Signing Off, America
I never thought I would be one of the people to say this, but life never goes according to plan. When I first arrived in the US on August 19th of last year, to live in the US for the second time in my life, I was absolutely sure it would be years upon years before I would ever call Norway my formal home again. I arrived in Sioux Falls after ten days in Arizona, and was suddenly struck by the contrasts this country has to offer. And this time, contrasts would turn out to be a bad thing. South Dakota, a fairly unpopulated farm and prairie state, would in fact end up being so different from my beloved Arizona, that living here longer than I have is inconceivable. I pondered the options long and well, but eventually reached the conclusion that Norway is where I belong, at least for the time being. I decided to return home, and now I have only hours till my plane leaves. I will, as odd as it may sound, miss certain aspects of being here though, and some I have mentioned below.
My trip to Arizona and Las Vegas. I've been to
both places many times before, but I always enjoy going there.
Our trip to the Black Hills. The Black Hills are a region of western South Dakota, where Donn took the whole group of newly arrived international students back in September. We went to see Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument, as well as hiking to the top of the lookout spot Harney Peak and one of the Black Hills. The trip was a truly social one, where I got to know both Victor, Kei and Markus better.
My trip to Chicago. I went there to
attend an ANSA meeting, which I was a contact person for this year. We went sightseeing in the city, had meetings, ate out every evening, went to an authentic jazz club, and basically had fun in my second most favorite American city. It was just a weekend, but truly felt longer.
Trip to New York in October. Victor and I, Marianne, and the three Norwegian soccer girls here went to
the Big Apple, and spent 5 full days sightseeing everything there was to see. Victor and I took off on our own, and found some pretty neat local places and sights away from the tourist crowds. The trip was my second one to NY, but this time I really got to see and experience the city. The company was fun, and we all enjoyed the stuff we saw and did.
Thanksgiving in Arizona. I love
this season, and of course I love my host family. A good combination. We had the authentic meal, and the whole feeling of being back in their family again, which was great. And the best way of celebrating Thanksgiving.
Going home to Norway for Christmas. I went back to see my mom, dad, brother, and friends, something I never did while in Arizona. A good change of pace, and fun to see all the people again. And of course, great to celebrate Christmas and New Years with my family. I might not have gotten a hold of Thomas, but in return I had many fun days with Julie while I was home.
Roadtrip to Iowa. This last semester has been pretty much uneventful, but this was
pretty fun. Not so much because of where we went, but because I got to drive the whole way there, more than 600 miles in all. I got my driver's license shortly after.
LOST evenings and coffee shop nights. From one of the first weeks we were here, Victor and I started the tradition of meeting in the East tv-room (actually 5 monthes before I even lived there) to watch Lost every Wednesday. Being a social and fun break from our everyday lives, Marianne and I carried it on after Victor left in December. Coffee shop nights were started sometime in the beginning of this semester, and have also become a fun Thursday getaway with Kristin, Ashley, Ambie, Jennapher, Denise, Jenni, Maren, and the rest of the gang.
The hospital volunteering. Ever since
I started working in the ER, I have finally found something I love doing, and gotten myself back on track again. It's been very interesting, and I truly got a lot from wandering around in my blue scrubs, observing all the special cases, finally getting to help people.
A few hours ago I was wandering happily across campus, joyfully listening to the Jason Mraz tunes in my head and just feeling the very relaxation I have lacked since.. well, since after spring break. Then it suddenly struck me. The campus, usually filled with people walking hurriedly back and forth from their classes, to lunch, or to hang with friends, was now suddenly eerily empty. I found myself being the only one walking anywhere, a fact that just then sank in. The day I have been wishing for since January has somehow managed to sneak up on me, and I can't say I was prepared even though I wanted it to come as badly as I did. Throughout the past few days people have been showing actual sadness over me leaving, something that made me sad to. I did, after all, have friends here, and for a moment I pondered how bad it really was, this place. I will still rush onto the airplane today, practically running to make sure I don't get left behind in this town, but this time I do so with a greater deal of melancholy. I truly wish the people whose paths have crossed mine a fantastic, accomplished life, and all the best, even though reality has it that I probably will see very few of them ever again.
275 days is a long time anywhere. And now I have concluded mine, with its many ups and downs. I'm ready to come home now, with whatever that might bring.
That was it for now, America.
