Wandering Home

I'm home - well, if we're being specific, I'm in one of my many homes, as I have meandered west to Moorhead, MN to catch up with some dear friends, (attempt) productivity, and transition back into this place.

No more Norway. Time for tales of a semester abroad-a daunting task when you consider just HOW much can happen in the span of 16 weeks. I'm not quite sure where to begin, what people want to hear, what the most important (if there is such a thing) part of my time in Lillehammer. All the while trying to practice what I've learned, being fully present where I am, wherever I happen to be, and just soaking in each beautiful moment. Whew.

Jet lag was non-existant on the return leg (thank goodness), goodbyes were said, customs were efficient and drama free, and THEN we were welcomed home by our waiting families! Dad was there to pick me up and sweep me upstate to where my mom and lovely sisters were waiting---with a cake that said "Hei hei!" They DO listen to me after all....and sometimes there's more than just babble that I say :)

It's good to be here. It feels surreal, but comfortable.
I have beautiful people in my life here in Moorhead....
at home in little old Esko....
and at camp, where I'm headed next....
in Lillehammer....I miss you all already.
and all those lovely wanderers who are scattered throughout this tiny and wide world-in the West Bank, Scotland, Germany, Denmark, England and countless other places.

"All who wander are not lost"
I'll keep a wanderin' as I go through these days and weeks of transition and acclimation. Thank you all for your love and support as I've traveled through this wild and crazy world...It's been an incredible experience and I am so grateful for all of you who what wandered with me.

Peace and happy wanderings to you dear friends....

...To Be Continued

"You get a strange feeling when you're about to leave a place...like you'll not only miss the people you love but you'll miss the person you are now at this time and place, because you'll never be this way ever again."
- Azar Nafisi
I have roughly 34 hours left in Norway.
I will be home in approximately 46 hours.

I am so excited to see my family and all the beautiful people in the States...but if I'm being honest, being "home" doesn't feel like a real possibility. My reality, my worldview has changed. I've changed-and I don't know how this new Laura fits into life at home...but I'll find out!

It's hard to say goodbye. I hate the feeling of farewells and not knowing the next time you'll meet again (although I am sure we'll meet again!). At the same time however, goodbyes are important too, as they teach us just how important and special the people in our lives are. We are forced to reflect on how these individuals have influenced us and blessed us during our time together, and there's a real gift in that.

This week has been full of goodbyes. I’ve been on a rollercoaster of emotion-sorrow at the thought of being away from these people and this beautiful place, anticipation at the thought of seeing my family (!!!), disbelief at how quickly four months have passed, curiosity at the prospect of what lies ahead. It feels very similar to how I felt four months ago, just prior to leaving for Norway and this grand adventure. Leaving home and beautiful things, people, opportunities in trade for new experiences, different people, a fresh outlook. Feeling this way has shown me just how much of a home I have here in Lillehammer, which is a beautiful thing, particularly knowing that even as I return to Minnesota, this home, these people, this experience, will hold a place in my heart that I’ll carry with me as I go.

Like most of my many homes, my sense of place and purpose is largely rooted in relationships here in Norway. As I’ve mentioned several times throughout these reflections, the people I’ve met here have taught me how to accept hospitality, given me permission to share my story and to listen to theirs, and showed me what it means to build community in a new and life-giving way. I’d like to share a little bit about some of these relationships that have blessed me these months:

Anne and Oddgeir, Astrid, Maria, and Magnus. They have been my family and my home base here in Lillehammer. Anne and I have spent many beautiful hours chatting, walking, reflecting on life, faith, pilgrimage, and the beauty that comes when you “dare to share” with one another. Oddgeir has encouraged me on my journey, empowered me and provided me with countless opportunities to be part of the community here in Lillehammer. Astrid, Maria and Magnus have been my playmates (they’re 12, 10, and 7 respectively J): we’ve played together, laughed a LOT, sang and danced. They’ve helped me with my Norwegian and I with their English; we’ve built a very special friendship. This is one of the most beautiful families I’ve been able to be a part of. They are welcoming, gentle with one another, they laugh easily, and they are rooted in a deep appreciation for nature, faith, art, and music. It has been a gift to be a part of that these past few months—and I could say so much more, but for the sake of a readable length post, I’ll keep it brief!

