Well, this adventure is coming to a close and new ones, I'm sure, will take it's place. I am headed back to the USA in 2 days for good....well, you know me, probably not for good, but to live some more at least. :) I decided recently that I will be going home to finish up on my thesis. I will only have the writing to do and I will be able to do that from home and save tons of money in the process. Norway ain't cheap to live in. It's bittersweet to leave this beautiful country and the friends I have made. The branch of the church that I go to is exceptional, the people there are some of the finest I've ever met and they will always have a place in my heart. I spoke again in church yesterday, in Norwegian, and this time went much better than the last. It was definitely a little more nerve-wracking than the typical talk in English, but this time I knew what I was saying when I was reciting my pre-written translated-from-English talk. I have become almost somewhat on the verge of being conversational in Norwegian and I am happy I at least am that....just in time to not use it probably ever again. :) Oh well.
This past weekend I have had A LOT of Norwegian food. Christmas party at church, Julebord (a sort of Christmas dinner) on Saturday, and Norwegian Christmas cookies and dinner yesterday. I have been Norwegianized now. They eat TONS of meat at Christmastime, it's kind of overwhelming to a little girl like me that doesn't eat much meat. It was all pretty good, though, no complaints here. I also had this traditional drink called Gløgg (pronounced "glug")....it was....interesting. To me it tasted like hot flat coke...but everyone else seemed to like it. Picky Lindsey shines through once more.
One more funny thing before I end this fiasco. I read the Book of Mormon in Norsk every day (out loud) and I laugh every time I say one particular word. It is the word for "judged." The word is "dømt." It is pronounced "dumped"....even as I type it, it makes me chuckle. I was kinda sad because before I knew the language a little, everything sounded so funny, and now it sounds normal. It's nice to still be able to laugh at things. Here's another one that I thought I heard the Branch President say a couple weeks ago....something like "skue oss over".....it kinda sounds like "skrew us over." Now that one made me almost laugh out loud in the middle of church. It really means something like "look us over." :D
I will miss it here, but I am excited to come home and have Christmas with the family and see what is next on the docket. I am incredibly grateful for having come here and having learned so much, not so much in school, but about everything else....life, people, and God's plans for us all. I wouldn't trade this time for anything....even if I was bored most of the time. :)
