Wow, this week has been hard. I swear, all I do is complain nowadays, and while that in no way is an accurate representation of my experience here thusfar, denne uke har vært forferdelig!

Had a blow-up with Mom over the phone. It started as an argument about withdrawing from the ATM but escalated into a flurry of rage, tears, and even a suicide threat. Though it ended on a mollifying tone, it set the pace for the rest of the week.

I’m also reminded of the fact that this experience–going on exchange–doesn’t just affect me. While I’m off trollying around and licking poles in Norway she’s still living the everyday life at home…except with one less person in the household. I used to assuage myself by thinking that it would’ve been just the same if I had gone off to college, but at least then she could see me during vacations and holidays.

I know that my life is just beginning, and I know that I want to see the world and experience life, but I still feel guilty for leaving her. It’s a different situation than it would have been if we had been a three-member family. Even though she has a boyfriend now, I’m not blind to the frailty of “long-term relationships”–she’s on her third one now. I ultimately hope that he’ll be the one to take care of her and keep her company, just as I hoped that the last one would do, and the one before that. (She’s also considering break up with him.)

I know she wouldn’t like the thought of anyone pitying her, me included (or maybe me especially), and I’m not. I just want her to be happy. And though she reassures me she’s fine, even the toughest of people can feel small and alone without somebody at their side.

So anyway, after that tearful phone call, my eyes never unreddened/unpuffed themselves and now I realize that I have pink eye.

And the thought of school doesn’t do anything but exacerbate matters. I spent pretty much the past four days doing nothing but cramming to finish up an English presentation on Chinese minorities. (Did you know that in addition to provinces and municipalities, China also has five “autonomous regions,” each named after the most populous minority nationality in that region?)

I’m in no way giving up or calling it quits, but things could go just a tad better, you know? Well, at least Ungkaren is on TV tomorrow.

Anyway, påskeferie (Easter Break) is coming up and we’re headed west to Bergen to spend a week with Mamma’s sister Irene and her family. I’m looking forward to seeing western Norway again. And hopefully, I’ll be able to come back with a better grasp of that darned Bergen dialect. (Who knows? I might even begin to understand Leif and samfunnsøkonomi.)