The One I Came For

Florence has a museum with hands-down the best collection of Italian Renaissance art in the world. The museum is called the Uffizi Gallery. If I saw nothing else in Florence, this is what I was coming for. Not just the Uffizi, but one painting in particular.

When I finally got to Florence, I read that you need reservations for the Uffizi, sometimes up to a month in advance. I'm pretty lucky so I thought maybe, just maybe, since I'm just one person I could squeeze in. At my hostel, the owner told me to show up at 7:30, they open at 8:15. I should have no problem getting in. He was right! I was so relieved. I would have considered my trip to Florence a total waste if I didn't get in the Uffizi. I have wanted to see THIS museum for ten years. "Why?", you're asking yourself, right? Well, I'll tell you.

Four reasons. Giotto, Cimabue, Duccio, and last but MOST IMPORTANTLY----Gentileschi! Artemisia, not Orazio!! The first three are 13th century Italian painters who all did their own versions of Madonna and Child Enthroned. They are wonderful examples for the lack of perspective on the cusp of the Renaissance. Gold gilt and huge, these three pieces represent the springboard of the "rebirth" of art and culture. I knew exactly where they are in the galleries before I walked in and headed straight for them. As I entered the room, I got chills! I couldn't believe I was standing in the same room with ALL THREE of them!!!! I thought I was going to throw up. I thought I was going to pass out!!! I didn't want to leave the room!

As I wandered through the many, many galleries of losers like Michelangelo and Boticelli (yes, I saw the Birth of Venus), da Vinci, etc., I saw they had a Durer room, too! I love Durer but that room was disappointing. They really didn't have nuch Durer. I guess I need to go back to Germany for that.

So here's the thing...I have a horrible memory. If you know me, you know this fact. I KNEW that I had to go to the Uffizi although I couldn't remember exactly what it was I wanted to see. After Giotto and Cimabue I really couldn't think straight. Then it hit me. ARTEMISIA GENTILESCHI IS HERE!!!!!!!!!!!

Quick art history lesson: Artemisia was the daughter of a pretty decent artist in late 16th/early 17th c. Italy, Orazio. Artemisia showed a lot of talent as a painter. Even though girls weren't really allowed to paint in those days (not very lady-like, right??) Orazio let her work in the studio of another Italian painter. Well the man ended up raping her and she brought public charges against him (imagine the nerve!). It turned into a nasty public trial where Artemisia was tortured until she told the "TRUTH" about how it never happened.

Now about the painting: Judith Slaying Holofernes is a very common story in art of this era. But the difference is Gentileschi's treatment of the subject. Almost every other Judith I've seen has this dainty little Judith cutting off Holofernes' head like she's slicing bread. There's no power, no emotion. Gentileschi's Judith means business! She and her maid are holding him down after waking him from his sleep. He's trying to struggle against them but Judith is on a mission. Knowing the anger and frustration Gentileschi must have felt toward the man who raped her and the justice system that ruined her, one can imagine how much she needed to express her rage.

I don't know why I have always been so drawn to this painting. I like the style, where it looks like there is a source of light somewhere out of the frame. I like the fact that Artemisia got credit for her work when most women painters were laughed at. I like the fact that she wasn't afraid to show a strong woman doing the job to save her village. I hope you like it, too. It's the one I came for.

A funny thing happened on the way to Florence...

Ok well not that funny but I'll tell you more about that in a bit...

Let's back up a couple of days:
On Friday night I arrived in Pordenone, Italy and was picked up at the train station by my friend, Lyn. Lyn works for the military and is TDY at Aviano Air Base in Aviano, Italy. She graciously offered me her couch for two nights. On Saturday we slept in then took a train into Venice. Lyn had already been to Venice once a few weeks ago (where her son proposed to his girlfriend!) and knew her way around so it was really nice to have someone who knows what they're doing. The whole day I just kept thinking, awestruck, and sometimes aloud, "I cannot believe I am in Venice." We hung around until after dark so we could see the place lit up at night. It was so magical and beautiful! We stood on Saint Mark's Square listening to an orchestra play music. We stood because it costs big bucks to sit and have a drink or food :) The orchestra played one of my favorite pieces of music, Nessun Dorma, while we stood there. It was probably one of the top ten moments of my life! As we started to leave the square and head back to the car, I asked Lyn to give me just a moment. I wanted to have one last look, one more minute in this place and time, one last chance to etch this scene onto my long-term memory. Visiting Venice was another life-long dream fulfilled... and it was perfect.

