Category Archives: cross-cultural living

cross-cultural living

Surgery: let’s try this again / Operasjon: en gang til

Leave a comment
SURGERY RESCHEDULED…As you may have read on a previous post (here), I was supposed to have surgery in early December. But it didn’t happen. I was third on the schedule, and apparently the two before me took longer than expected.

I’ve been anxiously waiting on word from the hospital regarding my rescheduled date. We left for our time in Hungary and I still hadn’t heard anything. But as we arrived home yesterday we checked the mail, and there it was! I am on the schedule for January 19. And based on the time that I have to be there, it looks like I’m early on the schedule, too.

So here we go again! I’ll keep you all posted…

cross-cultural living

So disconnected (I unfriend you!)

Leave a comment
We typically don’t realize how disconnected we are from American culture. That is, until someone from the US comes to visit us.Case in point: this Esurance commercial (video below). We just saw it for the first time tonight. Hilarious.

Yeah, apparently we are always behind. In hearing news, seeing the latest and greatest from music or television, finding out about the newest technology (unless it’s Apple: Zack never misses any of that!), or being exposed to all the clever advertising.

But hey – at least we aren’t as disconnected as poor Beatrice!

cross-cultural living

Change of plans: the latest in the surgery saga

3 Comments
It has been quite a day.

The short version is that my surgery has been postponed…

We arrived at the hospital at 8:00 this morning. I had followed all of the instructions to the letter, including no food after minow and then the nurse stopped by for some small thing, like sending me for a blood draw or giving me medicine.

By noon I had the pre-op meds in my system, was settled into my lovely hospital garb, and had begun napping in my bed. Soon a lady came by to start my IV. That was a disaster all its own. She struggled to start it, and reluctantly said she thought it should be okay. But as soon as she was gone, the nurse tried to begin the IV fluids, and realized it was no good.

After a few more delays, it was now past 2:00. And by the time the nurse came into let me know the surgery wouldn’t be happening, we had been there almost 7 hours.

Side note: the combination of medication and limited language skills can result in very slow processing of important information. Like the nurse saying ‘the operation is NOT happening today.” Yeah, I missed the word not. But once the words finally sunk in, the waterworks turned on rather quickly.

So all of this to say, no surgery for now. The two procedures before mine took much longer than anticipated. Of course I was not happy about the news. But I did appreciate that the surgeon came by to explain what happened and apologize.

Because of the upcoming holidays, looks like I’ll be waiting until the new year to get this behind me. Just another little surprise in this crazy chapter, but hopefully it won’t last too much longer!

 

cross-cultural living

Midnight Ramblings

2 Comments
This post is a bit different from my usual. But that’s what happens when you are lying awake at midnight, contemplating surgery the next day…
Today I told someone I was uneasy about my surgery. And my comment was met with what I perceived to be a question on my faith. (in reality it was likely intended to be a word of encouragement, but it got me thinking)
One thing I have learned over the past couple of years is that ‘religious workers’ are often put on pedestals. I know I am guilty of this. But I also know that I have zero interest in having a seat there. It is uncomfortable, very visible, and a long way from the ground.
Some folks expect me to have perfect answers. I am supposed to be totally calm under pressure. I should never appear disheveled, and should certainly not lack confidence.
If all of that is what is expected, then I am here to report that I am a complete failure. My answer is often I don’t know. I can unravel at times. I can look like a mess, and can occasionally have the appearance of utter uncertainty. If all of these expectations are accurate, then I might as well pack up and head for the states.
But I am thankful that I am forgiven. God loves me in spite of my flaws. Of course He wants greater things for me. But my uneasiness over the uncertainties of life and my frustration over challenges does not mean I don’t have faith.

Elie Wiesel“I have not lost faith in God. I have moments of anger and protest. Sometimes I’ve been closer to him for that reason.” ― Elie Wiesel

 

 

Instead I remember that when I am weak, then I am strong (2 Corinthians 12:9-10). I know that He who is in me is greater (1John 4:4). I will face trials, but I will not face them alone (Psalm 147:3, John 16:33).

My apprehension is not an indicator of my faith. How I deal with it can be. I can choose to dwell in it, and allow worry and sorrow consume me. But instead, I choose to rest in my Savior. I choose to trust Him and His plan. And I choose to use this challenge for His glory.

So will you please be thinking of me on Wednesday? I am scheduled to check into the hospital at 8:00 am and will have surgery sometime after that. If you pray, please ask for calm nerves, overwhelming peace… and an extra measure of language understanding. Ask that the doctors will be able to proceed as planned, with no surprises, and ask for a speedy and smooth recovery.

And while you’re at it, will you also take a moment to pray for those in your life that you may have inadvertently put on pedastals? Ask God to encourage and equip them. I think Elisabeth Elliot had it right when she wrote “servants of the Lord ought to be models of the truth they proclaim.” But this should be the mantra of all followers of Christ, regardless of vocation or geographic location. May we be encouraging to each other and may we model truth to those around us!

cross-cultural living

A bonus, a surprise! (And my experience with Norwegian healthcare)

5 Comments
We’re getting an unexpected treat…

Mom and me at the ‘pink fountain’ in Sandefjord
during her last visit

Next week we’ll get a ‘bonus visit’ from my (Jenn’s) mom. We didn’t expect to be seeing her again until we visit the states next year.

But due to a little ‘medical surprise’, she is coming to help out for a few days.