Darin, Ann Christine, Kamilla, Jonas, and Sigrid. The Elvemos have been a blessing on my life on both sides of the pond! We connected at camp a few summers ago, and again this past summer (2010); when they heard I’d be in Norway, they invited me to visit. Going into this experience, this was the travel excursion that I knew I wanted to do—and as I mentioned waaayyy back in February, I did! We spent a wonderful weekend together, laughing and singing, reconnecting and deepening our friendship. I got to sing camp songs, play with beautiful children, have meaningful conversations with two of the wisest individuals I know—such a gift! It has been a blessing to know that there is familiarity here in this place too; knowing that there is a family that I knew prior to departing for Norway that knew I was here, cared for me, and were thinking of me made this an even more meaningful experience. I am so thankful to have been able to visit and get a glimpse of life in Norway through a the lens of these wonderful people!

Silma. This was one of my chance meetings that changed my experience for the better~we bumped into each other at school, she heard me speaking English on Skype and asked where I was from. Turns out, she studied in good old Fargo last semester as an exchange student! Small world, huh? Since that day in March, we’ve met up weekly to walk and talk: about life and love, dreams and ambitions, pros and cons of our respective cultures. There is something fascinating about sharing these conversations with one who has lived in your world for a period, which we both have. Silma has been a true blessing on this whirlwind of an adventure; she has a beautiful soul, a deep sense of independence, an open attitude, and an incredible sense of welcome—I feel so fortunate to have made a true Norwegian connection!

Christina and Daniel. This has been a particularly special friendship for me, as I had very little to do with it’s origin. These two wonderful people happened to be at the Thomas Mass service up at Nordre Al in March when I spoke (I later found out that Anne had suggested that they might be interested in meeting me—yet  another way she has blessed my time!). The three of us chatted a bit after the service and a few days later I received a mail (Norwegian terminology for e-mail!) inviting me to coffee. That chat prompted us to meet several more times throughout the semester, and we have built a lovely friendship. This couple has shown me more about this place that has been home than I could have ever possibly discovered on my own—a feat that is all the more incredible since they’ve only been here for a few months longer than me, as they are from Denmark and are continuing their studies here at HiL. We’ve had beautiful rich conversations; the sort that cause an afternoon to slip away and the words echo in your mind for days afterwards. I am so amazed at these two—they’ve been so good to me, and I am so excited for us to meet again, to sit and talk on the porch, hike through the forest, make music together, or perhaps have another picnic in the hail—yes, that’s alluding to a true story! In other words, they too, have changed me, blessed me, and enriched my time in Norway.

I am so thankful for all these people, along with the countless of others I have met here. These relationships have changed me, educated me, and inspired me, as good friendships ought to do. To think about leaving people causes this annoying thing where water leaks out my eyes to happen (in other words, I am still a crier!), but I know we will be connected in thoughts, e-mails, and someday, reunions! I am certain of that.

I don’t want to leave for all of the many reasons listed above. I don’t want to depart from this awe-inspiring beauty, I don’t want to leave this experience that has changed and challenged me in new and incredible ways. But all good things are so often because they are not permenant. As Oddgeir reminded me on Monday morning, this was to be a four month experience of living abroad—and it has been that. And now it’s time to return home, deepen my roots there, and grow in a new way.

Am I scared that I might lose what I’ve learned? A bit, but I know I will carry these precious memories and experiences with me; after all, they’ve helped to make me who I am at this moment. I’ve grown into myself, and wherever I may be in the world, I’ll always be me—and some bit of me is thanks to Anne, Oddgeir, Astrid, Marie, Magnus, Darin, Ann Christine, Kamilla, Jonas, Sigrid, Silma, Daniel, Christina—and so many others. To quote a dear mentor, boss, coworker, and role model from Moorhead: “God created the world for relationship;” It is safe to say that I have been blessed abundantly with meaningful and life changing friendships, that are to be continued even as I return home TOMORROW!

Hellos, Goodbyes, Leaving & Arriving Once Again

Several people have commented on the fact that going home must be far easier than leaving for Lillehammer in January was.

