"Welcome to Norway!" (Round 2)

"I am scared. For the first time in my adult life, 

I don't have a solid plan for what I am going to do next.

I am headed to a land where I don't speak the language, 

I am by most statistics undereducated for the job market, 

I don't have the support or professional network that I use in the States,

my college degree is not related to the career I would like to pursue,

I don't have much savings left, 

I will need a work visa within two months,

the cost of living is extremely high,

and I am doing it all for a woman I haven't seen in 14 months.

I am scared, but I will use fear as my motivation.

I will work harder, search longer, study more, and apply myself more than others.

If there is one thing I've learned in these past few years, it is "follow your heart".

My heart has led me here. And I will not quit. I love this country, these people, and this girl.

And so, a new chapter begins. No doubt a difficult one. But the reward is unimaginable."

Katrine and I hiking the mountains near her family's cabin.

On  Friday, Dec. 12, I departed Prague en route to the Winter Wonderland of Trondheim, Norway. After traveling for 14 months through 29 countries, I could not possibly have been more excited to arrive here and be with Katrine again.

Katrine and I before our final trek to the peak of "Store Vengetind"

The last time I was here in Norway was one of the best experiences of my life. We hiked and laughed and traveled all though Norway seeing the fjords and mountains and all the lush green scenery of this beautiful country. We traveled through Trondheim, Isfjørden, Meråker, Stavanger, Bergen, Oslo, and Lofoten. We ate whale and moose and reindeer in the same day. We climbed some of the most breathtaking peaks I have ever seen and swam in some of the coldest water I have ever been in. We camped and canoed and caught fish and even had an Arctic Fox chew a hole in my tent one night. Bad fox! Along the way, I practiced my Norwegian and did my best to learn about the culture, people, and history of Norway. Few places in this world are as raw and breathtakingly beautiful as this. The entire journey seemed like one long, wonderful dream.

Jumping for joy atop Trolltunga, near Stavanger.

The Arctic Fox that ate a hole in my tent. We still love you, foxy!

When I left Norway, I headed to the Philippines to assist in the disaster relief efforts in the wake of the biggest typhoon in recorded history. Typhoon Haiyan (Yolanda) ripped through the central Philippines leaving over 6,300 dead in its path. As a volunteer member of Team Rubicon, it was one of the defining moments of my life to be there on the ground and offer assistance amid the destruction and chaos. Immediately after the Philippines, I left on an 11-month missions trip through Africa, India, Nepal, Southeast Asia, and Eastern Europe. Needless to say, by the time I finally returned to Norway, I was thoroughly exhausted and very excited to finally see Katrine again.

Conducting aerial reconnaissance over Tacloban during Operation: Seabird.

Our first full day together, we picked up right where we had left off: hiking and rock climbing. It was good to be doing things together again and it helped break the somewhat awkward tension of not seeing each other for so long. That evening we got several inches of snow. The next morning, we went for a scenic hike in a nearby park and enjoyed playing some board games at the cabin. We watched movies, laughed, and shared stories of the past year. It sure is nice to be together again!

"Winter Wonderland"

Now, I am back to searching for a job and learning Norwegian and taking online classes for marketing and programming. I am an immigrant and I face an extremely talented and educated candidate pool. That, in fact, is the reason for this blog. When you find yourself stressed, a little scared, and wondering what the future will look like you generally have two options: 1) Let the fear consume and paralyze you 2) Take stock of your situation, honestly asses your strengths, weaknesses and goals, and determine to do whatever it takes to succeed. I have chosen the second option. I will use my experiences and talents to make me the best possible candidate for this job market. Hopefully I can use this blog to explain to friends and prospective employers who I am, why I wish to stay here, and what I have to offer. Along the way, I will blog about my experiences to remind me why I am here, what my goals are, and what an amazing country this is.

Lofoten Islands. One of the most beautiful places I have ever seen.

View from atop one of the mountains in Lofoten.

I will also play catch-up by posting blogs on hundreds of hikes, road-trips, and amazing adventures over the past couple of years. Forward momentum is the driving force behind all success.

"The most successful men in the end are those whose success is the result of steady accretion... It is the man who carefully advances step by step, with his mind becoming wider and wider - and progressively better able to grasp any theme or situation - persevering in what he knows to be practical, and concentrating his thought upon it, who is bound to succeed in the greatest degree" - Alexander Graham Bell

The Future of Afghanistan and US Strategy: A Presentation by Ambassador Eikenberry

Well, that was an informative lecture on the future of Afghanistan. I'm guessing that most people in the audience probably didn't like what they heard. Here's the quick recap from my notes from former US Ambassador to Afghanistan and retired Army Lieutenant General Karl Eikenberry's assessment of the key challenges and risks ahead.

