Feeling at home...at the gym

Most of my friends know that I am usually a "regular" at the gym.  It's a stress reducer and, next to home improvement projects, it may be my only current hobby (perhaps neither of these are "real" hobbies, but try not to judge!).  Anyway, I joined a local gym soon after moving here...and noticed a couple of interesting things about it as compared to my gym in the states.

One of the first things I noticed when I walked in to TEAM Treningssenter (that's Training Center for those of you requiring a translation) is that there is place for your "outdoor" shoes (I have found that in Norway and Sweden most people take their shoes off in the house as well).  What a simple way to keep all of the dirt, snow, and other gross stuff from being tracked inside.  Yes, I understand that some folks in the U.S. use designated "gym shoes", but I'm not sure I have ever seen someone remove their shoes at the door!

In the U.S. would we worry about our shoes being stolen??

On my first visit, I was asked by one of the instructors to join her step class.  I didn't understand much Norwegian...and it had been quite a while since I'd taken a group exercise class...but I gave it a try.  Luckily it went reasonably well, and I don't think I made a complete fool of myself.  I was also introduced to a few people in the class.  I wouldn't say the Norwegians are ridiculously outgoing, but most are quite friendly if you make the first move.

I quickly observed that several of the "regulars" would sit, chat and drink coffee after their workouts.  It wasn't too long after I joined TEAM that I began to linger post-workout in the hopes of being invited to take a seat.  I know that sounds a bit pathetic, but keep in mind I had spent the first several weeks in Norway painting our basement...with zero social interaction.  Soon it was suggested that I sit and have a cup of coffee (that was sooooo nice!).   To be honest, I think my first "true" friend was Ida...the gym manager's dog.   She didn't seem to mind that I spoke very poor Norwegian!

Just give me attention and I will let you speak English...

Slowly but surely, I became more comfortable hanging out and practicing a bit of Norwegian.  I have noticed that the comfort level with speaking English varies quite a bit...from those who will gladly speak English with me to those who initially avoided me like the plague in fear of speaking English (and there are many in between).  I still contend that people quickly become more comfortable speaking English when they realize that their English is always (ALWAYS) better than my Norwegian!

Looks like there is an open seat for me!

I have to say that after about five months here, I really feel like part of the morning crew.  A few of the regulars even allowed me to snap their photos...

My favorite (almost) twins

99...100!  Wow- you are strong!

One thing I failed to mention, which may partly explain why I have been "accepted" at the gym, is that I have (on several occasions) brought in cake, cookies, etc. for my fellow coffee drinkers.  Yes, I know it seems a bit strange to bring cookies to the gym, but everything in moderation, right??   It has been suggested that I am trying to "buy" new friends with baked goods...and maybe that's not too far from the truth.

It's hard to resist a post-workout cookie!

Either way, I have to say it has been a long time since I've enjoyed the social aspect of the gym nearly as much as my actual workouts.  Thanks to the folks at Team Treningssenter (you know who you are) for taking in the cookie baking, barely Norwegian speaking American!

Vinterferie (Winter Holiday) in Norway

Last week (known also as Week 8) was winter break, or Vinterferie, as it is called here in Norway.  The kids were free from school and many parents take at least a few days off from work.  When I think of winter break, I think of a "break from the winter" and envision a week in a warm climate with my toes in the sand.   Unfortunately, it is really difficult to find a place warm enough this time of year (unless you would like to spend 10 hours in an airplane!).

Looks relaxing, right??

Here in Norway, however, people seem to have a different idea.  Winter break is a time for many Norwegians to go forth and find as much snow as humanly possible.  Many families head to the mountains to their cabin, called a "hytte", to go skiing.  Since I had never done skiing of any kind until last month, this snow-filled skiing holiday idea is all very new to me!  We did consider a ski trip in Austria with some friends, but decided that that may have been a bit ambitious for a family with three novice skiers.

Let's face it...I probably would have broken a leg!

We decided to spend most of the week relaxing (the kids), working around the house (me) and just plain working (the husband).   However, we did spend a couple of days with some friends at their cottage in the mountains.  This offered a great opportunity to experience what vinterferie is all about.  There was so much snow that you could hardly see their "hytte" from the road.

Is anybody home??

It was the most snow I've ever experienced...and I'll be honest...I have never been one of those people that LOVE the snow!   However, I found that with the right winter clothing (and an open mind), it was truly a wonderful getaway for the family.

Amazing views!