So here's the "funny" part:
This morning we did some errands including going to the grocery store on base. I am in love with European bread so I wanted to get a loaf and make a sandwich or two for my train ride down to Florence. Lyn drove me to the train station in Pordenone and dropped me at the front of the building. I went inside to make a reservation for the second half of my trip (because it was mandatory) and learned that there is a train-workers' strike today and the first train I was supposed to take wasn't even coming!!! Lyn had already left the station but I called her and she came back. This sweet lady drove me down to Venice so I could make the second train!

The saga continues...the train I wanted to be on was full so I booked another train. Then that train was soooo late that I got on the WRONG TRAIN going in the OPPOSITE DIRECTION thinking I had gotten on the right train! It took me about an hour before I realized my mistake and turned around and came back to Venice. Once there I found the schedule for the train I needed to catch next and walked to the platform. Deserted. The train wasn't coming. Geez!

So long story short, I am updating my blog from a hotel room in Venice tonight. I was so tired and hot and frustrated that I decided to throw today's budget to the wind and relax and forget about this terrible day. I am laying across the bed eating the sandwich I made this afternoon and using the Wi-Fi offered by the hotel. Now don't get me wrong...I'm stranded, but I'm stranded in Venice, Italy. It could be a lot worse!

More pictures from Croatia

Per Gunnar gave me a good idea to not even try to blog with pictures but rather just do a blog that is ONLY pictures...so here ya go. Pictures from Croatia!

Hungary!

THESE ARE PICTURES FROM CROATIA!! I AM RUNNING A CITY BEHIND!!!!!!

Wow I have been in Budapest for almost a week now and I gotta tell ya, this is an "INTERESTING" place. I've seen things here I thought were only Eastern European cliches. But this whole trip is about having a meaningful learning experience so I will take it all in stride and laugh at the oddities for what they are.

I really have learned a lot on this trip. There is so much I want to do differently when I get home. From Norway: I want to eat much better bread. I may never buy sliced bread off the shelf anymore! From Germany: Manuela taught me how to make an amazing Italian dish. Now I really want to learn how to cook more! From Budapest: Elena has some of the most wonderful homemade preserves from Moldova. I want to learn how to make jams and jellies. I know it's not that hard, we used to do it all the time when I was younger. Amsterdam: I want to learn how to knit. A guy I met gave me some shoes his mom knit as part of her physical therapy after she broke her wrists. Now I want to make some, too!

I have also met a lot of of teachers on my travels. I am trying to collect ideas as I talk with all of them along the way. I have some really good and creative ideas for my classroom. I only hope my administrators appreciate my enthusiasm for engaging my students..HA HA HA!!

As of today, I have twelve more days before I go home. In some ways, I am SOOOO ready. You all know (if you've been reading my blog) how much I miss Peyton. And I've been moving from country to country and house to hostel and train to train for five weeks. I'm starting to get a little burned out now...BUT, tomorrow I leave for ITALY!!! I am extremely excited. I feel pretty certain, though, that I will have to come back to spend more time here in the future. It only cements my belief that i need to get a job teaching Advanced Placement European or World History so I can coordinate the summer trips overseas for students who want to study/travel abroad. IT WILL HAPPEN!

P.S. I apologize for not posting more pictures on my blog, but putting them on here is such a pain! I promise that once I get home I will share them ALL with you in whatever format you prefer :)

New post, quick update

I feel much better today and for the past few days. Of course I still miss P terribly but it's better than it was the other day! I was seriously ready to head for the airport. Budapest is a cool, strange place but I am having a very pleasant stay with Elena. More later!

Crying like a baby

I was just on Facebook and noticed that Stacy (my sister for those of you who don't know) posted some pictures from the vacation that my family is on right now. There are a few pictures of Peyton, including one where she is on the phone with me. I haven't seen her face in weeks and seeing it just made me fall apart. I'm sitting on the couch in a hostel in Budapest waiting for my laundry to get done and crying my eyes out!! I'm sure I must look ridiculous but I don't care! I knew I would miss her when I decided to take this trip but I cannot believe how much I am feeling right now. I have consistently held to the principles of this trip: 1) it's worth doing even if it means being away, and 2) she's fine. I know these things to be true but it always amazes me how much you can love a child. And mine is AWESOME. I want to go home so badly right now.

