My First Article - Written in Norwegian

"You're officially part of Eidskog history!" 



That's how I started a letter to the ladies from the 2008 NorwayBound trip this weekend. Our photograph - taken back then while picnicing at a lake with my host parents - was featured in the annual norsk Christmas publication, "Jul i Eidskog."

Just after New Year's Day, I received my copy from the book's editor. Not only had he taken the photograph, but he had also convinced me to contribute an article - "a little greeting" explaining my connection to the community located an hour east of Oslo on the Swedish border.

His request came early last fall - while I was up to my ears in projects. I told him if he could wait until October's end, I'd help. He agreed to the deadline. When I emailed a month later asking for a word-count size, he said not to worry, just let the article run its course. He could cut out an article he'd written on the area's last three cowboys to fit in mine.

I sent him my draft of "Julebrev fra Amerika" (Christmas Letter from Amerika) and wrote, "I won't be disappointed if you don't use this and instead focus on real Eidskogingers - also, folks who live there now." He returned my article with "not many" edits and the intended photos, including the lakeside one, another with the boys and me leading a Norwegian Christmas program at our local elementary school, plus our family standing on the snowy hillside behind our north-central Minnesota home.

The editor's decision to use the article gave me a surprise gift for my host families. The publication came out well before Christmas. In his holiday greetings, my host dad wrote, "Many people have read your article with the fine photo at Hesbølsjøen. Another host mom explained how the thread that binds us is strong indeed. To increase its strength, she sent a framed version of Eidskog's lumberjack poet Hans Børli's

Road to Eternity and a pair of house nisses.

When my copy finally arrived, I was happy to see "The Last Three Cowboys" didn't get cut. Instead the book grew to 128 pages. I showed my article with the photos to my husband and sons.  They said, "Now we're a lasting part of Eidskog history too!"

To the editor, I wrote:

"You Norwegians are clever to help others widen their horizons. Now I've published my first article written in Norwegian!"

Not too bad after nearly 30-years' exposure to the language.

(Click on individual photos for closeup view, including the English translation to the left.)