greetings from america! i am writing this, looking out at the american flag waving in the wind. a flag, that in the morning when i come out in the kitchen is pretty much covered in fog. so it's san francisco. in the past week, i've thought about many possible ways to start writing about my new life here in san francisco. about how and why. about expectations and disappointments. thinking of it, the most fascinating part might be how norwegian i've become. i watch norwegian television online. i am more than excited every time i see the brewery 'nøgne ø' (which is norwegian) present in beer stores with impressive selections of beers. i react in ways i thought i wouldn't on expressions of american culture. food. sports. like, why aren't they showing any norwegians when reporting from the winter olympics? why on earth is that tiger woods mishap still in the news? where is obama? no seriously. where is he? constantly critical, investigating, curious and impressed.
i adore andreas viestad's book "the journey to cadillac". perhaps the most enjoyable part of it is it's various citations and insights about the american culture (he actually travels to cadillac, france, in a cadillac deville sedan 1969). in the book i read that the author celine had a belief that traveling was useful. it's an escape from whatever that is, or is not, at home. it can give you knowledge. it can expand your imagination. but, he was also of the opinion that for the most part, it leads to uncomfortable situations, egotism, hardships and disappointments.
i can't wait to have norwegian waffles in the norwegian sailor's church on sunday. until then: à la prochaine!
