we're leaving home

There's something I haven't shared on this blog yet. Tom and I are planning a Big Adventure for our wee family. In the New Year, we're relocating from New Zealand, to Norway.

Tom accepted a job there a few months ago, so we've had a bit of time to gather together our warmest clothes and get used to the idea of leaving our dear family and friends behind for a while. I'm not sure how long we will stay there yet, I guess we'll see how it goes.

I'm a very home-oriented, slightly nationalistic person, so moving across the world, to a place where we'll know noone and have to learn a new language, is going to be a big challenge. But it's one I'm ready to take, and I'm looking forward to embracing all it has to offer for us. You might have been wondering why I was knitting hats, buying winter boots, and making lots of autumnal-looking things in spring. My mind has been in the Northern Hemisphere. I've been feeling a bit unsettled, busy (turns out that time passes quite quickly when you're planning something big), scared and excited at the same time.

And I've been reading lots of Scandinavian blogs. They're helping a lot.

Comments

[Zelia]

well, you'll be closer to me:)

And norwegians speak pretty good english... i am sure all will be fine, as long as family sticks together:)

[Charlotte]

so exciting! you will have an absolute ball. It will be scary. I went to Germany on my own when I was 16 and it was really really scary - but such an amazing experience too.

xoxo

[judi]

Oh my Goodness! What a huge leap for you to take..... I'm sure it will be a big adventure and a great learning experience as well!

When are you moving? I have a couple of little somethings I'd like to send to you, that I just got a day ago that I think you'll like. I have no use for them but I think you will.

[alice]

Oh my wow! Wow. I admire your courage and I'm sure you'll have an amazing time. I have been planning on sending you a thank-you ever since I got the wonderful bag from your etsy shop (in everyday use, by the way!), but I'll hold off now - and not just because the postage will be way less to Norway than it would have been to NZ.. :)

Good luck with the move. xx

[Taimarie]

Wow! What an exciting adventure! I was noticing that your warm and cozy crafting looked more like what we needed in this hemisphere. I wish you and your family well as you prepare for this big leap.

[Allison]

Oh wow, what a huge move. No wonder you are feeling a little daunted. I think it is great that you are so home oriented because that means where ever you go you will be able to make it your nest. Cosy and homey. I look forward to reading your blog postings from Norway.

[Kate]

Oh Wow! There is nothing like a good adventure! Enjoy and please share what you learn and discover!

[Guanaco]

How exciting! Your kids are just the right age to learn a new language. It was just ten years ago this month that we too moved far away from our friends and family here at the top of the world (Alaska) all the way to the bottom (southern Patagonia). What a wonderful adventure it was!

Our son was 5 at the time and was thrilled to actually be living in the land of dinosaurs and petrified forests. He learned spanish in just months. While we were living there, a coworker found a fossil of a new species on his ranch and now that dinosaur is named after him.

I'm happy for you! I'm sure you will enjoy the challenges and enriching experiences for you and your family.

[Jan]

How exciting! Even with the apprehension and (I'm supposing) distance from family and friends, what a wonderful adventure for your family.

[Beth]

Oh, I am SO excited for you! What a wonderful thing for your family... I can hardly even think of what to write (I'm so excited) other than to share my joy about your family's upcoming adventures. Yippee! Your family will just have to visit you, right?!

[Beth]

Meaning your extended family, of course... It'll be an adventure for them too!

[Dawn]

Congratulations on your upcoming journey. You will really gain a lot from the experience, I know. I am very excited for you.

[Krista]

I'm sure your loved ones will be sending plenty of Kiwi-care packages to keep those homesick blues away :) My husband is a Kiwi and we left NZ for Canada six years ago now... it's definitely an easy country to miss. But I'm thinking you've got a most wonderful adventure in front of you, Norway! How awesome. Good luck and best wishes, I can't wait to hear all the details on your blog over the next months!

[Pauline]

Oh WOW! That is just incredibly exciting news. Is it a teaching job Tom has accepted? Good luck with the packing and the tying up of loose ends here in New Zild.

[Melissa]

How terribly exciting! What a wonderful experience and adventure for you and your family

[liz]

wow - how exciting!
good luck to you - can't wait to read about all the new adventures in norway!

[Taryn]

Oh my gosh! You are so lucky!!

I visited Norway (Oslo, Bergen and Tronheim) back in 2004 and Joe and I were absolutely in heaven there. The food wasn't excellent and there was a big transport strike going on at the time, so it made finding food difficult. There are an odd amount of 7/11s and hotdog stands too, but for the most part, Norway is wonderful! Everyone is so tall and tan and gorgeous too.

Where are you moving to? Bergen was my favorite out of the three, by far. I loved the village-like atmosphere and everything was so damn clean. And so so green. Well, until the long long winter.

I wish I could go back now!

WIll you try and learn Norwegian? Funny, today I was trying to decide which language class I should take: Norwegian, Danish or Swedish? I'm leaning towards Swedish simply because Joe has a better chance of one day getting a job there in Kista right outside of Stockholm. But that's a few years off.

We'll have to visit you one of these days! I'm so excited for you! Okay I'll stop blabbing now.

You are SO lucky!

[Lissilulu]

wow Melissa!...I am speechless and excited for you all too!
I did notice you were doing things we are doing here in America and had to keep reminding myself you were in Spring in NZ...aha!..that is why Gramma gave a beautiful quilt to her grandbaby. :o)
Lori

[Megan]

I think that's awesome, am slightly jealous, and I think you'll love Norway. You'll love Scandanavia, love Europe, and you will never look at the world in quite the same way again. Have an awesome adventure.

[Elisabeth]

wow that is so exciting news! I'm sure you'll love Norway, it is such a wonderful country :)
so... welcome to our part of the world ;)

*hugs* Elisabeth (Denmark)

[amy]

oh my... that is so very exciting! no wonder you are stocking up on warm things... norway is very beautiful but terribly cold! what a wonderful adventure and you're children are a great age to be doing such a thing!

[Quatrefoil]

Wow! That's exciting news. I'll 'miss' you being so close and hearing about life in New Zealand but the great joy of the internet is that it doesn't really matter where you are, and I'll look forward to hearing about life in Norway too. Good luck for all your travels - what an amazing opportunity.

[kimberley]

freakin' heck. i knew you were off to the north - but norway - outrageous... I used to want to learn norwegian back when i was a teenager because i was convinced i was destined to marry morton harket from a-ha. if you see him, say hello big boy from me...

anyway, looking forward to reading your posts and seeing what adventures you get up to over there. what an amazing experience for the chilluns too. we'll miss you.

[Jacinta]

Wow - that's exciting, such fantastic news to hear!!! What awesome experiences and memories your children will grow while there ... just think of the stories they'll have to share when they're older.

[Louise]

How exciting! I lived overseas from age 1 to age 6. It's a great experience for young children. Looking forward to hearing about your adventures.