Dear Norway...

[misscam]

East of the Sun, West of the Moon has been updated with ch. 22 here (CSI Forensics) & here (ff.net). It's another killer POV, this time from a Norwegian.

Speaking of Norwegians - today is June 7th 2005 and it is exactly 100 years since Norway split from Sweden after a union of nearly 90 years (before that, we were in a Union with Denmark for about 400 years) and the modern, independent kingdom of Norway was born. And thus, I'm about to go into a sickening love declaration for my country, so run screaming away unless you really want to read patriotic dribbling.

My darling silly little country of mine,

today you are 100 years on your own in the modern world. Hurrah for you. I don't think anyone in 1905 would have guessed from the Norway then that we'd be considered one of the best places in the world to live now. We were poor and the backwater of Europe in so many ways. We're still a bit of an oddity, but we're also properous, peaceful and fairly decent. And for all our moaning, I think most of us are happy here.

I know I am. You are my cradle, my home, my land. You have shaped me, and thus you're forever a part of me. I love your mountains and fjords and sea crashing into the land, your rough, enduring nature and yes, even the crappy weather that made me love the good weather even more. I love your midnight sun and northern lights and silence and peace of winter. I love your silly, self-involved people of which I am a part, even with our obsessions for sport and Eurosong and frozen pizza. I love our naivite in thinking we can improve the world and our trying to do so, too, even if we sometimes fail.

I don't love everything about us or my country. Everything has flaws and you certainly do. But they cannot change the fact that you are my country and your sun is framing my life. Happy 100th, Norway. I hope that at your 200th, Norwegians will still be fairly happy, prosperous and peaceful. But maybe with not as many zero-point entries for Eurosong, no?

Sincerly,
Camilla

Links:
Official Centennial celebration site
Norway marks its '100th birthday' (BBC)
In Norway's centennial year, try the triangle tour (CNN)

Comments

[aervir.livejournal.com]

Happy Birthday, dear Norway, then! Forgive me if I refrain from serenading your little country on its 100th anniversary, but I'd better not sing. :D

[anti-nation.livejournal.com]

Happy 100th Birthday to Norway!

[falena]

Happy birthday, Norway!

June 2nd was the equivalent festivity here in Italy but it wasn't much of a big deal. We're not quite so patriotic, I'm afraid.

I love your declaration of love to your country, Cam. Very sweet.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I shall take the Kitty as a token of your love, then :P

[misscam.livejournal.com]

We're among the most patriotic in the world, I think, so don't feel to bad. Our national day is INSANE.

:)

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Elrond!

[falena]

Nah, I don't feel bad. Just a little bit envious :-). We definitely are among the least patriotic. As they say you get what you deserve.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Really? I'd think Italy had a lot to be proud of, historically at least. But I guess modern history has been harder on it. Maybe Berlusconi will fall off a bridge and there'll be more to be proud of, hmm? Fingers crossed, anyway.

[falena]

Generally I'd agree with you but I think we Italian have a knack for noticing only what's wrong with our country and rarely acknowledging the little good things that happen.

We're a half-empty-glass kind of people, me thinks. Plus, we notoriously love to complain about what's wrong with our country without ever getting down to work and try and change it.

I think Berlusconi is jinx-repellent (is that a word?). Don't know how many Italian people are home, playing with a little Berlusconi voodoo doll and he's always well. Hell, he even got cancer and promptly beat it. (Not that I'm actually hoping for him to get gravely ill..I'm not that mean...yet..It was just an example of his resilience).

[sinneahtes.livejournal.com]

*pats Norway* Ah... pictures like that little one in CNN remind me that I'm sorry I didn't get to visit your country while I was in Europe... they don't quite strike me the way Ireland's or Switzerland's scenery did, but they're beautiful just the same.

And blast, I thought I had an idea for a New Vinland flag to play around with, but I forgot what it was...

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Try to rememebr? *bats eyelashes*

[misscam.livejournal.com]

We do that too (Norwegian whinge like hell at times), but we're also wildly patriotic at the same time. Yeah, we're odd.

Hmmm. Maybe one needs harder ammunition. Like sticking voodoo dolls in a vat of lutefisk.

[falena]

Hmmm. Maybe one needs harder ammunition. Like sticking voodoo dolls in a vat of lutefisk.

::Rolling on the floor, laughing madly here::

[briasoleil.livejournal.com]

Happy 100th, Norway! What a sweet tribute to your country, Cam.

Also, after I practice piano tonight, I'm going to go over the next two chapters. Life was just mad crazy this weekend.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

:)

Lutefisk IS Norway's Weapon of Mass Destruction.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

I gather so. And no rush. I'm still with the next chapter and Sam Braun is not being co-operative. I'm gonna have to smack him some.

*hugs Norway*

[evilstorm.livejournal.com]

Happy birthday! And the icon is genius.

[basilea.livejournal.com]

I'm always surprised at your patriotism. It's so very different here!

So... Happy Birthday Norway! You won't get any presents? Too bad.

[misscam.livejournal.com]

We got Rumsfeld stopping by. Some would call that a present. I call it a headache.

We are indeed an unusually patriotic bunch here.

[erhothwen.livejournal.com]

I love it when people show love for their country.

Oh Norway, you sexy-in-a-subtle-way beast, have a good one.

[insert intercountry smut]

[misscam.livejournal.com]

Snort. I've actually read Norway/Sweden smut.

[erhothwen.livejournal.com]

No love for Finland? [Scandinavian orgy]

[misscam.livejournal.com]

That would be Nordic orgy. Finland, not Scandinavian. (We love them anyway.)