Culture shock

Well, if the news isn't already out, I will share it here... I won't be home for Christmas this year! I am sad that I won't be able to see you all, but at the same time, I am excited to see what a Norwegian Christmas is really like. I want to be here for at least ONE Christmas!

Last night I had a wave of homesickness that was entrenched in some culture shock. Last night we practiced about twenty different Norwegian Christmas songs for church, and I knew only about three of them. I couldn't follow along with the music much less the words to try and sing the songs. I was REALLY longing for the old, familiar Christmas songs back home as I sat at the piano confused and frustrated that I couldn't get the hang of it all.

Then on the way home I heard a few songs from the Nutcracker ballet on my Mp3 player's radio... homesick again... My family and I almost every year have gone to see the Nutcracker ballet with a live orchestra. (sigh) I will really miss Christmas this year. This is the first time I have ever been gone for Christmas, so it will be a bit challenging this year, but I know that it will be a lot of fun here and of course, God is with me through it all!