Well ... From my Shower cap post (read it here). Today it rained ... and I was ... like a proper Caribbean woman .. walking around with my umbrella ....
Well no WONDER there are no shower caps around here... no one was even using an umbrella even with a fair drizzle. Some older ladies walked around with one though.
So i figure .. if you only use an umbrella for heavy downpours, then why on Earth would you have a Shower cap?
I tried the Wash-your-hair-and-let-it-airdry-thing today and boy ...My hair was all frizzy today anyways... i was trying to protect something that did not could not get any worse ...who needed an umbrella... anyways??
so Whey yuh say? Forget de poor shower cap ting and just wet meh hair every day right?
Monday 28 June 2010
Wednesday 23 June 2010
The Tall Poppy Syndrome of Norway
One thing that is aparrant is that Norway is a Tall Poppy Syndrome Culture.
Don't expect to see many fabulous houses here. Don't expect to be wowed by a car that has a really cool colour. Don't think that having something that's really cool will be popular.
If its one thing I've realised here is that people do not like to stick out.
Their houses are the same... same as it was from a long time ago. Built with Wood and with a sum total of 2 or 3 different types of roofs.. (yes that was NOT a typo). Concrete is way too expensive and so the concrete houses are usually those of the very wealthy. Don't try to do anything truly amazing with your house, Don't try to bring in the latest colour statements. There are set colours that you find in the paint shop. Anything that deviates from the norm is atrotiously expensive and takes long to get! Anything done with flair and creativity is looked at as either flaunting money, or disturbingly ugly. Hmp! Fancy that. MANY trinidadian houses would be considered to be seriously in need of a beautifying treatment. Heck even I think some of the houses in Trinidad are going way over board! What is up with flourescent houses these day?..peeeople!!... is it to be seen from the planes passing overhead? or just from heaven?
Their cars are the same colour ... you wont find a fancy colour car here often. Nope! And they are usually on advertising cars! White, my dear darling trinis.. is NOT a desired colour! I suppose it could be because of the tar and dirt or something. Silver however, is very popular. And if you were to see a lime green car... know that everyone is laughing at it ... not thinking that its cool. The same thing goes for lasers, lights in "wrong" places etc. This is all against the LAW. Yes... we do have the waywards that break it. But they don't flaunt it like Trinis do.
Although I have to admit, Trinidad perhaps has the highest number of Zooped up cars per capita. I have seen some seriously pimped out cars, especially at Car shows. Do you remember some of those cars? Trinis who still living there .. take a look the next time you out ..and trinis who have not been there in a while... Peeps it getting worse....almost every other car has something "extra"... a "bullet hole" a extra light, some seriously too big rims. In fact, you ever remember seeing a REAL ole car, mash up mash up .. but it have 17" rims on it? Looking like an obzokie monster truck?... and the spinning ones tuh boot. Madness yes. But dat is the male ego. In fact I have a cousin... who's boyfriend pimped out HER new car ... simply because ... it is possible. So I'm POSITIVE its as a direct result of the Caribbean male EGO which is in desperate need to show something of worth (this includes their women!). ..... And there I go ....straying .... tsk tsk tsk ..
Funny thing.... We went to a car shop to look at cars. One that we were looking at, the Sales guy showed us all the different options (I never bought a brand new car so I didn't know you could basically customize your car...country bookie nah!) anyhoos... they had this new thing with stickers that you could put on the car... straight from the factory ... like .. a japanese flag, butterflies etc .. sorry ... there were no bullet holes. And the poor Sales man was simply grossed out by the fact that there was one on a picture in the brochure... "What is that?... are they serious?" he was saying ... No one is into that! ... Well... be that as it may .... everyone wants to have a SERIOUS difficulty picking out your car in the car park .... that's why people try to open someone else's car .. cuz it looks the SAME .... i'm thinking of putting a bullet hole on mine .... just to see all the stares I would get... wouldn't THAT be a great way to stand out in a crowd! ..
The more different and unique something is here... the more frowns and stares you get. You see, unlike what I'm sure everyone thinks of Bergen ...eeehhhhhh .. let me more precise... of Frekhaug .. (i'll leave you to your devises to pronounce that one heh heh heh) it is still very rural, very primitive. I mean if you actually don't have stores open on a Sunday .. then its actually a little worse than Tobago .. not so? .. I mean ... who does that anymore? . Ok ... let me be a good Christian Girl and say .. PRAISE GOD that they are keeping the Sabbath Holy! .... but still .. gimme SOMETHING open nah .. oh gormm!!! ..
So that is something that I think contributes the Tall poppy Syndrome. Its not that they are not exposed. Norwegians, so far ... are the most colour blind people of the Caucasians that I've met. ... AYE! .. if any Norwegian come along and mek meh ha tuh eat meh words .. yuh go see de wrong side ah me today eh! Alllllrightiden!...but there was no slavery here... no indiginous people they had to "get rid of" so there is no ingrained animosity to another colour. In fact, it comes across as simply ignorant ... and ignorance is bliss... This is not the Bad "ignorant" this is the childlike ..they-just-didn't-know. Like I betya ... alot of them would look at me and think my hair is naturally straight and can't tell the difference between natural and naturally processed. God bless them .. dey too tweet!
I'm remembering the time when I was in Australia, and I took my landlord's dog to be dogsat by a neighbour while she was gone... and the little ole lady exclaimed when she opened her door! .."Oh My! .. you're so EXOTIC looking!" .. hmm ... it took me a little while to figure out if that was a good thing or a bad thing. In my mind I was thinking ... "Lady ... if you only know .. there are about 1 million of us where I come from" .. Exotic for Trinis is Hawaii, Bali, Thailand, Peru... oddly enough its never Canada, the US .. or England ... too bad ... you guys will NEVER be exotic... .. but yet again ... that is a bit of a stray .. NORWAY ... Jaemie Norway.
You won't find really amazing crazy clothes, shoes, etc. Oh GORM doh get meh started on de shoes .... Lordy have mercy pun meh!... I am craving a shoe store with some hot shoes. Everyone is so practical. Not like in New York or even London where the weather may be a little more similar. No way hosay! ... People wear the same boring shoes... closed, practical, good for the back and feet shoes. Not pretty pointy toes shoes, or strappy lappy low shoes.... Beauty is NOT painful here.... its just dumb when it comes to your feet. I'm still loving my painful new Tan boots.... I'd lick them if I could... but the rain guard thing doesn't taste so good.
I'm pretty sure that any celebrity could come to Bergen ... and walk around in complete peace. Sure you may get a few stares and ting .. but dat would be all.... Hmm . I can't wait to become a celebrity! .. Although I exhibited a little Tall Poppy Syndrome the other day. It was the last day we were in Trinidad. We were in the Airport and I was tantalizing my eyes with the new sushi kiosk. (YES!! people there is a sushi kiosk in the Airport.... I loooooveee sushiiiii.....) ... sttrrraaayyyiinggg) ..
Anyhoos, I'm standing there and there is a gentleman looking at the options... and the sushi, Kimono-clad young man behind the kiosk was just waaayy to jolly and jovial for a local service provider... Trinis yuh know I eh lying... A good sales clerk will catch your eye. The only thing is this guy was like on 1 too many coffee breaks... he was like " Hello Sir, Welcome to (i forget the sushi place name)" ... With his eyes OPEN as big as they could go and one gynormous smile... another guy came up and he turned to him and said the same thing" Good day Sir, Welcome to Sushi whatever" .. and I am no longer staring at the sushi .. now I'm staring at the boy and thinking ... is he fuh real? ..Same time the gentle man who was bending down looking at the options decides what he wants ... and requests his plates.... I'm now as close as ever .. trying to maco his take... wondering if I would dare to take already plated out Sushi (i prefer it freshly rolled) ... and the guy is like " Great option Sir... It has .. blah blah blah ...in it. ) So of course now I'm wondering ... if this guy from here? ... Doesn't he know that the service he is providing will waste on a trinidadian?? ... As the guy is packing away the gentleman's take away .. the gentleman turns to me for the first time and looks at me in the same disbelief at this young man ... Its Brian Lara... My heart jumps and I'm already so close to him (after Macoing and peering over his purchase) that in a desperate attempt to be "Cool about it" I slap him with the back of my hand on his arm .. and say " AYe MAN! .. how you going? You good??Yea???Ok!!" With a I know-you-so-long attitude. And then I'm immediately slowing trying to get away to hide my shame and embarrassment... That my friends is A Tall poppy Attitude... Unlike my mom.. who immediately gets star struck going " HUH!! that's Brian Lara .. That's Brian Lara!! . Can I get your autograph sir??? " and I'm just trying to get away to hide my sheer fortification of what I've just done ... Slapping Brian Lara like I know him ... oh lors .. why isn't the flight leaving now? .. oh yes!!! I think I hear it calling .. Come along mum...
