I'm an alien.......

I first moved to the US in 1999. I was excited, nervous, clueless and happy. I thought it would be an easy adjustment, being a globe trekker and all. Besides, I had already fallen in love with the US after my visit to California in the summer of '88. Plus, I was newly married and could live anywhere with my hot man. I quickly realized that I really was a foreigner in a strange land. These are some of things that were strange to me:

medical insurance

BLTs

green jello salad with shredded carrots

funeral potatos

personal checks

24 hour grocery stores

BBQ sauce

fry sauce

being able to walk to church

I'm not saying they're bad things, they were just strange to me.

I try to welcome challenges with a positive attitude, and, to be honest, starting a new life in the US was at times a challenge. But I loved it there. I grew so much as a person and learned a lot about myself. I grew really close to my sister, who fortunately lived only a few minuets away. Most of all, I learned to understand my husband better, and realized that all the crazy and weird things he does are not really that crazy and weird in America.

I also made many new and wonderful friends, and adjusted quite well. But, the funny thing is that I have never felt more Norwegian! I guess there's some truth to the saying that Norwegians abroad are a lot more patriotic than Norwegians in Norway. If Sting were to write me a song, it would go something like this: "I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien, I'm a Norwegian in Salt Lake City."

Then the strangest thing happened. We moved to Norway, and I was excited to come "home". What shocked me, though, was that I felt like an alien in my own country. What is going on? After feeling like a true Viking for over 7 years in the States, you would think I would embrace Viking land with no hesitation. Here are some things that were strange to me:

no breakfast restaurants (such as IHOP, Denny's and Village Inn)

paying over $40 for the 4 of us to eat at McDonald's

socialized medicine

no 24 hour grocery stores

being "out walked" by women twice my age

lack of customer service

no airconditioning

I'm not saying they're bad things, they were just strange to me.

Here's what's confusing: I don't feel like an American, but I don't feel like a Norwegian either, so who am I? "I'm an alien, I'm a legal alien, I'm a Norwegian in Norway." How bizarre is that? I honestly didn't think it would be possible to feel like a foreigner in your own country.

My conclusion is that I'm blessed with a heart big enough to embrace 2 countries and call them "home." I love Norway and miss it when I'm gone, but I love the US, too, and miss it terribly now that I'm gone!