From marathon to breathing

Tinnsjå lake, 2025

A week ago, we said goodbye to our first homeland.

A week ago, we registered ourselves as citizens in our new homeland.

One of the reasons we wanted to leave the Netherlands was the constant busyness. Not just for Bjorn, but for ourselves as well. We noticed that in recent years we were truly “switched on” 100% of the time, every single day — and that is exhausting. As floaty as it may sound, it’s incredibly tiring for your soul too. Being constantly switched on gives you no opportunity to pause, and therefore no rest. We noticed that we were being worn down by that busyness, so we decided that things really needed to change. The moment Bjorn and I stepped off the plane and into Oslo Airport, the difference in pace was immediately noticeable.

Now, a week later, we both feel the restlessness leaving our bodies — a little more each day. It also helps that every morning we wake up to a view of a lake filled with swimming birds; it’s genuinely meditative — yes, even for me. What we still need to get used to is that shops and services really are closed on Sundays. Not even for an hour — no, on Sundays it’s rest. Norwegians head into nature and make sure, together, that they recharge. A small thing to get used to, and it does require a bit more planning for groceries, for example.

For someone with ADHD like me, this calm is very strange at first. There is simply time and space to stand still, and that is a completely new concept for me. And I really have to get used to it — but wow, it feels good. I firmly believe that I’ll also experience fewer “symptoms” of my quirky ADHD. I’m allowed to pause, and my brain can come to a stop for a moment (as far as that’s possible). Going from 200 km/h to 100 km/h is still fast, but every step slower is a win.

Igor felt at home right away in the “standard” calm of Norway and the Norwegians: more reserved, less loud, and above all more introverted. He thrives in that, and you can see how it’s helping him come out of his shell.

And then there’s our little bear. We especially notice that because we finally have peace in our bodies, Bjorn now has it too. Playing with his Duplo on his own. And going to the potty all by himself. For the non-parents: this is a big deal. I had absolutely no idea how to get Bjorn from diapers to the potty, but he did it completely on his own. Such big steps in just one week, that has to mean something.

The only thing left for me, as a woman, best friend and mother, to say is: how wonderful it is to finally be able to breathe.