Laiv and death.

The hall was made of the traditional wooden build, the solid shaped tree trunks still visably laid upon one another. It was for some reason more reasuring than the usual brick and mortar. I looked into my drink, a wierd mix of cordial with spices and water. Apparently it was rum. It certainly got my pirate friends drunk enough.
There was a loud bang. SHouting. Somone was bearing hammered in the face by a tall man bearing nought but a animal skin. SOmeone had irritated the wood bandits again. One of the society types by his dress, except now it was covered in food, drink and bits of table. My table shook as the bandit threw his opponent to the ground and beat his chest in victory. My sword shook in its scabbard.
I sighed. The night had started so well...



Norway is full of culture. Pick any spot and you will be assured to find something in eyesight. But underneath the history and the more modern asthetics you can find something akin to those secret societys you read about.
My girlfriend, who you might have heard is Norwegian, is also a Laiv player.

Laiv, is a unique word, created to distinguish this secret past-time from the more common LARP (Live action roleplay) which one can find in other countries. While LARP is known for running around a field with fake fantasy equipment shouting "fire damage" with every strike against your foe, Laiv is seen as less action, more acting. COmbat, soft or otherwise is not as common and is reserved to those blessed with a profession or hobby which allows them to perform a combat like scene. In our group we had several professional wrestlers, sword fighters, singers and stage performers all versed in making you wonder if what they are doing is real!
This isnt to say that traditional LARP is rubbish, but an altogether different beast. That said, the line is murky at best.

Anyway, I was invited to join my girl on a Laiv called "The Brotherhood." Inspired by several great movies such as The Brotherhood, Cut Throat Island, Casanova and beyond, it contained many groups of theives from highwaymen to pirates. The plot? Since the death of the Thief Kind/Queen, wierd things have been occuring, driving the clans to come together to honour the ancient code which demands a regent. But with backtabbing, bribary and more strange unexplainable events, its going to be hard to get everyone to agree on who!

Clad in some fantastically hand sewn gear that my girlfriend actually put together a year before (another event), and toting my own sabre (which I would not use as it was a bit pointy) I joined my own group of Pirates on a weekend being someone else!

Now language was an issue at first. This was my first Laiv and although it was relaxed in terms of requirements (Norwegian was set as the secret thieves tongue, english as english) there were occasions of confusion. However, these wonderfully talented Laiv'ers that have been doing this a long time, each adapted in their own way. Have you ever heard Norwegion in a french/russian or even a German accent?

Have you ever seen someone scream so loud it hurt and begin drawing spirals in the snow in their own blood?
The special affects where amazing, and often in my own tired state I looked twice. Arguements, comedy, danses, drunkeness (real and not), duels, sex (mostly not real:D), betrayels and Svølk!! (In joke). Over the two/three days we all donned appropriate clothing and were in character. It got so real that I actually realised, if I needed to go home (we were in the middle of nowhere, in a camping site with loads of wooden houses, 15" snow), noone around me would even know what a car was!

Of course there were safe words, one that changed the scenes direction and one that stopped it entirely. Neither were used. Testiment to the quality of the players and the organisers.

But I digress. The point I was trying to make, was that this Laiv culture is big. Lying just under the surface, this little past time has had a few books, fiction, photo art and entire wiki databases dedicated to it. Mostly its historical period works, others are low fantasy or science fiction, with the emphasis always more on the charactor than the weapon he/she carries. About 50/50 male/female players. This thing stretches across the whole of scandinavia and beyond.

For me? I caught the bug. I wasnt the best player, in the later half it was so easy to forget my character amid everyone elses and be swept along from mysterious events like poison without cause and playing turncoat on my ship crew. My next Laiv has already been paid for.




Death.

Sadly this month has had sad events too. Recently I was told my grandmother passed away. Now this is a personal thing so forgive me if I don't go into too much detail. I will say this however, that one of the greatest emotional obstacles with living abroad is actually dealing with being away from home when something happens.

When tragedy strikes, there is no quick hug, reasurrance or anything of the kind spare a phone call. Organising an emergency trip home for the funeral can also be a trial of logistics and money. Every level of life is effected from friends to work. One minute you are hanging on every minute waitng for some information and then your rushing to get home. Ryan Air, you suck.

As it is, once again I was spared from too much turmoil by my adopted family over here. Not just Ingrids family, but friends that don't even realise they help with a word, a hug or a distraction. You know who you are.


Thanks for reading.

A year and a half ago, I came to Norway. I made it.

