Day in, day out. — You might wonder: Why? Why eat this, every single day? The Norwegian tradition for this meal, called packed lunch goes way back. A slice or two of whole wheat bread, with cheese, jam, or liver paste topping it. Traditions This lunch actually originates from a breakfast initiative named The Oslo Breakfast…

An unplanned love story — It really was a lot of things adding up. But as we were driving to a nearby beach during my parent’s recent visit to the United States, my mom asked me: So what do you like the most about living in America? Right then, my mind had already made a…

Cultural workplace differences — I was the new hire. My good friend and I had just graduated with a degree in journalism and we had just settled in at our first, full-time newspaper job. …

Predictable and yet valuable — Somehow it feels easier to implement changes of any kind when seasons are changing. De-cluttering the closets? A spring thing. Skipping sugar or alcohol? Definitely a winter — January thing. Signing up for activities or academic enrichment? The fall it is. Many of these life habits and lifestyle changes are…

Not 100%, I know — New York City has always had a very special place in my heart. I moved there for the first time when I was 19 years old. I lived in a tiny room with two other roommates on 14th street, between 6th and 7th avenue. My girlfriend and I studied photojournalism…

You don’t know what you have until it’s gone — It’s annoying, isn’t it? I didn’t know to appreciate the nature of Norway until I left it. And what I wouldn’t do these days to replace just a little bit of all the suburban farmland I’m surrounded by for mountains, fjords, and water. As it is my fifth year in…

15 years, but who’s counting — In my lifetime, I’ve had four of them. When I was 18 years old, just a few months before graduating high school, I got my first MacBook. A white, heavy one. Constantly overheated. It was so loud! I’m sure many of you know which one I am talking about. I’m…

Unexpected party guests, for one — Now if there’s one thing Americans know how to do, it is to throw a party with lots and lots of entertainment. We were recently invited to a birthday party in a nearby park, and as the entertainer started talking, asking the kids to gather around, he was bringing a…

When things are not a chore — There are habits and things you do because you have to, and then there are the habits in life you do because you want to. They add to your happiness. Five of the life habits I find great joy in are ones I’ve had with me since childhood and my…