New Year: 2014

Godt Nytt År! Happy New Year!

I've been back in Oslo for a week now, and it's taken me about that long to mentally get back into gear after nearly 3 weeks of traveling, hanging out with family, catching up with friends, and enjoying all the amazing food and shopping that United States has to offer. It was a great break and so good to see all my loved ones, but come back to Norway really did feel like coming home. I'll even forgive Oslo for losing it's blanket of snow while I was gone, I'm sure it will come back soon enough to so I can break out those cross-country skis that have been in retirement since my cold, strange year in Minnesota.

Speaking of skis, I used the day after Christmas to take my 10-year old niece up to the local ski hill and get some skiing in myself. 49 Degrees North hasn't changed one bit since I first learned how to ski there 22+ years ago (yikes!). Well, they added a couple more lifts and some great new runs, but the lodge was still an old wooden picnic-table filled space crowded with families eating home-packed lunches and maybe a basket of french fries. Here you won't find any fancy outfits, no top of mountain chalets to enjoy a glass of wine, and certainly no high-speed gondolas. Only cold, slow chairs that drag you up to some wonderfully empty powder-filled runs. I love that place. My niece spent the day in the ski school picking up some serious snow-plowing skills while I tolerated an icy drizzle that had little to no effect on how good it felt to get back on the mountain. Definitely wet my appetite for getting some runs in here in Norway, though I don't think I'll find anywhere near the value of good old 49.

On to Seattle I went nearly straight from the airport up to a cabin with my friends. Carrying a solid supply of aquavit, we spent the next couple of days enjoying the mountain air, playing games, completing a puzzle, and of course enjoying a drink or two. It was a perfect way to spend the weekend. A busy few days of trying to see as many people as possible for a hectic New Years Eve, then back to Oslo. It's never enough time, really.

As for resolutions, I'm sure I have some.

49 Degrees North, an amazing view, and a few lucky souls

Spokane

Flying into Seattle at Sunset

Home Sweet Home

Life at the Cabin

God Jul, Merry Christmas, and Happy Flag Day #2

Waiting for Christmas morning.

I've been back home in Spokane for about a week now, catching up on sleep, hanging with the family, and doing some crazy shopping.  I don't remember things being so cheap, but it's amazing what 10 months in Norway will do to your price sensitivity.  We got a little bit of snow this past weekend, so even after a good melt yesterday, there is enough on the ground to call it a semi-white Christmas.

A could have been white Christmas

After the Christmas cheer here at home with the family I'll head over to the west side of the mountains for some proper celebrating with my friends. A few days at a cabin in the mountains and then New Years Eve in Seattle should make up for a year away from some of my favorite people in the world.

And in the midst of the holiday cheer, I received my next assignment. While I am mostly in denial that I am ever leaving Norway, it is probably good to have in mind what comes next. I'll preface the announcement by saying that it may sound crazy, but it was actually number four on my list of 30 places. The location close to the West Coast of the U.S., a big enough city to keep me entertained, and a culinary scene to drool over. So without further ado, I bring you:

Tijuana, Mexico. 

Yes, there is a fair amount of drug violence and general dirtiness that comes with being a border town, but over the past few years Tijuana and Baja California have started to gain a reputation for hipness and good food. Proof? Anthony Bourdain paid a visit (see youtube episode below) and the New York Post highlighted "The New Tijuana Cool." So I'm going to live my next year plus in Norway like I'm never leaving, but when I do have to depart, I think I'll be prepared to take on Baja. 

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Merry Christmas from U.S. Embassy Oslo

I am way behind on the blog here, apologies, but now that I'm on vacation for a few weeks I will be able to play catch-up and post some pics and stories from the past couple of months.

In the meantime, here is a Christmas greeting from my colleagues and I at U.S. Embassy Oslo. Thanks to the work of some of the most fantastic local employees in the world, we were able to make fools out of ourselves in the name of America. Below is a cheat sheet to the Christmas words we were attempting to pronounce.

God Jul! (Merry Christmas)

From our Embassy Oslo YouTube Site: 
We challenged our American diplomats to pronounce Norwegian sayings that relate to Christmas. We think the result was pretty funny :) Please feel free to share! Happy Holidays!

Here is an unofficial translation of the words for our non-Norwegian viewers:

Kålrabistappe - Mashed rutabaga, typically enjoyed with the Christmas meal.
Dompap - Bullfinch, a type of bird.
Dorullnisse - "Toilet roll santa" - A homemade "santa decoration" made with a toilet roll.
Marsepangris - "Marzipan pig", a common Norwegian holiday candy.
Risengrynsgrøt - Rice porridge, enjoyed by many Norwegians during the holidays.
Svineribbe - Pork breast, eaten by many on Christmas night.
Størknet ribbefett - Coagulated fat from pork (we just included this because it's weird)
Fjøsnisse - A santa who lives in the barn (part of popular Christmas tales)
Sprøstekt svor - Pork rind, an important part of the Norwegian Christmas meal.
Medisterkake - A type of sausage included in most Christmas dinners.
Steketermometer - Cooking thermometer
Pepperkakemann - Gingerbreadman
Vasselina Bilopphøggers - A band that did a popular show about Christmas.
God Jul - Merry Christmas 

Cultural Experiences

Sometimes I forget that I'm a diplomat. Not that I forget to show up to work, or that I suddenly start screaming anti-America slogans in the middle of the street.  What I mean is that I forget that I am a very lucky, privileged person that gets to experience this country and the world in a very special way. But the last few weeks have been filled with reminders that in addition to being a humdrum bureaucrat, my job is more than just writing reports and taking notes at meetings.

I had one of those days this week. Bouncing straight from a meeting on trade issues that I had to cover at the last minute (with almost no prep), to an Arctic policy roundtable, and then to a presentation to 20 high-school seniors on the U.S. political system, I felt like I was living the stereotypical foreign service officer day. Returning to my desk to do the write-up from the trade meeting and get it into DC before close of business, I was exhausted but also happy, because I knew that I had chosen the right career.

Outside of the office, I've been lucky to score some amazing invites to some great events. First on that list was the Season 2 Premier of the Norwegian/Netflix show Lilyhammer. This was my first red carpet event, and in true Norwegian style, it was a low-key affair where the cast was mingling with the other guests over wine. We got to see the first two episodes of the show, which is now in it's third week here in Norway and will be coming out on Netflix sometime in December for American audiences.

Completely unrelated to my ability to get cool invites through work, I've also enjoyed plenty of dinner and game nights with friends. I can't be thankful enough for the amazing people that I have in my life, both friends from college that I have reconnected with and new friends that have made these past 9 months (!) so wonderful and full.  I love that Norwegians fully embrace a low-key evening at home with friends over a simple home-made dinner followed by coffee and a rousing game of Ticket to Ride. I was warned more than once that Norwegians can be a tough group to break into, but I've yet to see the evidence of that.

Lilyhammer Season 2 Premier Party

Lobster dinner with friends (followed by an oh-so-nerdy game of Dominion)

A Polish Embassy hosted Accordion Concert 

http://servicecentered.blogspot.com/