But it will be interesting to see how much I can "Stand out" yet Fit in ... Because the last thing I want to be is someone who just melts into the place.. No way! . My calling is to be different. To dare to stand above the crowd... to be an amazing example of what the Caribbean woman can accomplish dispite all odds. This is my dream for here.... That I can be an inspirational woman no matter what my background.
Tink I would be able to stick out? Defy this Tall Poppy Syndrome? Defy all Cultural Odds? Tink I would be an example of an awesome woman of God? One who is not afraid to bless people, pull people up, show women a way when they thought there was no way?
Tink that dream can come true in a Tall Poppy Syndrome Culture? I tink so..
Whey yuh say?
Its the "Ethnic" Places that we will thrive in
Its been a while since my last post... Didja miss me?? No? . ok ..no worries ...
We found an "Afro Shop" today ... its aptly named because I suppose it caters to the needs of getting RID of an afro ...lol .Yup Ladies and Gentlemen .. boys and girls... kiddies and grannies ... I found Petroleum Jelly, Hair Relaxer product, Callallo in a tin, Pink Oil, Olive Oil, Dr. Miracle, Motions .. girl .. you name it ... and they HAD it!! it was like walking into a hairdresser's heaven... the only thing that was missing was the shower caps? ... Ok .. I forgot to actually LOOK for those.
The guy in the store, I believe he was Nigerian, thought I was from Jamaica. No offence Jamaicans, but i'm sooo tired of everyone in the world thinking that the caribbean IS Jamaica... People .. get yourself a map of the caribbean... and LEARN! We are important too.. Where u ting steelpan come from? .... Germany? Which German man in their RIGHT mind will tek up a big ole garbage barrel and say .." Hmm I cam make music with this" .. NOPE! it was Trinidad brotherzz . Is only we have nuttin to do wit we time like dat! oh yes it was!
Apparantly the Store Man saw me walk into the store had a big smile on his face and then saw my husband walk in after me ... and the smile faded.... I didn't see this. My husband told me about it after we left the shop, but its obviously not been as racially wonderful for him as it has been for me ... well I have to say ..at least so far
I say so far because, with MUCH trepidation, one little black girl will move to a predominantly white culture. Its not because we don't WANT to be here... (although warm climates are usually more our fortei - check out the history.) Maybe we stand out alot. I have to admit that walking around in Oslo there were more Black people than in Bergen. Now .. let me be clear when I say "Black" people. I have only seen ONE totally black person .... he was riding a bike in Melbourne Australia and I had to take 2 looks and then a third when he passed by because all I saw were teeth - and they were really white! And I have no idea why he WORE black too..... go figure ... so when I say "black" people its normally anything that is NOT white and don't have to go sunning to GET brown. So that included Indians, some other ethnicities that i'm not too sure about etc.
So continuing, I remember in Australia, black/brown people were soo few and far between in Sydney at least .. that they would actually nod at you when u past. There was one I remember who went out of his way to catch my eye just to say hello. You know the tourists ... they don't count .. they normally move around in drones or packs.... carrying cameras etc. and they certainly don't acknowledge you!
..... but I was on Hair stuff..
So I walk into this store and i'm in heaven!!! JUST HEAVEN! I'm walking around like a little dotish chile picking up tings and go .. "Look babe!! Motions ... This is wonderful!!" you would swear it was jewelry store with "FREE" marked on everything!
Needless to say .. it is going to be my "best friend" for my hair. I won't have to order things in from England or tote it in my suitcase next time I travel. That is a WONDERFUL thought.. especially since airlines love to take money for over weight ...
Even more exciting was Right NEXT to the store was a "Global Store" or supermarket per say. That too was wonderful ... Guess what peeps?? I found me some BAKING SODA!! I find it odd that a country that is so big up on cakes (or kake as they say it) would not have baking soda... and not only was a little bottle .. but it was a big ole bottle of it ... that is what I'm say my "global" people.... we USE baking soda... and thankfully it was not a ridiculous price... it was "normal". Actually that whole Global store was MUCH cheaper than a normal supermarket. I started asking myself if they were "underground' or something??? ...
There was Roti/paratha (most likely authentic indian so nothing to jump up and down there), Sushi things (yes we bought some because we are BIG sushi fans!), Thai things, Coconuts in the shell, different ice creams, Corn meal for our Latin folks, "Fresh" produce that looked like it was the last day on the shelf, Frozen occras, and so many things ... I must go back and go through each shelf properly!
OH! and You know how we cut up our meat right there in the place ... and bag it up in different weight bags? Well gorsh ... I miss dat!! They do it in the global market!! Yup!.. juss so!. You get so accustomed to meat being put in vacuum sealed containers with fancy labels on it that you see this and it almost looks "wrong" .. ahh .but it is not ... it is the way the "global" people do it. I think they cater for mainly asians. I'm not sure. But either way, I'm happy ... OH YES! and MILO people .. i found MILO there ... its not as wonderful as back home.. yuh know the big sugary grains that have alot of barley or malt or something in it; its a little more on the nesquik side....:( .. ah well.
So, I'm happy to say that my hair and food troubles MAY be a small thing of the past. But I won't count my chickens before they are hatched .... there is still much to explore in that little global shop....
Whey yuh say.... Callalloo in a tin from Jamaica anyone????
We found an "Afro Shop" today ... its aptly named because I suppose it caters to the needs of getting RID of an afro ...lol .Yup Ladies and Gentlemen .. boys and girls... kiddies and grannies ... I found Petroleum Jelly, Hair Relaxer product, Callallo in a tin, Pink Oil, Olive Oil, Dr. Miracle, Motions .. girl .. you name it ... and they HAD it!! it was like walking into a hairdresser's heaven... the only thing that was missing was the shower caps? ... Ok .. I forgot to actually LOOK for those.
The guy in the store, I believe he was Nigerian, thought I was from Jamaica. No offence Jamaicans, but i'm sooo tired of everyone in the world thinking that the caribbean IS Jamaica... People .. get yourself a map of the caribbean... and LEARN! We are important too.. Where u ting steelpan come from? .... Germany? Which German man in their RIGHT mind will tek up a big ole garbage barrel and say .." Hmm I cam make music with this" .. NOPE! it was Trinidad brotherzz . Is only we have nuttin to do wit we time like dat! oh yes it was!
Apparantly the Store Man saw me walk into the store had a big smile on his face and then saw my husband walk in after me ... and the smile faded.... I didn't see this. My husband told me about it after we left the shop, but its obviously not been as racially wonderful for him as it has been for me ... well I have to say ..at least so far
I say so far because, with MUCH trepidation, one little black girl will move to a predominantly white culture. Its not because we don't WANT to be here... (although warm climates are usually more our fortei - check out the history.) Maybe we stand out alot. I have to admit that walking around in Oslo there were more Black people than in Bergen. Now .. let me be clear when I say "Black" people. I have only seen ONE totally black person .... he was riding a bike in Melbourne Australia and I had to take 2 looks and then a third when he passed by because all I saw were teeth - and they were really white! And I have no idea why he WORE black too..... go figure ... so when I say "black" people its normally anything that is NOT white and don't have to go sunning to GET brown. So that included Indians, some other ethnicities that i'm not too sure about etc.
So continuing, I remember in Australia, black/brown people were soo few and far between in Sydney at least .. that they would actually nod at you when u past. There was one I remember who went out of his way to catch my eye just to say hello. You know the tourists ... they don't count .. they normally move around in drones or packs.... carrying cameras etc. and they certainly don't acknowledge you!
..... but I was on Hair stuff..
So I walk into this store and i'm in heaven!!! JUST HEAVEN! I'm walking around like a little dotish chile picking up tings and go .. "Look babe!! Motions ... This is wonderful!!" you would swear it was jewelry store with "FREE" marked on everything!
Needless to say .. it is going to be my "best friend" for my hair. I won't have to order things in from England or tote it in my suitcase next time I travel. That is a WONDERFUL thought.. especially since airlines love to take money for over weight ...
Even more exciting was Right NEXT to the store was a "Global Store" or supermarket per say. That too was wonderful ... Guess what peeps?? I found me some BAKING SODA!! I find it odd that a country that is so big up on cakes (or kake as they say it) would not have baking soda... and not only was a little bottle .. but it was a big ole bottle of it ... that is what I'm say my "global" people.... we USE baking soda... and thankfully it was not a ridiculous price... it was "normal". Actually that whole Global store was MUCH cheaper than a normal supermarket. I started asking myself if they were "underground' or something??? ...
