North Nord
Look more often to the North. Se oftere mot nord.
Go into the wind. Your cheeks will get red. Gå mot vinden, du får rødere kinn.
Find the unbeaten path. Take it. It's shorter. Finn den ulendte stien. Hold den. Den er kortere.
The North is the best. Nord er best.
The flaming sky in winter, Vinterens flammevirvel,
The Sun's miracle of the summer night. sommernattens mirakel.
Go into the wind. Climb the mountain. Gå mot vinden. Klyv berg.
Look North. More often. Se mot nord. Oftere.
This is a long land. Most of it is North. Det er langt dette landet. Det meste er nord.
- Rolf Jacobsen, 1907-1994
In early 2021, in the midst of the COVID-19 pandemic, I downsized my material possessions by 80%, resigned from my career of nearly 20 years, moved out of my apartment in the city, and left full-time life in the United States.
After spending a year in Norway, mostly living and working in a small ski town, I returned to the U.S. in October 2022 to reset, reflect and determine next steps.
I kicked off 2023 in Dubrovnik, Croatia and traveled around the Balkans for 4 months, exploring Montenegro, Bosnia & Herzegovina, Albania, North Macedonia, and Kosovo. It was an incredible period of adventures, learning, and unforgettable experiences and challenges.
By May I was back in Norway, just in time to celebrate Syttende Mai in Bergen.
After a summer in Bergen and a few brief stateside visits, I am back again, based in a small village called Skånevik as I await a decision on my application for residency and eat waffles indiscriminately.
This blog is my way of documenting this journey and sharing the stories along the way.
Takk du at for leste,
Marla