Hello from Croatia!...although most of this post is about Germany LOL

It's Thursday night here in Split, Croatia and I am leaving for Budapest in the morning. I have been on such a whirlwind tour that I needed to get down to the beach for a few days. Now that I am tan and happy again, I will give you an update! I promised Mette I would blog tonight, too :)

After Amsterdam I went to Munich, Germany. I was Couchsurfing there and I had the most wonderful host. Her name is Manuela and she is Austrian but she has lived and traveled all over the world. She is in incredible cook, too. She kept cooking healthy food, vegetables and stuff that I don't eat, but it was so good!! I met a girl on the train platform when I was leaving Amsterdam. Her name is Molly and she is legally blind. She was traveling alone all around Europe like me but her story is more inspiring. She was Couchsurfing, too, but her host was working a lot so she hung out with Manuela and me most of the time.

A couple days after I got to Munich, it really started hitting me how much I miss Peyton. I always think about her and I call her everyday but I got to the sad, crying stage. I know I can go home any time. All it takes is a phone call to the airline and I can be home in a matter of hours. I also know I would never forgive myself if I gave up and went home. As of tomorrow I will have been gone four weeks. I am having an amazing trip and I will probably never get the opportunity to do this again. But even if I do, I will take Peyton with me. I don't plan on ever being away from her for this long again!

On a lighter note, I am enjoying my time in Croatia. I have spent the last two days on a couple of beautiful beaches and now I'm ready to get back to touristy stuff! Everyone I talk to says Budapest is incredible. I will be staying with Elena Dimitrova, one of Nicole's exchange students from about five years ago. Oh, that reminds me...while I was in Munich I also met up with another of Nicole's exchange students, Jackie. We had breakfast the morning I left. It was good to see her again.

Well, I'm off to bed. I have a 7:30 train in the morning!

This and that on a Friday night

If you don't already know this, European languages have letters in their alphabets that we do not have.  For example, on the keyboard I am using right now I have € and ö and ä and ü.  The Y is not in the usual place either.  It slows me down a bit because I make a lot of mistakes and have to figure out how to fix them!  Also, the word processor thinks all my English words are misspelled and everything I type is underlined in red!

My couchsurfing host in Munich is GREAT!  She is so energetic and cool.  She has been in advertising for 25 years and his this really creative and fun vibe.  She hooked me up with a good map of the city and the subway system.  I have to say the public transportation here is very good.    She gave me a ticket to get into town and the map and sent me on my way this morning.  When I walked out of the station I stepped into the most amazing scene.  There is a famous clock at the Town Hall called the Glockenspiel.  It was chiming 10 AM right at that moment.  The building is this massive and gorgoeous building and the clock is basically a HUGE cuckoo clock.  PLEASE google this since I still don't have the capacity to load my pics.  

So anyway, it is getting really late and Molly (another couchsurfer I met in Amsterdam who is also surfing in Munich right now) and I are going to Neuschwanstein Castle.  It's the castle that Disney based his famous castle on.  Should be cool!

It's been a while...

It seems like it has been an eternity since I wrote on my blog. I have done so much since just the other day. I made it to Copenhagen on time and in one piece! I spent the night there and did ALLLLL the touristy stuff in one day. I was so exhausted! I don't think my feet have ever hurt so much. But it was totally worth it because the weather was perfect and I---well I was in Copenhagen :)
I caught the night train to Amsterdam that night. That's where I am now. I wish I had pictures to post but I am using the computer at the public library and you don't have the option of loading anything. Ah well, I will get that done soon.
So today was the museum day so to speak. I went to the Rijksmuseum where they have all the Vermeers, Rembrants, Hals and such. Beautiful work. Next I went to the Van Gogh museum. That was really cool. I like his work better than the Dutch Masters anyway!
When I was leaving that museum I found the REALLY BIG WOODEN shoe that is so good for pictures (some of you may know which one I'm talking about). I cannot tell you how difficult it is to take a picture of yourself in a big wooden shoe. I felt like an idiot setting my camera up then taking a running leap into a big clog but, again, totally worth it! It's a horrible picture, but hey, I'm in a shoe :)
Tomorrow I am going to get up early so I can make it to the Anne Frank House before I catch my 12:30 train to Munich. I got a ticket for a free canal tour when I exchanged my Danish money for Euros but I've been so busy that I didn't get a chance to use it. Anybody coming this way?? I can save it for you!

Planes, Trains, Automobiles and Dreams Realized

Hello from Drammen, Norway! Today is the day I leave Norway. I have mixed emotions about my departure. I have been treated so well by my new "family" that I hate to leave the safety and comfort of home. On the other hand, there is so much to see and do that I can't wait to get to it.

