On hold.

I am on hold, waiting for a customer service representative with the Department of Motor Vehicles in Washington State. There's relatively decent music and I have a delicious peanut butter\chocolate\banana smoothie to keep me company so I'm not that grumpy about it.

I am, however, a bit grumpy about the bigger picture. I am in the process of exchanging in my American driver's license for a Norwegian one. Up front I have to say that this is waaay overdue and totally my fault in that sense; the rule is as such: when moving to Norway if you are from a long list of countries including the U.S., you need to take a driving test and turn in your old license within one year of your official existence in the country. Or at least that was the rule...I am pretty sure that as of July 1st this time period has now been crunched down to three months, so keep that in mind if you are reading this blog for practical purposes.

My year is up as of March 1st (please don't ask me what I have been doing all year, I promise I have done...stuff). So that means I have a little over a month to get it together. Which I thought was do-able, but after getting the run-around at the Norwegian DMV, I'm not so sure.

So I walked to the DMV (mind you, it's cold, it was relatively early in the morning and kinda far away), waited my turn in line and spoke with a woman (who we will call Lady One) who supposedly told me everything I needed to know. I should have known that Lady One didn't really have a clue when I had to remind Lady One of some of the rules and suggest what the answers to my own questions might be. However, I am slightly naive and just believed Lady One. And made the trip again a day later with the paperwork she told me was necessary.

Then I waited my turn again. And I waited a fairly long time. And I had to get to work. And the place is a long ways away. And it was cold. And I started sweating. And they had three windows open, with three employees and only one was accepting customers! Finally, it was my turn and I approached the desk, ready to get this over with. But I found out I didn't have the papers I needed. OF COURSE! I need to trust my gut more often, obviously! But Lady Two was helpful and we navigated the rules together and found out what I really needed. There's a book btw, and a huge ass folder that explain everything. I understand that it's probably a pain in the ass to leaf through all that junk, but HELLO, it's your job Lady One, be better at it. I should definitely not know more than you when you are the one sitting behind the counter!

Btw, I'm still on hold and my smoothie's gone. I would much rather be playing Xbox Kinect with Lars (his birthday present from moi).

Lady Two was good, but not perfect. She let me use the customer phone and gave me a number to call to get this proof of residence form they must have. Her plan was to have them fax it on over so we could get this show on the road! I like the way Lady Two was thinking, but too bad she gave me the wrong number. I got redirected three times before someone realized I had called the entirely wrong place. So then I got a new number, and talked to someone else who could actually help me with what I needed. Yay. However, she almost laughed when I mentioned faxing it over. That is NOT allowed. They can only send it in the mail. DUH I should've known.

But at least it's in the mail, right? Strange that I haven't gotten it before today really, since this was on Friday. So I went back to the desk, gave Lady Two the appropriate number in case she came across any more Americans. But it didn't stop there--while I was on the phone she found out that I needed something else too. Typical American licenses are just that--typical. At least in WA State there is no description of what types of cars you can drive--it's just assumed that you can drive normal-ish cars. If you are going to do something more intense then you get a commerical license and so on. Well that's not that way it works in Norway; in Norway every license has information on the back detailing what you are approved to drive:

I found this picture and this person online. I did not take it nor do I know him.

It's actually a pretty smart system; WA could look into something similar if you ask me. But regardless I have to somehow get some proof of what I can drive from the DMV in WA. They are not going to have any clue what the hell I am talking about. It's going to be fun. Once I get that from the States and the proof of residence in the mail then I can head back down to another one of my favorite buildings in Hamar, register my application and THEN I can schedule a driving test. I also have to rent a certified driving school car from a traffic school, which can apparently also take weeks. And it's not cheap either. And I have to find an automatic. Uff da, I say, uff da!

And not completely off topic, but definitely random--I just noticed that I actually weigh how much it says on my license! Ha!

Oh yeah! I forgot to mention that it's also not allowed to have two licenses. So I have to turn in my American one...for good. Lady One (if we can believe anything she says) also mentioned they have to send it back to the US. Super weird.

Anyway, here's hoping I can somehow manage to get all my chickens in a row before March 1st. Otherwise I have to take a first aid class, night driving, ice\snow driving and the theoretical test in addition to the driving test.

Read more...

New digs.

We obviously moved a long time ago (end of JULY!), but I have never gotten around to taking pictures of the new place. Sorry to all of you that have been waiting and asking me to see! We do have some pictures, that's true, but there are still a lot of things that are in my mind not quite finished (paint that wall here, hang pictures there and so on). I am sure you understand. But the outside of the house, that I can definitely share now!