I thought it was going to be; however, I stand corrected.

Prior to departing for Norway, I had little interest in the leaving part. I was happy, comfortable, confident and in control of my life at Concordia & all my little communities. Don't get me wrong, I was very excited to go to Norway; I just didn't want to leave people, places, life behind. I was trading the familiar and the established for a deep dark void of the unknown land of Norway. New places, food, language, scenery, people; no close friends to accompany me, no "safety net." Just newness. Yikes.

So logically, I thought that May 19th would be a long awaited day-and to some degree, it is. It will be wonderful to share my experiences, hug family and friends, visit Moorhead, get ready for SUMMER! But I'm not only going home, I'm leaving-again! Leaving my new friends, my traveling companions, my routine, my home….it’s going to be a huge transition. Another one.

I’ve gotten used to being on the go…to being the outsider, the stranger, the American girl in Norway. I’ve let go of a lot of things, gained a TON of confidence in myself and who I am. I’ve learned to depend on me, rather than everyone around me-don’t get me wrong, I’m still a people person who thrives on having good relationships, but I’ve learned that it’s crucial to be in relationship with myself too. Going home…I’m returning to routine and regular life-a life that I love and have  missed, but I worry that I might forget what I’ve learned or worse, ignore all I’ve discovered.

The thing about home is that it’s familiar and comfortable, which is the exact opposite of what the last four months have been. It’s been an incredible semester, but comfortable is not the first word that I would use to describe the experience of dropping everything, hopping on four planes, skipping seven hours ahead, landing in a foreign land where jeg snakket ikke norske with nine other American students who I didn’t know prior to January 27^th of this year, submitting myself to countless challenges, including learning the art of travel planning, attempting to speak Norwegian, and figuring out the mysteries of how three lovely ladies can share one very small room (and one closet) for four months. Nope, not real comfortable. But it has been amazing.

I’ve seen the Northern Lights, learned to eat brun ost and strawberry jam on my waffles (brown cheese-goat cheese),  been engaged in great conversations, spoken at a Norwegian church, babysat some darling children, taken dance classes for the first time in several years with no obligation of being an instructor. Cross country skiing, coffee drinking (I knew I would love this country when I discovered they have the highest coffee consumption worldwide!), hiking, traveling, cooking, some studying, and countless other things have filled these days, weeks and months. I’ve been to seven countries, seen several dear friends from home, developed new and precious friendships, spoken English, French & even a little Norwegian (Jeg snakker lit norske!). I’ve learned to appreciate my family and friends, my classes, my work and my natural pace to approaching life more than ever before. I’ve lived with nine strangers who have become like my siblings and we’re still getting along and enjoying each other’s company (teasing each other and squabbling like siblings at times, but always looking out for one another).

“Away is a place I’ve romantically created where problems can be figured out, meanings found, and transformative relationships stumbled upon.” Enuma Okoro.

This quote is by one of my favorite authors, and I happened upon her latest blog post this afternoon, and this line jumped out to me. I’ve been away for so long and while I’ve been away, I’ve approached the somewhat daunting task of solving life’s problems, or at least putting them in perspective. I’ve discovered deep meaning in meeting people, the skills developed from exploring new places (I can now read a map, navigate airports and train stations like a pro, and orient myself better than I ever thought possible!). More than anything though, I’ve learned how beautiful relationships are: relationships with self and others.

My relationships look very different to me now than they did a few months ago. Perhaps it’s simply a deeper appreciation or maybe it’s a new sense of openness to creating and fostering community with whoever I happen to be with. Maybe it’s recognizing how those really special friendships are capable of extending across oceans, time zones, and life experiences, even against all odds. Certainly, the magical, God-given gift of friends has become all the more apparent as people have shown up here in Norway, extending grace, hospitality and love to this little Laura. I believe in the power of relationships.

Being away has taught me this-or opened my eyes to this. The challenge now is to remain “away” while remaining rooted in where I am, wherever I am. Lillehammer, Moorhead, Esko, Camp Hiawatha, I am always away from somewhere, while simultaneously being home. I can be present where I’m at, open to the experience of the world, all the while acknowledging how all of these places, people, opportunities have challenged me, shaped me, pushed me, and taught me how to be more fully me.

