START!). Greta and Bjorn had pork and sausage. Petter and I opted for the vegetarian meatballs and gravy, potatoes, sauerkraut, and a nice spinach dish. During dinner we drank beer and very good beer (put in fancy glasses), no Bud or Bud Light here. This was accompanied with a side of Aquavitt which is a liqueur—kind of like Zambuca but not really licorice. Dinner was great with good conversation. Petter’s parents don’t want me to go thirsty so my glass(es) are always full!! (how lucky am I?). After dinner we had dessert which was the left over porridge from the day before but cream and sugar were added to make a pudding consistency and a fruit compote. It was very yummy.

Then we sat for coffee and Cognac(my kind of peeps!) and opened presents. It was a very nice time and I felt very much relaxed and at home w/his family!Aaaahhh…

View from Greta and Bjorn's apartment

2009-01-06T12:00:00.000-08:00

View from Greta and Bjorn's apartment

2009-01-06T11:55:00.000-08:00

My last night in America

2009-01-06T11:45:00.000-08:00

So, my last evening in America was weightless, sort of. I was thrilled and absolutely terrified all together. My apartment keys were in the box for the landlord. I had a very good cry. The only keys I had left were my car keys. The car buyer called and was ready to pick up the car. I was anxious to be done with all of this. I got my title ready for signatures. The car buyer arrived in a huge red SUV, he was young…maybe 26 and eager to take my vehicle as eager as I was to hand him my keys. We discussed the details of the title and did the final “handshake” and he wished me the best on my adventure to Norway. I am thrilled, I yelled, “I am keyless, no more worries!!!” A few hours went by and I finally realize that my ego won’t stop chattering. I finally REALLY listen. And my ego said, “maybe you should call him (car buyer) in a few weeks to make sure he changes the oil.” And “I really hope this car treats him well!” I kept repeating these to myself over and over again. I was obsessed with how this car was going to treat the new car buyer, I couldn’t get it out of my head. My dear friend Vicki said, “stop it already with the car, it is NOT your problem anymore.”

I then thought for awhile, why the hell am I worrying about my car running properly for this man? I mean, I was keyless and had nothing really to worry about; no worries about my apartment, about working two jobs, or my car not running!!! What then did I have to worry about? NOTHING. Well, we all know that we only wish everyday that we had NOTHING to worry about. I truly in my hearts had this feeling. I had nothing to worry about. But my brain couldn’t handle it…now what? What do I think about if I have nothing to worry about? I mean for God’s sake, my ego wanted to call this man in a few weeks to REMIND him to check the oil…how ridiculous is that? The very thing that I had been praying about for years, I got…no worries! But I had no idea how strange it would feel. Now what? It finally hit me! The PRESENT! My present from God was that—the PRESENT. Just be present Jodylynn, be present. MY GOD, I thought, if somebody would have told me that the quickest way to be PRESENT was to sell all of my worldly possessions and move across the world, I may have done it sooner (no wonder it is so damn hard to be aware of the PRESENT). Aaaahhh… finally, I am present.

Freedom

2008-10-15T13:45:00.000-07:00

The big day is December 23, 2008. Although I am very happy about my upcoming adventure, I would be lying if I said I wasn't a little scared. Maybe even saying "a little" is an understatement. But don't get me wrong, it isn't enough for me to change my mind. My excitement out weighs my fear.

Why are we so afraid all the time, what are we afraid of? My reason are probably similiar to many. The unkown. There are no guarantees, right? What if's...we go round and round in our head..."but what if,...." and ..."what if..." Creating all kinds of situations that may or may not happen. I have been a victim of the "what if...freeze frame" Freezing us from moving forward because of all of the drama we have created in our mind. The ego maliciously trying to convince me that if I tap my foot in a different river, I fall in and drown. Staying in the familiar river is somehow safer. Which is what I did...stayed safe. Famliarity was safer than the unknown. And there is nothing wrong with loving the famliarities that we have grown in our life.

But as the years went by; I missed newness, I missed treasures (experieces), I missed passion, and my heart longed for change but I was scared. So the internal battle went on--I changed a few things but that got boring pretty quick, and my heart yearned again, for something different. I had a very dear friend tell me that if you want to change your life, you have to change EVERYTHING. Not just one thing. Now this was a thought! Oh my, EVERYTHING...could I do it? After much soul searching I found that complacency was stunting my growth. And for an ambitious women, that was unacceptable. I had to dive into the black hole.