Hi guys. Please accept the usual torrent of apologies from a bad blogger with too much time and too little to write about.

In truth, the only reason I am writing this right now is two fold:

One, a nice chap came over from Scotland and for some reason, after reading this Blog thought it would be wise to ask me for help getting settled. I hope I have, but the point is, he hasn't been the first.
Indeed, since making this poor excuse for a Blog I have been introduced to some like minded amazing people, who have for one reason or another (mostly the other) have emigrated to Norway. At the time, I began it simply because I couldn't find anything like it. It seems like I have filled a hole. I hope someone does a better job!
Anyway, I suppose what I am trying to say is that this gentleman reminded me of my duty (can I say duty?), to anyone trying to make that move. I have to keep writing. Even if I have finally begun to feel like I have made it here...

Two, I managed to find time to write this while working my new shiny job.

THATS RIGHT PEOPLE!

JOB! Now before anyone starts complaining, let me say this: After over a year of trying to cost as little as possible for a sweetheart who paid for my every basic requirement, working loads of odd and some unpleasant jobs just to get enough money to pay for the food, working as a cleaner and walking home after midnight twice a week in Winter no less...
You'd be happy too.
Or you would be stupid.

Allow me to explain. A few weeks back, I was walking down Karl Johan's gate, trying to ignore the shiny stuff in the shiny shops, when my phone rung.
One of the applications I had sent off had been well received. In fact, so much so that I was dragged in for an interview the next day and began work the day after. Unfortunately, they needed me early and I couldn't stop suddenly working my cleaning job, so I had to work both for two weeks. Tough but I'm sure you will agree, very worth it.

But what do I do??

Something called an Innkjøpsmeddarbeider. Which translates roughly (roughly mind) as import worker. I work in an office (after cleaning them it makes a refreshing and surreal change) and process and follow up on all the books imported from abroad. Its a tough job. I've had to learn a complicated computer system in Norwegian, so much so that when I had the option to switch it to English, I turned it down because I was too far gone. Plus, how hard would it have been to discuss the system with a Nord when all the terms where called something else.
Wierd.
It is after all, just a 6 months contract. It was either this or a permanent position as a cleaner. I'm not going to be so be so arrogant as to say I chose this job because it is less embarrassing. If you have worked in the "Renhold" sector in Norway you will discover entire immigrant families working in it earning more than my old boss in England. Whose laughing now eh? However, I needed something that could help me grow and quite frankly, I promised myself an office job.

Got one.

So have I "made it"?

Its a question which I've asked myself a lot these past few weeks. What does it mean to have "made it" in another land? When does this Blog become pointless?
I've learned a lot of the language. Enough it seems to do this job. It isnt fluent. It isnt even amazing (although many polite locals always impress that it is, they are just being polite sadly. Though its nice to hear.), but enough.
Regardless of if I get to keep this position or not, I have earned the contacts, the experience, and most importantly, enough money to invest in my future.
Im thinking of more language courses of coarse. But, my past experience with them is so bad, I wonder whether that would be just procrastinating on the problem.

I must admit that since Christmas, our Norwegian club has faltered and my own studies have pretty much stopped. I learn new words at work, though natural acquisition, but I know that I must soon get back on that wagon. It never ends. You just change the method you study.

Also, was it really that special? One big reason I came over was my girlfriend, who I met and ahem, fell in love with a while back. She really was responsible for much of my initial success, if not all by default. Without her I wouldn't have had a place to stay, nor a beginning for my "network" of friends and contacts. Hell, I wouldnt have even bothered if not for her. While not humble enough to cheapen my own efforts, it still points out something.
Moving over without friends/contacts is much much harder!


Money!?

Yes. Penger! After a brief scare with the student loans company, (they are really nice people once you get past the paper), I was relieved to be left with quite a bit of money just sitting in my bank. After months of becoming adept at costing so little, I couldnt think of a thing to spend it on.

What had happened to me!? Is this the "immigrant thinking" that I had heard about? Well, regardless, I had planned a holiday home. Though visiting my family, I think a shopping trip is in order. After all, everything is dear in Norway.



To sum up.
Because I don't know when I will post again, or what it will be about (Though any questions can be sent to me.):
If you are moving or thinking of moving to Norway, and you haven't got a special skill or whatever, it is still possible. Patience, determination, good friends and the right attitude. Its all you need.

This is me signing off, still undecided on whether I have made it in Norway.
Ill keep you posted.

:D