On America, Scandinavia, Culture and Motherhood

An outcome I didn’t predict

Melissa Frost
5 min readSep 24, 2023
Photo by Sara Melissa Frost

I’m not quite sure what I envisioned, if anything, when thinking about what life would be like in the United States.

What I did know was that it would be different.

My choice of photos for stories are often more than just a photo. This one, for instance, I chose because I associate New York City with new beginnings and occasional courage. Hence, Manhattan Bridge. I started my journey overseas in the city. The photo is taken outdoors, which is a significant part of who I am. Myself, along with plenty of Scandinavians, grew up with a love for simply being outside.

Scandinavians are topping happiness rankings left and right. They are happy. They are content. There’s no denying that.

So why did I leave?

Long story short, it felt right. That gut feeling.

Diversity and public schools

My husband and I wanted to introduce our kids to a life with more diversity, more options, and the American public school system.

Yes, the public schools.

Some are terrible, I know. It depends on the school district you’re in and how much real estate taxes the district receives. Simply put, how nice…

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Melissa Frost

Journalist. Mom. Wife. Norwegian in the U.S. Minimalist-ish.