There’s so much more wandering to do here in Norway, but I only have a few days left. Coming and going, packing, planning and flying. More tales to come of these last few days, but for now, I’m going to enjoy this misty, magical day in Lillehammer and be right where I am for a bit!

Solo Steps...All Over Europe!

Hello dear friends!

Apologies for the long delay between posts-life has been a whirlwind of travel planning, gallivanting across Europe, riding various forms of mass transportation, studying for finals and soaking up every little moment of life in Norway (or wherever I happen to be at that particular moment!)

The month of April was primarily dedicated to travel-we had a group excursion to Germany, and from there my solo travel began! My holiday was spent in Edinburgh, Paris, and Taizé (a Christian community in the south of France...more info to come later!). And as indicated in the title, all of this travel was done all by little Laura lonesome--and I loved it! Planning was quite stressful; I was very nervous about making all my connections, getting lost, and all those other things one ought to worry about when venturing out on an adventure. But everything went perfectly, to my surprise and great pleasure, which made this holiday even more spectacular!

Okay folks, here come the travel tales!

GERMANY
The 11 of us Americans bordered an airplane at good ol' Gardemond International Airport, which took us safely (through the fog) to Berlin, Germany where we were met by Mark & Sonja Lund, who are the fearless leaders of Study Abroad at Luther College. Mark is somewhat of a Luther junkie like me, so his vast knowledge of Germany, theology, and random Luther trivia led to great conversation throughout our time in Germany.
Whilst in Germany, we toured every place that Martin Luther, the great Protestant Reformer, lived (aside from his birthplace and death place--though we did see his grave in the Castle Church in Wittenberg!). Wittenberg gave us a chance to see the Town Church where Luther preached & his children were baptized, the aforementioned Castle Church where the 95 Theses were posted (!), the Luther Tree (where Luther burned the papers sent to him from the Pope excommunicating him from the Catholic Church if he refused to recant the 95 Theses...obviously, Luther did NOT recant these things, as the papers ended up as charred little bits of ash around the base of an oak tree....). Also in Wittenberg, we visited Lutherhaus, the monastery where Luther studied and where he and Katarina (his lovely wife) ultimately lived and raised their family. We walked the streets where Luther did, had great conversations, soaked in rich history, which made this Lutheran Chick very happy!
Following our two day stay in Wittenberg, we made our way to Erfurt. En route, we stopped at Buchenweld concentration camp. It was a very sobering experience to stand in the place where so many people suffered at the hands of persecution and injustice. This was not an extermination camp; however, many died simply because the workload demanded of them was inhumane and their bodies could not handle the strain. This was the same site that Dietrich Bonhoeffer was kept at during the war, and when given the chance to walk to another camp, he and thousands of others made the forced march, believing it was their only chance for liberation. However, Bonhoeffer and many others perished on the march, and shortly after they left, Buchenweld was liberated by the Allies. That morning caused us to all pause and consider the reality of the Holocaust and the horrors that happened...
After our tour of Buchenweld, we made it to Erfurt, where we stayed at the Augustine Kloister, where Martin Luther was a monk. This was the place where Luther presided over his first mass, where he studied and lived; and it was here that we got to stay and live the life of a monastic for a night! We each had our own very simple quarters, and it was a very meaningful experience for me to be where Luther got his start as a theologian and scholar of religion!
Also in Erfurt, I had the great pleasure of spending the evening with the one and only Yvonne Zgraggen, fellow Cobber, roommate, and dear friend who is studying abroad in Jena for the year! An evening spent catching up, laughing, eating great food and enjoying each other's company made my time in Germany even more precious! And our final day in Germany was spent at Wartburg Castle, where Luther hid out, disguised as Sir George. Jaunting around a castle, a little last taste of Luther-land...I was a happy girl!

From Wartburg, we made our way up the autobond (yikes!) to Berlin, where I said farewell to my fellow travelers and set off on a ten day adventure....alone!