Of course, we had to do some cross country skiing during our visit.  It was great weather and the environment was quite peaceful...with the exception of the "thud" sound my body made when hitting the ground at the bottom of every hill.  My attempts at slowing down or stopping were futile and only seemed to make me ski faster down the hills.  I guess I had the wrong idea about "cross country" skiing....I kept thinking that the terrain should be a bit more flat. On a positive note, I am quite certain that my numerous "wipe outs" provided a good laugh for the more experienced skiers (which included pretty much everyone else on the mountain that day).

Luckily our girls generally stayed on their feet and are really enjoying their first season on skis.

C'mon mom...this is so EASY!

The youngest trying out the snow board!

After a fun visit to the mountains, I am beginning to see why the Norwegians LOVE the snow (I do understand that was a very broad generalization).  I can also appreciate what appears to be a much better work/life balance here compared to what exists in the U.S. (I won't elaborate on that...perhaps that topic deserves its own post).

Our first Vinterferie in Norway taught me a few things.   First, a cold and snowy winter holiday CAN be fun.  Second, it is good to know people with a "hytte" as it is a fantastic place to visit, but I'm not sure that I want one of my own.  And finally, I STILL need some sunshine and warm weather!

Snow...and the Skiing Begins!

After a relatively rainy, but mild winter (at least from what people tell me), some serious snow finally arrived in Sandefjord this past week.  It seemed like it was snowing every day (because it was) and many mornings would look like you hadn't shoveled the night before...

Are those Bigfoot prints?

As the snow continued to fall, I got the impression that people were REALLY excited about it and, finally, the opportunity to ski.  I soon received a heads up that some of the children would be cross country skiing to school.  Really??  Skiing to school?

I had purchased some used cross country skis for my oldest daughter before Christmas and she was anxious to try them out....she gave them a bit of a test run one evening and then skied to school the next day.  The younger sister felt a bit left out, so we ran out to get her skis the following day.  I think owning skis is a prerequisite for living here.

So the first weekend of good cross country skiing weather was a bit of "on the job" training....as the kids and I had never skied before.  On Saturday, I pretty much walked around the neighborhood as the girls practiced.  Then my oldest (who is 8) asked to ski over to a friend's house...trying to be less of a hovering parent, I said she could go even though it seemed like a pretty good distance.  Since she was skiing with "the boys", she toughed it out as it took them nearly an hour to reach their destination.

Off they go!

My younger daughter (who is 6) was also getting some good practice.  The younger girls even wanted to give it one more try after the sun went down.

Aren't you tired yet??

After a long and busy and outdoors-y Saturday, I was looking forward to perhaps a restful, aka lazy, Sunday...until some friends invited us to go skiing.   The girls were eager to go, but unfortunately my and my husband's skis have not yet made their way to Norway.  Lucky for me (or maybe not so lucky), a neighbor was kind enough to loan me skis, poles and boots.  I had about 5 minutes of ski training (from her house to mine) in preparation for our Sunday ski adventure.  Sadly, the hubby had to sit out this trip as no one had ski boots big enough for him to borrow!

We drove about 25 minutes to Storås Langrennsarena (I think that's the name of the place) and paid only 50NOK (about 10USD) for parking and as much skiing as we wanted to do.  I anticipated spending a lot of time on my butt, and our friends joked about submitting footage of my blunders to America's Funniest Home Videos (that's just mean!).

After skiing for about 15 minutes as a group, the "better" skiers took one route and the "novice" skiers (me and my six year old) cruised around on the cross country version of the bunny hills.   I think we did relatively well considering our lack of training, although I did wipe out a few times on the hills.  The other option would have been to plow over my daughter who had fallen in front of me.  Perhaps I should have gotten a quick lesson on how to stop on skis!

The better of the two "novice" skiers

Our whole group reconvened to have a bite to eat and relax.  On a side note, anytime I have had a meal out "in nature" while living in Norway, it has involved hot dogs and a fire.  I brought along cold pizza and a couple of pancakes...hungry children are NOT picky eaters!

And we EAT outside, too??

Anyway, it was determined that the A Team covered about 7.5km (4.6 miles) while the B Team covered about 4km.   Not bad for our first real day of skiing.  Other than a few embarrassing wipe outs (mostly mine), we all really enjoyed the day....and are feeling very Norwegian.   I think we will all sleep well tonight!

I think I'm ready to go home now...

"Boy" vs. "Girl" Legos

So I started writing this post when I was back in the Chicago area around the holidays, after doing some Christmas shopping.   I'm not sure why I just didn't finish writing it three weeks ago, but I guess things came up...things like eating cookies and drinking wine!

