Bye Bye Harstad

After an unbeleivable 5 months with some truely amazing people, my time in Harstad has come to an end.  This experience is no doubt at the top of my list of proud and exciting things I have accomplished and had the honour to live out in my life.  I am so happy to know that there are great people around the world and glad that I had the chance to meet the people I did and learn about their home countries from them. I have travelled before and loved all of the countries (20+ and counting) that I have visted but never have I felt the way I do now about Norway.  I always thought that Id visit a country once, then never return and instead see other new countries but I am happy to say that Norway has found a special place in my heart and I will without a doubt return someday.

My last night in Harstad was a good one.  We had planned to go make a bonfire and roast some marshmellows but it was to cold and rainy so we instead sat inside, watched a fire burning on YouTube and attempted to roast marshmellows on candles (not a good idea).  Alot of people showed up to say their goodbyes and we later went for a walk at my favourite spot near the ocean at Trondennes.  After the walk, people who hadnt made it to the outing kept popping by to say goodbye.  It was strange to say goodbye to these people who I have been with more or less every day for five months but it seemed surreal and 4 days later, it still hasnt sunk in.  I have done my best to convince these friends to come visit Canada someday.  I know that some of them will and I know that Ill never seem some of them again, either way, I am so thankful to have met these people.

The next morning I woke up at 3:30am to catch and early bus to the airport with my dear roommate Rebecca (Danish) and friend Aya (Russia) where we were going to stay with our friend Audun (Norwegian) on his family farm for a few days.  It was so early in the morning but still, so many people unexpectedly got up to say goodbye again, make us coffee or just stayed up all night to be able to say goodbye in the morning.  The two girls are coming back to Harstad after our time in Southern Norway, but for me, these were final goodbyes.  Franzi (German) and Remi (Norwegian) walked us all the way to the bus (good thing because I was carrying all of my belongings that I had accumulated since Janurary) and we waved goodbye to them from the bus.  It was strange that it was the last time for me to see these mountains that had awed me every day for 5 months.