Autumn

My favorite season ❤

Torture to Peaceful Music

I had a bad day yesterday. First I overslept by an hour, then I was completely unfocused at school – and to top it off, I overcooked my yummy-looking fish.

There was only one solution – yoga. I used to do it regularly, but that’s years ago now. However, I’ve been thinking about getting back to it. Stretching, lots of breathing, and relaxing – sounds like what every stressed out student needs, right?

Wrong. Oh so very, very wrong. Twist this way, bend that way, and get those elbows to the floor! It was torture to peaceful music. To make matters worse, my mokey mind refused to shut up. It kept going on about push-pause injections, and oh-my-god-this-pose-hurts.

Perhaps some days are just like this. No matter how hard you try, it just won’t do. Thank goodness for tomorrows. Thank goodness for sleep being twist- and bend-free. And thank goodness whoever invented the “Destroyer of universe”-pose, is far, far away from me.

If we were having tea…

Because I don’t drink coffee. But I do have so much to tell you.

It’s been several weeks since I suddenly stopped posting (again). I’m back in Norway, back in school, and have already had my first exam. In two weeks I have another. Ususally we have our exams at the end of the semester, but the second year Nursing students will spend months at the hospital, so the idea is to get the exams out of the way.

The days are becoming shorter and shorter, but feel longer and longer.

I don’t blog that much about it, but studying Nursing is hard. In this week alone we have done (on each other): peripheral venous catheter, sub q pain pump, several different injections, and nasogastric tube. There’s been a lot of blood. Suffice to say, I’m tired at the end of the day.

It took a couple of tries, but everyone finally found a vein!

Despite the struggle, I’m happy. I’ve started dancing again, I’m spending more time with the people I care about, and ultimately doing more of the things that I love. I just often find myself exhausted. I wish I had more energy to blog. I haven’t even answered all of your amazing comments. I have read them though, and appreciated Every. Single. One.

Thanks for sticking with me through it all!

Lastly, I just want to wish you well. Feel free to tell me about what you’ve been up to since I’ve been gone! And if you’ve had a bad week, remember it’s almost Friday. It’s almost Friday!

The Theft

It happened in the blink of an eye, we were getting on a bus, and while I stepped on – I felt a push. I steadied myself, and just knew. I knew, but it was too late. I looked down and my purse was open. I searched it to be sure, but my wallet? It was gone.

To my surprise, I got the wallet back. I was trying to explain the situation to my friends, when a lady tapped me on the shoulder and pointed to the floor. My wallet. I picked it up and thanked her, not even considering that she might be the thief. But she could have been. Anyone can be a thief.

I wonder where they went with my money…

I feel somewhat lucky in my misfortune, because they left my card. It appears Bulgarian thieves are quite like the rest of Bulgaria – old fashioned. However, I also have this strange sensation in my stomach. Empty? Angry? Mostly confused I think, and a bit… Humiliated? They didn’t get much; I always spread my valuables, but still – someone targeted me, and I, the supposedly seasoned traveler, was unable to prevent it.

Perhaps the thief/ the thieves will buy themselves something tasty – too bad not for me too.

Back at the hotel, my friends still kindly comforting me, one of them realized that she had been robbed too. In her case they had managed to slip the wallet back into her purse. We have no idea how, and writing this, I can’t help but be a little impressed. It is a cruel way to make a living, but it definitely takes speed and skill.

Have any of you ever been robbed? All comments appreciated!

 

 

The Cardiac Medical Ward

It’s me again. Still alive.

If you wonder where I’ve been; I’ve spent the last month in the cardiac medical ward. As an employee, thankfully. I got a summer job as an assistant. I’ve learned a great deal, and I’ve never been more sure of my choice of studying nursing.

However, it’s only now I fully realize what I’ve gotten myself into. Picture walking into a room, and wonder if the person there is breathing. Picture having a pleasant conversation, and it suddenly turns into “can you hear me? Hey, are you still with me?” and an emergency team. At all times, two heartbeats may turn to one.

The absence of a heartbeat is the loudest silence I’ve ever heard.

Now, don’t misunderstand me, most of the time everything turns out okay. One evening might be about her heartbeat slowing and mine racing, but the next morning it’ll be like it never happened, and we go back to me saying “bear with me, I’m sure I’ll figure out how to change ECG/EKG paper eventually…” and she replying “I remember being a student, oh those were the days…”

This picture is from the basement. Want to guess how many times I got lost down here?

In Norway, it takes three years to become a nurse. In the fall I start my second year. It’s still a long road in front of me, but what an adventure. And at this moment, I see only green lights ahead.

 

Norway Chess

Any chess enthusiasts out there?

You can do this, Magnus!

 

Pride 2017

“Be yourself, everyone else is already taken” – Oscar Wilde.

Bergen celebrated Pride this weekend. People took to the streets. Some members of the LGBTQ community, some just supporters of it.

I love the Pride parade. I love how there are people of all ages, all genders, all nationalities and all sexualities. The Pride parade is a chance for everyone to gather and celebrate differences. It’s a chance to remind eachother that it’s okay; it’s okay to be who you are.

“Every reason not to, is a reason to participate”

I love love. To me it’s milkshakes, thunderstorms and friends. To me it’s laughter and a tiny bit of adrenaline. Love is different to everyone, and yet it is always the same. Everyone knows love. Everyone does it, everyone feels it. It shouldn’t matter who loves who, only that they do.

I saved the best picture for last:

Me with a unicorn – my life is officially complete.

Netflix, how could you?

Some days I’ll do anything to avoid being productive. Cue Netflix. However, the other day I had a nasty shock.

Netflix has cancelled their production of my favorite show – Sense8. The last season, season two, left the viewers with a massive cliffhanger. Now I’m never going to know how it turned out. My only comfort is that I can rewatch the first seasons again and again (and again).

It feels like I’ve been robbed. Robbed of future good moments, of intense excitement, and of heartfelt agony and triumph for and with the characters. Which show am I now going to look forward to with the same childish joy? Which show can I turn to, that can provide me with the same crazy plot and lovable characters?

I might be overreacting, but how could you Netflix,

HOW COULD YOU?

In loving memory of the greatest show Netflix has ever produced.

Everyone Loves Ducklings

I feel like ducklings make the world a better place. Happy people are usually kinder, and I have never met anyone who was not happy after meeting a duckling.
Conclusion: the world needs more ducklings.

The French Election

It’s a beautiful day to be Norwegian. I wonder if the people of France feel the same way about being French. One of the headlines in a Norwegian newspaper today: “Many hold their noses and vote against Le Pen”. Another one states that this election is “a crossroad for Europe”. How does the media of your country present the French election? I wish I knew french well enough to read what they say about it themselves.