High Price to Pay

I've made comments about how expensive things in Norway can be.

I've grumbled over paying $10 for 4 rolls of toilet paper (the good toilet paper, mind you. I didn't actually realize I had a preference for good ol' tp until very recently, but in Norway the best is produced by Lambi).

I've groaned about paying $7 for raspberries (and got a stomach ache to boot). 

I've unknowingly spent $100 on a laundry basket. 

And I've been flabbergasted by how much a beer costs. There's a website called "pintprice.com" that tells you how much pints of beer cost all over the world. Based on this site, a pint of beer in Bergen is about $11.50. Yikes. Check out this link (it tells you how much beer costs all over Norway. I'm in Bergen): Beer in Bergen.

Amazing, huh?

But despite the cost of living, it's wonderful to work here. The benefits for working people are fantastic. In the states, I worked 9 am to 6pm everyday, not including my commute. I would leave the house at 8:30 in the morning, only to return by 6:30 at night. As a teacher, a day like that can completely wipe you out. In Norway, I work 8:15 to 3:15 and I better go home right away. You're not encouraged to "stick around" if your work isn't done or there's just a small thing to take care of. No way - you GO HOME when it's time to go. You spend time with your family. You relax. I've only been at my new job a little over a week, and I already see how different it feels to be working in a system that actually cares for their people. 

On the other hand, I've already see how irritating it is to get anything done. In Norway, everyone takes their vacation time and specific work hours very seriously, so you don't often "catch" people at the end of the day or during the summer. Some businesses might only be open from 10 to 3 on Tuesdays and Wednesdays and there's no way to get around that. Things simply aren't open Sunday. I've grown used to the convenience of 24-hour everything in the States, and it's a little hard to adjust to not having that here.

Need a toothbrush at 9:45 at night in the states? Go to Target. 

Need a toothbrush at 9:45 at night in Norway? Too bad, use your finger - hopefully you didn't lose your toothpaste, too. 

Want to get some wine for that special weekend dinner in the states? Go anywhere that sells alcohol, up until midnight. 

Want do the same in Norway? Well first of all, plan ahead. You better go to the Vinmonopolet (wine monopoly, the only store that sells wine and/or liquor) before 6pm Monday through Friday, and before 3pm on Saturday. Don't even try on Sunday, it's not open like the rest of the country. 

I think people are generally happier here. They're not so stressed out because of work, and I find that curiously refreshing. Way to go, Norway. Happy people, happy country! 

Injustice.

This post is for all the women in the world.

I've been desperately thinking about how I want to share my feelings about this because witnessing it moved me to tears. No, wait, heaving sobs in a dimly lit parking lot of a tanning salon just beside the tracks of the bybanen (trolley) not far from home.

Stian and I had been out with friends - we'd been having a wonderful night of laughter and fun at a little pub in the city center. When it was time to go home, we hopped on the bybanen (pronounced like "bee bon") and miraculously found seats. We sat facing two people, which at the beginning of the trip bothered me not in the least. I've learned that in Norway, you really keep to yourself on public transport - no one makes small talk and if you have to speak to the person you're traveling with, you do so quietly. Late night byban rides are very different though, and following the status quo of a Norwegian that has been drinking, everyone is usually light-hearted and incredibly chatty.

When the bybanen started moving, I suddenly became aware of the couple directly across from us. I don't know if the fact that they were speaking English caught my attention, or the simple oddity of their relationship, but in any case it made me forget my anger about having to throw away my delectable half-eaten hotdog before being allowed to get on and head for home. He was a sturdy Norwegian with bloodshot blue eyes that matched the color of his denim outfit one-size-too-small. She was a small woman from Thailand.

He was being incredibly rude to her, treating her like a dog and making a big show about it. And her response to it was groveling - desperately trying to be cute, trying to flirt with him, trying to "make nice," trying to get his attention.

I was staring. They were a foot away and I was staring, no questions asked. I couldn't help it. Suddenly all those stories Stian had told me about how it's not unusual for a Norwegian man to "buy" a woman from Thailand came crashing into my reality, literally in front of my face. He kept catching my eye (which wasn't hard to do as I was staring, quite intensely, directly at him), and every time he did, he gave me this little smirk and continued to be rude, continued to be an incredulous bastard. She became aware that I was watching and there was obvious embarrassment on both our parts.

I finally let down my gaze.

She got up and wanted to leave, begging him to come with her. Again he caught my eye, again he smirked, and again he ignored her. She grabbed his arm and tried to yank him away from his seat and he just sat there with that evil grin on his face. They got off at the next stop and Stian and I made comments to each other about what a jerk he was. But forget him....what about her??? How did she end up with such an awful man?? 

That's when Stian told me more about buying women from Thailand and that's when I got incredibly, undeniably sad. My heart broke for her. I suddenly got sucked into comparing our lives, thinking how I got to pick the person I wanted to be with, she probably didn't. I chose to move to Norway because I wanted my life here, her opinions made no difference. Maybe her life is better than it was, who's to say? Maybe she wanted to be here, but I cannot let myself believe that that's who she wanted to be with and that's how she wants to live her life. No way. Maybe it's one of those cases where she marries him, gets into the country by putting up with it for a short time, and then divorces him to start her own life. Maybe, but what hell. What a grave inconvenience.

