Goodbye to Norway!

For the past week or so I've been trying to figure out something to write explaining how I feel about leaving Norway but, unfortunately, was to no avail. In the ten months that I've lived here I've managed to make a pretty good life! I have amazing friends, a wonderful family, have learned a new language, and feel as though I have two homes now. As an exchange student you really never think that the day you go home is going to come. Ten months IS a long time, after all! It feels like I just stepped off the bus to meet my host family last week. Back when all I could say was "Jeg heter Rachael" (my name is Rachael) and "Jeg snakker ikke norsk, bare engelsk" (I don't speak Norwegian, only engelsk). Yet now I'm a year older, can speak Norwegian, and have so many more life experiences than when I left the US. I can't even imagine how it's going to be to leave here and I am so so thankful for everybody that has made this experience possible! I couldn't have asked for better friends, host family, and family home for supporting me throughout this once in a lifetime experience! I'll never forget my year here and both my exchange year and Norway will always be a big part of my life. I could write on forever but I guess I'll stop here with just saying thank you, thank you, thank you to everybody I have met here and everybody that has helped to make this year what it was! 

On a different note, though, I thought that since I haven't posted anything in a long time that I would post some pictures about the last few months here. Lots has happened and instead of boring everybody with a really long post I'll just use pictures!

In March or April I visited Denmark and met up with my grandma and lots of Danish family there!

Wearing traditional clothing on Norway's independence day (17th of May) with my host mom and sister.

More 17th of May pictures but with my host dad and mom!

Myself on the 17th of May! The traditional clothing is very pretty but also pretty uncomfortable!

The beginning of the 1st parade on the 17th of May beginning with police men.

It's really normal for sheep to just walk along the road here!

Really solid english.

At the museum on Jøa with Bjørg!

Trying to make the fish look bigger! I don't think it really worked though?

Lots of jumping

More fish with Mariana (from Portugal)!

Even more fish with Silje (my host sister) and Mariana's hand.

Swimming like the true vikings we are.

Loooots of food at the family going away party!

Namsos

Climbed up on flag pole at the Namsos lookout!

Even more jumping.

My lovely host mom at the Namsos lookout (Klompen).

Of course there was lots more that happened in the last 3 or 4 months but those are just some of the pictures I've taken! This will be my last blog post in Norway (sad to think about!) but I couldn't ask for a better exchange year than the one I had. I'll miss Norway and everybody here but I'm so thankful for the opportunities I've had here. :)

Until next time (or something like that)!

Rachael