3 Quotes by Paul Watkins

Still hovering at the back of my mind is a stereotype of Norwegians as descendants of ax-wielding barbarians, but this ancient image clashes wildly with the gentleness, honesty and generosity of the Norwegians I have met on my journey.

The woman smiles and says, "Hey," the standard Norwegian greeting.I "Hey" back, but then she says a whole sentence and I am force to explain, in English, that I have no idea what she is saying. I feel like a fraud, and I see a change in the focus of her eyes. I am a stranger, and even if I am no less welcome, I am still a stranger.

It is odd how, when you have announced that you are leaving, it is as if you are already gone, even if your physical departure still lies months away. People begin to erase you from their minds, and you walk the halls with a feeling of growing transparency.