Well i am here in Norway and all moved into Hedmarktoppen. It is hard not knowing the language. I feel very left out of conversations, and i think a lot of people are scared of me. Just as i am scared of them. Hamar is beautiful, and the view from Toppen is just wonderful. People are kind to me, though i feel my american-ness and the speaking english annoys them. who knows. i say a lot of awkward things. My mom left today, and it was very hard, it made me cry. A lot of my time here has been spent fighting back tears. It is very hard being far from home, not knowing the language, and having terrible jet lag. or whatever that is called. But the Lord is good and he will have grace on me. Prayer is much appreciated, as is notes of love. I am on skype when i can, booannej, and checking my e-mail often, boojohnston@gmail.com.
The first week shall be hard. i hope it will get better. Maybe once actual classes start. Love!
FIN
So i leave for Norway on Thursday. It's kinda crazy. I am
actually going. Life has been crazy. I had my going away party (THANKS TO EVERYONE WHO CAME!) and I have been hanging out with friends while I still can. I still have to pack, that's what I plan on doing all Wednesday. I am spending every evening with Tom, which I am sure is making him quiet tired. But this time I don't care. Muahahaha! =D So yeah, leaving soon. I plan on updating you all (all meaning either people who actually read this or the empty space of the internet) at least once a week while I am away. Hopefully I will have good stories to share about adventures and how the Lord is working in my life.
So in these for days before I go, I have a few prayer requests.
1. that the Lord would prepare my heart and that I would be strong leaving my friends and family and (hardest of all) my boyfriend, Tomas.
2. that Norwegian would come easily for me.
3. for safe travel.
4. that the Lord would provide people in Norway that can be a support system for me right away. (also that Tom would have the same thing.)
Thank you for your prayers/good vibes (as I know not all my friends believe what I believe). Sorry that I cannot hang out with every single person before I go. You shall be missed!
OH PS!
Skype!! My name on skype is booannej
find me. add me. we shall talk (if we can)
So I had somewhere around 43 days left in the US last I counted a few days ago. It's a coming up! I was reading my last post and goodness is the Lord GOOD! Since then i have been in contact with about 4 people that will be going to Toppen at the same time. I am excited to meet them. It is so nice to know a few people before hand. ^_^ Still kinda stuck in the money department, but it's okay. I CAN use my savings, i just didn't want to. But it's all good. My family is moving right now into a small small house, so i've started thinking about what i can put in storage while i am gone, or trying to find people to take things like dishes and my couch. Trying to find a place for my bird, Peony. I may just have to ditch tom with her. We'll see. It's nice to get my things in order so that it will be easier to pack and such later on.
well, better keep packing for the move.
FIN
So i have gone through a lot of craziness about Norway. emotionally i mean. excitement. stress. terror. sadness. anxiousness. joy. but for the past month i have been terrified. I am scared to death about leaving my love, Tomas, behind. Fears of feel so so so alone. fears of teachers being annoyed that i don't know Norwegian. Fears that some of the kids are gonna dislike me because i am American. Basically, i am afraid of the first 3 months. But, i am starting to get better. I have been encouraged by many friends that have helped me deal with some of my fears. I think what i really need to do is pray.
I do know people in Norway, and a family right near my school. But i need to pray that the Lord will give me friends there BEFORE i even go there! or kindred spirits that i will be able to befriend easily. especially my room mate!! i really need to pray away these fears and have faith in the LORD that He will help me through it all. I have seriously considered canceling the trip because i am SO SCARED! But fear is not a good reason. I am pretty darn confident that going to Norway is what the LORD wants me to do. Mr. Buttface Satan is trying to scare me away from it!!! man, that means i MUST go! if Satan does not want me to do it, that means GOOD will come out of it.
i need focus and prayer in my life. i need a support group here to prepare me for Norway, but i don't know who to turn to. Please! if you feel like you would be willing to help me prepare spiritually for this trip to Norway, tell me!! cuz i really have no clue who to ask.
FIN!
Saving up for Norway is pretty hard with no job. i have been selling knitted/crochetededed things and i have made a decent amount of money off of that. Plus babysitting. But babysitting is ending soon. lame. So i need to figure out more ways to keep making money. I have thought about doing a support letter and stuff. i just added myself into the database of some research/survey place that pays for research stuff. unfortunately, that is not too often, if ever. so here is the idea:
get sponsored. i heard a story from a friend that she knew some kid that was doing a study abroad program and he contacted apple and said Hey apple. i will wear apple t-shirts and promote apple stuff while in this other country if you sponsor me and help me pay. apparently apple paid for his whole trip. i do not know if this is 100% true or how he went about it. I called up the other day to figure out how apple goes about sponsoring people. the operator lady gave me the e-mail address of the sponsor person, but she only said it once and i don't know if i got it all down right. plus i don't know what to write. SO! if anyone has info on this, please do tell!!
oh i got an e-mail from hedmarktoppen today. i don't know what it says yet. =P yay.
well then.
FIN
So a few people have told me to make a blog for when i go to Norway. Yes it is a while before i go to Norway, but i figured there were other things leading up to norway that may be fun to write about. it will help me process through it at least. so yeah. first post. we'll see if i keep this up at all. meow.
FIN