EDINBURGH, SCOTLAND
From Berlin to Edinburgh (a seamless journey, save for the five minutes I spent trying to explain to the poor man at the customs desk WHAT in the world I was doing in the UK (they wanted an address for where I was staying...which I did not have), WHY I didn't have Biz's address ("Um, I just haven't ever had it, and I don't have a phone or computer access to ask for it now....), WHO this crazy Biz character was and what SHE was doing in Edinburgh ("She's another American, volunteering through the ELCA working with the homeless and doing a year of service abroad) and after all of my sleepy Laura explanations (give me a break people, it was 12:30 in the morning, I had just woken up after the soundest plane nap ever taken and I was a wee bit discombobulated.), the man decided I was harmless, took mine & Biz's full names, and let me go through, where I was greeted by the beautiful Elizabeth Sorenson!
Our week together was lovely-mostly sunny days spent drinking coffee, catching up, exploring the city of Edinburgh, and causing a few shenanigans along the way, as we tend to do! Much of this time was Laura time, as Bizzy bee had to work, so I spent many a day scampering about the city, relishing in the English speaking nation, sipping good (and reasonably priced!) coffee, snacking on Cadbury chocolate, fresh fruit, and other little treats I found along the way. Visited a few gorgeous gardens that were in full bloom (in direct contrast to Lillehammer, which still had a great deal of snow on the ground when I had left several days prior...and this is mid April people!), explored the castle, wandered Princes Street, took myself out to the ballet. Biz and I climbed up to Arthur's Seat (read: scaled a cliff, descended down a ravine-we didn't feel much like staying on the paths!), spent a day at the beach, where we were chased away by a trio of naughty little boys on holiday who were stirring up mischief by picking sand battles with innocent young women like us, throwing sand at us & attempting to snatch our things. We ate well, laughed a lot, and even found yet another Cobber, Miss Kari Beth Shobe, who happened to be spending her holiday driving through the UK with Mamma & Papa Shobe and friends, so we met them several times for dessert-Cobbers, Cobbers everywhere! All in all, it was a lovely holiday!

FRANCE
From Scotland, I flew to Beauvais, France, where my travel planning was less set in stone and I was most nervous-though all went well! From Beauvais, I took a bus to PARIS, where I hopped on the metro and navigated myself (using my five years of Français and my newfound map reading abilities) to my hotel, where I dropped my things, printed my train tickets for the next day, freshened up a bit, then took myself to the Eiffel Tower, where I soaked in the warm spring evening under the glow of the lights, the buzz of excited chatter, and the decadent chocolate crepe that I treated myself to! An American girl in Paris-a very happy girl indeed!
And the next morning dawned bright and early, taking me to Gare de Lyon, where I boarded a train that would take me south to Macon and to Taizé, where I spent four days among fellow young adults from all over the world, singing , meditating, and being in community. It was incredible to be there over the Easter holiday; On Easter Sunday, there were over five thousand people there, singing and celebrating the fact that we are a Resurrection People! I learned a lot, had time to rest, give self care, meet people from all over the world, be in conversation with people of all sorts of stories, faith journeys, all the while being surrounded by the beautiful sights of the south of France-rolling hills, trees in blossom, gorgeous water...ah!

NORWAY
When my time at Taizé was over, I boarded my 12 hour bus/train/bus/airplane/train combination of transit that would take me back to Norway. This day was spent marveling at my newfound independence; not only that I had successfully navigated my way through numerous airports and train stations, "parlez-vous français"-ing my way through the stereotypical view of Americans, but also realizing how much I enjoyed my solo travel! Never had I envisioned myself as one who would choose to venture out alone, but here I was, exhilarated from my week and a half of independence. What a life-giving experience. I am so proud of myself, thankful for the help I received along the way (Mark & Sonja for dropping me off at my airport in Berlin, setting me off on a successful beginning, Biz for her hospitality & friendship, all of the beautiful people I met at Taizé, and throughout my travels, and of to Dad & Mom for helping with all the logistical planning stuff-and for worrying, of course!).

