Kristine's first post

We have been in Nepal for 5 weeks now! Somehow it seems like time has passed quickly, but yet we have also felt like we’ve been waiting to settle in properly. Since we have been living temporarily at a colleague’s place while our house has been waiting to become vacant and painted, it is finally a great feeling to have moved into our own place. All our stuff was sent by air, so it arrived only a few days after we got here, but it has been in storage and we have had to wait to get it until now. I got two days off work to move and unpack. Exciting and tiring two days, sweating away over boxes and boxes while the last bit of fixing inside and outside the house is being done. There have probably been about 15 people around constantly to work on different things. The Nepalese are impressive that way, they just put enough people on a task, no matter how big, and they get it done very efficiently, and very capital intensively. And using ones hands is the best tool (for anything really,...even stirring a bucket with paint). As an example, when the boxes that were filling up the entire living room where getting unloaded, the guy who was going to varnish the wooden floor saw no reason to wait until they had emptied the room. He was on all four, sandpapering and prepping literally right behind the heels of the movers.

It feels good to make a home that where we will be living the next 3 years. At the same time it’s still hard to imagine that we are actually here and already starting to live our ‘new lives’. It’s kind of unreal, but oh so fantastic. I am very excited about this opportunity experience a new country again, and looking forward to receiving friends and family as we are preparing the guestroom and everything else. It’s ready for you now! Just say the word.

I don’t think we forgot to bring too many things that are of any great importance. But the tips we got to bring Norwegian “pålegg” (the spreads, kaviar, meats, brown cheese etc is really something that we appreciate), along with diapers. The kaviar is already gone, and funnily enough I do miss a silly thing like that.

The monsoon is not over yet, but only rains a little bit every day. Otherwise it’s quite nice that it’s overcast. It’s more humid than I thought it would be, so if the sun is out it quickly gets unbearable to be outside for more than ten minutes.

Work is going well. Since I have been working on much of the same portfolio that I am taking over here, from the Norad end, I knew pretty much what to expect. But you really feel more connected to the realities of things by being closer to where it all happens. I am sure that I will learn so much from working on this end, not to mention getting out on field trips and seeing more of the country in due time.

We are also privileged to have moved into a brand new embassy building that a Norwegian architect has designed. We’ve heard that it’s one of the nicest embassies that Norway has in the entire world (!), and our minister of international development himself is coming to attend the official opening in a couple of weeks.

So far, we haven’t seen too much of the “diplomatic life” (i.e. cocktails and dinner parties etc…), but since several people are leaving after having ended their term here, there are a few farewell receptions coming up – not to mention the ‘welcoming the new staff’ –reception. So far they seem like fun functions. We’ll find out soon. We are also waiting for the rest of our colleagues to arrive after summer holiday in Norway. It’s amazing, but among five (three new) families, we have all together 8 children and most of them are either 2 or 5 years old. That’s promising for the Norwegian language development of the youngest crowd. Otherwise, we are noticing at least as many new English words as Norwegian,that Filip is picking up these days.

We are so glad to receive news from Pelle’s new caretakers that he is really enjoying life on the farm. Thank you Guro!

Finally, I will put a picture of myself on the blog soon, just as evidence to prove that I am also here in Nepal with the rest of the family. J Since Lasse has been so good at updating I have been spoiled.

Our movie geeks in the family, i.e. the kids AND Lasse who usually ends up watching the entire Shrek movie or Harry Potter - all 5 of them, Horton, or what have you, for the tenth time, along with them, are almost done with today’s show now, so I will give the kids their bath before going to bed. Just have to mention that the new bunk bed is a huge success. As Ada has been planning to get one since the day Filip was born, she is very excited to finally be the big sister who sleeps on top. It sure gives her some extra cred for being the oldest.