...fly fly fly… though it is a cheaper way to go, not sure it is scoring me envio foot-print points!
It is so much easier to fly when you have a credit card!! When I was in Azerbaijan my final day, I received my CC statement with a balance due of about $2,000 more than I expected. I checked my online bank account and there it was, a charge to the London Theatre for $1,700 and a smaller charge of $22 and change, both where definitely NOT mine!
Thankfully I was in an Internet club that had Wi-Fi working. So I got on my i-pod touch-turned phone, which by the way, has been by far the most valuable accessory I have had along. I called my CC company in the states and learned that along with those charges, there were others attempts made. I had to block it immediately. It was great that I had a tool to reach my cc company but my bank took forever to, A. get a new card issued. And, B. have the claim papers sent. Three weeks and 2 blogs later I finally received my credit card and the papers thanks to my friends Katie and Tom back in Seattle who so graciously volunteered to take care of all my mail and issues like this.
The second most valuable accessory has been my camera. More than once I have had to take a photo of a document and turn it into a PDF and have it sent back via email. All this to say, I finally was able use the new cc number to book the flight(s) needed to continue my Eurasian extravaganza thanks to my i-pod-touch and camera!
When traveling you gotta go with the flow, otherwise you could go crazy. Though I was irritated about the inefficiency of getting the claim on my CC going and receiving my new one, I didn’t worry all too much. I had back up plans. While I really wanted my CC to book flights I could use my Visa debit card in a pinch. I don’t like to though because I fear this very thing happening—my debit credit card being intercepted somehow and my checking account drained and having it take 3 weeks to rectify. After all, I don’t have a mom or dad anymore to bail me out so…
So my travels have taken unexpected twists but for the most part I have really been trusting that it is all happening in Divine order.
This next little story illustrates well how what feels like a hardship at the time of experiencing it can lead to amazing rewards when choosing to go with the flow and not force “my way” or “fix” the perceived problem or "plan too much."
Caveat: Prior to leaving the states, I called the Azerbaijan embassy in DC to be sure that I could purchase a multi-entry visa. I was planning to leave Azerbaijan to enter Georgia and then return to fly back out of Baku into Istanbul. Both a single entry and multi-entry visa would be a whopping $131. Information on the website led me to believe this was true but I wanted to double-check. I called and was assured it would be “no problem madam.”
Well it was a problem. Not only was I not able to receive a multi-entry visa, I think I ended up paying a bribe. I was charged $141. When I told the attendant I was told it was suppose to be $131, he only said “$141” and extended his hand. I would later call the embassy in Baku and learn I should have only paid $131. And if I wanted a multi-entry visa for Azerbaijan I would have to go to the police station in Tbilisi, Georgia and get a re-entry visa for an amount they “had no idea” but thought would be $40-60. But who knows really how much it would be!
Originally I thought I would want to travel back east to Baku because I wanted to catch up with a PCV that lived nearby, but when that was also no longer an option I decided to forgo my return leg to Istanbul from Baku and fly out of Georgia to Europe. The RT ticket to Baku was only $50 more than the OW anyhow and I had already considered flying out of Tbilisi figuring it would cost more than that to re-enter Azerbaijan and travel 2 days South then North East back into Baku. Easy decision really. Especially when you have a HUGE bag as I do and are constantly being harassed to pay more even though it is not taking up passenger space. I never did have to but the hassling itself was enough of a deterrent in itself.
So after tearing it up with a few PCV’s in Georgia for a week, I booked a flight to Norway. That ticket turned out a little more than I wanted to pay because I was waiting for my dang credit card (ended up using my debit card) but was still affordable at about $180.
Why Norway … well, I had mentioned to a PCV my issues with the visa and that I also learned that it was very cheap to fly to Europe from Turkey (and also Georgia). I thought I would fly to Berlin because I had numerous invitations from Germans I had met on the way but when they were slow to respond I was looking for other options. That is when this PCV mentioned Norway as a possible inexpensive option. Ironically, I had considered coming to Norway when trying to decide where to take a vacation but it was too expensive and I knew my money would go further in Turkey.