I'm off.
Labels: Era Summaries, Major Updates, Pictures
Lights, Camera, Action!
Have you ever thought about how sweet life would be if only you had the power to direct it like a movie director? I have, and it would be so much better than this periodic crap. I am not saying I'd want to write the script or anything, that'd take away the spontaneity I love about life, but the power to manage certain situations a little better would be great. My brother wants a tattoo nowadays, and that's when I'd go "Yes, that's good, but try it again and this time you feel like tattoos are a bad idea. Action!" Or say my professor in bio was an arrogant, cranky man-bitch, just hypothetically of course, and that's when I'd exclaim, in the middle of his spiteful conversations, "Aaaaand CUT. This isn't working out. Could we get the professor's stand-in out here? And, stand-in, your motivation is that you love me as a student and appreciate all my efforts to do well in your class. Aaand ACTION!"
That would improve my days significantly. A normal day includes so many situations where I'm just going along, doing my thing, and then suddenly life jumps up and bitch-slaps me in the face. Being able to say "stop, rewind, play it again, and this time I'll be prepared," would be fantastic. It's still my life, but most of the time I don't seem to have any control over the direction of it.
Labels: Everyday, Philosophy
Recognition - Not So Much
Oh, I suck bigtime. Kristin, Ashley, Ambie, and I went to coffe shop again tonight, which is somewhat out of the ordinary since we usually go every Thursday only. The thing was, though, that after a little more than an hour there, I mess up totally. We were leaving through the front door, outside of which a group of people were sitting, talking. I pay no attention to the group walking past them - it was dark and I get a touch of tunnel vision when leaving places, just wanting to get home as soon as possible - before someone in the group suddenly says "Doctor?" in our direction. I totally blank out on the first time she said it, and the second time I stop and turn around. For what wasn't more than a few seconds, but felt like minutes, I stare blankly at the group, not recognizing any of them. They're all quiet now, and there I am, staring. And not recognizing anyone. I turn away again, thinking it was probably not meant for me, but then the same girl takes off her hood, and says it again. "Doctor?"
Puzzling. But then, suddenly I get it, it all comes back to me. A few weeks ago, I met this girl in the ER, an EMT student, and we spent the whole day telling internal jokes and cracking each other up. And one of these had to do with calling each other 'doctor' in a British accent. And I had just then blanked on the whole thing. After telling her I'd call her and that I still had her number, I got in the car and felt like the biggest, most socially awkward idiot on the planet. I suck.
Labels: Episode Accounts, Everyday
Lost Surprises
Seeing as my stay in the US is coming to a close, I think that reverting back to the style of the olden days of this blog (see early 2004) is more than appropriate. Short and concise, at least for the next few posts. Just because it makes sense.
[The next part contains LOST spoilers.]Last night's Lost was amazing. The episode started out normally, this time flashing back to Ana Lucia's past as an ex-police officer and the traveling companion and body guard of Jack's late dad. This was surprise one, seeing as I never knew Jack's dad and Ana Lucia knew each other and all. Back on the island, Hurley takes his girlfriend Libby on a picnic. And; Michael's back from the trip to the others. The Other held captive in the hatch attempts to strangle Ana Lucia to death, before getting hit unconscious by Locke. In the last scene, Ana Lucia's alone with Michael, and apparently upset about not being able to kill the Other. Michael then offers to do it for her, and she gives him her gun.
BAM! BAM! Michael shoots Ana Lucia in the chest, Libby walks in on them and BAM! BAM! she gets shot in the stomach. Michael unlocks the door leading to the Other, and shoots himself in the shoulder, releasing the Other from the hatch.
Someone was brainwashed.
Labels: Television
Things That Scare Me
- People who laugh or smile when they are clearly angry or annoyed.
- People who smoke more than one cigarette at the time.
- Women with facial hair.
- Things that drip. Period.
- Music with accordions in it.
- Chicken whose white meat's pink.
- Public restrooms.
- Asian drivers, including my Japanese friend Kei.
- Calling to order food.
- People who sing when no one else is.
- Crumbs in my bed.
- Spray cheese.
- People talking about themselves in third person.
- People talking about themselves.
- Professors sneaking quizzes on me.
- Sharing food or beverages.
- Cellulite, anywhere.
- People talking about extreme party habits, as if alcohol addiction's cool.