I’m having surgery next week. But while the thought of having a hysterectomy isn’t exciting, there are much worse things I could be facing. And having mom here to help out – and to see our city during the holidays – makes it much more bearable!

In the grand scheme of things, it isn’t so bad. I’ve been very pleased with the Norwegian health care system so far. And on December 3, I will have surgery and will then hopefully be able to put all of this latest ‘adventure’ behind me.

That also explains part of why I haven’t been so active on the blog, or with life in general. I’ve spent lots of time at appointments and having tests run. And my energy level has been pretty low as well. So I look forward to getting back to normal activities and normal life!

celebrate, cross-cultural living

Don’t Judge

2 Comments
We decorated for Christmas this weekend.

The city is starting to look a bit more like Christmas with each passing day. So we thought we’d get in the spirit, too!
I know a lot of people will say it’s too early. Maybe it is. But if you read my last post, you know how dark and depressing it can be this time of year. And expat life during the holidays can be a little rough if you’re not careful.
So this is one of the ways we combat the blues! It sure did put smiles on everyone’s faces. And for that, I will not apologize!

 

celebrate, cross-cultural living, What's it like

November. So.Very.Dark

Leave a comment

We had heard that November can be the toughest month living in Norway. And as we endure make it through experience our second November here, I have to agree.

The days are short. Right now sunrise is around 8:25 AM and currently sunset is at 3:45 (15:45) in the afternoon.
The [lack of] daylight is not really a problem once it is colder, because then we have a good chance of having some snow. And snow helps brighten things up. But lately our high temperature has hovered around 5 C (41F), without much of a dip at night. Add to that the fact that it has rained almost nonstop for at least the last two weeks, and it can be a little depressing.
But then again, chilly wet weather in November means
~more opportunities for coffee and hot chocolate
~more chances to slow down and just chill a bit
~Christmas isn’t too far off! We are beginning to see signs of the holiday season in our city.And November also means Thanksgiving, and my (Jenn’s) birthday…

And occasionally other fun surprises. (Stay tuned)

So even though it isn’t the most glamorous month, maybe November isn’t so bad after all!
Lights in the city – this was around
4:30 in the afternoon two weeks ago!

 

Celebrating my birthday with friends – fun!
cross-cultural living, Day-to-Day, memorable eats

A Passion… for Pizza!

2 Comments
Deep-dish pizza – delicious!

On most any Friday evening you can find us at home, eating pizza and watching a movie. It’s become somewhat of a tradition for Familie Dove.

We often give the boys the choice: pick up Grandis from the grocery store (Grandiosa, Norway’s most popular frozen pizza), get takeout from Balkan (our favorite to-go pizza in Sandefjord), or homemade. And most Fridays, they opt for one made from scratch.

Last night, we tried something new. Instead of our traditional rectangular pizza, we experimented with Chicago-style deep dish pizza. And while the boys still prefer the traditional style, Zack and I loved this new version!

I found the recipe HERE. I followed it for the most part. Ground sausage isn’t something I’ve been able to find in Norway, so I improvised with ground chicken and pizza seasoning (improvise is a word I often use when attempting American recipes here!). And I used pizza cheese for both layers of cheese, instead of the final parmesan layer. This was my first experience doing something like this with a springform pan, and I was very pleased with the results – well, once Zack managed to pry the sides off the pan!

Do you make homemade pizza? What type does your family prefer? What are your favorite toppings?

Our typical homemade pizza
No matter the season – we think pizza is good any time of year!
Sometimes we get a little creative – this was
a salmon & pesto pizza

 

From time to time, we go out for pizza.
Pizza almost always produces smiles!
cross-cultural living

So long, old friend

Leave a comment
Last week was a tough one for our family. Zack said it well, so I will simply copy what he posted on Facebook…Our sweet girl Adie died on Monday. She was almost 16 years old! Hard to move overseas and leave her behind and hard not to be there with her in her last days. Thankful to my folks and brother for caring for her and also to Deceased Pet Care.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

cross-cultural living

Happy Birthday Nana / Homesick

Leave a comment
Most days this place feels like home. But occasionally something will hit out of nowhere.  It can be quite random, and usually catches me by surprise.

And so it was today. As I looked at pictures on Facebook of my grandmother’s early birthday dinner from last night, the homesickness sunk in.

For me, homesickness is not about a place, but more about memories and people. And today, it is about my grandparents.
My Nana & D’Daddy hold such a special place in my heart. Incredible grandparents that they are, they are really like a bonus set of parents to me. As a child, I think I spent almost as much time at their house as I did my own.
My Nana served me my first cup of coffee. That was just one of the bonuses of sleepovers with them: a kid-sized mug once used by mom and her siblings, with more milk and sugar than coffee. Also included was the chance to stay up late and watch the Johnny Caraon monologue with my grandfather (though I think he watched part of it through his eyelids!).
I remember baking snickerdoodles at Christmas, enjoying weekly Sunday dinner at their house, playing makeover with the Avon and Mary Kay samples tucked into the 50’s-era Barbie lunchbox, and so much more. If I had a dance recital, band concert or chorus performance, they were always there. They are so strong in their faith in Jesus, and committed to serving others through ministries at church and in their community. And the way they honor each other in their marriage is something that I’ve kept with me over the past sixteen years as well.
So while homesickness creeps around, I can also sit and enjoy the memories and the impact that both of them have on my life. What a blessing they are to me and so many others!
Happy birthday, Nana. I hope you enjoyed your fiesta last night. And hope you have a wonderful day today!