When I do get anxious I have found that being aware of my feelings and asking myself questions that allow me to think through areas of this change has allowed me to prepare myself and get rid of my fear of the unknown--and drives passion of the future.

1.What is the worst that can happen? Well, the worst that can happen is that I don't have enough money and can't live...and am homeless..well I have a great family--so homeless would never happen--and if I don't like it--I always can come back to old GR. Grand Rapids will always be here. Unless there is a catosphre and the probability of that happening---right...you get my point.

2. What if I miss my family and friends? I more than likely will miss them but I will have access to my family and friends through, the internet and hopefully I will make new friends. All of my friends have "moved" on with with their lives. I think it is time for me to live my life as I wish.

3. What would keep me here in Grand Rapids? Well, I have been laid off twice and haven't found stable employment for two years, so it isn't a job. Hmmm..what else? No love interest here....hmmm, what else? Like I said in number 2 my friends and family have their own lives. Hmmm... what else? School--well I am attending school in Norway, hmmm....what else? I don't have health insurance here (even though I am now working two jobs, still NO health care) . And it looks like after being in Oslo for three months--I get to be part of their social health care. (WOW, can't get that here).

Hmm...what else? I don't have any children---but do have two cats, and my dear friend has said she would care for them while I am gone--what a dear friend. Hmm...what else? I LOVE Michigan weather--Oslo has seasons!! Hmmm...what else? I love my little quaint town with all the regular feels...there are many new quaint places to see in Oslo--and it makes them more special because they are NEW. Coming back to visit GR will be a nice warming welcome home. Hmmm...what else?

There you have it! No reason to give up a great opportunity! Aaaah...freedom. I think true freedom is letting go of the chains that bind us from accomplishing the things we so desire!

Moving on out...

2008-10-14T08:32:00.000-07:00

Well, the time has come for me to pack up and get ready to move. I had a garage sale this weekend to sell most of my stuff. I didn't realize how attached I have become to some things. The strongest attachment is my apartment. I LOVE my apartment, it is the cutest darn thing ever, I must say. I love my fireplace and will miss the cozy feel during a beautiful snowy day. Sipping my wine and looking out the window at nature in its most serene state, will be in the past. (My future will include new windows to look out!)

Packing up my stuff was a little difficult and I even cried. But after I got going, I remembered what Petter said. He told me that when I get scared to change my thoughts and think of this journey as a adventure and to look forward to all of the new experiences that I will be having. I did this and got "moving".

I sold alot of my stuff and still have more "stuff". But I will slowly start to pack that up and give it away. I have realized that this is only "stuff" and there is more "stuff" everywhere. So I really haven't lost anything just getting rid of the old to allow for the new. I feel better now, empowered. I had no problems selling stuff and have already given a huge pile to the Salvation Army. I feel good and a little lighter, freer.

Wordly Treasures

The Schools

Random Christmas decorations in Seoul

Hotel Room Service

Korean money

Korean Food

My Christmas Gift!

Alcohol

The toilette

Food

South Korea

Arizona

Michigan-Home

Michigan-Home

Ho hum

Clubbing it!

May 17, 2009 National Day in Oslo

Norway in a Nutshell

Wishing upon a star

TEFL Celebration-the TEFL Family

Last days in Prague

Prague-Culture Shock

President Barack Obama

Beautiful Prague

Fun day in Drobak

Day in Drobak--All Year Around Christmas Store

Day in Drobak

Street Musicians

Fun pastry shop!

Chanting Circle

Chanting

Chanting Circle

Chanting Circle

Public Transportation

Toy Store

Finally a real martini!

My favorite picture at the Art Gallery!

Some random photos

A Winter Wonderland

Winter Night View

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

Things that make you go Hmmmm or Ah ha; you decide!

Hard Rock Cafe

I want to live here!

Peppes Pizza

More picture of the Spiritual Retreat

More Videos

Petter singing

Videos of Spiritual Retreat

Videos of Spiritual Retreat

More pics of the spiritual retreat!

Sweden-Yogi Spiritual Retreat

I've arrived!

View from Greta and Bjorn's apartment

View from Greta and Bjorn's apartment

My last night in America

Freedom

Moving on out...