3 Years in Norway
It is surreal that I have lived in another country for 3 years now. I always imagined living abroad long term was something glamorous that adventurous and bold people did, but not myself. It was an idealistic life that I loved to fantasize about from the safety of my bedroom, even as the wanderlust tugged at my feet.
Each year I lived in Norway hit me with harder and harder challenges that shattered my whimsical idealizations and felt like insurmountable feats. This year was no exception and was relentless in its tests of my fortitude and willpower. Yet somehow I came out on the other side, more resilient, determined, and centered.
Beyond One’s Limits
If every there was a year that tested me beyond my limits, it was 2023. From summer through the end of the year, I was extremely sick and bedridden most days. We lost a dear family member and had to cope with grief and loss in another country where I barely understood the language, while watching many I loved to suffer without having the words to comfort them.
When we returned to Norway, my company announced a layoff that dragged on through the end of the year, no one knowing who would be next on the chopping block. I enrolled in intensive permanent residency classes, all the while incredibly ill and paranoid about my current employment and visa status, which teetered on the edge of security.
I wish I could say I was being overly dramatic, but these are the experiences you anticipate happening in isolation once every few years. They might feel like the end of the world at the time, but you bear through them and soon the fight is over. This was like an endless war pushing me beyond my limits day after day, month after month, just waiting for me to fail and surrender. At some point, you just drift into a numb state of perseverance because there simply is no alternative.
Nevertheless, She Persisted
Amidst the struggles, I do feel a sense of pride looking back on what I was able to achieve in a single year with all the cards stacked against me. It’s difficult to recognize these accomplishments in the middle of chronic pain, insomnia, and grief, but what a testament to human resilience when I look back and realize what I’m capable of despite the odds.
I secured my Norwegian driving license (a harrowing experience I'll divulge another time)
Went on the longest backpacking trip of my life (80 km)
Visited 6 countries and +25 new cities
Passed the Norwegian language exam at a B2 level entirely self-taught
Passed the social studies exam and secured my permanent residency
Launched my new website design
Read at least one full book a month
Made my first AI-assisted app
Additionally, my love for art and nature was thoroughly rekindled, and I finally started to see a path to combine them together. I began filming, photographing, and audio recording my trips into the mountains, throwing myself back into the creative world I missed so much. Although I fell ill before I could publish any finished works, I realized that there are so many places in my local area just waiting for me to explore. I can’t wait to share them all when I am well again.
Reconnecting with Nature
The illness and dark times of 2023 provided me with a lot of isolation and time to reflect. I decided to shut down my social media accounts, limit my exposure to the news, and in general distance myself from online content in order to focus on my hobbies and interests. It had a significant effect on my overall well-being and gave me a stronger connection to the natural world.
I quickly realized that nature is one of the most precious values to me, and is why I rebranded my website to showcase the wild world. It was the unexpected spark that kept me going when everything felt hopeless, and a great teacher of life's most obvious lessons. I want to highlight this in my creative projects going forward and make nature education and conservation become a larger part of my life.
One particular hobby I took a keen liking to was bird watching. It was something I always did passively, thanks to my parents, and it has been a great source of comfort and joy in my socially absent life. Especially on the days when all I could do was look outside the window, I found entertainment watching the birds’ behavior in the trees and neighboring rooftops.
I wonder, has something in nature ever inspired you the same way?
