End of Year Summary

Traditionally one sums up the year that has gone by. I'm very glad I took this chance of living here in Norway. Overall it's been a very positive experience. The negative aspects are mostly weather-related. Since mid-November we've had ice everywhere. It's treacherous to walk. One peave I have is Norwegian drivers. They are mostly polite but not much better than the drivers in Boston. There is something called "forkjørsrett", meaning the driver on the right side has right of way, even if he is coming out of a side street. There is often confusion and accidents. One just has to drive with caution. My Norwegian is getting better but it's a slow process. The people here are great, very helpful, even the workers in non-church related offices are friendly and eager to assist if asked. To sum it up in one sentence: Northern Norway is a land of extremes.

In the next week or so I have to decide how long this adventure in Norway will last. My predecessor has given notice that he won't be coming back. The upshot is that the job is mine if I want it. I've been given an extension to my leave from Harvard-Epworth Church in Cambridge, Massachusetts until July of 2012. I feel torn because my sense of belonging to a place will change yet again and I will be in a kind of limbo, not belonging in the U.S., and not really belonging here in Norway since I didn't grow up here. One of the goals of this year in Norway was to help me get over my partner Dan's passing in 2006. It has helped enormously. If this «sabbatical year» ends in April I would be completely satisfied with this adventure. There also is a new development: I'm beginning a new relationship. My inclination is to stay here to find out where this is headed. It may not lead anywhere but at least I'm happy, even if I feel I don't belong to any group. To sum it up, my sense of adventure has trumped my sense of belonging. I'm willing to try another year here.

The first day of 2011 was very quiet. I didn't hear any left-over fireworks. On Sunday, the 2^nd, there was a church service at Åsheim Terrasse, the large room on the 8^th floor of Åsheim Retirement Center. The best views of Sandnessjøen are from here. During the first week of the new year there were two funerals. The weather had been tranquil since Christmas. During this week we had terrific wind storms. The bridge was periodically closed. On Thursday the airport was closed. More snow came at the end of the week. People say that last year there was hardly any snow. It seems as though we're making up for two winters, and we aren't even halfway through winter yet. On Sunday evening I had to drive to Tjøtta for a church service. A storm blew through Sunday afternoon, closing the road toward Tjøtta. But at 5 pm it was cleared. Because of the storm there were few people in church: 4 in the congregation, plus the 3 employees (minister, organist and sexton). Sunrise on 9 January is at 10:21 am, sunset at 2:13 pm. The length of the day is almost 4 hours.

Week 2: Fairly quiet at the church office but the weather is changing. Whenever it gets mild it usually snows (or rains). At least the winds have abated. Fortunately there were no funerals this week. I'm taking yet another step toward a longer residence here: I have to get a Norwegian drivers license. My license from Massachusetts is only valid for a year after I entered Norway, so it will expire here in April. When I went to apply for a license I had to give up my Mass. license. It feels odd not having a drivers license. (I have a receipt from Vegvesen saying they took my license, so it's perfectly legal for me to drive in Norway). Now there is more paperwork here: I need to get a contract/agreement from the church saying that my position has changed from temporary/interim to something more permanent. And from the Immigration Service here I need to apply for another year of residency. (I can only apply for residency one year at a time.)

Since there's so much snow here I hope to buy a spark sled and cross-country skis this coming week. This past week marks the end of the first half of winter. Surise on 16 January is at 10 am, sunset at 2:38 pm. Length of day: just over 4 ½ hours.