We arrived in the Oslo airport yesterday about 11 am (well... 11 am here - that´s 4 am at home). After a short train ride into the city (the airport is in the country) we were welcomed by my Uncle (for all intensive purposes...) Tom. His wife, Ingunn, was a foreign exchange student of my grandparents the year I was born. They are from Norway and live in Oslo with their two sons - Christofer and Viktor. We have been staying with them in Oslo for the past two days, which is an incredible kindness towards us.
I remember the last time Ingunn and Tom visited the states I was 13. Ingunn was pregnant, and morning sickness as well as jet lag was a bit much... so grandma had me come up to help with Christofer who was about 2. We had a blast sightseeing and hanging out. They have been so helpful from the start when I told them some friends and I wanted to visit Norway. They are actually out this weekend at a handball tournament with Christofer and left us the house!
It has been a fantastic trip so far. I have committed myself to being on vacation and not being stressed or worried much about anything. I am here with my friend Matthew, his cousin Nate, and our friends Mark and Carmen. The boys love looking at the map and figuring out the best way to get somewhere and what to do. We aren´t too jet lagged either. It´s almost midnight, but back home it is only 5 pm. We are 7 hours ahead.
Today we slept late =) took the bus into the city center, got Oslo passes, then went to the winter olympic ski jump. It is huge!! Very cool though. Then we got on some buses and went to see the Viking Museum - with old ships! , and an old Norse village. We stopped at an awesome park full of beautiful statues and sat down to eat our pizza we made at home and brought. There were probably at least 2 or 3 hundred statues of people. All in life poses... angry, happy, twirling children, hugging, thinking, etc. At the highest point in the park is the largest statue - 121 people in a tower all trying to climb up. Breathtaking and sort of humorous all at the same time. We stopped by the palace on the way home, which is really cool because it is so simple, not really what you expected. The subway took us really close to the house, some pizza and some cribbage later and we are ready for bed.
People here are very friendly. I always worry a bit when I travel. I know I am going to need help. I know I am going to mess up. I know I am going to do something stupid or get myself stuck somewhere. Today when we were waiting for a bus we were checking which one to take and an elderly lady came up and asked in slow English if we needed any help. She was so sweet! You could tell she was not very confident with her english, but had such a willing spirit.
I hope that I can be that loving willing spirit for others. I have my struggles and my challenges, for example when and how to stand up for what I think. What to say when others judge. How to be loving to everyone I meet. How to keep my life organized and together! But with the wonderful laidback friends I have and the new ones I have simply run into here in Norway I remember how wonderful a smile and a kind word can be.
In peace and love,
your sister in Christ, Erin
