I didn't think it was destined to happen... my passport got lost... my plane tickets were cancelled by the airline... and time was a big issue, we hardly had any between flights! But the moment I stepped foot in Norway I knew it was going to be great! Aside from not having my parents there, the country was beautiful! Everyone was very nice too. The most amazing thing to me was meeting Norwegian children that spoke very little English, and the bonds I made with them. We couldn't speak to each other and understand what the other was saying, but they would try to show me stuff... they even taught me to count from one to one hundred in Norwegian, which I still practice! 

Ingerid's family was great too. I loved watching them together, they were all so nice and ice cream is very big there... they eat it all the time! My absolute favorite day though.... was at her summerhouse. Didrik (ingerid's brother) came to the summer house with his girlfriend, Cathrine; Cathrine's friend, Anki; Anki's boyfriend Thomas; and Ingerid's family. Didrik and I spent a while picking crabs from the water and rocks and then in a bucket we filled water and rocks and other stuff to make a little ocean. Didrik also picked a few shrimps and a small green fish! As we put the animals back in the sea, we named them! We then snacked on pancakes and swam, and played cards! I learned new card games over there.... Idiot and Didrik's game... Didrik's game is a game Ingerid's brother made up.

Then the end came. It was by far the hardest part. The social gap between the languages was nothing compared to my last days. I didn't want the trip to end. I grew to love this country and their ways of life! It was fun and exciting! The night before I left I had to say goodbye to Didrik, he would be gone before I would wake up...it was really sad, the day I left I had to say bye to Bente, Ingerid's mom before we left the house. She had to stay and work. That made me really sad. Then at the airport with Ingerid and Svein (Ingerid's father) I knew that it was going to be a while before I would see this family again. I wanted to cry! They were my family for that month. They watched out for me and took care of me and welcomed me into their home. I will always look back to the summer of 2003 and smile, for I had the opportunity few get: to live in another country, even if just for a month. This was a summer I will never forget.

Tory Mason