And here I am. Sat my exam on Friday morning (and afternoon: this was a four hour written exam! Not a “four question, write as much as you need to to sufficiently answer the question” but rather, “here are three questions, answer two, and write the entire time.” Yikes!), so I’m mostly done academically. A couple short papers, then I’m finished with junior year. And in two and a half weeks (18 days from today!), I will be on Minnesota soil. Weird.

I’m not sure how I feel about being home. Okay, that’s a lie: I am SOOO excited to go home! To see my family, friends, prep for camp, hear about life in Esko, Moorhead, at Trinity, Red River Dance….it’s going to be fantastic! But at the same time, there is so little time left here in Lillehammer, where I have built a bit of my life. I’ve learned so much in my time here-and I have some dear friends who I hate to say goodbye to. It’s not as easy to leave as I thought it would be. But May 19^th is coming soon-I’ll be home within this month! YAY!

In the meantime though, I have two more group travel excursions: tomorrow I am setting off for a trip to Bergen (in Western Norway) and Copenhagen, Denmark. We’ll be going for the shear benefit of going, so that will be lovely! Then next week we’re setting off to spend a week at an organic farm north of Lillehammer-which sounds fantastic. Then we’ll have four full days here in Lillehammer to pack, say goodbyes, celebrate 17^th de Mai and head for home on May 19^th.

So much to do.

So little time.

So much growth.

So much potential.

Thanks for all the love!

SEE YOU SOON!!!

April Showers....

Well, spring has sprung! Even in Norway, there is promise of green grass, warm spring evenings and buds on the trees....the question remains if these things will arrive before I depart come May. Though the potential is there, the snow is too~maybe that will change soon?! Let's hope so!

Thought it was about time for another update:
Since last week, I have been busy busy busy~wait, what?! This sounds more like life in Cobberville, not life in Lillehammer. But you heard (read) me correctly: the pace is pickin' up, folks, and the race to the end is on. Suddenly, life here is a flurry of homework, extra class sessions, travel planning, thinking about and planning for summer at Camp Hiawatha, budgeting, socializing, and trying to slow down enough to soak in every single moment here in Norway. Whew!

This weekend was centered around spring break: planning, mapping out the logistics of getting from one place to another, calling the train companies, booking flights, calling Mom & Dad for advice (you are the best...seriously, I'm the luckiest girl ever to have you two! MWAH!) and pondering the balance between sanity and frugality. It was kind of stressful; actually, if I'm being fully honest, I think that's the most stress I've felt since leaving America, so the whole process hit me hard and I realized just how much I miss my family and friends. Hmm. Tough thing to realize while in the midst of planning a dream of a spring break excursion huh? But it got me thinking, and it made me recognize just how important it is to be fully here and rest in the knowledge that even with an ocean and a few thousand miles between us, I still have a Dad who is willing to map out a route for me that makes sense to my crazy brain; a Mom who knows just what to say to make me smile; and countless friends and loved ones who have filled my inbox and FB wall with love and support from home. You all have been and continue to give me permission to live into these days and experiences fully and completely~so thank you!

And after a few tears of stress and frustration, I got to go and babysit for some darling Norwegian children. We had a fantastic evening together, laughing, playing games, bridging the language barrier: apparently I'm only a little bit difficult to understand...and my Norwegian is passable (that is, if you want to hear where I come from, how old I am, who my family is and that I don't really speak any Norwegian at all!). It was such a great night: These are great kids and it made me so happy to play board games, eat bon bons and sing silly songs together: simple joys. So great!

Seven Weeks. 50 Days.

Hello again friends~Here I am, back in Lillehammer after a delightful weekend in London. Yep, I get to spend my weekends abroad, exploring foreign cities, eating good food, seeing beautiful historical monuments. Yep. This is indeed my life. Crazy, huh?

My time in London was phenomenal! I spent Thursday with a dear friend and fellow Cobber who is living in London for the year. We got an opportunity to catch up, share travel stories, reflect on our time abroad & marvel at the beautiful sprng day we shared. IT wasso wonderful to see her and as the day passed, we both realized that though we have spent a great deal of time together through shared classes, similar circles of friends and shared interests, we never succeeded at making and keeping a coffee date. It literally took us both uprooting our lives, moving across the world and a great deal of travel (me from Norway to London, her by means of lots of tube and bus rides in order to meet me) in order to finally meet for a koppa. But we did~and it was spectacular! I am so thankful to have shared a beautiful spring day in London with the beautiful Kari Beth Shobe; it was just what I needed!

