Nord Nord
Se oftere mot nord. Se oftere mot nord.
Gå inn i vinden. Kinnene dine blir røde. Gå mot finne, du får rødere kinn.
Finn den ubeseirede stien. Ta det. Den er kortere. Finn den ulendte stien. Hold den. Den er kortere.
Nord er best. Nord er best.
Den flammende himmelen om vinteren, Vinterens flammevirvel,
Solens mirakel av sommernatten. sommernattens mirakel.
Gå inn i vinden. Klatre fjellet. Gå mot finne. Klyv berg.
Se nordover. Oftere. Se mot nord. Oftere.
Dette er et langt land. Det meste er nord. 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