The Norwegians Invade!

So lucky for us the friends we had made in Norway were going to study at Texas Tech for a whole semester! The ones that came that we knew or took classes with were Cecilie, Fredrik, Aleksandra, Tormod, Erik and Terje. And the two people that I didn’t know were Kjersti and Lene but we became close friends. We were so excited to have them! Amanda, Cecilie, Lene and I became a tight foursome; we would all go out together and end up in the hot tub after….we occasionally would meet up with the others. They all lived in different apartment complexes around the city of Lubbock but we never had any issues with picking them up.  Justin lived further away so he would swig by and pick up Tormod, Aleksandra, and Kjersti when we were all meeting up. It’s so fun to have people from other countries stay with you and you get to show them your home! We took them to football games and all the nasty fast food places…and the good restaurants in Lubbock (if you can really say they have any) and of course all the bars ;)

Pumpkins!!!

Charlotte also came to visit us for Halloween! She also happen to be there for the Tech (TTU) vs. Texas (UT) football game. Not only had she never seen an American football game she picked a great game to go to (this coming from a person who doesn't like football). Tech won by just a few points (39-33). While she was there all the Norwegians carved pumpkins and we also made Charlotte a traditional Thanksgiving dinner! YUM! Big props to Amanda for her sweet cooking skills!



Charlotte and Cecilie with the wishbone



Where should I go next?!?!?!

So after I came home I was sitting with my best friend by her pool and telling her about my trip and my travels and she was so into it and wanting to do something like that too. Well her dad was sitting out there with us. Let me give you a little background with Ashley’s dad, I have known her since 6^th grade and I haven’t spoken more than 10 words to him my whole life! And he himself has also traveled a lot in Europe, mainly Germany. Well he said that if we planned it he would pay for it! Ashley and I go into the house and I am like, “WHAT?!?!” am I under the impression that he is going to pay for us to have an adventure for us? Yes! So with my experience with traveling in Europe and trying to navigate foreign cities I suggested maybe trying to find a tour to take that could show us more in a short amount of time. After some Googling   we found Trafalgar Tours. We decided that the ‘Best of Italy’ tour would be the best choice for us since it was the right length, price, and let us see the best places in Italy. The only time I could go was over Christmas since I was still in school. So we would be spending out first Christmas away from our families…in ITALY!!! So it was a good trade. As the date gets closer the tour gets booked, the flights are booked and before we know it, it’s time to take off! 

The Turks

Leo, me, Suna, Amanda

So let me tell you a little bit about the Turkish students that we met while we were there. The classes we were taking consisted of about 30 American students, 10 Norwegians, and 5 Turkish students. The Turks were some of the nicest people I have ever met, so not what you would expect. We made really good friends with a few of them: Burak, Leo, and Suna. Burak was roommates with Jack and that how we became pals with him and Leo was just an all around awesome guy! The funniest thing he said was in class, here is the story. The topic in class was companies’ ads not having the same meaning in one place as they do in another. Some of the examples were packaging Oreos in tubes and not boxes and marketing McDonalds for different regions. And one of our classmates, Stig, said that something similar happened in Norway with the Honda Fit (Fitte) (pronounced Feet-a). And he continues to say what the meaning of Fitte means in Norwegian….I’ll just let you look that up on Google Translate…and he said that out loud in class!!! So needless to say that woke everyone up and Leo turns to me and Jack and says, “I will buy this car!” So funny! 

Now a Suna story…we were out at the bar and she was being her usual drunk, Turkish self. Well the tables had candles on them and she leaned over the table and well, burned her hair! And all she has to say is, “Oh, I burned my hair!” WTF Suna?!?!? Are you kidding me? LOL we miss their crazy antics! 

Suna, Amanda, me

Suna

Back in time to Pack

Amanda, Charlotte, Me, and Christina

Of course I had given myself some time to relax and pack my bags but it was so bitter sweet. The past 6 weeks had been a life changing time for me. There is something about being on your own in a foreign land that I guess really makes you figure out who you are. Being the planner that I am I called the bus depot to ask them if they could please come up to our apartments to pick us up as we had 28 or so students with lots of luggage going to the airport.  So glad they picked us up, we didn’t want to have to walk the dreaded hill! A super steep hill, we were on top and the town was below.