I named this blog Planes, Trains, Automobiles and Dreams Realized. I have encountered all of these things in my last two weeks (yes, I've already been gone TWO WEEKS!). Planes obviously got me here but the last three are more interesting. In Norway, the speed limit is between 30 mph and 50 mph in most places, especially where I've spent most of my time on the west coast. All the mountains and fjords make it more difficult to travel in general. Mari and I took the bus from Aalesund to Bergen last Tuesday. That was a nine hour ride to go less than 250 miles or so. In Bergen and Oslo I have taken half a dozen busses or so to get from one place to another so I'm getting used to the bus! My first train ride was on Thursday. That was really cool. My Eurail pass is for first class but they were sold out so I rode second class with Mari which worked out anyway. The train was nice and there was lots of leg room! The servers came by with the rolling cart to sell/serve coffee and tea just like on a plane. My Eurail pass is good for 15 days of travel over a two month period. I have already travelled on it for two days and they have not marked it. I guess the system is arbitrary???

Dreams Realized: Some of you that read my blog don't have Facebook accounts so I will repeat what I said on FB. "If someone asked me five years ago where I wanted to be in five years, it would be exactly where I am now." That is so true. Everyone knows that I have wanted to take this trip for a loooooong time. Now it's actually happening and I am having some surreal moments. I sat at a cafe with a new friend, Hege, in Aalesund and just chatted away while we people watched for a couple of hours. I rode on the bus to Bergen and planned the next few stops on my journey while listening to my ipod. Yesterday I visited the Vikingship Museum that I have wanted to see for as long as I can remember. These moments give me pause. It's difficult to explain the quiet sense of accomplishment when this happens. It's a little heady and makes me smile. These victories don't mean anything to anyone but me. But to me, it's huge. As Rob said, I'm marking things off my bucket list.

Drammen, where Mari's grandparents live and where I have been sleeping and eating since Thursday, is a nice little town. There are a lot more immigrants from Africa here than I expected but Mari's grandparents are GREAT! Her granddad speaks some English and has been to America a long time ago. Her grandmother reminds me somewhat of Aunt Hazel but smaller. She is so funny! She doesn't speak any English yet she looks directly at me when she is speaking to me in Norwegian. Now, my Norwegian has gotten a LOT better but I don't understand her accent at all!! But she's just so cute you can't help but feel like you want to hug her :) I swear between Mari's mom and grandmother I have gained AT LEAST five punds since I got to Norway.

Oslo is really cool. It has the feel of a much bigger European capital but seems so much more personal at the same time. There were some things here that I really wanted to see, too. The Vikingship Museum, Vigeland Park, and the Munch Museum (Edvard Munch painted the famous work, The Scream). Now that I have seen my top three Oslo attractions, I feel like I can move on to other places with a sense of fulfillment.

Now let me tell you something about the train. I am so nervous right now! My plan was to get on a train today from Oslo, travel to Gotheburg, Sweden, then onto Copenhagen, Denmark. It's four hours to Gotheburg, another four and half to Copenhagen. So yesterday I went to make my reservation; no problem catching the train in Oslo but the second half of the trip is sold out! It's some kind of special holiday weekend in Sweden and the train is full. There is no room on the Gotheburg-Copenhagen train!! But here's the kicker (and what I cannot get my American brain around)...TECHNICALLY I don't need a ticket because of my pass. I just get on whatever train I want in any of 22 countries and the pass serves as my ticket. Unless the schedule specifically says you have to have a reservation, YOU JUST HOP ON THE TRAIN, they will check for tickets once you get going. Now, if you get caught without a ticket there is a big fine. This isn't MY problem because of the pass, but I digress. I don't have to have a reservation for either portion of the trip. The guy at the ticket counter yesterday said, "I cannot sell you a ticket for tomorrow's train from Gotheburg to Copenhagen but if you just get on the train, maybe they won't kick you off. Probably not."

So call me crazy, but if I don't make it to Copenhagen tonight, there's no point in going because I am only planning to stay there one night anyway. At 1:00 PM I am getting on the train to Gotheburg. I am also going to get on that 5:40 train to Copenhagen from Gotheburg. I will let you know if they kick me off or not! God, I hope they let me stay on because there are no hotel rooms or even hostels available in Gotheburg because of the holiday. Keep your fingers crossed!!!

