There is a bit of a back story to me choosing to move to Norway. Most
people ask “Norway? Why Norway?”. Well, to be honest, Norway
wasn't even on my grid a week before I started the application
process. In fact moving abroad wasn't even in the forefront of my
brain at the time.
The concept of going to Europe for travel had been an idea that I
toyed with the summer of my high school graduation. A trip to England
a few years prior had sparked the interest for a longer trip abroad.
The only problem was I didn't have the money. I was saving up to go
to school that fall in Charlotte, North Carolina. My 18 year old
part-time salary wasn't going to be able to afford Europe. Instead, I
stayed home that summer and worked to increase my Charlotte fund.
Europe went on the back burner.
After my time in the Carolina's, I moved back home. The desire for
Europe didn't go away. It was now however, clouded by a similar
problem as before. Money. Except this time I had debt. So I did what
I always did and worked for my dad, a Master Painter, and plugged
away at my bills. Europe appeared unattainable. I would continually add it to my yearly resolutions, yet it would never make it to the top of
the list. To me it legitimately seemed impossible.
My first year back we were painting the house of some longtime
friends and clients of my dad. An elderly brother and sister, both
widower, and widowed. While working on their house, we noticed that the elderly sister needed assistance
beyond what her younger brother could provide. So I transitioned from
Painter's Assistant to Personal Service Worker.
After nearly 4 years of working with my elderly clients a
combination of events (shovelling snow and being rear-ended in two
car accidents) led me to be in the worst back and leg pain of my
life. I had to carry on working more than full time, in pain, waiting
on my health care system. Those 10 months of pain were to date the
worst 10 months of my life. I was unable to stand up straight, nor
walk, sit, sleep, or do anything without excruciating pain, every
single moment of the day. Thankfully I received back surgery that
eliminated all the pain and 99% of my discomfort. I am a tough girl.
Any one of my friends would say that. The pain that I experienced
during that season broke me down physically and emotionally. I was
damaged in ways I wasn't sure I'd ever be able to rebuild.
Before going back to work after my surgery I took a trip to do some
soul searching. My mom encouraged me to get away to reflect, gain
perspective, and to feel refreshed. I wholeheartedly agreed. After
helping my elderly clients for a significant amount of time coupled
with the year of debilitating pain, I desperately wanted to figure
out what I was to do with my life. Should I continue in my day to day as it was, or was there something more. A lot of my dreams and
desires seemed no longer existent. To be honest, when I would try to
reflect on them all I saw and thought was nothing. Just saw
blackness. I had no words or ideas to express what interested me. I
couldn't formulate anything from my heart. That wasn't normal for me,
nor should be for anyone! We are born and created with passions that
should be expressed. I was hoping my time away would awaken this within me, and give me vision for my future.
The trip was great. I saw lots of old friends, felt alive and happy. Though I still had no idea what I wanted to do or be. And if I did, how to make it all happen. I had this sense of knowing it was time to move on. That my current job was coming to an end. Although, I couldn't leave my position without having a new plan. Leaving my clients was a hard process. I loved and cared for them. My emotions made it difficult to let go and
trust that they'd be alright. In order for me to fully pull out, my replacement day to day would need to make my heart beat faster.
In my mind I came back from this soul searching trip empty handed. As I reflect, I realize that as soon as I had made the decision to
move on from my job, a new opportunity was on its way. Within days of my
return I met a friend for dinner. Out of the blue she gives me the
idea to apply for a holiday working visa for overseas. I
had no clue this existed! As a result of being Canadian, we have certain agreements with European and Commonwealth countries. Typically a one year
visa is offered to young adults between the ages of 18-35, with the
possibility to apply for a second year, depending on the country.
Immediately upon hearing this idea I began to get excited like I
hadn't in years. I don't think I felt that excited and sure of a
decision since my move to Charlotte for school.
I went home from dinner and spent the following weekend researching
the application process and listing the countries that interested me.
I narrowed it down to the UK, Australia, New Zealand and Norway.
Still you may ask, “Norway?”. Some of the countries I chose were
due to an English language, others because of sun, warmth and
beaches, and some due to friends already living there. The same
weekend of my research I received a message from my friend in Norway.
She was just seeing how I was doing, and wanting to catch up. I told her
my idea, and mentioned the possibility of Norway. Right away she was
excited and said for me to come! It rang clear with me. I
additionally was keen on using Norway as a base to travel out from
and explore the rest of Europe.
A week after the idea was given to me, I filed the paper work and
listed my car for sale to fund my expenses. And I waited. The process
was supposed to take a maximum of 3 months, and was typically
shorter. While I waited, I prepared, I worked, I planned. I waited for
my car to sell. I sold my car. And waited some more. Finally one
day, I couldn't wait anymore! It was nearing the end of the 3 month
mark and still no word. I contacted the embassy and it turned out my
application was accepted 2 months prior. The email never got
forwarded. Within a week of me contacting them I had my
visa. I booked my flight the same day, and a week later I was in
Norway.
I am in the process of learning the rationale behind waiting, and
cultivating patience. The reason for giving a brief back story on how
I ended up in Norway, is to provide perspective. Context and a time
line of events. Nothing happens overnight. There is often pain and
suffering in the process of our dreams and desires coming to pass.
From the time I started thinking about Europe in high school to
officially moving to Norway took at least 13 years. Traveling to
Europe is only one of my minor dreams! And it took a long while!
Had I gone to Europe when I was in high school, or even after my
time in North Carolina, it would have been fun and adventurous.
However, I was a completely different person. I needed the time to
mature, not just age wise, but mature in my likes and dislikes. Life
experiences such as pain and surgery, jobs, moves, school, they
change us, form us, strip us. I had to be striped to the bone of all
the things that I thought I wanted and needed. To be open and
available for an adventure that I didn't even expect was possible. An
adventure greater than I could have ever planned myself. That seems
to be how destiny works.
There
is hope for anyone feeling at the end of a dark tunnel. Going to the
bottom of the pit only means there is one way up. You just have to
keep focusing on the little bit of light you see. Then soon enough
you will have more light than you can imagine. Never lose hope of your dreams, no matter how much time has passed. You never know the reason for timing until you have arrived.
“...hope
is a good thing, maybe the best of things, and no good thing ever
dies.”
Shawshank Redemption
Here are some pictures from my trip to the Geirangerfjord, Norway this past summer.
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