Home for Christmas

There is nothing quite like seeing your family and friends again after being part for such a long time. I personally don’t think about it until just a couple of weeks before my break that I really do miss my country. University and all the assessments just keep me so busy, so there’s not much more time to think about anything else. And this makes every term go so fast that it’s starting to go up for me how soon it actually is until we all graduate.

Suddenly it’s Christmas break and I am sitting on a plane home to finally see everyone that I’ve missed so much again. And there’s never any boring conversations around the Christmas table, because we’re all here and we have so much catching up to do. It is during the holiday that everyone in my family comes home from wherever they might be to finally be together again. Can you imagine how happy my dog gets from this?

Growing up in a country that contains of white Christmases and so clear seasons in general, and to then move to a place where you don’t have the same experience – it just makes you appreciate everything so much more. Because in Norway, believe it or not, the summers are stable and warm, and the winter’s in Bournemouth can feel colder than the winters in Norway. This is because England is such a windy country. I never know how to dress properly here. I can look outside the window and think it’s either warmer or colder than it actually is. While in Norway it’s like you can see the temperature in the air. Is it snowing outside? Then you know you’re going to need some layers. So, in this way, I never feel too cold even though it actually is way colder than England.

No matter how long I will live in England, I will probably always end up traveling back to Norway for a white Christmas. It’s all about tradition, isn’t it? So now I’m sitting here with a hot chocolate in my hand, in front of the blazing fireplace, with my family. And I feel grateful to be here, grateful to study in England, grateful to have yet another white Christmas surrounded by my family who always will support me no matter where in the world I may be. And my favorite thing about going home is seeing my dog again. It’s because he doesn’t have the opportunity to come visit me in England like my family are able to. And he is always so happy to see me.

I do enjoy being here now, but the second Christmas is over I am going to feel ready to go back to Uni again. But for now, I’ll just appreciate being here.

Merry Christmas everyone x