There was Roti/paratha (most likely authentic indian so nothing to jump up and down there), Sushi things (yes we bought some because we are BIG sushi fans!), Thai things, Coconuts in the shell, different ice creams, Corn meal for our Latin folks, "Fresh" produce that looked like it was the last day on the shelf, Frozen occras, and so many things ... I must go back and go through each shelf properly!
OH! and You know how we cut up our meat right there in the place ... and bag it up in different weight bags? Well gorsh ... I miss dat!! They do it in the global market!! Yup!.. juss so!. You get so accustomed to meat being put in vacuum sealed containers with fancy labels on it that you see this and it almost looks "wrong" .. ahh .but it is not ... it is the way the "global" people do it. I think they cater for mainly asians. I'm not sure. But either way, I'm happy ... OH YES! and MILO people .. i found MILO there ... its not as wonderful as back home.. yuh know the big sugary grains that have alot of barley or malt or something in it; its a little more on the nesquik side....:( .. ah well.
So, I'm happy to say that my hair and food troubles MAY be a small thing of the past. But I won't count my chickens before they are hatched .... there is still much to explore in that little global shop....
Whey yuh say.... Callalloo in a tin from Jamaica anyone????
Thursday 17 June 2010
1 year olds ... birthday parties .... and the Norwegian Language..
The other day I was at a 1 year old's Birthday party. My little new Niece ... (yes that word still is hard to say .... that means I'm an Auntie.. or Tantie (taunteh) as they say here .. yup that word actually really exists!)...
So admidst the party scene with the kids running around and ..... well ...screaming ... and people around .... well .. talking .... in Norweeeeeeeegian ... I'm sitting around and .... well .... feeling dumb...
Cuz one thing I realised here is that the Language is really what helps you fit into a place faster ... generate the friends .. and create the bonds ... how do you really bond with someone who you cannot communicate with on a greater level other than ... well ... Hi! and Bye ??
The Party itself was like I said a kid party .. .but for some reason or the other ... of which I will learn when I have my own kid and want to celebrate their one year anniversary .... when they don't have the least bit of a clue about what on earth is going on.... there were more adults than kids .... that being said ...please let me make a small point here.. geared directly at my new inlaw family ...
I love you guys ... I think that you are each so special .. in my little mum way of noting how you move with each other ..... I thank God that my husband has a normal family and a beautifully close one as well ... where there are no internal struggles and the such like .... and if there are ... I guess I'll find out one day ... then I'll be so eternally inculcated into the family thatI won't really think it odd then .. would I? ... Just quirky??
So ... I told my husband that I wanted to be able to force myself to learn the language ... so I guess not everyone is perfectly comfortable with the English Language ...and besides that I would have hated to be the ONLY reason everyone was talking in English .. it would have put a downer on the party .. seriously ... can you imagine having a party in Trinidad and everyone had to talk Spanish ...??? Yea .. we would just bring out the Soca and forget about talking ... yuh sure right!! ..
Anyways ... The Language really struck me as I listened to it.... and it will be really hard right now to give examples since .. like i'm sure you can't give any examples in Finnish right now either ... except if you google it ... so don't get all oooie on me....
For a long while ... I sat and listened .. really listened to the language .... Ever saw on Movies how they learn a language over night or something??? or at least in a very short period of time?? .. Well ... I don't know about the speaking part ... but there are quite a few words that are similar to English , Spanish or French ... and that is what makes the whole thing a real interesting thing to listen to.
As I sat there listening to the conversations that were going on around me ... Some things sounded like spanish ... something things sounded a little freenchiiee ..and other things sounded like english with an ice cube in your mouth....(bra, for, etc) So I actually got alittle bit of it ... Sometimes when my husband speaks I can understand a joke or something .... He laughs... I laugh and I feel like I fit in ... of course who knows if the joke I got was the same joke everyone else got ... no worries .. I laughed in a good enough time.
For example... there was something about smoking ... and for some reason I knew that was what they were talking about.... someone asked someone else .. "Do you smoke?" .. and almost like muscle memory I figured it out ... as if they spoke it in english ... it really was very cool ...
They went on to talk more about smoking and I started to fade away ..... I guess I always had A.D.D. in class ... was never a good book girl ... throughout my ENTIRE school life I was given . "Jaemie has so much more potential. Jaemie must work harder".. The Problem with me is that I learn so much faster when I WATCH or copy than when I have to learn it myself....
This brings back memories of before Internet was the Dictionary and encycopedias ... or parents ... which we normally hoped would be faster ... My father was not .. in fact it almost more dangerous to go to ask him something that to go look for it in the library with the books covered in dust battling long legged spiders and ultimately picking up the wrong section of the dictionary. He would go " Ok let's see".... ARGH .. that was the beginning of the end .. he would get book after book and then properly instruct you to read .... in my mind I was " dad ... I asked YOU what was the largest planet.. not how many planets are there, along with 10 other things he had to explain looong before I got my answer ..... if I got the answer at all :S
hmmm ... I'm rambling ... let me get back to the topic ..
So of course during the course of .... I think it was 3 hours hanging out with the family ... I learned a sum total of 1 word... to Smoke ... å rØyke. What a word to learn huh?
Of course knowing the language will help you know when they tell you to come for food .... or that you have to get up and go get it..... Like what happened to me ... yup .. and I'm sitting there like a Queen Bee thinking food was going to be walking my way.... hmm .. ooops .. nope.
(that learning the language thing in one day from the movies .. just BTW is a LIE!)
But I have to admit after all is said and done ... that the Norwegian language is not spoken by that many people and very well may be a dying language. Rosetta Stone has chosen NOT to have Norwegian as an optional language perhaps for this very same reason. But have no fear ... I SHALL conquer the confusing language ....
Then I found out that like Trinidad, there are many different dialects .. and within those dialects, there are different words for the same thing, different pronounciations for the same word ... the best example is "I" Jeg .. which is pronouced in at least 3 different ways depending on where you are from .. north, west or East ... ..... ahhh hhaaa.... riiiigghhtt... okay then.... hmmmm ....
I take solace in knowing that once I can speak the language I'll be able to understand Swedish and Dannish.. Whey yuh say? ...
So admidst the party scene with the kids running around and ..... well ...screaming ... and people around .... well .. talking .... in Norweeeeeeeegian ... I'm sitting around and .... well .... feeling dumb...
Cuz one thing I realised here is that the Language is really what helps you fit into a place faster ... generate the friends .. and create the bonds ... how do you really bond with someone who you cannot communicate with on a greater level other than ... well ... Hi! and Bye ??
The Party itself was like I said a kid party .. .but for some reason or the other ... of which I will learn when I have my own kid and want to celebrate their one year anniversary .... when they don't have the least bit of a clue about what on earth is going on.... there were more adults than kids .... that being said ...please let me make a small point here.. geared directly at my new inlaw family ...
I love you guys ... I think that you are each so special .. in my little mum way of noting how you move with each other ..... I thank God that my husband has a normal family and a beautifully close one as well ... where there are no internal struggles and the such like .... and if there are ... I guess I'll find out one day ... then I'll be so eternally inculcated into the family thatI won't really think it odd then .. would I? ... Just quirky??
So ... I told my husband that I wanted to be able to force myself to learn the language ... so I guess not everyone is perfectly comfortable with the English Language ...and besides that I would have hated to be the ONLY reason everyone was talking in English .. it would have put a downer on the party .. seriously ... can you imagine having a party in Trinidad and everyone had to talk Spanish ...??? Yea .. we would just bring out the Soca and forget about talking ... yuh sure right!! ..
Anyways ... The Language really struck me as I listened to it.... and it will be really hard right now to give examples since .. like i'm sure you can't give any examples in Finnish right now either ... except if you google it ... so don't get all oooie on me....
For a long while ... I sat and listened .. really listened to the language .... Ever saw on Movies how they learn a language over night or something??? or at least in a very short period of time?? .. Well ... I don't know about the speaking part ... but there are quite a few words that are similar to English , Spanish or French ... and that is what makes the whole thing a real interesting thing to listen to.
As I sat there listening to the conversations that were going on around me ... Some things sounded like spanish ... something things sounded a little freenchiiee ..and other things sounded like english with an ice cube in your mouth....(bra, for, etc) So I actually got alittle bit of it ... Sometimes when my husband speaks I can understand a joke or something .... He laughs... I laugh and I feel like I fit in ... of course who knows if the joke I got was the same joke everyone else got ... no worries .. I laughed in a good enough time.
