Warning: It may rain tomorrow!

One of the funniest--and most consistent--phrases I've heard from everyone here in Norway comes about when I express delight at the great weather here. Each person, regardless of the situation, smiles, agrees and ominously says....'yes, but this is not typical...it may rain tomorrow!' In so many ways this typifies the Norwegian need to keep happiness contained, to keep the beauty in a box so you can always admire it safely. They are some of the most fun-loving people I have ever had the pleasure to meet, however they are very clear that you enjoy the good while it's here because it may disappear tomorrow.

This is a country whose original 'ambassadors' were the Vikings who went out in the world and, um, strongly encouraged the parts of other cultures that interested in them to come back to Norway. The citizenry was rewarded for this extended reach by the the arrival of the Black Death on a ship from England in 1349 that wiped out 2/3 of the population and cast the future of the country in grave doubt. Needless to say, Norwegians kept a low profile and limited their interaction with foreign elements after that. They may have stayed in that mode were it not for the discovery of North Sea oil in 1968 which brought them to the attention of the larger world once again. As oil becomes ever more important in the modern world, Norway is at a crossroads as to how to interact with the world. There is great joy that they have the security of financial strength, however they are cautious about spending that wealth on anything frivolous beyond governmentally-endorsed initiatives which would make them appear to be gloating about their fortune...especially since the last time they flexed their power in the world they were gifted with the Black Death, lol.

Given the history, their caution is understood...however, a bit of risk is called for to reinvent the Norwegians role in the world. Towards that end, part of the discussion that Elin & I are undertaking during my visit here is the need for a new generation of Cultural Vikings who will take up where Erik Blodøks (a/k/a Erik the Red or Erik Bloodax) left off. We'll trade the blood for paint, the axe for the stone carver's chisel and the fear of destruction for the joy of creation.

And we'll press on even if it rains tomorrow!

rg