fordeler og ulemper

Why, actually, do we want to move? We could continue as we are for any amount of time. Why all the trauma?

Pros (real or perceived)

1. We both love the location of our home in Norway. It has great sentimental value, since KE inherited the land upon the death of his father and designed the house himself. It's a cool, artsy community, close to the center of everything (a short ferry ride from Oslo), but still extremely quiet and laid back.

2. I think that Norway would be a better place to raise our son. I think the schools are better, in that they stress independent thinking more than here, and haven't fallen into the testing trap.

3. Proximity to the sea. Our house in Norway is a ten minute walk to a marina, where we have a boat slip and a beat up old motor boat. Both of us grew up close to the water, and miss it here.

4. Finances. Higher earning power in Norway and less to pay off on the mortgage there mean that we would get ahead sooner. Our lives will be so much easier once we have only one property to worry about, and once the mortgage debt is gone we'll be in a much better position.

5. Proximity to the rest of Europe. What can I say? I'm one of those obnoxious Americans who deeply and obsessively loves European cultures. I know that's irritating to lots of people, but it's just the way I am.

6. KE's happiness. He never even wanted to visit the U.S., let alone move here.

Cons (real or perceived)

1. Distance from my family, especially my mother.

2. My career. If I get the fellowship I'm in a great position to continue. If I don't, the move may well signal the end of my career. That could be a really good thing for me. It could also be disastrous.

3. Ice. Lots of it. For months and months. I don't mind snow and darkness, but I can't abide icy sidewalks.

4. Isolation. I seem to go in waves: In some places I've lived, I have developed great friendships. In others I can't seem to connect (that's the case where we are now). I'm anxious about my ability to build up a strong network of friends, especially now in my 40s. It only gets harder, I think.

Ja vi elsker...

Next week I have to give the speech at the local Sons of Norway Lodge's Norwegian constitution day celebration. It has me thinking about nationalism.

It is also part of my work. I dug up a book on the history of the Norwegian national anthem, "Sang for Norge," popularly known as "Ja, vi elsker." it has some fabulous nationalist propaganda images. Lo and behold, on one of them there is a little cabin tucked in the background (see above, in the grassy area to the right of the flag-draped bautastein). This, of course, is highly relevant to my next big research project, which will be an examination of cabins in Norwegian literature from 1814-2005. One of the things that most fascinates me about Scandinavia is the vacation home culture that has developed there. It was one of the things that most struck me way back when I was a highschool exchange student. When I met KE and started hanging out on Nesodden, the topic resurfaced. His house is built on the site of a former cabin, and in his neighborhood every other dwelling is a cabin. I'm really excited to get to work on teasing out what cabins signify throughout Norway's recent cultural history...