Adios Aalesund

Overlook at Geirangerfjord

Me and the Seven Sisters waterfall on the Geiranger fjord

Mari's parents at an overlook in Geiranger into the fjord.

I cannot believe I have been here for over a week! I have done a lot of traveling around to nearby places and the time has flown! Since my last entry, Mari and I visited some of her family in Molde and a place called Tombefjord. Everyone has been so nice to me here, extremely gracious and interesting to talk to.

The picture to the right is of Mari, her cousin Vilde, and Vilde's parents- Aunt Ida and Uncle Lars. This was taken a the top of a viewpoint on top of a mountain in Molde. From here, on a clear day, you can see the peaks of some 270 mountians!

Me at a roadside photo op stop :)

I have so many pictures that I cannot post a fraction of them on this blog but I promise I will print them when I get home. I've only been here for 9 days and I have had the experience of a lifetime! Norway is a beatuful country and I hope to bring Peyton back one day. Our excursion yesterday included a trip to Geirangerfjord. This is a famous fjord surrounded by steep mountain walls and has amazing waterfalls. By the end of the day, Per Gunnar and Mette were poking fun at how many times I said,"OH MY GOSH!!", and "WOW!!!!" There was snow on the mountians that was starting to melt and making the most beautiful and powerful waterfalls. The water was so clear and, I'm sure, cold. I didn't try to find out just how cold!! We also travelled along a road called the Trollstigen that is marked by its hairpin turns and incredible waterfalls. WOW. I don't have a vocabulary broad enough to explain the natural beauty of this place and the pictures simply do not do it justice.

So now it's Monday and I am leaving Aalesund tomorrow for Bergen. I won't be coming back to the house after I leave tomorrow. I wasn't sure before I came what my relationship with Mari's family would be like. Would they like me? Would I like them?? Would it be awkward and would we have anything to talk about?? After nine days I am really quite sad to be leaving. Mette and Per Gunnar have taken such good care of me. They have fed me one excellent meal after another. Mette swears she's not a good cook, but she could hold her own against our family--- and that is saying a lot!! Both Mari's parents are interesting to talk to and have a good sense of humor (a requirement for me...lol). They have been the best hosts I could have asked for! The house is cozy and comfortable and has really become a home for me since I've been in Aalesund. I will miss being here and I hope to bring Peyton back with me one day in the near future. I really can't thank them enough for all they have done for me but I am going to try by cooking dinner for the family tonight. (I KNOW WHAT YOU'RE THINKING DADDY AND STACY BUT I REALLY CAN COOK!!!)

Me standing in the snow in June!

So soon it's adios to Aalesund and the friends I've made here. But I think I will be back and Mari and her family are talking about coming to the U.S. next year. Hopefully this means my goodbyes tomorrow won't be real goodbyes, just a few see- you- laters!

What a Puffin looks like

A very scary bridge

The sign that says it's a 56 minute hike up the mountain

BIRD MOUNTAIN, RUNDE, NORWAY

The west coast of Norway is dotted with thousands of islands. Somewhere along the coast is a place called Bird Mountain, located at the town of Runde. The drive from Aalesund included a ferry ride that was my first time ever driving a car onto a ferry! We went to the little cafeteria for svele (small pancakes with butter and sugar) and coffee while we traveled across the fjord.

I have posted a picture of (one of) the scariest bridges I have ever had the pleasure of driving on. It was only a ONE LANE bridge for TWO WAY traffic!! You had to look across from one end to the other to see if any traffic as coming. If not, you could proceed. At the top/middle, it opened up to two lanes so you could see if anyone was coming before you start down the other half. Very scary, but totally worth the anxiety! On the far side of that bridge was one of the most beautiful places I've seen in nature.

Being from a relatively, no, REALLY flat area, mountains always fascinate me. This particular mountain is very well known among bird watchers because of the Puffins that live there in large numbers during June and July. The terrain of the mountain is just amazing with steep, craggy cliffs that drop to the North Sea. Mari and her friends Christina and Alicia went with me. Even the 17-year-olds who thought it would be lame and were just going to get out of the house had a good time and said it was very cool! It's gotta be good to impress a teenager, right?? The climb was ROUGH at first. I started thinking things like, "I'm in decent shape. I exercise at home. I bet it's the altitude that's got me huffing and puffing so much." Then I think, "This ain't Everest, Telisa!" Thankfully, the climb levelled out after about 30 minutes. Again, it was totally worth the hard work. The scenery was just gorgeous and we saw a TON of Puffins! Even the teenagers were excited when we saw them :) The path grew more and more narrow as we ascended and I had a few moments when I was glad I have seen every episode of Man Vs. Wild with Bear Grylls.