I have a friend from grad school who works in Oslo (lives in Sweden) and recently met a Brazilian (Thomas) who I traveled with in Turkey some who also lived in Norway and extended an invitation. Aside from that, Norwegians have always had a special place in my heart. Back in the summer of 1985, I went on an exchange program to England where we kids from 22 countries came together and had the time of our young lives. That summer still marks the most fun I have ever had.
Where is Shaz-o?
Bottom row--center sitting between Norwegians Bard and Gorm who is wearing a white coat.
Kristin is on Gorm's left.
I lost touch with both the two Norwegians who remained near and dear to my heart and who I wrote for several years after that summer. But when cleaning out my Mom’s place, I recently found the old address book containing the full names of these Norwegians and scanned the pages of the book. So, by chance I had them on my computer in PDF form.
Once I arrived Norway, it was freezing cold—snowing/sleeting in fact. So since my coat was lost in Moscow as fate had it, I stayed indoors and looked up these two Norwegian friends; Gorm Karlsen and Kristin Kjellevold. Finding Gorm was easy. He has an unusual middle name and so when I searched him on Face Book he sprung up. There he was, still athletic--a full golfing swing is his FB photo. He responded to my quick note almost immediately.
But check this out! My schedule fit best to stay up north with Thomas the first 5 days in Trondheim, which actually required purchasing another airline ticket from Oslo.
I loved walking around Trondheim
Gorm lives 5 kilometers from Thomas and just as soon as Gorm was off work the following night, he came over, picked me up, took me to his house to meet his wife and 13-year-old son and have dinner.
It was AMAZING. 
We both commented on how much the same we were in personality and sense of humor from way back when. Following dinner Gorm and I decided we’d try to find others from the summer of ’85. We found 4 or 5 others from Denmark, Australia, France and Greece.
The day prior I also located Kristin. Thomas and his flat-mate, Pablo knew of a few sites to locate Norwegians which includes their cell numbers and tax information. Kristin is now a colo-rectal surgeon which I found rather interesting given that she could have preformed my surgery!
There were 2 cell numbers that I found with her name that is also unique. Luckily she kept her maiden name when she married. So I used my online text messaging service (another very valuable tool I have had) and hoped the numbers I found would still be good. The next morning I received a text message from Kristin that read “so amazing to hear from you…are you still around?”
The night I went to Gorm’s, we called Kristin. It was a lovely phone reunion. I arranged to stay with Kristin my final two nights in Norway, which also happen to fall on their National Independence Day, which was the reason Kristin happen to have these weekdays off. Everything was falling in to place. In fact it was Thomas who encouraged me to stay through the 17th for this holiday before I booked the ticket. he thought I might enjoy being part of Norwegians special day...we had no idea it would fall together like this! This is what going with the flow does for ya!
But that is not all. I had a few days in between and it worked out perfectly for me to stay with my friend Erika from grad school who works in Oslo but lives in Sweden. I spent a day and half helping her clean up and fix things in her newly purchased home which included a HUGE barn, shed, underground bunker, outdoor cellar and mother-in-law unit. Erika would be returning back to Oslo to pick up her brother from the airport who was coming to visit around the same time I planned to be meet up with Kristin.
Below: The bunker
Below: The shed with barn in back ground ---
The mother in law unit with cellar to right on grassy knoll ---
The house.
Congrats Erika! Beautiful home!
All fell into place perfectly. I hung out with Erika and her brother for a day in Oslo and stayed the night there at Erika’s friend’s flat. And Kristin, as it turned out, lived just10 minutes away from where I was!
It was 10PM by the time Kristin came back from visiting her Father in Bergen on the coast but we stayed up late to reminisce and catch up. Her husband and two of her three lovely children met me that night. She has two girls and a boy. I found it ironic that her oldest daughter, who is the spitting image of her, was the exact age (16) we were when we met back in ’85. That was odd. After finally finishing a glass of wine that took over an hour to drink between all the talking, it was midnight and time for bed. The next day would be a full one and I had the privilege of celebrating Independence Day with my Norwegian friend who in fact would wear the exact traditional dress she wore in ’85 to share about her heritage then as well. But this time I would be celebrating “in” it “with” her.