4 main challenges: 
1) Pakistan. Biggest challenge. Sanctuary for Taliban due to geo-political issues. If Afghanistan fails in the near future, they will need to be friends with their neighbors. This includes Pakistan, India, Iran, Russia, and China. The Taliban is the only hope that Afghanistan has for hedging their bets and keeping these wolves at bay. The tribalism of the Pashtun also plays a critical role in shaping alliances. Pakistan's growing tactical nuclear weapons program makes it an even bigger threat.
2) Cost of ANA. The Afghan National Army costs more that $4.4billion annually. Afghanistan in total brings in less than $2billion annually, so NATO, the US, etc are covering the costs. But if our economy continues to struggle and we cut aid, there is a real fear that the nation's military will collapse. The ANA is institutionally unstable and cannot self-sustain. They are operating under a complex military framework that resembles ours. Something that they appear unable to maintain on their own.
3) Political issues. Afghanistan will face major issues in the upcoming election. Will Karzai give up his seat willingly? Will free and fair democratic elections take place? With massive corruption and a weak democratic system that is relatively untested, much hangs in the balance. They must have diverse political parties and fair elections, but this will prove almost impossible (my words not his). Additionally, the major funding that the ANA is receiving has placed them in a position of power which resembles a military security state. Moreover, most of the military leaders are former militia leaders. There is a possibility for disintegration from within if oversight is pulled away.
5) Economics. Afghanistan spends over $8billion per year and beings in only $2billion. What will happen when support begins to dwindle? Will their systems and infrastructure survive? If not, will we continue to step in?

Main upsides:
Major improvements in education, health care, and living conditions since 2002. Many Afghanis had been brutalized and traumatized by oppressive local leaders (Still seems to be the case to me...). Now, almost 80% have access to level 3 medical care. Elementary and university enrollment are up dramatically, providing hope for future generations.

Future of US involvement: 
1) We must ensure preparedness as threats from neighbors continue to create instability in the region. Pakistan, Iran, Syria, etc. (I know most of you are not going to like that part). Basically, Afghanistan is our new Kuwait is what I take away from this.
2) We must keep Iran from developing nuclear weapons. Afghanistan is an essential part of this.
3) Regional stability relies largely on the outcome of events in Afghanistan. Pakistan's growing tactical nuclear arsenal, Instability throughout the Middle East, and threats from extremist groups pose major obstacles for future developments in this entire region.
4) Afghanistan needs to improve national income. Trade agreements, development of resources, etc are huge factors in developing economic, political, and geographical stability.

Parting shots: 

Needless to say, it seems that we will not be completely pulling out of Afghanistan anytime soon. Even reducing troops from 150k to 10k poses major problems as this is not enough assertive force to provide stability if things began to crumble. It seems that at least from Lt. Gen Eikenberry's position, nuclear weapons and terrorism are a major reason for our continuing presence. Additionally, he seems to be no more confident about the future of Afghanistan as a stand-alone government than I am. I hope it works. I have my fingers and toes crossed. But only time will tell what happens as we begin to draw down and eventually reduce funding and support.

Your comments... fire away.

http://igs.berkeley.edu/events/the-future-of-afghanistan-and-us-strategy-in-central-and-south-asia

 — at UC Berkeley.

Following the Call... Again

Life is funny, and it runs an interesting course. There's so much to this story... but I guess here is a good place to start:

Well, I had my interview with The World Race today. And, as I sit here, drinking a cold microbrew, watching ESPN, planning a flight to Patagonia from my laptop, and listening to salmon sizzle in the oven, I am well aware that much is about to change.

A year from now, I will be halfway around the world, sleeping on a floor somewhere eating rice and beans, planting churches, working in orphanages, helping women and children trapped in sex trafficking, and bringing God's faith, love, and hope along with me as I go. If there is one thing that I've come to learn over the past several months, it's that my heart is not normal. I'm not normal. I have a search for something more. Driven by passion, adventure, love, purpose, and a desire to serve... and willing to settle for nothing less. I am not you're average guy. And I was not created to live an average life. God has a plan for me.

When I joined the Marine Corps, I knew that it was what I was supposed to do. A life calling. MY track. When I chose to attend UC Berkeley, it was the same. But, somewhere along the path, I stopped listening to my heart. We'll get into that later. But there was a lot of stumbling, a lot of mistakes, and a life that was simply not on track for what God intended for me. The result was anger, depression, and just not me being "me". In short, everything sort of exploded all at once. Yet another story for another time, but the important part is that it helped to chart my current path.

I remember for months on end, feeling as if my heart was going to explode. Trying to sort out the what, why, how... And finally, deciding that "If my heart wants to feel like it's going to explode, I'll give it some real reason to do so. I will push harder, farther, faster, and stronger than ever before. Let it explode." I was looking for something new. I knew I needed adventure. I knew I NEEDED God back in my life. And I knew that I needed a purpose because that is just how I am designed.

As I searched through Google for words like adventure, mission, calling, purpose, I entered "World Race". And the rest is history... or, ummm... future, I suppose. But when I saw it, I knew. In fact, I cried when I watched the video. ( http://youtu.be/PPOZNkXIjKc ). But don't ever tell anyone that. Ever.

During the interview today, I was asked "Do you consider yourself the ideal Christian?" My reply: "Hell no. But I believe that God has a plan for me. I am willing to follow. I am willing to lead. And I have a heart that is 10x the size of that of any other person you will ever meet. So, let's do this and see what happens".

So, a short blog, with LOTS of information left out and missing, and LOTS more yet to come. I suppose that's why they have that "Subscribe" button over there in the corner. Stay tuned.