"Where Fillmore County News Comes First"
Online Edition
Tuesday, June 18th, 2013
Volume ∞ Issue ∞
- 7:10:46, Jun 13th 2013 - chipperlee - Seems to be a well written article, except maybe Silica Sand is used in ... [Read More]
- 12:02:15, Jun 9th 2013 - getthefacts - The problem here lies in the fact that girls were repeatedly told "if y ... [Read More]
- 10:45:32, Jun 7th 2013 - Jo mom for 6yrs - Mr. Ehler hit the nail on the head. I agree with the religious con ... [Read More]
- 2:47:58, Jun 7th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 9:06:21, Jun 6th 2013 - hello - Hello, it's time you wake up. There isn't a community nearby that doesn't offe ... [Read More]
- 2:05:29, Jun 6th 2013 - Kim Wentworth - The number one rule in a debate: 1) if the person from the opposite si ... [Read More]
- 12:42:18, Jun 4th 2013 - EW - For someone that is always spouting religious rhetoric, you try to come off as a ... [Read More]
- 11:32:18, May 31st 2013 - JO PLAYER - This is unfair to us girls. Morrie Miller is not getting canceled but J ... [Read More]
- 8:25:34, May 29th 2013 - RP - Why is Mr. Ehler involving himself with non-school activities? Is he going after ... [Read More]
- 6:40:49, May 29th 2013 - Doc - You are a cartoon character! If I see you in person I will burst out laughing. ... [Read More]
33
Do you think the use of all fireworks should be legal in the state of Minnesota for all consumers?
Home Sweet Lillehammer
Sun, May 27th, 2012
Posted in All Norwegian Ancestry
Posted in All Norwegian Ancestry
Comments
When I first arrived in Norway, winter had a firm grip on the country. The mountain forest would be frosted white every morning, and the ground was permanently blanketed with fluffy snow and ice. I adored the site of Norway in the winter-I was able to try my hand at cross-country skiing, used a sled to haul groceries, and had an excuse to buy a warm Norwegian sweater.
After I returned from my spring break adventure, however, the land had changed completely. As I reflect on the changes the weather has made on the land, it's hard to ignore the changes the land has made on me.
When I stumbled back into Norway after a full 24 hours of weary travel back from spring break, I found a place devoid of any type of wintery evidence and beaming with an unseen repertoire of natural beauty.
The ground that was covered with a mix of snow and ice had given way to soft, mossy grass. The evergreens that blanketed the mountains were now accompanied by lively bursts of bright green leaves from the trees that had been invisible until the cold had subsided. The birch trees, which are my favorite type and very common in Norwegian nature, had sprouted leaves so fresh and new that they swayed in twinkling attempts to drip right off their branches. The icy lake had thawed to a smooth, glassy mirror for the mountains hovering above it.
The evolution that Mother Nature has bestowed on the Norwegian landscape is matched with the evolution I experienced during my time abroad. Before I left Minneapolis International Airport in January, I was very skeptical of how the next four months would be. I was afraid it would drag on forever and I would regret losing that time at home with my family and at school with my friends.
But, I quickly saw that doing something solely for myself-like packing up and moving to Norway for a little while-was one of the greatest surprises of my life.
Being abroad not only teaches you about another culture or forces you to make new friends, but it peels away any doubts of your own capabilities and you can see how well you function when you're away from anything familiar (besides Coca-Cola, because that will follow you anywhere). It has given me confidence to speak another language, read a city bus schedule without worry and not be afraid of being independent.
It is good to be back home with the people I have missed, but that dreamy, mountainous view from my apartment will always remain as the backdrop of my home in Lillehammer.
After I returned from my spring break adventure, however, the land had changed completely. As I reflect on the changes the weather has made on the land, it's hard to ignore the changes the land has made on me.
When I stumbled back into Norway after a full 24 hours of weary travel back from spring break, I found a place devoid of any type of wintery evidence and beaming with an unseen repertoire of natural beauty.
The ground that was covered with a mix of snow and ice had given way to soft, mossy grass. The evergreens that blanketed the mountains were now accompanied by lively bursts of bright green leaves from the trees that had been invisible until the cold had subsided. The birch trees, which are my favorite type and very common in Norwegian nature, had sprouted leaves so fresh and new that they swayed in twinkling attempts to drip right off their branches. The icy lake had thawed to a smooth, glassy mirror for the mountains hovering above it.
The evolution that Mother Nature has bestowed on the Norwegian landscape is matched with the evolution I experienced during my time abroad. Before I left Minneapolis International Airport in January, I was very skeptical of how the next four months would be. I was afraid it would drag on forever and I would regret losing that time at home with my family and at school with my friends.
But, I quickly saw that doing something solely for myself-like packing up and moving to Norway for a little while-was one of the greatest surprises of my life.
Being abroad not only teaches you about another culture or forces you to make new friends, but it peels away any doubts of your own capabilities and you can see how well you function when you're away from anything familiar (besides Coca-Cola, because that will follow you anywhere). It has given me confidence to speak another language, read a city bus schedule without worry and not be afraid of being independent.
It is good to be back home with the people I have missed, but that dreamy, mountainous view from my apartment will always remain as the backdrop of my home in Lillehammer.
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