For example... there was something about smoking ... and for some reason I knew that was what they were talking about.... someone asked someone else .. "Do you smoke?" .. and almost like muscle memory I figured it out ... as if they spoke it in english ... it really was very cool ...
They went on to talk more about smoking and I started to fade away ..... I guess I always had A.D.D. in class ... was never a good book girl ... throughout my ENTIRE school life I was given . "Jaemie has so much more potential. Jaemie must work harder".. The Problem with me is that I learn so much faster when I WATCH or copy than when I have to learn it myself....
This brings back memories of before Internet was the Dictionary and encycopedias ... or parents ... which we normally hoped would be faster ... My father was not .. in fact it almost more dangerous to go to ask him something that to go look for it in the library with the books covered in dust battling long legged spiders and ultimately picking up the wrong section of the dictionary. He would go " Ok let's see".... ARGH .. that was the beginning of the end .. he would get book after book and then properly instruct you to read .... in my mind I was " dad ... I asked YOU what was the largest planet.. not how many planets are there, along with 10 other things he had to explain looong before I got my answer ..... if I got the answer at all :S
hmmm ... I'm rambling ... let me get back to the topic ..
So of course during the course of .... I think it was 3 hours hanging out with the family ... I learned a sum total of 1 word... to Smoke ... å rØyke. What a word to learn huh?
Of course knowing the language will help you know when they tell you to come for food .... or that you have to get up and go get it..... Like what happened to me ... yup .. and I'm sitting there like a Queen Bee thinking food was going to be walking my way.... hmm .. ooops .. nope.
(that learning the language thing in one day from the movies .. just BTW is a LIE!)
But I have to admit after all is said and done ... that the Norwegian language is not spoken by that many people and very well may be a dying language. Rosetta Stone has chosen NOT to have Norwegian as an optional language perhaps for this very same reason. But have no fear ... I SHALL conquer the confusing language ....
Then I found out that like Trinidad, there are many different dialects .. and within those dialects, there are different words for the same thing, different pronounciations for the same word ... the best example is "I" Jeg .. which is pronouced in at least 3 different ways depending on where you are from .. north, west or East ... ..... ahhh hhaaa.... riiiigghhtt... okay then.... hmmmm ....
I take solace in knowing that once I can speak the language I'll be able to understand Swedish and Dannish.. Whey yuh say? ...
Wednesday 16 June 2010
Climbing Eldsfjellet
This hill ... yes its a hill... Is about a 10 min Drive away from where we live. Its on the same Island and the last time I walked up that "hill" it was in June Last year. It was a cold and windy day and on top of the hill is notorius for being very windy .... after all .. it is the highest point on the island.
Eldsfjellet is translated as "fire mountain"..... this I found out AFTER I climbed the thing. So Hubby and I are happily enjoying an afternoon back home and his best man and neighbour called to invite us up this ... hill.... Would I like to go .. my hubz asks .... with MUCH trepedation.. I agreed. In my mind now .. I'm wondering, what on earth am I trying to prove? .. I'm huffing and puffing like a cow climbing a vertical tree on the Small hill right behind our house and I'm trying to go up a Fire Mountain with 1 guy who is pretty much fitter than I am ... one guy who has been doing it fast enough but often enough .. and one guy who just earlier that day .. ran up the bloody thing! ... Obviously, I've lost my mind, and if I thought that my competitive spirit was going to rise to the competition ... I think I overestimated it .... severely..
We reached the ... hill.... and started climbing .. me in a sweater and everyone else is lighter tshirts. Just the beginning of the climb was enough to make my heart sink. I totally forgot how many muscles I had in my bum and my thighs oh no wait ... I didn't realise they existed! Oh the Pain ... I tried to keep my face from showing my extreme Distraught but I think there was a tell tale sign somewhere, since one of the guys kept asking me.."Why do you keep looking at me with that evil eye?" Hmm Go figure....
I pushed along going basically up steep stairs for about 20 mins. It doesn't sound like that long does it? But if you warm up with "Go climb a 60 Degree mountain... yuh kinda get alittle puffed in about 20 secs ... I kid you not ....
oh shut up you fitness freaks ... I'm not talking to you today ....
There came a point where my breathing became as as laboured as a rhinoceros in labour .... I chose to leave out the noises ... after all I was the only girl amidst guys and I really didn't want to seem like I was about to keel over. My brain no longer functioned for talking, smiling or laughing. All I could do was think about where to put my legs.... look for trees to hold on to ... and hope that no hoggorm snake would be in my path ... sunbathing .. since it was a warm enough day. There were norwegian jokes being thrown around all around me.... guys laughing ... I really was not even trying to understand ... I suddenly wondered how on earth did I get this unfit? Where did all this flubber come from? I used to be so fit and be able to walk the Paria hike .... with ease .. in fact there was a time when My brother and I actually ran it for a bit ... good fun.... I was remembering all the President's Award hikes through some interesting terrain ... all the hikes that I would be at the front of the pack .... and now ... I'm wheezing like some overgrown gorrilla ... breathing so hard it felt like my throat was bleeding... my eyes were starting to glaze over and my thighs and buns were screeming to me" STOP you DITWIT .... I'm on STRIKE!" My nose were burning, running and hurting all at the same time
all i could hear in my mind was " Just keep pushing Jaemie, Don't you Dare let these guys think you are a wimp" ...
ahhh Too late ... all of a sudden my legs gave way and my and I had to stop. I was breathing way to hard for my own comfort and everyone around me was telling me that I'm doing great .... huh? Yes .. great for a 1000 Ton Leatherback turtle on Turtle Beach in Tobago .... GRUNT >.... GRUNT..
oh for shame... so much for feeling all competitive and trying to look like I can rival guys in their natural setting....
Reaching the top was such a relief. I can't thank God enough for giving me a great hubby who basically pushed me the last few meters. Yea .... he's so great !!:) .. awwwww..
Just like giving birth the moments of pain and labour are forgotten once the child is born ... well... ok for me it was not immediate ... I was subjected to paparazzi pictures of which I no longer had the energy to quickly smile in my infamous way.... so after a few moments of catching my breath, I looked around.
seriously people ... Norway is one beautiful country.... I'm such a sucker for views, Landscapes and nature that my husband didn't really need to sell the country too much ... I just love the green around me. That day was a great clear day, so we could see so far ... and we were not being blown over like is the usual on top of Fire Mountain.
God creates the most Awesome paintings ... all the time.....
Heading back down ... of course .. is so easy ....... a Cave man can do it...
Whey Yuh say???? Fire Mountain anyone?
Tuesday 15 June 2010
Bergen Prices
Bergen is a Place of beauty ... of culture .. of arts ... of Education and tourists and of Fjords. .....And of shelling out 98kr for a Mai Tai!!
and if I'm thinking about Relaxing my hair , I have to save up over 2000Kr! ... Ok doesn't sound too bad? How about a 5000Kr Speeding ticket .... (yes speeding tickets will be another blog .. driving in essence! .. But I actually have to be driving to really blog about that! - .... gorsh.. that should be frightening!)
Yup .... Watching prices here in Norway are equivalent to watching prices in Jamaica .. the only disheartening thing is that the exchange rate is not nearly as favourable ... not NEARLY. How does 1 Kr = aprox 1 TTD sound??? Just joobie just joobie I tell you?... or 1 USD = 6.38 Kr. It certainly does not seem that shopping is such a bargain .. when you are look at a pair of boots ..lovely boots and see a price of 5000kr!!!
According to UK Mirror, The minimum wage is 10 Pounds compared with 5.73 Pounds in the UK. ... Its the best pay in Europe.
However as a tourist, be prepared to be totally shocked at the prices of somethings. Norway in general has a VERY high standard of living... This means that the salaries start at a very high level.
There are a few things that are at a generally "normal" level .. like Corn Flakes and some clothes. Hotel rates are over 1000Kr in general, Alcohol is taxed heavily .. so anything that has alcohol in it is eye-poppingly expensive ... being a cheap drunk in Norway is a VERY good thing!
Maybe that will explain why it so hard for me to go shopping here ...even though while we are here in Oslo .. it is my "little" passtime. It just seems to be NOT bargain shopping .. of which I am such a sucker! .. Isn't that the whole joy of trini shopping ? head to Chaguanas and get tops for a great price .. (just make sure to hand wash them and no dryers!) ... and Lots of Sales Everywhere ... especially at the infamous Francis Fashion and Westport sale times.... ooo ..and how about Radical Designs Boxing day sales??? ...
well a sale or Salg in Norway ... brings prices down to a "normal" price according to Trinidad prices ... so shopping till you dropping in Norway is not reeehheeehheeeheeeeellly a great idea ... at least not if you want to eat anything for the rest of the month!
