Rebecca in Norway: Birthday and Goodbye

My 17th birthday was on June 26th, but June 26th was also the day that I had to say my goodbyes to my family and the town that was now my home. So, on the 25th of June, along with doing some packing I also had some friends over for a little birthday and goodbye party. It wasn't a big party, it was just a small get-together with my closest friends in Norway. I invited 9 of my friends, but 2 couldn't come. One couldn't come because she was working to save up money for her exchange year in the US next year and the other was leaving for the US early the next morning to visit her host family from the previous year. I love my friends and that is almost what made it hardest to leave Norway, and that was to leave my friends.

The party lasted from 6 in the evening to about 11PM. My friends would have stayed the whole night if they could, but they had to leave because I wasn't completely done with packing yet... At the party we basically just ate cake and talked together. My host mom was extremely nice and set the dining room table beautifully and made brownies and bought blueberry muffins, chocolate raspberry cake, fruits, chocolates, and coffee. It was delightful!

Solveig and Heidi

Katinka....

My friends brought me presents, and they were all really sweet. One just gave me money because she had no idea what to give me that was a nice gift and didn't weigh anything. Two others gave me makeup, because that was the first thing they thought to give me when I said it couldn't be heavy and take up no place. Another friend gave me a package to make "boller" ("boller" is really good sweet rolls that they have in Norway). I also received a coming home survival kit from one of my friends, it had 2 bars of Norwegian chocolate, a troll statue, and three envelopes that I was not allowed to open; one envelope was for when I missed Norway, one was for when I missed Sandefjord, and one is for when I missed my friend that gave it to me. Then, the final present I actually did not receive at my birthday party, my friend is sending it too me in the email because it was too big/heavy to take home. She gave me a miniature version of the gist though. In the gift was chocolate, tea, nail polish, a tea cup, and a scrapbook that she made for me.