Letters to Home - Norway

by Leslie Shalduha

July 11, 2025 We made it!

We have made it safe and sound to Norway! Emma's cousin is here with us for the first two weeks so we are on vacation till then. After that we will start focusing on official things and plan to fly to Iceland on August 1. Still no word from Immigration so that stinks. We are adjusting to the time difference and the almost complete daylight hours. From midnight to 3 am it is like dusk, then the sun comes out again!

Emma's friend's parents had a little apartment near Oslo available for us and we are grateful! It is cozy, comfortable and just a couple of minutes walk to the tram that takes us everywhere we need to go. We walk at least five miles every day, exploring and wandering. It is a very busy city, with people on foot, bikes, scooters, skates everywhere, buses, trams, trains and cars going every which way. We really have to watch where we go! The energy here is amazing, though. Everyone seems relaxed and happy and I feel so safe, even in the heart of the city.

We took a day to go to the King's Palace. We wandered about the beautiful park grounds surrounding the Palace and stopped to watch the guards going about their business and looking very official.

Yesterday we went island hopping by ferry and that was really neat. On the island of Hovedøya we explored, coming across very interesting monastery ruins. We found a spot of beach to settle, me to read while the girls took a dip in the ocean. They did not stay long in the water as there were jellyfish everywhere – the locals did not seem to mind them, so perhaps they do not sting?

Restaurants are plentiful but very expensive. We usually eat out once a day and pull together snacks at home the rest of the time. Our apartment has a refrigerator and sink but no stove, so I make do with salads, fruit, tuna and lunchmeat. The girls seem to thrive on coffee and pastries for breakfast and then the once daily meal out. Ah, youth!

I look forward to hearing from you soon! Let me know what you are up to…..it keeps me feeling connected to home!