 The flight back was indeed something to remember. We were about 1 ½ into the flight when all of a sudden we hear, “is there a doctor on flight?” HOLY SHIT!!! What is going on??? Well, turns out a baby was having some problems and we had to turn around and head back to Oslo. We had to wait on the tarmac for a gate, de plane, and then wait for them to do diagnostic testing on the plane since we had a heaving landing (the plane was still full of fuel). We finally made it Newark 14 hours later! We missed out flight back to Houston and had to stay overnight…blah! Amanda and I decided to take the 1st flight out that left at about 5 a.m., gave us about 3 hours of sleep and took us through Cincinnati or something but we made it to Houston! FINALLY! So glad to be home…now it was time to chill for a week then head back up to school for summer classes….but not before an amazing trip to Italy was in the works! ;)

me and Justin

me and Amanda

the 3 of us!

A short trip to København

okay, I actually went to Copenhagen before Stockholm! (it sneaked pass me on my files :P )

Jack, Burak (one of the Turks), and I decided to go to Copenhagen for 2 days, 1 night. We stayed at a great hostel near Tivoli and the train station; they even had little soap and shampoo packets (not common in hostels). We got there and had a little bit of a hard time getting from the airport to the city but we made it and immediately went out! We had an early flight so we could have the whole day. We walked around and when to the Museum Erotica (come on…we had to) and walked around some more and saw all the old buildings and the harbor. We also stopped and took a break in Rosenborg Palace Park.



{City Hall}

{Ooo, La, La}

Then we went to Tivoli right before dark which was a good call because all the lights were lit up and it looked so magical! Then we headed back and in the morning we would all go our separate ways. Burak headed….well I don’t remember where, Poland I think. Jack headed to the train station to make his way to Berlin and I hung out at the train station until I felt comfortable enough to head out in a foreign city on my own. Then I headed back to train station to catch my bus to the airport to catch my flight to Stockholm, Sweden. And they didn’t collect my fair for the bus so that was nice! As I flew over the water I got to see the cool wind generators that are in the seas! So cool!

{Tivoli before the sun went down}

{Jack, Burak, and me}

{Tivoli at night}

Stockholm

I get to Stockholm and take the super fast train from the airport to city, then I wait for my mom’s high school friend Åse's kids, Katharina and Christian, to come pick me up…hard to find people I have never met :P Well we found each other and then went to store to get dinner and a movie and then it was off to their house!

One of the days I was there, the oldest daughter, Elisabeth took me back into the city via a small local train and we did some shopping, sightseeing, and had some lunch. Headed back to the house, had dinner and then went out for a night on the town with Elisabeth and Katharina! We met up with some of their friends and went to an outside bar by the sea which I thought was really cool! Then went to a club and danced but Techno really isn't my style.

{The Baltic Sea}

One afternoon Elisabeth took me sun bathing on the banks of the Baltic Sea! So cool to say that! It was wonderful and relaxing. After my stay I headed back to Hønefoss for my last days in Norway :( so sad to leave but the end was near.

{out at Josefina!}

London Calling

Me and Big Ben

I have to say that we were so lucky to have a connection in London, England. Amanda has an uncle (really a close family friend) that works for Shell over there. He lived in a beautiful flat in a beautiful neighborhood! But let me start with our trip to get there…

Hello good chap!

Amanda, Jack, and I took this trip together. We took a bus to the “cheap airport” near Oslo and landed at the “cheap airport” near London. When it was all said and done, I’m not sure if taking the cheaper flights was worth it since we had to take so many buses and trains to get to our final destinations. We made it to London and met up with her uncle briefly (he had to finish his work day) and he showed us were we would meet up with him for the play we were seeing that night. So we had some lunch and then walked around the River Thames and popped in the Museum of Modern Art. We saw The Buddy Holly Story! How funny, crazy, cool is that? During the play they kind of interacted with the audience and asked someone where they were from…well they were from Japan…but how crazy would it have been if they had picked us and we got to say, “Lubbock, TX!” It would have been awesome! So we saw the play and headed home via our feet and strolled by Buckingham Palace, and the Queen was home too! The next day we went to the Tower of London and took the tour with the only female Beefeater (don’t ask me why they call them that but they are the “guardians of the Tower of London”) but it was very cool to be somewhere and see things that are so old! And of course, it’s part of my family history! My mom’s cousin has been able to prove that one of our family members was a bastard child of King Henry the VIII (one of many bastards I’m sure!) so it was just very cool! We walked by Big Ben many times and then went to Saturday mass at Westminster Abby! Very cool and the boys choir was so angelic. Then we went for a dusk ride on the London Eye (the best way to see London I am sure, and you must do it at dusk! Så vakkert)! When everything was all said and done I think we figured we walked 15 miles in 2.5 days! Talk about cardio!

the only female Beefeater

Where Queen Anne was killed

The London Eye at night

Jack, Amanda, and me

So much walking!!!

 

Classic!