new beginnings

so, the other day i decided to adapt a bit more to norwegian culture and went biking and hiking in the mountains with friends (l to r: janne, elisabeth, erlend, jay). the view from where they're sitting overlooks our city, skien.










this is salome, the daughter of my landlords. isn't she a cutie?!














so, as you can see i'm back in norway and really enjoying it. when i get time, i'll take more pictures around my apartment. the street we live on probably has the prettiest view of the city and i love the walk to work in the mornings. i leave around 8.15 and walk the street with the cute, blond scandinavian kids on their way to school. so far we've been busy during the day painting, repairing, cleaning our base. a big job, but we're excited to see the changes. the students begin arriving september 19th and we have much to do before then.

vi snakkes,
lyndee

walmart madness

today i decided to boycott wal-mart. "how anti-american is that?" is what you're asking yourself right now. it's hardly anti-american. i am simply exercising my rights.
i went in this morning to get my prayer card printed at the photo center and an employee told me that they wouldn't be able to develop the picture since i didn't design it. i listed off numerous reasons why that didn't make since: i leave to go overseas in a few days, i don't have time to mail and have returned a copyright release, a friend helped me, and it wasn't professionally done.
to this she replied, "well, i can't help you until this release is signed."
"you've got to be kidding."
"nope."
"can you at least tell me some different options?"
"nope."
to this i replied (just remember that i don't handle conflict very, well... i don't handle conflict at all), "this is retarded," and walked out the store.
i drove home, music blaring, headache beginning, and called the store manager to file a complaint and to tell him i won't be shopping at wal-mart anymore.
it was all a bit liberating... another step further into adulthood.

random beginnings

i know i have another blog, but decided i was feeling a little "cramped" in my ability to share life as i see it. so, this blog will just be for those i can trust (ie, won't be offended by the things i write about, share, etc). not that i intend to offend anyone, but i can be a little more me here. plus, i can share pictures now!

i went to kansas city this weekend with a good friend whom i haven't seen in almost 2 years. it's crazy how life can do that to you. we went to jacob's well, ate, shopped, hung around the plaza fountain and smoked cigars. i never know if these little mini-vacations are going to be stressful, but this proved to quite an enjoyable romp around kc with a good friend.

i head back to norway a week from today. it's a good feeling, but i woke up several times last night with that panic feeling: "have i paid my bills?" "when is my visa going to come?" "do i know where my passport is?" never mind the feeling of knowing how little i still understand norwegian. the goal of truly practicing language during the summer is still as elusive as ever.