Ok ... as I stretch and head out again in the big OSLO world .. the sky is a gorgeous blue and Its supposed to be warm today ... (oh yuh know... airconditioned warm)...
I suppose that eventually I will get accustomed to the prices and be able to tell a "real" bargain from another ... and where are the best places to shop etc .. but for now ... my jaw keeps dropping when I see the prices and thinking .... geeezzz and ages!!! ... 598Kr to fill your gas TANK???? I thought Norway had its own oil???
I suppose that eventually I will get accustomed to the prices and be able to tell a "real" bargain from another ... and where are the best places to shop etc .. but for now ... my jaw keeps dropping when I see the prices and thinking .... geeezzz and ages!!! ... 598Kr to fill your gas TANK???? I thought Norway had its own oil???
Well the only good thing I can see really is walking around with 5000kr does not entail having your wallet packed to capacity .... you only have 5 bills in your pocket!
Whey yuh say???
Monday 14 June 2010
The Bergen Fashionista
Ok .... So ... I've come from a Tropical Country .. where women do bare alot of skin ... and that's the culture .. the tight clothes etc .... tank tops allllll the time ... short pants and lots of dresses to keep cool. And I would say I had my style .... it was ... tropical casual..... as in .tshirt and jeans... and then I had my little light and cute halter tops etc ... so now that I have to cover down to my wrists to keep warm (the short pants and ting was never really my ting anyway) I'm floundering around like the fat seal from Happy feet where in Trinidad I'm the seal in the water and in Bergen I'm the seal on the ice.. ..... Flubbub ... Flubbub ... Flubbub ..
Back in 1998 I went to London for a Work and Travel Visa. I came back from London MUCH more conscious of what I wear ... and I'm sure heading into any Fashionista Big City would do that to one... the only thing is that I'm now living in an island off of the second biggest city in Norway ... so .... think of .. Toco style .. maybe????? yeeea...... hmmmmmm ... Questionable...
Ok dont get me wrong .. there are many people who look very nice .. but I've found that to try to buy clothes, I get what the MAJORITY of people are wearing .. which ... I have to admit .. with the extra ... dot dot dot... pounds I've Put on since I'm married ... is not a flattering look for me.... and I think its Frumpy... is that how you spell that? ..
Anyhoos ... I walk into stores and I can't figure out how to put things together.. ok except ONE store .. H&M ... really lovely things... but its so hard to wrap my head around buying summer things when it's cold outside!! What is up with that???? :) .. hahaha...
So .. You must be wondering by now .. what on earth is so bad???
Well let's start with the Tights..... as in panty hose ... its worn with everything .... with shoes ... whether its open-toe or not!!! ACK! Fashion Faux Pas in my tropical mind!! ...
And how can one where A short pants with tights??? .. eww .. what is that?? if its too cold to wear a short pants ... don't wear it at all!!!
Ok ok ok I've seen in Vogue etc ... High heeled shoes with mid calf high plaid socks and thought ... oooo nice .. but it was almost ALWAYS paired with a pencil skirt or preppy looking pants ... (and maybe I just can't see the panty hose in the pictures) ... and it looks cool ... somehow ... its not looking cool here :( ...
They also wear the "in" thing for summer .. look shirt-like tops with tights that stop anywhere from mid calf to the ankle...
remember those tennis shoes .. white that you used to wear to Phys Ed? .. or P.E. As we called it in NAPS? ... well they wear those .... happily .... ewww .. those where things we HATED .. with a passion ...
Its so hard to find a pretty shoe .. because all the shoes are ... well.. ugly .. sorry .. I love you Bergen .. but OMG can you get some decent Shoes.... the shoes you will see here are equivalent to your granny's granny's styles... oh about 50 years ago.... so you can imagine .. there are lots of clogs and weird shapes, colours etc.... I suppose with summer looming we have some open toes peeping out with some other passable styles.... but .. ummm .. gorsh ....(fades away into daydream thinking of the shopping trips to Puerto Rico with Nestle Peep and the awesome awesome shoooeesssss!s!!!! ...... sigh .. fades back in) ....
I'm desperately trying not to fall into .. what everyone is wearing so I've found myself seeking out London magazines and carefully trying to figure out what IS my style with extra clothes on ....
Would it be edgey? , preppy? ... Country? simple? plain? .. God forbid it turns into OLD lady .. simply because that's what the teeny boppers are wearing around me ....
So this week we are in Oslo for My husband's Work and the style here is a normal mixup of weird to Business .. which u expect for a captial. But one thing I've seen that is just wrong is a short pants ...a short tights and stockings..... WHAA???
*shaking head*
The sun is now looking like its peeking out. So I'm going to go out .. and I've gotten the ok from my Husband to do a little shopping .. note I said a little ... :) ...
Wish me well ... and hope that I don't end up on the wrong end of the Fashion Ladder.
Whey Yuh Say? ... Some tennis shoes??? Nei Takk!
Back in 1998 I went to London for a Work and Travel Visa. I came back from London MUCH more conscious of what I wear ... and I'm sure heading into any Fashionista Big City would do that to one... the only thing is that I'm now living in an island off of the second biggest city in Norway ... so .... think of .. Toco style .. maybe????? yeeea...... hmmmmmm ... Questionable...
Ok dont get me wrong .. there are many people who look very nice .. but I've found that to try to buy clothes, I get what the MAJORITY of people are wearing .. which ... I have to admit .. with the extra ... dot dot dot... pounds I've Put on since I'm married ... is not a flattering look for me.... and I think its Frumpy... is that how you spell that? ..
Anyhoos ... I walk into stores and I can't figure out how to put things together.. ok except ONE store .. H&M ... really lovely things... but its so hard to wrap my head around buying summer things when it's cold outside!! What is up with that???? :) .. hahaha...
So .. You must be wondering by now .. what on earth is so bad???
Well let's start with the Tights..... as in panty hose ... its worn with everything .... with shoes ... whether its open-toe or not!!! ACK! Fashion Faux Pas in my tropical mind!! ...
And how can one where A short pants with tights??? .. eww .. what is that?? if its too cold to wear a short pants ... don't wear it at all!!!
Ok ok ok I've seen in Vogue etc ... High heeled shoes with mid calf high plaid socks and thought ... oooo nice .. but it was almost ALWAYS paired with a pencil skirt or preppy looking pants ... (and maybe I just can't see the panty hose in the pictures) ... and it looks cool ... somehow ... its not looking cool here :( ...
They also wear the "in" thing for summer .. look shirt-like tops with tights that stop anywhere from mid calf to the ankle...
remember those tennis shoes .. white that you used to wear to Phys Ed? .. or P.E. As we called it in NAPS? ... well they wear those .... happily .... ewww .. those where things we HATED .. with a passion ...
Its so hard to find a pretty shoe .. because all the shoes are ... well.. ugly .. sorry .. I love you Bergen .. but OMG can you get some decent Shoes.... the shoes you will see here are equivalent to your granny's granny's styles... oh about 50 years ago.... so you can imagine .. there are lots of clogs and weird shapes, colours etc.... I suppose with summer looming we have some open toes peeping out with some other passable styles.... but .. ummm .. gorsh ....(fades away into daydream thinking of the shopping trips to Puerto Rico with Nestle Peep and the awesome awesome shoooeesssss!s!!!! ...... sigh .. fades back in) ....
I'm desperately trying not to fall into .. what everyone is wearing so I've found myself seeking out London magazines and carefully trying to figure out what IS my style with extra clothes on ....
Would it be edgey? , preppy? ... Country? simple? plain? .. God forbid it turns into OLD lady .. simply because that's what the teeny boppers are wearing around me ....
So this week we are in Oslo for My husband's Work and the style here is a normal mixup of weird to Business .. which u expect for a captial. But one thing I've seen that is just wrong is a short pants ...a short tights and stockings..... WHAA???
*shaking head*
The sun is now looking like its peeking out. So I'm going to go out .. and I've gotten the ok from my Husband to do a little shopping .. note I said a little ... :) ...
Wish me well ... and hope that I don't end up on the wrong end of the Fashion Ladder.
Whey Yuh Say? ... Some tennis shoes??? Nei Takk!
