"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