Eleven Months to New Year's Eve.

It is a month now since the new year began. One would say time flies!! Does it really? I visited a friend today. While he was taking us back home, he said something that got my attention. He said that it is 11 months to New Year’s Eve. Of course it is the same thing as saying that it is the end of January.

That got me thinking about this year so far. A lot has happened in this year, even though it is only 30 days. The main concern to me right now is to try and ask myself if I have been true to my word that I will become better and better in this year than the previous year. So far, am not sure, but at least am on track.

What makes it hard to do an evaluation is that last year began when I was in Kenya. Beginning a year in Norway is totally a new and different scenario. But I have been reconciling the two. And actually I have found a common ground. And you know what!! The common ground is me. And that is exciting.

Building on your stengths.

The creation is full of diversity and beauty. I have been asking myself about some basic questions. Why is it that there are lions in Kenya by nature, and say only in Norway in the zoos? Why is it that there are elks and bears in Norway and none in Kenya? Further to this, what would happen if Norway insisted that it wants to have lions in the wild just like Kenya and vice versa. It would be an effort in futility, I think.

These diversities, natural orientations and advantages are also observed in people. There are people that when seen dancing, for instance, you would wish that they would do so forever. There are others that you would wonder why they are trying to do so in the first place. Interestingly, those ones unable to dance are likely to be better at something else. These abilities are quite observable in many people. There are things that some people can do; almost perfectly and like them; the same things are almost impossible for other persons or if possible, they not done with as much fun.

This is part of what I have really appreciated during the infield course at the International school. It is true that every body has strengths, though different. Further, that every one should put their strengths to work, as opposed to weakness. This is because people who put their strengths to work get better and better most of the time as opposed to those who fix their weaknesses.

The challenge I now have in the present and near future is to try and find out what really my strengths are and how put them to work to be better, as opposed to fixing my weaknesses.

Infield Course.

Travelling comes with many issues. Life for me is kind of a journey. Moving from one place to another. Doing one thing from the other. It further involves making decisions that make one to move from one place to another.

My life journey last year took me to Norway, where I still am. It has been good living in this country for the last five months, which is half the time am meant to be here. Thus it is a time to stop and take stock of the past and also dream about the future.

The last five months have presented so many opportunities of working with university students at Stavanger. I further got many opportunities to interact with many other people, especially at the IMI church where we go for services.

I also got an opportunity to travel Denmark for a conference. This gave me more experience that I greatly appreciate. Meeting students and staff from the Nordic countries was very fulfilling.

There are of course many other numerous activities that I was involved in the last year. Am so grateful to God and all the people around me for being faithful and believing that I could be able to do the many assignments I was entrusted with.

Infield.

I have been at Hald international Center for the last one week, doing an infield course. It has been a great opportunity to meet others and reflect on the past but also to look forward to the future.

The future.

The short term focus is now for the remaining five months of my stay here. I look forward to being involved in many activities this new year, especially with the students at the university. I also look forward to learning more on my main interest in leadership. This will be by reading more books on leadership that will give me a better understanding of the same.

THE NEW YEAR, 2008.

The New Year is here with us, or should I say here with me. A New Year of making resolutions indeed. I have been making new resolutions every New Year. However I have hardly been able to fulfil hem. The good thing is that I have always fulfilled the resolutions even without following them. Of course that is maybe not good.

So the challenge I am having this New Year is how to make my resolutions. Some ways of doing things become a tradition, and that is what am struggling with. As I struggle with this however, one New Year resolution that I have is to be better than I was last year. Better seems too wide and not concrete at all. But that is another challenge that I have. I have just learned that there are many ways of doing many things.

The first half of this year will be spent in Norway. This will most likely present with me many challenges. This is because it will be a time I will be making very crucial decisions about my life. I believe that with the help of the Lord God, I will be able to make the right decisions.

God has been faithful in the last year. My friends too have been faithful and am glad that they stood by me, especially when I was stupid sometimes. You are a great treasure for me and God bless you all.

I hope that the New Year will equally present you with new opportunities. I look forward to having great experiences with you and reaching new heights in this season of continuous blessings from the Lord.

The Christmas that was.

Christmas celebrations this year were as different as never before. Being away from home was quite hard but not as hard. This is because we went for the celebrations away from the city and it was quite like home.

Being in a Norwegian household was a great opportunity not only to make friends, but also to get to know more about the Norwegian culture. It indeed didn’t disappoint because I got to really learn a lot from the three days that I lived with this family.

It is a family that Lives on Fogn island. I got to understand that Christmas is celebrated on the 24^th in the whole of Norway as opposed to the 25^th as I am used to.

The people on the island are actually quite interesting. The island is so secure such that people actually don’t lock their houses when they go out. The cars are sometimes not locked among other things. This, indeed s an island of tranquillity. Everything not only seems to be working, but working in the right manner.

Back to the Christmas story. We went to church on the Christmas Eve. The church was packed to the brim. The good thing about the Christmas Eve is that most people get to go to church and I think that is so good. Those that come are both Christians and non Christians.

After church we had the Christmas Eve dinner that was prepared by Dag, the Father of the home.

We later danced and sang Christmas songs as we went around the Christmas tree. The gifts were unwrapped later and it was good to receive beautiful Christmas gifts.

The Christmas tree. From left; Finn, Inga Katrine, Else, Estre Alida, and Dag.

Dag is the father of the home, Else the mother, Estre and Inga are the younger children in the home, and Finn is the eldest son.

On the 26^th, we got an opportunity to go in to the forests for a trip. It was an opportunity to freshen up in the mountains and get the fresh air that we really needed. That indeed was the best way to end Christmas celebrations on this island of tranquillity.

A Walk in the Forest.

Inga Katrine.

Estre Alida.

Finn.