Sunday 13 June 2010
Campaigning is over
So I've been to Norway twice before we moved here, and for some strange (And yet great for my husband) reason, the weather was always pretty nice. I had heard about the Bergen weather that its raining all the time... that its slushy snow in winter etc etc all the terrible things.... Well I never saw any of that before... what on earth are they talking about?
I was boasting that I brought the great weather... when I was here in January 2009, it was a lovely little winter.... cold .. but not too cold. Mind you my husband was telling me that it doesn't get too cold only like -5 C So I was thinking.. oh .. that's something like Sydney Australia weather... something I had been through .. survived ... and really enjoyed.
Of course this time I totally forgot about the fact that Australia is a DRY place while Bergen is decidedly WET.Needless to say, the winters are totally different no matter WHAT temperature they are!. Australia had some beautiful winters! Perfectly clear blue skies. In fact alot of the time that i remember the sky perfectly blue and clear was in Winter. hmmm But then again when it was warm .. who was looking up at the sky for some weather blues relief right?
The Second time I was here was in June... and boy was it lovely!! ... people were out and about and we actually had a few days of some serious tropical weather. Now let's get the tropical weather in Bergen in perspective. This simply means that you have weather at around...ish.. 30C... However, the winds in Bergen are enough to bring that temperature down to about 25. So stay out of the winds... oh and stay out of the shade .. because it IS the SUN and not the air around you that is warm... But that particular week was lovely...
Imagine I'm sunbathing on our back patio taking in the sun ... I just came from Broiling sauna like heat in Jacksonville, USA, and before that the lovely Mild June weather in Tobago.... so how is it that I'm already as tanned as I can get .. and I'm stripping down to a bathing suit top to take in SUN?... Yea I thought it odd to ... like.... I KNOW that its rare.. so let me take in some Vitamin D while I can. So I forgive all Trinidadians (my brother included) who run away to cold places and call 10C warm weather... not pointing any fingers ... (fingers pointing to Canada)
Anyhoos... enough daydreaming about Australia, Mild weather in Tobago and 2009's June... I'm in Bergen 2010 now ... (slaps herself to wake out of the dream). And its NOT dry... according to my husband's Best friend, (and joke about politicians, Heaven and Hell) ...The Campaigning is over .... and once he got me here ... there's no turning back .. so the weather no longer needs to co-operate with him....
So now .... after I write that lovely blog about lovely weather it slaps me in the face with a day like yesterday ... and now today ... sigh.
its just about ooohh i figure 9 C outside ... but um ... the winds are enough to blow that 9 C right through you... at 34 km/hr!
But that's ok cuz now I understand what keeping the weather forcast on your igoogle settings is all about .... Yuh know how we in de Islands does Look the calendar year over EVERY year and check out de long weekends and mek plans for dem? .. Well I think people here look at the weather forcast EVERY DAY to make plans... Rain? .. um stay home... Sun .. AH Picnic.... Sun with Chances of Rain ? ... Let's go hang out somewhere????
Whey Yuh Sey??? .. Love de weather God Gih Yuh Yes!! .. Cus Somewhere else somebody Loving up they own!!! ..
I was boasting that I brought the great weather... when I was here in January 2009, it was a lovely little winter.... cold .. but not too cold. Mind you my husband was telling me that it doesn't get too cold only like -5 C So I was thinking.. oh .. that's something like Sydney Australia weather... something I had been through .. survived ... and really enjoyed.
Of course this time I totally forgot about the fact that Australia is a DRY place while Bergen is decidedly WET.Needless to say, the winters are totally different no matter WHAT temperature they are!. Australia had some beautiful winters! Perfectly clear blue skies. In fact alot of the time that i remember the sky perfectly blue and clear was in Winter. hmmm But then again when it was warm .. who was looking up at the sky for some weather blues relief right?
The Second time I was here was in June... and boy was it lovely!! ... people were out and about and we actually had a few days of some serious tropical weather. Now let's get the tropical weather in Bergen in perspective. This simply means that you have weather at around...ish.. 30C... However, the winds in Bergen are enough to bring that temperature down to about 25. So stay out of the winds... oh and stay out of the shade .. because it IS the SUN and not the air around you that is warm... But that particular week was lovely...
Imagine I'm sunbathing on our back patio taking in the sun ... I just came from Broiling sauna like heat in Jacksonville, USA, and before that the lovely Mild June weather in Tobago.... so how is it that I'm already as tanned as I can get .. and I'm stripping down to a bathing suit top to take in SUN?... Yea I thought it odd to ... like.... I KNOW that its rare.. so let me take in some Vitamin D while I can. So I forgive all Trinidadians (my brother included) who run away to cold places and call 10C warm weather... not pointing any fingers ... (fingers pointing to Canada)
Anyhoos... enough daydreaming about Australia, Mild weather in Tobago and 2009's June... I'm in Bergen 2010 now ... (slaps herself to wake out of the dream). And its NOT dry... according to my husband's Best friend, (and joke about politicians, Heaven and Hell) ...The Campaigning is over .... and once he got me here ... there's no turning back .. so the weather no longer needs to co-operate with him....
So now .... after I write that lovely blog about lovely weather it slaps me in the face with a day like yesterday ... and now today ... sigh.
its just about ooohh i figure 9 C outside ... but um ... the winds are enough to blow that 9 C right through you... at 34 km/hr!
But that's ok cuz now I understand what keeping the weather forcast on your igoogle settings is all about .... Yuh know how we in de Islands does Look the calendar year over EVERY year and check out de long weekends and mek plans for dem? .. Well I think people here look at the weather forcast EVERY DAY to make plans... Rain? .. um stay home... Sun .. AH Picnic.... Sun with Chances of Rain ? ... Let's go hang out somewhere????
Whey Yuh Sey??? .. Love de weather God Gih Yuh Yes!! .. Cus Somewhere else somebody Loving up they own!!! ..
Friday 11 June 2010
Grocery Shopping
I'm Loving the shopping here!! .. The couple of times that I've been shopping before, the stores were so lame... honestly ... just the basics... but then there was COOP!!! ... OMG!! ... I turned into a wanna be Kmart/coop honey!lol. It was really lovely shopping.
Since we had been away, grocery stores have started to introduce the Coin Shopping trolleys... but Who normally walks around with a 10kr in your pocket .. obviously not us... so we proceeded to do a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) shop in 2 rolling baskets. A word to Trinidad ... those are actually cute and make sense -not as big as a Trolley but you don't have to lugg them around in your arm like a basket either. You put the basket on the ground and pull it... kinda like those long time old people trolley things....very useful!.
Things are always so clean packed ......and in Norwegian... so I'm still lost when it comes to what things are. But pictures can go a long way to help with shopping. So that makes it fun.. ... Oh what you say ? that's not chicken?? no worries... it looked like it ... its what? .... liver paste? ... yum.... and eww...
Now like I said .. it helps to do a big shop with a trolley ... because .. its not that we were cheap or anything we just didn't have 10kr on us... hence the rolling baskets... however, we really missed the trolley when we had to tote things to the car.
But first, Trinis... you know all this creating of employment for "silly" things like baggers for grocery shopping and filling your tank for u etc? .. well that is normaaal here... Unfortunately, i have not become an expert packer as yet, so with our "big shop", things are flying down the cashier belt as fast as she can pass her hand at the POS thingy... only thing is.. my packing is not even NEAR that fast ... I find myself bundling up with things to pack and not enough bags to put it all in. And don't think that they double bag everything here ... uhhh no... you have a proper bag and you are expected to put as MUCH into it as it humanly possible .. or else you are WASTING bags... and they reluctantly pelt you another one.
So we are struggling to the car with these bags.. all 6 of them ... all heavy .... and a huge box of prawns..... but geezz all I can think about were the temperate cherries and strawberries that I protected in the packing like one would protect eggs.
No worries .... at least now I know to hide a 10kr somewhere in my bag so that we won't have to do that again.
Whey yuh sey to some mangoes, cherries and strawberries??? ..yum
Since we had been away, grocery stores have started to introduce the Coin Shopping trolleys... but Who normally walks around with a 10kr in your pocket .. obviously not us... so we proceeded to do a HUGE (and I mean HUGE) shop in 2 rolling baskets. A word to Trinidad ... those are actually cute and make sense -not as big as a Trolley but you don't have to lugg them around in your arm like a basket either. You put the basket on the ground and pull it... kinda like those long time old people trolley things....very useful!.
Things are always so clean packed ......and in Norwegian... so I'm still lost when it comes to what things are. But pictures can go a long way to help with shopping. So that makes it fun.. ... Oh what you say ? that's not chicken?? no worries... it looked like it ... its what? .... liver paste? ... yum.... and eww...