Today it is rainy and gray but one day when I was out wandering taking some fall pictures the sun was shining. We even still have leaves on trees at that point in early October!

There's my cute little bike (basket included) and our house (which we share with 3 other owners). Here's our little patch of grass, apple trees included:

And the back of the house, where you enter.

Lars was spying on me. I caught him in the act!

Sadly enough, I do believe fall is over and winter is soon on its way. The trees have mostly lost their leaves and the temperatures will soon start diving.

I miss the colors already.

But I suppose we have snow and skiing to look forward to!

Read more...

I'm alive.

Jeg lever, yes, yes I am alive.

Currently I am writing you from the unemployment agency which so kindly offers free internet kun for jobbsøking (only for job searching)...so this'll have to be short.

We moved. It happened. It's a bit surreal, but it happened. So strange to call a new place home...but man we are liking it so far. It is wonderful just to have the extra space! And nice to have finally recovered from the weekend we moved where I put in 27+ hours at work and countless hours inbetween homes, moving and packing. Really looking forward to a trip to Ikea soon. To put it simply: all is well.

Not having internet from home, however, is a bit of an inconvenience. It has really put a kink in my blogging ways, to put it mildly. It has also made it difficult to pay ebills, buy tickets to the US, look for a new job (yes I really am using the computer for that purpose, I promise) or do anything else mildly productive (i.e., waste my life away on Facebook). Soon I am hoping to get this figured out. But then again, even that is hard to do without access to the world wide web--the cabel agency actually asked Lars for his email address so they could send him the activation codes etc. Oh the irony.

Work is work, soccer is soccer. Both have their ups and downs, both serve a vital purpose in my life. I've read some books, made some good food...haven't taken many pictures but do have some on display at a Starbuck's in the US. Nothing else to exciting to report...the computer aid is coming my way...

Read more...

I like to move it, move it.

I like to move it, move it.

Or, maybe I don't. I'm not sure that anyone actually likes to move. I mean, packing and sweating and moving furniture isn't exactly fun. But the process has begun people! Boxes and newspaper everywhere and I have done my fair share of standing in the middle of the apartment and looking around while thinking 'What do I not need until next week around this time?' and 'Where did all this stuff come from?' Haha.

Lars' parents are coming this weekend to help us, which is super nice of them and much needed. I think my boss that's in charge of the schedule forgot that I asked to have the 1st off since we are moving. I am scheduled to work at least 8 hours each day\night. Should be a challenge for me to feel like I am pulling my weight in this process. Hopefully I can get a lot of the packing done so that when it comes to the weekend it will just be moving.

Regardless, soon, it will be over. And we will be in our new place. I CANNOT wait!! :D

I like to move it, move it.
P.S. The weekend in Trondheim was awesome.

Read more...

Looking forward.

Have I mentioned I'm excited? And anxious?

I have so much to look forward to over the two+ months. And so many plans to make!

First of all, Lars and I (and maybe Sondre) are heading to Trondheim this weekend to meet up with my American friend Colleen who is on vacation in Sweden! I can't wait to see her; I am not sure when I saw her last. . . but man do I miss her. In college we worked together, had class together and chalked up a lot of goofing around (and managed somehow to graduate together) --I can't wait to reunite!

I am also stoked to explore the city where Lars lived while going to school. I've heard nothing but great things about Trondheim and am so up for the adventure!

And then after the weekend it is just one little week left until we MOVE! This may be what I am most excited for of all...it is at least what is keeping my mind spinning at night when I'm trying to sleep...I seriously am looking forward to it so much.

Then it's a work filled month of August and sometime in September I get to go home. Ahhhh yes, home to WA, USA, home to the Pacific Northwest, home to my family. I miss them. And my friends too. It's been almost a year since I was there last so not so weird that I miss a lot of things about Little Norway. I just keep adding all of them to this never-ending list of things I am looking forward to! Lars and I are even going to drive to Montana for Annē's (another great college friend) wedding!

It just keeps getting better too...Did I mention one of my best friends ever (Erik) is moving here in September? He is half Norwegian and is coming to live with his mom in Oslo for awhile. And a cool girl (Danielle) that was recruited to play PLU softball when I graduated is coming here to study in August! And after the new year Elise (who also happens to be half Norwegian and coincidentally Danielle's roommate) is also coming to study!

Hamar is a happening place people...you might as well get on out here!
It'll just give me one more thing to look forward to... ;)

Read more...