Thinking how different our lives are, and how unfair her life may seem, broke me down. I stopped in my tracks and just cried for her. Sobbed for her. Couldn't breathe for her. I couldn't stop, and my thoughts were racing about how this happens more than I can fathom. I started thinking about a book I read called A Thousand Splendid Suns, which is a story of a woman in Kabul, Afghanistan who was forced to marry a disgusting man. It's a fantastic book, but the story is heartbreaking - similar to what I had just witnessed on the bybanen.

My heart goes out to women that have to go through something like that - to escape one hell only find another.

Blue Skies, Berries, and Books: Life is Good.

There's about 25 things I could say are great about moving to Norway. It could be more, it could be less. I sort of made up that number without really thinking, (I'm sure I could come up with that many if I really had to), but luckily, this is my blog and I don't have to prove that number to anyone - I could exaggerate or grossly underestimate and it wouldn't make a difference. Right, so 25 things that are great. I'm not going to go through that entire list for you because I don't want to bore you to tears, but I'll just mention some highlights.


One, for example, is that Bergen is a beautiful city that I am thoroughly enjoying, either with others or entirely on my own. I feel I'm wise to know that when the sun is shining in this city, you drop what you are doing and go outside to enjoy it. Just about every person that I've met here has been keen to point out that it rains about 220 days per year in Bergen, on average. That's a big, BIG change from my previous life in sunny Southern California, so I made a point to take pictures during some August sunshine in the city center.

The Bryggen, Bergen's iconic spot.  Admire the blue, cloudless sky!

All the boats and water at the Bryggen.

The main square in Bergen Sentrum.
This is where I usually spend time and money on the weekends. 

Another great thing about living in Norway is the berries. Honestly, I've eaten the most delicious strawberries that have ever tickled my tastebuds in this country. They have more flavor than I could have ever dreamed of in the States. The only drawback is that they don't keep for more than a day (two if you're lucky), so you have to pretty much eat them up the moment you get them. While I was wandering around in Bergen and snapped the pictures above, I also stopped near the famous fish market because there were tons of fresh, locally grown produce being sold at the stands. I stopped, had an entirely Norwegian exchange of words (really, it wasn't much, but I'm still proud), nearly knocked over an ENTIRE palate of cherries, bought my raspberries (bringebær, in Norwegian), and wandered the city devouring my new purchase.

These raspberries were grown in Sogn, not far from where Stian is from, and they were DELICIOUS. I paid 39 Kroner, which (I can't believe I'm going admit this) is 7 US Dollars. For this!:

Mmm Mmm Mmm.

 There was a few more in there to begin with, I only remembered to take the picture after I had eaten some. While I LOVE raspberries (bringebær), Stian prefers strawberries (jordbær), so when I met up with him to share my Norwegian exchange and my purchase, he only ate about 5 raspberries in total. I was hoping he would eat more since there were quite a few in the basket and I had more than my share already! We were in the city and I couldn't just shove them in my purse and shop with them (that would be a messy disaster). I offered some to the woman that cut Stian's hair, and she politely declined. Gosh, so many berries! And because I paid SEVEN USD for them, I refused to let them go to waste.

So I ate them. All of them. I dropped one on the floor and Stian ate five, meaning I ate all but six raspberries. I also ate them fast because there was this fantastic dress staring me down in a window nearby that I desperately needed to try on. On my way into the fitting room I looked at the price tag - which is generally something I DON'T do....ever (which is how I accidentally bought a laundry basket for 100 US dollars, and this time, I'm NOT exaggerating), and anyway, I looked at the price tag only to find out it was 1100 Kroner - about 200 USD. I put it back on the rack and walked out of the store with a major stomach ache - I'm not sure if it was the disappointment in leaving such a gorgeous, totally unnecessary dress behind, or the fact that I ate an incredible amount of raspberries at warp speed, but either way, it was time to go home and leave the expensive city center for others to explore.

The last great reason for being in Norway: I have time to read again!!!! I love to read, but over the last 2 or more years, Stian and I have spent all our free time talking on Skype, leaving very little time pick up a book, let alone finish it. I've been here only a few weeks and have finally finished the book I've been reading for.....hmm, I don't even remember when I started it. When I finished it, I went the local library, got a library card and got a new book from the English section. Yippee! And at work, we have a small staff library to share books, and upon a good recommendation from a coworker, I took home yet ANOTHER book. I'm currently reading 2.5 books (one is a dictionary), and LOVING it!! I've missed reading. I've missed getting lost in a story, and I've missed snuggling up in bed with a good book and a warm blanket.

The 2.5 books I'm reading... HAPPILY! :)

Life is good.

Oh, and yeah yeah, being out of the long-distance relationship and into a normal routine and life is probably the greatest part of being here. :)