I have to tell you that I had a bit of fun with the girls when we came off the mountain. We were all pretty tired when we got back to the car. Even walking down a mountain is a workout. As we were about to get in the car, I started frantically checking my pockets for the keys. I acted like I couldn't find them. They didn't panic at first but then I told them about how I had taken them out of my pocket trying to find my camera at the VERY TOP of the mountain. I seriously thought Mari and Alicia were going to cry. It was great!!

Never doesn't mean Never in Norwegian

Norwegians are very kind and modest people. If you compliment a Norwegian on a new outfit, he or she will insist that it is something found in the back of the closet and does not merit the attention you are giving it. I find this to be very charming and a little humorous because you know it's coming. Here's another example. If you ask a Norwegian if (s)he speaks English, they will insist that do not. They will be doing this, of course, in English. They will say, "No my English is terrible! I NEVER speak English. It is very bad. I studied it in school but now I never speak it." Call me crazy, but if you can say all that and I understand you...that's pretty darn good English!


When a Norwegian says, "I never speak English at home", that's a very different thing than Americans saying they never speak Norwegian at home. You, dear reader, are probably American and know EXACTLY what I mean. We don't even know any Norwegian words. Not one. Think right now...do you know any Norwegian words? Ok, maybe fjord. Anything else? Boris Becker doesn't count either.

If you speak to a Norwegian, any Norwegian under the age of 70, in English, he or she will respond to you in English. Luckily I remembered this when I was standing in line at the gas station this morning right behind THE CUTEST MAN IN NORWAY.
I spoke in English.
He spoke in English.
We smiled.
He actually touched my hand (albeit probably on accident).
I'm sure THE CUTEST MAN IN NORWAY would have loved to talk to me much longer but, alas, the Bird Mountain was calling. So now I must face the fact that I am American and when I say I'll NEVER see him again, I'm not just being modest!

How to post a comment

Several people have asked me about how to post a comment to a blog entry. This is the simplest way I know. Click on the link at the end of the blog where it says how many comments have been made (this is usually zero...lol). Next, type your comment in the box that pops up. Under that, it will ask how you want to post the comment. Choose Google... because that's the one I'm explaining to you :) It will prompt you to put in your Google account info, which you probably don't have, right?? That's ok, it will give you the chance to set up a Google account in another window. All you have to do is click on the "set up new account" (or something like that) on the page that comes up. Enter your email address then put in a password, anything you want it to be. When you confirm the email and password, it will take you back to the blog and your comment will be posted and you have your Google account set up for the future :) I hope this helps!

Aalesund

Wow, I don't even know where to begin. When you come to a place so different from home, it's difficult to explain it consicely. One word...amazing! And I haven't even really done anything yet besides go to and from the airport. You know a place is amazing if that is all you see and are impressed :)
Mari missed her connection yesterday so I have been spending time with her family without her. Aalesund is awesome and her family has treated me very well. They are graciously speaking all English to me (everyone here speaks good English, yay!) and have fed me two wonderful meals. Her parents have been so easy and interesting to talk with.

We picked Mari up from the local airport this afternoon so now we are all here. I'm really looking forward to getting out and seeing the city. I have the finished basement to myself with a private bathroom. I can't begin to explain how wonderful that first shower was last night! The house is lovely with a beautiful Scandinavian feel to it (think Ikea)...simple, clean design with light colors. I love it here and the family has made me feel very welcome. It's hard to believe that Mari could like Warner Robins, Georgia at all after being raised here! The main thing I haven't gotten used to is the fact that at this time of year it doesn't really get dark here...ever. I went to bed at 12:30 last night and it was still daylight outside!!!! My body also felt like it was 7:30 despite my fatigue so I hard a bit of a struggle going to sleep. It felt wrong..LOL!!

We went out driving this evening and I took some new pictures. Above are Mari's parents and some flowers with mountains in the background. The other picture is from the plane yesterday, a photo of the snow-capped mountains and one of the fjords. I have this picture on Facebook and my sister said it was her favorite!

Tonight I am going to hear Mari's dad play at a local pub. He is in a band that plays traditional music so this should be good. Maybe I'll get some good pics from that as well!!

