Saturday was shopping day. Side note: pouring all day. all day. Rain, Rain, go away, come again....later. SO sick of RAIN. We all got up slowly and ate slowly. I love that. Then Mortin, Bente, and I did errands all over the city. Favorite experience from shopping day: IKEA...totally fell in love. I'm moving into a new apartment in August so that is all I was thinking about. Also went grocery shopping because they are having a dinner party on Sunday. Then Bente and Mortin were off to another bday party so and I ended up having the house to myself a bit. I watched the Crown Princess of Sweden get married (live) and the whole royal wedding thing is fun. All the ballgowns, crowns and tiaras, the bows and hoopla. When Messay came back he fried some chicken and rice for the two of us. When Kristin came home from her bday party we all had ice cream.
In Norway, you throw yourself birthday parties. So the past two nights, Bente and Mortin has had friends throwing themselves a huge 50th birthday party. The guests are supposed to say speeches or sing songs to the birthday person. The one with the birthday chooses the location, style of dress, and even who will sit where. Interesting.
Sunday again slow to get up. Breakfast and getting ready for the dinner party. Cleaning and organizing. We all helped. Bente taught me how to make Norwegian waffle mix. I love them! Fun to learn a secret recipe. I really must find a Norwegian waffle maker in the states.
So dinner party:
Norwegian family
1 American (thats me)
1 Canadian
1 Swiss
1 Ethiopian
Yep thats 5 very distinct, and different cultures and thought processes together in one room. I don't think I will ever forget that experience. We had lamb and couscous (both of which I dont think I have had before) and for dessert, the waffles. So yummy all of it. In terms of conversation, I will never forget parts of it. I was explained the Euro thought process of the Nobel Peace prize. Obama winning to the general American public seemed too early, he hadnt done anything yet. Bente explained to me that she knows how Americans think having lived and studied there. She explained that we prove ourselves by our actions. We are rewarded not by what we say, but what we do. Europeans are so dependent on America that because of the HOPE he provided it was enough to earn the prize. Just the words are good enough for Europeans and now they hold him to their prize. Interesting to look at it from another perspective. The Canadian seemed to think that we were completely different as people. I laughed at that. We looked and, for the most part, sounded alike. We also fought the most.
After dinner we picked up Ellen from the ferry and chatted before going to bed.
No comments:
Post a Comment