Now like I said .. it helps to do a big shop with a trolley ... because .. its not that we were cheap or anything we just didn't have 10kr on us... hence the rolling baskets... however, we really missed the trolley when we had to tote things to the car.
But first, Trinis... you know all this creating of employment for "silly" things like baggers for grocery shopping and filling your tank for u etc? .. well that is normaaal here... Unfortunately, i have not become an expert packer as yet, so with our "big shop", things are flying down the cashier belt as fast as she can pass her hand at the POS thingy... only thing is.. my packing is not even NEAR that fast ... I find myself bundling up with things to pack and not enough bags to put it all in. And don't think that they double bag everything here ... uhhh no... you have a proper bag and you are expected to put as MUCH into it as it humanly possible .. or else you are WASTING bags... and they reluctantly pelt you another one.
So we are struggling to the car with these bags.. all 6 of them ... all heavy .... and a huge box of prawns..... but geezz all I can think about were the temperate cherries and strawberries that I protected in the packing like one would protect eggs.
No worries .... at least now I know to hide a 10kr somewhere in my bag so that we won't have to do that again.
Whey yuh sey to some mangoes, cherries and strawberries??? ..yum
Thursday 10 June 2010
Bergen Weather
It's been a week since my move to Norway and I have to admit, I've been loving the weather here so far. Its been an airconditioned kind of world as we Caribbean people would say. Its fascinating also that you go OUTSIDE to be cool and INSIDE you are warm. It is the total opposite in Trinidad. You are smeltering outside in the relentless heat and then you run inside for the respite of aircondition. Even in the shade is a welcome rest from the burning rays of the sun, whereas here, its the opposite. You actually avoid the shade cuz then it gets cold. Whey yuh sey dey???
Today was the first time that it was overcast and I have to admit I actually like it like this more.... terrible I Know!. But it was actually warmer.. I did my first set of sweating today ... like getting dressed or outta the shower like we do in Trinidad. Then when we went outside I was so pleasantly suprised to have a warm breeze.. I could have happily driven with the top down TODAY ... but it somehow it seemed to be "almost raining" to my husband... ah well ... Convertibles would never work in Trinidad .. who wants to have a burnt head every day ... ??
I'm still fighting to get into the time zone. If you have any suggestions please let me know .. But I'm dying for sleep! I wake up at a decent hour like 8am or 7:30am .. but end up running back to that warm place called bed. Only to wake up at the 2 pm mark ... ARGH ... wrong time zone!!
I'm supposed to be learning Norwegian and I've sort of given myself a time frame... but we are still unpacking so that is perhaps not going to happen until I have absolutely NOTHING to do BUT learn the language...lol ... ok that will NEVER happen . i WILL always find something to do!.
But seriously ... 3 months? think I can do it? .. I'm confident that at least i can blurbler my way thru a conversation ... excluding business and fancy talking ... give me a 5 year old and we can have a great conversation!
So let's see how the weather and the Fluency in the Norwegian language works with me .. Shall they coincide? Or shall I be blurbbering my way with a 5 year old quite to france in Winter?
Whey yuh Sey? eh?
Today was the first time that it was overcast and I have to admit I actually like it like this more.... terrible I Know!. But it was actually warmer.. I did my first set of sweating today ... like getting dressed or outta the shower like we do in Trinidad. Then when we went outside I was so pleasantly suprised to have a warm breeze.. I could have happily driven with the top down TODAY ... but it somehow it seemed to be "almost raining" to my husband... ah well ... Convertibles would never work in Trinidad .. who wants to have a burnt head every day ... ??
I'm still fighting to get into the time zone. If you have any suggestions please let me know .. But I'm dying for sleep! I wake up at a decent hour like 8am or 7:30am .. but end up running back to that warm place called bed. Only to wake up at the 2 pm mark ... ARGH ... wrong time zone!!
I'm supposed to be learning Norwegian and I've sort of given myself a time frame... but we are still unpacking so that is perhaps not going to happen until I have absolutely NOTHING to do BUT learn the language...lol ... ok that will NEVER happen . i WILL always find something to do!.
But seriously ... 3 months? think I can do it? .. I'm confident that at least i can blurbler my way thru a conversation ... excluding business and fancy talking ... give me a 5 year old and we can have a great conversation!
So let's see how the weather and the Fluency in the Norwegian language works with me .. Shall they coincide? Or shall I be blurbbering my way with a 5 year old quite to france in Winter?
Whey yuh Sey? eh?
Monday 7 June 2010
skive med pålegg
I moved from having bake and saltfish with orange juice or smoked herring (thoroughly cooked) and fry bake, or just the good ole corn flakes and milk... to having Skive med pålegg. Mind you this is pronounced for us good ole english/ trini folk as shiva meh pohrleg. If you are still unsure.. its just 1 slice of bread with something ontop. Of course why we can't put TWO slices of bread with something inbetween is beyond me... so here i am trying to balance things on ONE slice of bread like smoked trout.... yes ... trout that looks basically raw. I can't really complain about the taste ... i'm just waiting for the great side effects this much fish oils should bring me. Then you have interesting pastes ... cuz who wants to put all the things together from scratch ???
So you have shrimp paste which is like diced up shrimp with mayonaise, you have like a liver paste ... and some other interesting things.... Pancakes are NOT breakfast ... it is a crime to have anything sweet for breakfast ..except orange juice ... and coffee mind u .. is not usually taken with milk or even sugar.
Nope breakfast is not for the sweet tooth ... so all those things we have for continental breakfast like croissants and buns are forbidden.
Lunch by the way is ALSO 1 slice of bread with a topping... Dinner I suppose is where it all happens and its usually done early ..like around 4 pm ... but that's another blog .. because it is serious business!!!
so Whey Yuh Say? .. Skive med pålegg anyone??
So you have shrimp paste which is like diced up shrimp with mayonaise, you have like a liver paste ... and some other interesting things.... Pancakes are NOT breakfast ... it is a crime to have anything sweet for breakfast ..except orange juice ... and coffee mind u .. is not usually taken with milk or even sugar.
Nope breakfast is not for the sweet tooth ... so all those things we have for continental breakfast like croissants and buns are forbidden.
Lunch by the way is ALSO 1 slice of bread with a topping... Dinner I suppose is where it all happens and its usually done early ..like around 4 pm ... but that's another blog .. because it is serious business!!!
so Whey Yuh Say? .. Skive med pålegg anyone??
The Washing machine in Norway versus the Washing machine in Trinidad
My husband hated the washing machines in Trinidad. He complained that they ripped clothes apart with their jerking motions and still didnt wash clothes properly.
So when we came home to Bergen, I have been washing EVERYTHING over - whether they were washed before or not.
So why then is it that i wash my jeans a million times in trinidad.. drying it to a pulp in the drier... and I come here wash my favourite jeans ONCE in the washer .. and put it into the dryer.... and then it BARELY fits me after that. That would be ok .. if only i did not sit on my heels and hear a rip at my knees!! ..
WHHHAAATT???? Whey yuh sey now Husband?? ..
"I didn't say anything about the dryers!!" he says
So when we came home to Bergen, I have been washing EVERYTHING over - whether they were washed before or not.
So why then is it that i wash my jeans a million times in trinidad.. drying it to a pulp in the drier... and I come here wash my favourite jeans ONCE in the washer .. and put it into the dryer.... and then it BARELY fits me after that. That would be ok .. if only i did not sit on my heels and hear a rip at my knees!! ..
WHHHAAATT???? Whey yuh sey now Husband?? ..
"I didn't say anything about the dryers!!" he says
Um ... a Shower Cap please?
Whey yuh Say??? A Shower Cap???? uhhh .. no .. we don't have that!
Ok so finding a Shower Cap in Bergen is surprisingly harder than I thought. Ok ... but should I be surprised? .. I've moved from a majority Ethnicity in Trinidad to a minority in Norway. Of COURSE finding Afro things will now be like hunting for a hibiscus in the Tundra Snow. The comments I got about this is ... Its only for rich people.... use a swimming cap... check here... or here... or here.... a pharmacy? ... a hair saloon.
So let's look this over .. why is this? ... Surely SOMEONE MUST use Shower caps? Why then are they available in hotels? ... for style? .. or is it that Rich people don't wash their hair everyday?.. yes ... the joys of having Afro Hair in a place where it cost as much as 5000 KR just to "relax" your hair!! .
Pennywise in Trinidad was most happy with me .. since I bought about 5 Dr. Miracle Hair Relaxer products to do my self. Yes I knew that before I came here it would be a riduclous price... i DID visit the place before I said yes to the man.... I knew what I was getting into when it came to straightening my hair. It was the Shower cap part that blew me away.
