seeking new horizons

Taken by my friend James in the Cinque Terre last week

I feel like that's what I've been doing for a few years now.  All growth experiences; enriching, enlightening, opportunities to explore and meet new people.   It's a positive thing but sometimes it's exhausting.  I'm not complaining, merely commenting. 

...feeling stagnant in my career... loosing some drive and direction....traveling to Africa...rediscovering my love of music and creativity.... falling out of exercising.... searching for the next career move... writing a song from beginning to end...spending time with guys that didn't treat me right....allowing insecurities to get the best of me.... meeting wonderful new people through the years... walking 500 miles in Spain with my Dad... taking classes to explore... spending time with guys that did treat me right... finding exercise again... finding surfing again!....moving half way around the world...ultimately busting my patootie to make something happen when I wasn't happy with where my life was.  

All the while I've been surrounded and supported by wonderful people and I'm forever grateful for that.  

Also, I finally feel like I'm narrowing in on what I'm meant to be doing.  I'm not quite as frantically scanning the horizon because I feel like I'm 'tracking' now.  There are still plenty of uncertainties, but that's fine by me.  Something tells me I can handle it.  And, I encourage you to keep working hard and keeping the faith if you've found yourself with a bit of a list like mine above.

Ahhh I didn't mean for this to get so philosophical.  C'est la vie.

cheers to new horizons,

lisa liv 

I'm still here....

but I was here.... and that's why I haven't posted in a little while :)

I had an opportunity, got a bit of a wild hare and found myself on my way to Italy last weekend.  I've never been before and a fun long weekend trip presented itself as a little relaxation and sunshine before I lock myself away for 6 weeks and study study study.  Above is Manarola, one of the 5 Cinque Terre towns.  I met up with my friend Jamie and we hiked, surfed, boated, swam, ate, drank wine, drank cappuccinos and relaxed for three days in the Cinque Terre.  Then I headed back to Milan where I met up with 3 friends from NHH and toured around the city with them for the afternoon and evening.  Gelato was plentiful and I returned to Bergen feeling very refreshed.

I flew Norwegian Airlines to Italy and was pleasantly surprised to find the below on the last page of their inflight magazine.  

Plane travel does get a bad rap for CO2 emissions.  Norwegian seems to be making efforts to reduce their carbon footprint- whop whop!  Tres cool for an Environmental Econ nerd like me.

Lastly, the days are growing shorter quickly.  Here's Bergen by night on my camera phone so not the best quality.  But, you get the idea :)

All is well and I continue to feel blessed.  I feel I have a good mix of school and friends/fun activities going on.  I've found a great 'jam session' to play on Thursday nights at Cafe Opera.  I suppose you could say I'm building up a little fan base and reputation for myself.  It feels good to have a creative outlet.  The last few days have been abnormally nice, especially considering it's almost November.

Bed time!  The bar/club below my flat decided to have an impromptu DJ last night (tuesday night) into the weeee hours of the morning.  I imagine they wanted to capitalize on the nice weather.  Everyone wants to be outside.  Don't they know they have some serious students living above them?!  

I digress.

Goodnight and vi snakkes snart,

lisa liv 

Mitt lille land

'my little country'

Regardless of where life takes me, I will always feel Norway a very special part of me.

I saw the video below today and had to share.  One the things I continue to enjoy and savor about Norway is the incredible beauty of the country.  Check it out....

The Water from TSO Photography on Vimeo.

Also, in the Norwegian theme, I thought I would share a beautiful Norwegian song's lyrics, 'Mitt Lille Land'.  I a lovely tune and I think it shows a lot about the Norwegian people.  See English translation below

Norwegian lyrics….

Mitt lille land

Et lite sted, en håndfull fred

slengt ut blant vidder og fjord

Mitt lille land

Der høye fjell står plantet

mellom hus og mennesker og ord

Og der stillhet og drømmer gror

Som et ekko i karrig jord

Mitt lille land

Der havet stryker mildt og mykt

som kjærtegn fra kyst til kyst

Mitt lille land

Der stjerner glir forbi

og blir et landskap når det blir lyst

mens natten står blek og tyst

Mitt lille land

Et lite sted en håndfull fred

slengt ut blant vidder og fjord

Mitt lille land

Der høye fjell står plantet

mellom hus og mennesker og ord

Og der stillhet og drømmer gror

Som et ekko i karrig jord

English translation…

My little country

A little place, a handful of peace

thrown out among mountain plateau and fjords

My little country

Where high mountains are planted

among houses, people and words

Where silence and dreams grow

Like an echo in barren earth

My little country

Where the sea pats mild and soft

like it’s caressing from coast to coast

My little country

Where stars glide by

and becomes landscapes when it gets lighter

while the night stands there – bleak and silent

My little country

A little place, a handful of peace

thrown out among mountain plateau and fjords

My little country

Where high mountains are planted

among houses, people and words

Where silence and dreams grow

Like an echo in barren earth

For a listen, click here

hugs from B-town,

lisa liv 

Sunday Skyping

When I am in Norway, my Sunday evenings are dedicated to catching up with family and friends in the states.  I always call Mom and Dad and usually have a nice talk with some other friends and family.  It feels like 'the good ol' days' (or what I imagine them to be)  when people truly took Sunday as a day of rest and would 'call' on each other... stop in for a lemonade and piece of cake or something.  I don't get the lemonade or cake but I do get some good dedicated catch up time with people, and I love it.

This was last weekend skyping with my brother and sister-in-law, Mr. and Mrs. Breaks Selection:

 

I would like to personally thank Skype for making this easy and inexpensive.  Innovation, I salute you.

klemmer,

lisa liv