The rest of my time in London was equally wonderful; lots of sightseeing, miles and miles of walking, multiple attempts at navigating our way through streets that changed names and weren't perpindicular to one another, and countless moments of awe and wonder at the beauty around us and the lovely warm weather--I got to run around in flats and a short sleeve dress; a far cry from my uniform of late consisting of boots, jeans, sweater & outdoor gear...it felt so good to have sunshine on my face and wind in my hair (wind that doesn't bring snow and freezing temps with it!). A definite highlight of London was seeing Les Miserables. I have literally waited six years to see the show, after having played the role of Gavroche my freshman year of high school. I was nervous about seeing it; after all, what if I had built it up too much? But I was blown away and it was perfect. I am so glad to have seen it, to have the music echoing in my ears and my heart as I traveled back to Norway where snow and ice still abound, though admittedly the thaw is beginning to speed up!

And now, back in Norway, I am realizing how little time remains here. I have two weeks before I leave for Germany for class, and from there spring break will commence, taking me to Scotland and France. Upon returning to Norway I will have a day to prepare before sitting exams, the weekend to pack, then off we go again for a whirlwind tour of Norway & Denmark, taking us back to Lillehamme for the 17th of May celebrations (independence day here in Norway), then I'll be home again the 19th. I have 50 days left here in Norway. I'm not sure how I feel about that...I am torn between wanting time to slow down so I can soak in Norway and speed up so I can finally hug all of the beautiful wonderful people back home ♥

But seven weeks remain. Lots of homework, travel, springtime (I hope!) will fill these 50 days and soon, soon, soon, I'll be back in Minnesota, preparing for a summer in God's Great Northwoods, catching up with friends and exploring what being home looks like. Before any of that can happen, however, I have some classes to attend--I'm off for now, see you all soon dear friends!

Sunday Night @ Nordre Ål

Ooookay, so maybe it doesn't quite roll of the tip of your tongue the way Sunday Night @ East (excuse me, Concordia) does, but in many ways, the evening felt familiar to the community and the service I am used to in Moorhead.

Since moving to Lillehammer, I have found a lovely community in Nordre Ål kirken; literally, the North Church, here in Lillehammer. Anne & Oddgeir, the pastors there, are a lovely couple with BEAUTIFUL children who have sort of adopted me and extended hospitality and welcome to this wide eyed wanderer during my time in Norway. Anyway, Oddgeir asked me if I would be willing to share a bit of my faith journey with the congregation last night and I agreed, opting to return from my weekend trip to Oslo a few hours early for the sake of participating in this service of meditation, sharing, music, and prayer. The service was done in the style of Thomas Mass, meaning it was full of different components geared towards personal reflection and prayer.

The whole energy was familiar: the checking of mics, the talking through of the worship order, listening to the musicians prepare for the service. In those moments, in a place far far away, I was home.

I am still marveling at the opportunity; I got to share a bit of my story in this country where I have just happened to be for a short window of time. I get to be a part of this community, these people have become a part of my story. How often will I get a chance to share and grow in these ways? I feel so blessed to have had a chance to be open to these opportunities, and moreso, to be open to the people that have come into my life in the past few months.

This journey has not been an easy one; in all actuality, I think this may be the most difficult thing  have ever done, uprooting my life, moving across the world, leaving those I love and cherish behind for a season. But it's also the most life-giving and altering thing too. I have gained a tremendous amount of independence, confidence, and willingness to try new things, meet new people, and be open to where life will lead.

Learning.
Listening.
Sharing.
Growing.
Pondering.
Wandering.

All I can be is fully and wholely me. And I'm discoverin more and more each day who I am becoming and where this path is leading. Life is all about the journey, and these four months are proving to be an uphill climb, complete with awe-inspiring beauty, victories large and small, and companions who will help me on my way....and the view is breathtaking! The journey is still underway, still worth every step, and has provided me with time to reflect and discern more about who this wide-eyed wanderer really is.