Here I am, back in Oslo. And after 10 days in Austin, it’s really odd being back here. Seeing everyone there was great, but hard. If you’ve never taken a vacation back into your own life, I highly recommend it. Definitely a great way to gain perspective. Actually, imagine a fire hose that shoots “life perspective” and have someone aim it right at you… now you get it.
Being here in Oslo the last couple of months has been a really enlightening experience. Anyone that knows me knows that I have a hard time with winter and darkness. Moving to Oslo was kind of a test for me. Facing my fears and all that. While I think I’m getting a passing grade, I wasn’t totally prepared for everything that awaited me here. I have been depressed on a number of occasions, but I really don’t want that to be what I remember about my time in Oslo.
I want to remember how my shadow seems to always be longer than I am tall. I want to remember playing Norwegian Bar Trivia and having every question quickly translated so that I could participate. I want to remember that one stop on the #1 subway train where people pile into the train carrying luge sleds.
I want to remember the great time that I had here.
I’d rather not remember the two months of solitary confinement in my apartment. Or the sun setting at 4:30 pm. Or the fact that I don’t know which stores to go to when I want to buy something. Or the total lack of internet in my apartment (NextGenTel promised to have it installed by April 5… today is April 13… still no internet). Or the fact that the stores never seem to be open when I want to buy something. Or any one of a hundred other stupid things that have gotten me down.
Okay, now I’m rambling. Guess what I’m saying is that as much as I look forward to coming back to Austin, I’m also looking forward to the rest of my time here in Oslo.
One Comment
Man, I totally feel you there. While you’ve had months to deal with, I’ve only had weeks (for trips to Germany). But you’ve encapsulated a lot of the things that I felt when I went over there – it can be a pretty isolating experience. For me it was more like stepping out of my life for a couple of weeks as opposed to stepping back into it.
However, the last time I went to Germany, I determined that I was going to have a good time, come hell or high water. And you know what? I did. I think it’s all about the state of mind – if you choose to focus on the negatives, then the trip will be negative and that will be all you remember; but if you choose to focus on the positives, that trip will become a bright spot in your life that you’ll remember fondly as a life-changing experience. Or at least one that you may not have had on your own if your company hadn’t sent you there.
I think you’re on the right track, my friend…
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