They really are everywhere
When you emigrate, you ideally want to be surrounded by nothing but the new culture and language, at least, that’s how we feel. But what if you move to an area comparable to a large Dutch village? Do you get to see the "real" Norwegian life or just city life? Somewhere in the back of your mind, you also wonder if there are other Dutch people living in this region, but since we live in a fairly quiet area, surely it won't be that bad? Right? RIGHT?
At the most random moments, someone suddenly speaks Dutch to you because they hear that you are Dutch too. We were on vacation in a nearby region and were in the supermarket. The owner suddenly asks, "Are you here on vacation?" And then you think, "Is my brain processing so fast that I'm hearing Dutch now, or... huh?" Yes, the supermarket owner emigrated to Norway in the early 2000s. Another time, you're standing in the checkout line at Jysk with your feral toddler, joking around with each other. There’s a mother and daughter waiting next to us and we suddenly hear, "Yes, that’s what moms are for" (I don't remember the context anymore, hehe). Once again, you think, "Wait, am I translating this so smoothly in my head?" It turned out to be a family where the mom is Dutch and the dad is Norwegian.
Next, you have to buy winter boots, so you show up at a sports store on your best behavior. An employee asks in Norwegian if she can help us. She then gives several pieces of advice in Dutch, and once again you think, "Is my brain playing tricks on me?" She has lived in Norway for twenty years and assures us that we'll be just fine. Last week, Bjorn and I were swimming, attempting a lesson in the therapy pool where a water physio session was also taking place. Bjorn was doing a great job kicking, but accidentally kicked backward while the instructor was walking behind him. I quickly said, "Beklager!" (Sorry!). The instructor responded with, "Good job, having a nice swim?" Honestly, every single time this happens, I can't react for the next five seconds because I truly have no idea how to respond, other than: THEY REALLY ARE EVERYWHERE.
What stands out is that every time this happens, I totally didn't expect it because they speak fluent Norwegian. Secretly, that also gives us a lot of hope and a perspective for the future. My Norwegian is currently at a toddler level—I understand what they’re saying, but the speaking part is missing. Someone asks if I need help picking out wool in a craft shop, and I start responding in such a polite, awkward way: "(Error 404 in my brain) Nei takk?" (No thanks?), at which point they look at me wondering if I’m okay. But I always ask in English if they can continue speaking slowly in Norwegian so I can keep practicing.
There will come a moment when I don't have a total "error" and can cautiously speak back in good Norwegian. In twenty years, I’ll run into a young family in the same situation we are in now, and I’ll look back on this story with the moral that you really will succeed, as long as you keep trying and dare to make mistakes. After all, they speak English incredibly well here, so if you really can’t follow them, they switch over just like that.