Goodbye!

After our little "photo shoot" yesterday, Kevin and I took the dogs on a nice hike on the trail that runs past our house. I felt extra Norwegian because I brought along the special candy bars, Kvikk Lunsj, that are advertised for eating on hikes. They are just like Kit Kats, but the commercials always promote eating Kvikk Lunsj when "turing" or going for a hike. I'm always appreciative of another reason to gobble some chocolate...maybe more candy companies should try to link their products with a particular activity. Snickers for car rides, Skittles for bike rides, and Milky Ways before bed. Mmmm, candy! Anyway, it was so great to spend a little time with Kevin, enjoying the scenery and the chocolate, before I leave for a couple of weeks.
Today, I did some last minute Christmas shopping. I really believed I would be able to fit my clothes plus all the presents into one suitcase. I am a fool with no concept of size or shape! I now have 2 suitcases packed to the gills with presents and 2 outfits for me to wear over the next 2 weeks. I guess now I have a legitimate reason to go shopping in the U.S.! Once I unload all those presents, I'll have 2 empty suitcases just begging to be filled with pretty new clothes!
I leave tomorrow morning on the Continental flight to Newark, then on to Syracuse. I can't wait to see my friends who live in the area, and of course my mom. I'm also very excited to see my cats--they do so many naughty things, but wow, the house feels empty without them. I hope they like Norway, we'll find out in a couple of weeks! I'm really looking forward to volunteering at the animal shelter also. I haven't been able to find any sort of animal shelter/rescue here in Norway, and I really miss going in and spending time with the animals and helping them find homes.
It's hard, no matter where I am, I am homesick. When I'm in New York, I miss Kevin, the dogs, the wonderful friends we have made in the past few months, and Norway itself, with its dramatic mountains and valleys. When I'm in Norway, I miss my American friends, my mom, the food (I haven't had sushi or Mexican food or really good Italian food for so long!), TV shows, and all the space. I miss the huge, parklike yards, the massive grocery stores, the wide roads and ample parking spaces. Neither New York nor Norway feel completely like home, but somehow I'm homesick for both. There's always a knot in my stomach, a nagging feeling that no matter where I am, I'm missing something or someone. I suppose that every expat feels this way occasionally, and maybe it gets easier with time. For now, I'll try to forget how hard it will be to say goodbye to Kevin tomorrow, and just try to remember that I have 2 glorious weeks of shopping, socializing and eating ahead of me!