No worries, I'm still alive

…hehe. Hi everyone. I realize it’s been a while since you’ve all last heard from me, I apologize. But I can assure you I’m fine, everything is going well etc etc. Quick update on some of the things I’ve been up to…

1. I saw Gerard Butler, he was in Oslo for the premier of his new movie, Law Abiding Citizen, and I just happened to pass by while he was going into the theater. I didn’t shake his hand or get an autograph or anything, I had to get somewhere, but still. I saw him. It was pretty cool.

2. Better than Gerard Butler. I saw President Obama. As I’m sure you all know, he was in Oslo for a couple days to receive his Nobel Peace Prize. I stood outside the Grand Hotel (behind a fence and several concrete barriers of course) until I saw him :D I was happy. Seriously though, there were snipers EVERYWHERE and it felt like the entire city had been blocked off. And they had to borrow police from Sweden. It was intense.

3. Ummmm oh yeah! I wrote a text in Norwegian. I’m so ridiculously proud of that. It was a whole 558 words long…I think.

4. And Christmas.

Christmas in Norway is very different…and yet it’s the same. Go to church on Christmas Eve, decorate a tree, presents, Christmas music everywhere, decorations, lights, family, food etc. So the church thing was pretty similar to what I’m used…except it wasn’t at midnight (wait…do I go to church on Christmas Eve anymore?) and there were no candles. And the tree was the same. Christmas ornaments and lights with a star at the top. Except the lights they used were waaaaaaaay more awesome than ours. Theirs are in the shape of candles. And they clip onto the tree branches. :O Oh. And the tree did not get put up until about December 23 I think. That was really strange for me. I’m used to seeing a decorated and lit Christmas tree for about the 3 weeks prior to Christmas with the pile of presents under it growing by the day…and of course Rocko hiding underneath. Presents didn’t appear under the tree here until right before they were to be opened.

The best part about Christmas here though, is that-at least at the family I’m at-we all held hands on Christmas Eve and walked around the tree singing Christmas carols. It was ridiculously happy. Of course the songs were Norwegian Christmas Carols and so…yeah I basically just smiled. They did sing Silent Night in Norwegian, so I sang that one in English. I really don't know what else to say. Here’s some pictures… Maybe they can explain the Norwegian Christmas better. Ohhhhh something that I don’t have a picture of is Julemarizipan. A.K.A. Christmas marzipan. It’s yummy and in the shape of a pig haha. Somehow that makes it super fun to eat.

Umm sorry. Pit stop. I think it might be necessary to tell you all that as of November…11^th? I think. I have been living with a new family. And this new family is INSANELY musically talented. I can’t even clap on beat in church hahaha. So it’s definitely different, but SO much fun!!! The parents, Line and Truls, 2 dogs Seamus and Shannon, and 3 sons (although only the youngest 2 live at home) Thorvald, 13, Magnus, 17, and Eivind, 19. Ah and I should probably mention GK. She’s Eivind’s girlfriend and is super awesome! …I don’t have a picture of her quite yet but I’ll get one up soon J

So... These are my host brothers, from left to right Eivind (19), Thorvald (13), and Magnus (17)... yeah I don't know what Magnus is doing with his little finger either...

SHANNON!!! I'm sure everyone reading this knows I'm undoubtedly a cat person. But... she's just so CUTE!!!!!! <3 ...even if she looks slightly demonic in this picture.

My host dad, Truls :)

Eivind...again (he's a little crazy) Kidding. He plays the trumpet and is studying music...I think...I'll double check that.

Magnus. He's not actually a ninja. He just thinks he is. But he really isn't. Not even close. Me, on the other hand, I'm a ninja. He plays lots of guitars. Mostly bass. And the piano...

Seamus, the other dog, he's older than Shannon and very protective of the family.

And Thorvald. He plays the sax and we play wii together... he's definitely WAY better at me in boxing... of course all I do is flail around so..............yeah.

So that's the family.

Ok. This one is for Tjos. THEY'RE MINI!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! Haha. Ah. And for Caitlin too. (These horses are my neighbors^^)

This was the...alter thingy at the church we went to Christmas Eve, it was really pretty!!!

Here's the dinner table. I folded the napkins. The book in the front of the picture is their copy of the bible. My host dad read from it before we ate :)

Food. The thing in the middle is one of the typical types of Norwegian Christmas Dinners. It's rib...of something. I can't remember what. But it is a lot harder to eat than it looks. At least it was for me. And whenever I asked how my host brothers all responded with "Just put it in your mouth and chew!" Haha. Thanks guys. I couldn't figure that one out myself :)

Aw they actually had someone dress up as Santa for the little cousins. AWWWWWWWWWWW!!

This is my host dad and my host mom's sister (who was the one dressed up as Santa) right before we started opening presents :) OPening presents was a little different. Someone would start by getting a present (not to themself) the person who received it would open hug the sender and then go get another present. None of that "Hey! This one's for you!" and throwing the gift across the room.

Eivind and Magnus... during present opening. You can see how serious of a matter it is. (just kidding, I don't know why they're being so serious).

Thorvald. Aw!

This was the breakfast meat plate. I thought it was cute that there was a meat plate so I took a picture :)

Salmon ^^ ...and eggs... together? Eh?! Why...

The obligatory (except not) old-fashioned super amazingly awesome phone. This was taken at the house of my host mom's mother's house.