After difficult Azerbaijan relations—which led me to where I was at in that moment—I was in a dream. I softly closed my eyes and went to sleep with a peaceful smile on my face and continued to dream the dream.
The next day forecast promised rain but it held off until nightfall. The temperature was a pleasant 65 degrees. In the morning Kristin was dutifully encouraging her kids to get ready for the big day. I met her son that morning who was playing a game on the computer. He is the youngest at 9 and didn’t speak a lot of English which was only a hair surprising since his sisters—who are 16 and 13—amazed me with their perfect fluency – grammar and barely an accent!!! They tell me they watch a lot of American TV and movies :)
The daughters dressed in their traditional dresses also and soon enough we were all off to the school where the parade was to begin.
Kristin took the two youngest who would march proudly in the parade and I was left to be delighted by the oldest daughter who shared things both from their Norwegian tradition and the Senior class tradition. 
Seniors in Oslo awaiting a classmate --- Senior in Trondheim
The more well to do Senior kids gather in groups of 8-10, charter huge buses, have them painted with whatever theme they choose (i.e.: “Rhythm is the Night”), and blast through the streets playing loud music that often includes songs they lyrically write and have professionally recorded.
Not all can afford the buses and such but all seem to purchase these bright red suspender pants sporting the Norwegian flag that have the school name and sometimes theme written in graffiti like script. They then have their mates sign them in permanent markers, wear them everyday for like 6 weeks and do not wash these pants until graduation in June. Some of the Seniors have these ID cards made up … Much like baseball or football cards with a photo from youth or present day, a few facts about themselves, a joke maybe written on it or quote and hand them out to the youth who collect them. In fact when we were at the school following the parade, many of us were mulling around waiting for our lottery number to be called and win a prize when one of the Senior buses rolled up with the music cranking, stopped and began tossing out these cards. The little kids bolted towards to bus and grabbed at these cards as if they were $100 bills. It was cool!
Following the parade we had a lovely dinner with some of Kristin’s in-laws, played bad-mitten and did all the things we might back in the states on the 4th … well except one big exception is that the Norwegians don’t get shit-faced drunk. In fact alcohol is highly taxed and therefore very expensive. Drinking alcohol becomes more of a special occasion and done in moderation and grace. It was a full day and we ended it by walking through huge Fronger park also known as the infamous Vingeland sculpture park. We also visited the ski jumping slope where the world Championships will be held next year. You know how serious the Norwegians are about their winter sports. This is indeed a most popular attraction.
Below: The infamous ski jump --- Me at the park ...and don't ask me what the Hell is going on behind me?!
Below: The most famous of the collection is the angry baby. You will see it at the airport. I personally found the eroticism and phallic symbolism...amusing. The artist, Gustav Vigeland was said to be a fascist--go figure!
It was again around mid-night when we finally ended our day… another day where I fell to sleep with a smile on my face.
The next day Gorm had already written asking how I liked the Norwegian holiday, as did Bard, another Norwegian from the camp who I only had a few email exchanges while I was there. I am beginning to see the value of Face Book although I am still a reluctant user. Prior to this trip I only had a few “friends” and rarely checked it … now I have 65 and it’s growing. I will say though as much as I like it as a networking tool, I am not big on using it to post much. I have a little but only because the majority of the friends are Peace Corps Volunteers who I am in touch with.
But I have to admit, without it, I would not have been found or found others nor have had these amazing reunions. After all, it is how Erika found me, how I found Gorm, how Gorm found Bard and Henrietta (Danish woman from the England camp) how Henrietta found others from the camp etc, etc, etc…
My last ½ day in Oslo would also be Kristin’s last day before going back to work so while she packed the kids lunches (they don’t have cafeterias at the schools) and ran a few errands, I was tying up the logistics on my CC fraud case online and quickly checking email.
By 11AM I had also my lunch packed and my bag ready for the next adventure! Kristin would take me to one more park on the water where we walked around a bit, shared a few more memories before driving me to the airport.
My time in Norway had ended and I had a smile on my face all the way to… SPAIN!
Fly, Fly, Fly!
And for me, it brought back those memories of how ignorance can perpetuate the problem when schools, and government disallow the discussion
. This program shared and explored HIV/AIDS in a way that IS saving lives. Great work Hana!