You get the idea...

Anyhow, the usual purpose of this blog is to share my thoughts on quirky differences between life in the U.S. compared to what I have experienced in Sweden or Norway (so far).  What follows is a mixed review about Legos...since Legos originated in Denmark and are quite popular in both the U.S. and Scandinavia...I decided that the topic was fair game.

The bottom line is that I am pretty disappointed in the number of Lego sets that appear to be marketed toward girls.  I know I'm not the first person to voice her opinion on this, but I was never directly affected by this mini Lego crisis until I couldn't find what I wanted (Legos comprised a significant portion of my youngest daughter's Christmas list!).  In one of the larger toy stores in the Chicago area, I was a little surprised (and honestly quite irritated) to find two aisles of Star Wars, Hobbit, and Lord of the Rings (etc. etc.) and, within it, a teeny tiny section of Lego friends (the more girlish style).

This was about 5% of the "boy" Legos

Yes, yes...I understand that girls can play with the Hobbit and Superheroes Legos and that boys are more than welcome to play with Lego Disney princesses and Lego friends.  But from what I have seen (which admittedly isn't a lot)...this doesn't happen too often.  

So I opt for the Lego friends series (not that I had much of a choice).  These are okay (and, yes, I bought several) but the themes can seem a bit redundant.

I really wanted the Dolphin Cruiser...but this will have to do

I actually read that the Lego friends collection has been criticized for perpetuating gender stereotypes...I guess I have a simpler view and see Lego friends as merely a small step (maybe a VERY small step in the eyes of some) in the right direction.   I'm happy that my girls enjoy building things (with their hands, not with an iPad) and they aren't complaining.  Maybe I could do my part by steering them toward the Galaxy Squad Legos or Ninja Legos and see what happens.  I did purchase Minecraft Legos for my 8 year old....she LOVES them...and these certainly don't look "girly".

Just for fun, I checked out the Legos available in Denmark, Sweden, and Norway and found pretty much the same thing as I did in the states.  As some view Scandinavia  as more "progressive", I was secretly hoping that I might see more girl-focused Legos in these parts.  Sadly, this was not the case.

Not that Lego is asking my opinion, but perhaps a few pastel colored, light saber wielding superheroes or a Lego city filled with brightly colored buildings could mix things up a little...we will see what they come up with by next Christmas!

Happy New Year!

Is the season over for biking?

In six short weeks I have noticed that the biking situation (at least when it comes to biking as a means of transportation) seems a bit different here in Norway than it was in Lund, Sweden.  Keep in mind that my perspective is quite limited and...let's face it...it is the end November.   Things may look much different around here in the spring, but this is what I have observed so far.

Just to back up for a second, during the short time we lived in Lund, I learned to utilize my bike as a means of transportation, not just as a form of exercise.  When living in the U.S., it was more of an event to take my bike out for a ride on the trails....the thought of taking my bike (instead of the car) to run a quick errand never- ever- crossed my mind.

In Lund, bikes are EVERYWHERE- day or night, rain or shine, and even sometimes even in the snow.   I would often ride my bike to work (about 30 minutes each way), to the grocery store (as long as I didn't buy too many things) and back and forth with the girls to school.  Yes, it's a University town and most students did not have cars, but many "grown-ups" were biking, too!

Bike parking at the train station in Lund

I guess the funny thing is that riding my bike everywhere became "normal" because so many others were doing the same thing, even through most of the winter.   Although some people (almost) always rode their bikes or took public transportation, this was NOT me.  I was not ready to give up the car to save the planet and much preferred to drive when the weather was bad or if I needed to travel to the mall or IKEA.

So now we're living in Sandefjord, where I (incorrectly) assumed that the biking environment would be similar to what we experienced in Sweden.   I have seen a handful of kids still riding their bikes to school,  but I have to say I have seen very few adult riding around town since we moved here.  Again, it is November in NORWAY,  but I admit I expected to see a few more folks biking all year round.

As for me, partially because of habit and partially due to necessity (we are currently a one car family), I am still riding bike to the gym or to the grocery store.

Yep...that's my bike...all alone

I sometimes think people see me riding around in 30 degree weather (or about 0 degrees Celsius) and wonder if 1) I cannot afford a car (which, in Norway, is not out of the question) or 2) I have had some kind of driving "problem" and am currently not allowed behind the wheel.  And that pretty much sums up what I thought when I saw people riding their bikes around the suburbs of Chicago (especially if they were riding in bad weather).   Shame on me for making such assumptions.