A few changes and my latest thoughts

Here are a few minor changes to my itinerary. No worries, it's part of the fun :)

First, the business section..... Mari's parents have been kind enough to buy me an airline ticket from Oslo to Aalesund so I will be in that city on 6 June. The plan, right now, is to leave Norway from Oslo on 21 June heading to Copenhagen. I'm looking at the 1:00 train, arriving at 9:37 P.M.. I still plan to be at Thomas' house for two nights then leave for Amsterdam. That will be an overnight train ride so I should arrive in Amsterdam at around 10:30 A.M. on 23 June. I booked a hostel for two nights there. Here's the info: The Shelter City, Barndesteeg 21, , 1012 BV, Amsterdam, Netherlands. I don't have a phone number for the place but I will have my cell phone with me and, of course, my laptop if you need to get in touch with me.

And now the leisure section....I am finally getting REALLY excited. I have tried so hard to focus on work and the girls to make the time pass more quickly. Yesterday was the last day of work and we leave in two days...so I couldn't sleep in this morning. I have been up since 5:00 doing "research"! My mom and her fiancee, John, gave Mari and me a going away dinner last night and it was very pleasant. My sister, her husband and their two sons came and Rob came, too, when he got off work. Of course, Peyton was there with us, too. The kids were playing in the pool while the adults sat around the dinner table talking, laughing, sharing travel stories and looking through the 215 (yes, 215) pictures that Mari and I printed from her year in America. The food was excellent as always and I enjoyed spending time with my sister and mom...it doesn't happen often enough.

I got an email from Elena yesterday and she sounds excited about showing me all the sites in Budapest. One thing I am really looking forward to is the flexibility in my schedule. For example, Elena asked if I want to go visit her family in Moldova after Budapest. How cool is that?? I know I would enjoy it, but I'm also looking forward to getting to Italy :) Today I got emails from an old college friend who lives in Norway now and from one of Nicole's exchange student who lives in Munich. I will take the opportunity to visit with each of them while I am in their respective cities. I think it's so cool that I will have that little piece of home while I'm so far away.

Brad, the guy in Norway, mentioned getting together for "utepils." I have never heard that word before so, like all things I need to know, I Googled it. Turns out utepils is the word Norwegians use for drinking beer outside when the winter weather breaks and it's nice enough to enjoy a drink outdoors. I think this is traditionally done in May but I think I'm a fan of June utepils, too! These are the kinds of things I want to learn about on this trip...random and quaint local traditions I wouldn't otherwise ever know about :)

That's it for today. Time to start tying up loose ends and hit Walmart again to buy more travel size bottles for face cleanser, etc!

A week to go and my mind is racing!

I’m not usually very forthcoming about my feelings except with my closest friends so posting this blog is a stretch into the uncomfortable for me. However, Mari says it will be beneficial to document how I feel leading up to my summer trip. I also think it will be an interesting read for me in hindsight after my fears are either alleviated or realized.

I dreamt last night that Peyton was a baby again, with the cutest little chubby arms and legs and that nearly toothless smile that always made my heart swell. In my dream, much as in real life, I couldn’t stop kissing those plump, soft cheeks of hers. At one point in the dream, I returned to the dinner table from somewhere and she crawled out of the lap of whoever was holding her and across the top of the table to me. We were so happy to be reunited although I had only been gone for a moment. I don’t think I need to consult Dr. Freud to interpret that dream.

In another episode last night, I returned from a much longer absence to find that I did not recognize Peyton in a group of children. She did not look the way I remembered her. I know that must be maternal fear rearing its ugly head. Both in my dream and upon waking, I felt an overwhelming sense of guilt and horror. In the light of day I know Peyton will be with family and well cared for. I guess it is just that part of all mothers (and control freaks like me) that believes no one can take care of our babies better than us.

Peyton is thirteen now and growing more and more independent everyday. I am glad to say that we still have a very close relationship and she is happy that I am taking this trip. She is happy that I am fulfilling my dream AND happy that her overprotective, nosey mother won’t be standing right over her all summer. I probably should leave her dad a list of tips on how to stay in her business!

Mari and I will be leaving in a week. It is hard to comprehend that she will not be living with us anymore. Mari has become a part of our family. I wonder what kinds of emotions I will have when we go to Norway and I have to give her back. Perspective is a funny thing: How must her parents, sister, and friends feel about her return in contrast to how Peyton and I feel. We love her and we will never forget our precious time together.

