This particular post won't be a "rib tickler" as Nick says, but I feel it's necessary just the same. I have a problem. I'm not sure exactly how long it's been going on. I want to say a few months, but if I'm being honest I would have to say it's been developing longer than that. I seem to have developed a superiority complex.

I have always despised arrogance, and people with cliques that think they're better than everyone else. But, because of my extreme dislike of those things, I have inadvertently become the same way. If I feel mistreated by an individual or a group, I immediately tell myself that they're horrible people, and I'm so much better than them and they don't deserve me. But is that true? I've been going to a private school for the past 3 years and haven't been invited to one party yet. I tell myself I don't want to be, and that I have better things to do. But do I really? I tell myself I'm more clever, better looking, and more democratic than those elitists. But by hating them for how I feel that they've mistreated me, I've become the thing that I despised. I get on my soapbox about teenagers acting foolish and being loud and obnoxious, and what I considered their insipid little "inside jokes", but is my group of friends any better than theirs? Do our inside jokes contribute any more to society than theirs do? Nope.

I hate admitting this, but I think I may be a snob. I don't know the people well that I consider myself better than. I don't know what their family is like, or what their insecurities may be, or what they deal with everyday. My beliefs, interests, friends, hobbies, musical taste, etc. are not better than anyone else's just because they're mine, as much as I might like to think so. I may consider Pete Seeger superior to Rihanna or John Irving superior to Danielle Steele, but that doesn't necessarily make it true.

I'm not saying it's going to happen overnight, but I'm going to try to be more open minded and less judgemental.

I need new air. I'm so tired of this town and the people and the drama. Only 74 days left until graduation. There are only about 4 people keeping me from losing my mind in the meantime.

P.S. If you have to ask if you're one of them, you're probably not.

My photo 3 class could be nearly perfect if a few little things were changed. And if I could find my camera charger.

Wagon Wheel

I keep ditching the optional group activities (drinking at Riis, drinking at the club, a party with crazy drinking, and drinking at Peppe's), but I've gotten a lot out of this trip anyway, I think. I feel like Norway's a part of me. Some of it has absolutely sucked, but only the parts when I was required to be with the school group. It's sad when I feel more accepted by Norwegians then I ever have by NSA. But I think I'm ok with it. On the way here I overheard two NSA girls in front of me complaining about having to fly coach, since it was a school trip and not a trip with their parents. Then when I got here I realized that my host, Elin, is one of the most grateful and considerate people I have ever met in my life, and she has some of the most loving parents. They jokingly told me I have to wheel my suitcase to the bus tomorrow at 6 in the morning because they don't want me to leave, so they're not taking me. And they talked about how my family must be so excited to have me home. I hope they're as excited to have me home as Arild and Agnette were to have me here.

Norge

I love it. It snowed for 3 days straight and that was an experience. I can say I've walked to school in a foot of snow. I'm getting in touch with my Nystrøm roots. I got to see The Scream in person, which I have always loved.
BUT:
I'm so thankful I don't have to pay 78 kroner/$11 for a Big Mac.
I don't mind never getting snow if an inch gets us a break from school when it does happen, rather than getting it often and trekking to school in ridiculous weather conditions.
I'm glad America is such a moral country, more than I thought compared to other places.
I miss my family SO much.
I have enjoyed seeing the Norwegian boys' beautiful hair, though I do not believe that they were all "chiseled from marble" like Michelle does, but I want my Virginia boy back.

ÅÆØ-I'm going to miss these.

Norway

Goat cheese is surprisingly sweet. They've never heard of Bill Cosby, so it's hard to explain the significance of jello puddin' pops to American culture. Their potato gratin is better than any Virginia potato gratin ever thought about being. I would move here just for the legit danishes. The school is so laid back that many students smoke outside between classes very openly and eat fried rice during some classes. Which reminds me, I also had the best fried rice of my life. But some things feel just like home. Arild played Simon and Garfunkel, Elvis, and the Beatles on the piano for me. I still would rather do that then legally drink (the drinking age is 18!). I watched America's Funniest Home Videos with Elin, which she loves. Some things are funny in every language.


I know how to pronouce "ø" now. I'm working on æ, €, and µ.

Motherland

Tomorrow my spring break begins! I'm going to Norway to get in touch with my heritage I guess. I'm quite conflicted because this is the first year I'll have the same spring break as someone I would actually want to spend spring break with, and I'm going to be gone the whole time. Then again it's a once in a lifetime opportunity and I'm going to ride fjord horses and become a viking. I am a bit worried about the weather though, and that I'll have to eat goat cheese or something the whole time, but they have McDonalds everywhere now don't they? And I hope the fact that everything's more expensive there isn't too huge a problem. Today people I don't even like were all, "Oh, buy me Norwegian stufff......". Ahhh naw screw you.

The Bachelor is officially more worthless than American Idol. And I never thought anything could be.

I'm getting a nephew, suckas. Well, that's what I think anyway. I guess it could be a girl. I'll like it either way.

I'm getting a root canal on St. Patricks Day.

Soooo maybe I'll have something interesting to say in 12 days.