It didn't help when we went around asking and people's eyes were popping out of their heads as if we were swearing at them or we were asking for the most ridiculous thing they had heard in a while.
So plastic bag on head I humbly shower... thinking of my little shower cap that I left home. No worries people...I am resourceful.
Caucasion people get to wash their hair every day ..... we mixed hair and afro hair beauties will be left with some serious Brittle if we ever attempted that!
Now its not just a shower cap that is hard to find ... its a large container of petroleum jelly, or vaseline for the parched skin the dry air creates, its the Baking Soda, Bicarbonate or Soda that is impossible to get!! ok .. they do have it online at a "everything" store, but it costs 200kr for a kilo... and a BOOk about the great 500 uses of Baking soda costs 99kr. go figure... According to my neighbour 's mom I would only be able to brush my teeth once a week for it to be cost effective!
We take for granted all the things that we are used to. Like most migrated people, I'm tempted to travel home next time with barely anything in my suitcase and tote home a suitcase filled with baking soda, vaseline and hair products. Or I can just adapt to my new home. I'll think about what i'll do.... but for the meanwhile, I'll just enjoy the shock of lack of what I'm used to....
Shower Cap?? Whey Yuh Say??
Ok so finding a Shower Cap in Bergen is surprisingly harder than I thought. Ok ... but should I be surprised? .. I've moved from a majority Ethnicity in Trinidad to a minority in Norway. Of COURSE finding Afro things will now be like hunting for a hibiscus in the Tundra Snow. The comments I got about this is ... Its only for rich people.... use a swimming cap... check here... or here... or here.... a pharmacy? ... a hair saloon.
So let's look this over .. why is this? ... Surely SOMEONE MUST use Shower caps? Why then are they available in hotels? ... for style? .. or is it that Rich people don't wash their hair everyday?.. yes ... the joys of having Afro Hair in a place where it cost as much as 5000 KR just to "relax" your hair!! .
Pennywise in Trinidad was most happy with me .. since I bought about 5 Dr. Miracle Hair Relaxer products to do my self. Yes I knew that before I came here it would be a riduclous price... i DID visit the place before I said yes to the man.... I knew what I was getting into when it came to straightening my hair. It was the Shower cap part that blew me away.
It didn't help when we went around asking and people's eyes were popping out of their heads as if we were swearing at them or we were asking for the most ridiculous thing they had heard in a while.
So plastic bag on head I humbly shower... thinking of my little shower cap that I left home. No worries people...I am resourceful.
Caucasion people get to wash their hair every day ..... we mixed hair and afro hair beauties will be left with some serious Brittle if we ever attempted that!
Now its not just a shower cap that is hard to find ... its a large container of petroleum jelly, or vaseline for the parched skin the dry air creates, its the Baking Soda, Bicarbonate or Soda that is impossible to get!! ok .. they do have it online at a "everything" store, but it costs 200kr for a kilo... and a BOOk about the great 500 uses of Baking soda costs 99kr. go figure... According to my neighbour 's mom I would only be able to brush my teeth once a week for it to be cost effective!
We take for granted all the things that we are used to. Like most migrated people, I'm tempted to travel home next time with barely anything in my suitcase and tote home a suitcase filled with baking soda, vaseline and hair products. Or I can just adapt to my new home. I'll think about what i'll do.... but for the meanwhile, I'll just enjoy the shock of lack of what I'm used to....
Shower Cap?? Whey Yuh Say??
Norwegian preparation
It has been a short time in the making ... this migration. A decision was made and in 4 months we (my norwegian husband and I a trinidadian girl) made our way to Bergen. It was 2 months of waiting for a visa and hoping that it would come through... and then exactly 3 weeks of mad rush selling everything we owned, telling people and telling my parents; admitantly the hardest thing I've had to do in a very long while.
We got a car sold on the very last day that we were in the Island of Trinidad but still have not sold a weight bench (if you are interested please let me know!)
The trip to Norway was not without its hickups of course.
After willing myself not to cry, I succeeded only to burst into tears as the plane taxiied down the runway in Tobago and I saw my father's Hotel, The Golden Thistle Hotel zooming past the window.
I suddenly remembered everything with crystal clear vividness.
I remembered my Younger brother as he walked away from us eating lunch, My dad's expression as I walked up the Departure stairs, my mom as she came up to us at the departure gate and hugged us as much as she could, the last time I saw my good friends, liming ( a trini slang word meaning hang out) with them in my old bedroom talking about boys... the difficulty with which I stood in front of my church to encourage them and how they have all made such an impact on my life.
There is much that Tobago has taught me. It has given me the confidence to be my own person, to have my own opinions and form my own ideas. It was the first time I was a manager - A grossly difficult task - handling people.
Needless to say, crying and thinking about these things the poor girl next to me must have felt uncomfortable, while my husband was trying to to comfort me on the other side, feeling a little embarassed I'm sure.
Before the trip I did ship some stuff ... yes I did... however things just kept popping up .. I swear!! .. I found myself with 5 suitcases between us both. No.... 3 belonged to my husband ... I had 2 ... don't mind the 2 suitcases was still too much for the Virgin Atlantic Flight since they have reduced free checked to only 1 ... yup... the joys of Airline extra charges. We tried to help them out some more with over weight charges. I'm sure we are in their good books for next time we travel.
Norwegian Airlines however, could not find our booking once we reached to London and waited for a 12 hour layover, since someone must have been playing farmville on FB while at work and messed up the Bergen Flight. That made checking in 5 suitcases (when you get NONE free) a little more exciting. We are also on their happy books with the over weight payments.
Ah .... Bergen ... 10C ... warm and lovely .... yea right! .... an empty house greeted us ... tomorrow we start to unpack and I start to enjoy my lovely new life in Bergen with my husband.
Let's see how long it takes me to get into the right Time Zone. So far I'm doing terribly, since it is 12:32 am and anyone who knows me.. knows that the last thing I am is nocturnal.
Everything is going Great! .. What more can I ask for? ... a Perfect Husband, my own home to decorate and coo over ... and a brand new wardrobe at some point in time!
Whey Yuh Say Bergen ? HERE I COME!
We got a car sold on the very last day that we were in the Island of Trinidad but still have not sold a weight bench (if you are interested please let me know!)
The trip to Norway was not without its hickups of course.
After willing myself not to cry, I succeeded only to burst into tears as the plane taxiied down the runway in Tobago and I saw my father's Hotel, The Golden Thistle Hotel zooming past the window.
I suddenly remembered everything with crystal clear vividness.
I remembered my Younger brother as he walked away from us eating lunch, My dad's expression as I walked up the Departure stairs, my mom as she came up to us at the departure gate and hugged us as much as she could, the last time I saw my good friends, liming ( a trini slang word meaning hang out) with them in my old bedroom talking about boys... the difficulty with which I stood in front of my church to encourage them and how they have all made such an impact on my life.
There is much that Tobago has taught me. It has given me the confidence to be my own person, to have my own opinions and form my own ideas. It was the first time I was a manager - A grossly difficult task - handling people.
Needless to say, crying and thinking about these things the poor girl next to me must have felt uncomfortable, while my husband was trying to to comfort me on the other side, feeling a little embarassed I'm sure.
Before the trip I did ship some stuff ... yes I did... however things just kept popping up .. I swear!! .. I found myself with 5 suitcases between us both. No.... 3 belonged to my husband ... I had 2 ... don't mind the 2 suitcases was still too much for the Virgin Atlantic Flight since they have reduced free checked to only 1 ... yup... the joys of Airline extra charges. We tried to help them out some more with over weight charges. I'm sure we are in their good books for next time we travel.
Norwegian Airlines however, could not find our booking once we reached to London and waited for a 12 hour layover, since someone must have been playing farmville on FB while at work and messed up the Bergen Flight. That made checking in 5 suitcases (when you get NONE free) a little more exciting. We are also on their happy books with the over weight payments.
Ah .... Bergen ... 10C ... warm and lovely .... yea right! .... an empty house greeted us ... tomorrow we start to unpack and I start to enjoy my lovely new life in Bergen with my husband.
Let's see how long it takes me to get into the right Time Zone. So far I'm doing terribly, since it is 12:32 am and anyone who knows me.. knows that the last thing I am is nocturnal.
Everything is going Great! .. What more can I ask for? ... a Perfect Husband, my own home to decorate and coo over ... and a brand new wardrobe at some point in time!
Whey Yuh Say Bergen ? HERE I COME!
Subscribe to:
Posts (Atom)