So with just over a week left on the countdown, I have a lot of mixed emotions about living out my ambitions. I know logically that I cannot even imagine the experiences I will have over the course of this summer. I am keeping my calm veneer and trying not to burst from the exhilaration welling up inside of me. I feel guilty about leaving Peyton for so long but I also hope I am teaching her a few good lessons: follow your dreams, do not fear the unknown, and it is never too late to be what you might have been (G. Elliot). Concerning Mari, I am thrilled to be going to Norway with her to meet her family and learn about her culture. I suppose I will save my breakdown until I leave her behind in Scandinavia. Again, I will be faced with an array of sentiments on that day; my heart will break to say goodbye but also sing for striking out into a great adventure. Wow…so much to think about. . .

A little about the Couchsurfing Project

I have encountered a lot of questions regarding my accomodations while on my travels. I am on a rather tight budget for six weeks of travel and had to be quite creative when finding cheap places to stay. I, of course, starting looking at hostels first. Part of this dream of mine to backpack around Europe included staying in these friendly, albeit, non-luxurious temporary abodes. I expect that the greatest part of my experience will be the friends I make along the way.
While doing my research, I came across something called the Couchsurfing Project. CSP is a network of more than 1 million travelers in 231 countries who open their homes and hearts for fellow travelers. Their motto is, "Participating in creating a better world, one couch at a time." Each "surfer" has his or her own profile page where a traveler can find all sorts of useful information about the host. The thing that I love about the project is all the positive energy that leaps off the page. I mean, if you're interested in traveling and really getting to know the people and places you visit, CSP members are the way to go!

So here's how it works...
Decide where you want to go and do a search for available couches. The couch may actually turn out to be an inflatable mattress or a hammock or a bedroom all to yourself! Read the profile of the host and determine if this is the kind of person you might be interested in spending some time with in close quarters. Some you will, some you won't! You're basically trusting a stranger in a foreign country and they are trusting you, so it's important to do your homework at this stage in the game. Once you find a host, send them a request to surf their couch! Many hosts really like to have a personal message that shows you've read their profile and made an informed decision about why you want to stay with that particular host. The CSP site handles the correspondence and you and your future host will have several email conversations regarding what to expect, where to meet, etc.

My first experience will be with Thomas Pedersen in Kobenhavn (Copenhagen). I may have to work something for a couple of nights in Oslo before then but Thomas is my first confirmed CS host! Next stop will be with Wiebe Witte in Amsterdam. I will post another blog at a later date with contact info as my trip gets closer.

I have made a few contacts in other cities a while back but I ran into two problems. First, I was requesting WAY to early. People don't know in March what they're going to be doing in July. Secondly, when I'm on vacation so are many other people around the world. I got several responses that potential hosts would not be home that time of year. My strategy now is to be patient. For those of you who know me well, you also know how difficult a task that will be! HA HA

So if you find yourself taking a trip and you want to really get to know the people and places you are visiting, I highly recommend that you look into the Couchsurfing Project. For people like me, it's more than just a free place to stay, it's the essence of traveling. Check out the CSP website at:
http://www.couchsurfing.com/

Happy Travels!

Telisa in Norway

Mari's House in Aalesund

Mari's hometown, Aalesund

On June 5th, I will be leaving the U.S. flying to Oslo, Norway. Mari and I will be leaving together and meeting back up in Aalesund, her home town. Here's my flight info:

British Airways Flight # 0226

Departs Atlanta 9:15 PM June 5, 2009

Arrives London 10:20 AM June 6, 2009

British Airways Flight # 0766

Departs London 12:45 PM June 6, 2009

Arrives Oslo 3:55 PM June 6, 2009

Upon arriving in Oslo, I will be taking the train up to Aalesund. Here is the contact information for Mari and her family. I imagine that Mari and I will move traveling around Norway while I am there but you can get in touch with me through her family or her cell if you can't reach me on mine.

Svingen 1b

6008 Aalesund

NORWAY
004770138047 - Housephone

004790643011 - Per Gunnar Beyer/Mari's Dad

004748231131 - Mette Karin Johannessen/Mari's Mum

I plan to leave Norway on or around June 20th. This will be a sad day because it will be the last time I see Mari for.....

Next stop, Copenhagen.

Welcome to my blog!

Hi all! Welcome to my first blog ever. Here in plan to post info about my trip to Europe this summer. I am going to be moving around a lot and thought this will be a good way for my family and friends to know where I am, what I'm doing and how to get in touch with me should the need arise. I hope to make my blog interesting and informative. Because I will be moving from country to country, literally almost daily, I am going to post information about where I am staying and lots of pics and stories! Stick around for the show!!!