This weekend my part of Norway was socked with snow, and it’s been like walking around in a snow globe.

We got nearly a foot of snow in about 24 hours and it was cool to see how the Norwegians took it all in stride. But hey, this is Norway, what’d I expect? When I lived in Portland, Oregon we got a dusting of snow and the city shut down.

However here, the massive snowplows travel in threes shortly after the first flake drifts down from the clouds. Workers are continually dropping salt and gravel on the pavement and shoveling or bulldozing the walkways and parking lots. Plus, the cars use winter tires which have great traction. So basically life goes on.

Norwegians walk to the store, school or bus with no effs given to the mounds of snow. It helps that they’re extremely talented at walking on ice and snow.  When I step outside, I look like Bambi on ice, while everyone else is as graceful as Thumper.

Me:

via GIPHY

 

Them:

However today, with a foot of snow beneath me, I stood a chance to remain upright. As usual we walked the boys to school and I watched in awe as kids whizzed by us on mini-snowboards and sleds. Our family plodded through the thick powder and it took my 5 year old quite some time because the snow came up to his knees.

But it was fun, and though I slipped a lot, I didn’t fall, which is a minor miracle. And now I can honestly say that I’ve walked to school in more than a foot of snow that was uphill both ways.