Anyway, due to deteriorating weather conditions, the hills, and poor brakes, my biking may be curtailed in the near future.  For now, I guess I will keep riding as long as it seems reasonably safe.

My goal is to avoid this!

Don't get me wrong...the Norwegians seem to love the outdoors (more on that later) and are quite fit and active (from what I have observed so far).  Perhaps they just have enough sense to trade their bikes for skis once winter arrives.

My season may soon be over as well!

Trick or Treat- Norwegian Style!

Being new in Norway, I was curious to find out if the Norwegians celebrate Halloween (and if so, how do they do it?).  Luckily there were a few people that gave me the scoop on how things work around here.  First, I was excited to find out that Halloween is acknowledged here (at least it has been for the last 10 to 15 years).   It has not quite reached the level of excitement, and yard decorating, that occurs in the U.S., but perhaps in a few years....

Where can I buy this??

So what about trick or treating?  Yes!  The children go door to door saying "knask eller knep" which means pretty much the same thing as "trick or treat".   Most people who welcome trick or treaters will light candles outside (or just keep a bunch of lights on) as there are some Norwegians that are a bit reluctant to embrace this relatively new tradition of Halloween.

And what about costumes?  I discovered that most of the kids here dress up in something scary which is a bit different from the princess or cute animal costumes my girls have been wearing pretty much since their first Halloween (again, glad I asked!).   Here's a quick throwback to Halloween several years ago...

So girly!

This year, the oldest decided to be a witch and the youngest wanted to be a zombie....funny for a little girl who is often terrified by people in costumes (think Chuck E. Cheese or even someone playing Santa).

"I'll get you my pretty- and your little dog, too!"

I am truly terrified by this one!

After costumes and makeup were finished, we headed to our friends' house for tacos (yum) and trick or treating.  Even though it was quite cold, neither of my kids wanted to wear a coat (God forbid something would obstruct the view of their costumes).   After a good tour of the neighborhood and a bag full of sugar, we headed inside where the kids posed for a quick photo.

What happened to my little girls?

My friend made fantastic, and festive, cupcakes which we enjoyed while the girls played and looked through their bags of candy (I'm sure they weren't eating any!)

The cupcakes even had "blood "inside

I made one simple contribution to the evening which was a very "American" one (many thanks to my mom for sending these with our Halloween care package).

Peeps...not just for Easter anymore!

I hope everyone had a safe and Happy Halloween!

Norway- Closed on Sunday

It's early Sunday morning as I begin to write this post, and I'm starting to think about what I can do today.  More importantly, I quickly realize what I will NOT be doing.  I will not be browsing at the mall, shopping for home improvement supplies (which I really need) or even buying groceries.   Why?  Because nearly all stores here in Norway are closed on Sunday.

You guessed it...."Closed"

There seems to be different political opinions related to why stores should, or should not, be open on Sundays, but I think it would be wise for me to stay out of politics after only two weeks in the country.  I'll simply provide my own initial thoughts on the situation.

If I look at the positive side, I suppose one could really focus on using Sunday as a "day of rest" or perhaps as an opportunity to spend more time with family and friends.  Last Sunday, we went on a hike with friends and had a picnic (even built a fire and grilled hot dogs on sticks- these folks don't mess around!).  We did all this in spite of the questionable weather (apparently the "no bad weather, only bad clothing" is a mantra in Norway as well as in Sweden).  The possible downside is having the entire family sitting in front of the TV, computer, iPad, etc. all Sunday long (although I guess that's not a bad thing every once in a while).

Hubby and the youngest with our Sunday "tour guides"

The lack of Sunday shopping does encourage one to plan a little bit better for the coming week (i.e. making sure there is enough food in the house for at least a day or two as well as ensuring there is something to put in the kids' lunch boxes on Monday).  Otherwise, you will be forced to search for essential items at one of the small food stores or gas stations that are open (I agree...that would not be ideal).

Tacquitos and hot dogs for Sunday dinner??

In spite of proper planning, I can foresee situations when I will need (want) something on a Sunday that I just cannot find at the mini-mart.   This may bring my cooking, remodeling, etc. to a screeching halt.  Perhaps then I will begin lobbying for Sunday shopping!

"No shopping Sunday" is only the beginning of what will be many new and different experiences here in Norway.  I am certain that some of these differences will be easier to embrace than others.  I suppose it will be important to keep an open mind and adapt as well as I can.

Have a great Sunday!