- Celery and olives.
- Swedish/Danish music.
- The future.
Oh, but I love lists. There's a surprise.
Labels: Lists
Because Nothing's Ever Easy
This pic's from my surgical obervation the other day, where I got to join a couple of surgeons as they performed a pretty darn difficult procedure on a woman with cancer in her pelvic region.
A pelvic exoneration, they called it, and it includes taking out the lower colon, rectum, or bladder (depending on where the cancer has spread) along with the vulva, uterus, vagina, and cervix. The result in the woman was, after about 7 hours, a gaping hole about 20 times 20 centimeters across, and so deep the surgeon could pour about a liter of water in there to rinse it out and not flood it. Fascinating, truly. And absolutely a worthwhile experience. The thing about this surgery is, though, that only 10% of the people with last stage cancer is found eligible, and it has about a 25% five year survival rate... Cancer is devislish stuff, and that is probably why I can't see myself working with that as a doctor.
Next, I've decided this blog is a little too public. Life is never easy, and when
my life becomes diffucult, the difficulties become personal. I can talk about generalities, even some pretty personal stuff, but I make it a rule to never talk about specific people on here. And specific people, more like a handful, really get to me sometimes, for better and worse, and that is something I feel I need to get out too. So, for my therapeutic reckoning, and probably your relief, I will conduct the
most personal ramblings elsewhere.
Labels: Episode Accounts, Medical, Pictures
I never thought I would be one of the people to say this, but life never goes according to plan. When I first arrived in the US on August 19th of last year, to live in the US for the second time in my life, I was absolutely sure it would be years upon years before I would ever call Norway my formal home again. I arrived in Sioux Falls after ten days in Arizona, and was suddenly struck by the contrasts this country has to offer. And this time, contrasts would turn out to be a bad thing. South Dakota, a fairly unpopulated farm and prairie state, would in fact end up being so different from my beloved Arizona, that living here longer than I have is inconceivable. I pondered the options long and well, but eventually reached the conclusion that Norway is where I belong, at least for the time being. I decided to return home, and now I have only hours till my plane leaves. I will, as odd as it may sound, miss certain aspects of being here though, and some I have mentioned below.
Our trip to the Black Hills. The Black Hills are a region of western South Dakota, where Donn took the whole group of newly arrived international students back in September. We went to see Mount Rushmore and the Crazy Horse monument, as well as hiking to the top of the lookout spot Harney Peak and one of the Black Hills. The trip was a truly social one, where I got to know both Victor, Kei and Markus better.
Trip to New York in October. Victor and I, Marianne, and the three Norwegian soccer girls here went to the Big Apple, and spent 5 full days sightseeing everything there was to see. Victor and I took off on our own, and found some pretty neat local places and sights away from the tourist crowds. The trip was my second one to NY, but this time I really got to see and experience the city. The company was fun, and we all enjoyed the stuff we saw and did.
LOST evenings and coffee shop nights. From one of the first weeks we were here, Victor and I started the tradition of meeting in the East tv-room (actually 5 monthes before I even lived there) to watch Lost every Wednesday. Being a social and fun break from our everyday lives, Marianne and I carried it on after Victor left in December. Coffee shop nights were started sometime in the beginning of this semester, and have also become a fun Thursday getaway with Kristin, Ashley, Ambie, Jennapher, Denise, Jenni, Maren, and the rest of the gang.
A few hours ago I was wandering happily across campus, joyfully listening to the Jason Mraz tunes in my head and just feeling the very relaxation I have lacked since.. well, since after spring break. Then it suddenly struck me. The campus, usually filled with people walking hurriedly back and forth from their classes, to lunch, or to hang with friends, was now suddenly eerily empty. I found myself being the only one walking anywhere, a fact that just then sank in. The day I have been wishing for since January has somehow managed to sneak up on me, and I can't say I was prepared even though I wanted it to come as badly as I did. Throughout the past few days people have been showing actual sadness over me leaving, something that made me sad to. I did, after all, have friends here, and for a moment I pondered how bad it really was, this place. I will still rush onto the airplane today, practically running to make sure I don't get left behind in this town, but this time I do so with a greater deal of melancholy. I truly wish the people whose paths have crossed mine a fantastic, accomplished life, and all the best, even though reality has it that I probably will see very few of them ever again. 
