We had a dramatic start, as he forgot to bring his papers, as well as print his return ticket. I almost had a heart attack when the police called from the capital airport, asking if I knew SO... there was a couple of hours of drama and buying a new transfer ticket, then I could finally pick him up at the airport. He almost fell into my arms from exhaustion, he had taken one long distance bus and 3 airplanes and had some type of ear pain as he had a cold...I remember whispering into his ear as we were waiting for the bus to the city: you silly man... How could I not forgive him for being spontantious and forgetful? Next year I will print all his tickets myself and put his papers in a red folder, or I will even travel with him myself!
I was really upset that I could not visit my Turkish inlaws, and they were asking for me too on Skype. I just could not get away from the whole buying-selling-flat business. I told myself that it is a wise money investment, and also that it will make our lives easier, including for SOs visits. Still I felt so, so bad.
My plan was to buy a new flat before he came, so we all could live there. That did not happen, because the flat marked is very heated here right now - we could not afford the bidding rounds. But we used a special number, so 2 days after he arrived, me and SO (not me and my husband!) went flatlooking for a flat at set price that we could afford. It had awful 70s and 80s features but was otherwise in good condition. We brought pictures to show my husband after he came from work. And then it was settled! We had bought a flat.... Again, me and SO went looking for paint colours, we chose about 15 and then me and my husband narrowed it down to 5-6 to use in the flat. The bedroom colours (blue and very light pink) were the same at me and SO imagined. We got a building company to paint/fix the walls and put on new floors in some of the rooms. So now SO knows where he will be staying next visit...
There was some sickness during our stay. SO was sick when he came, then I got sick with high fever (they both took me to see the doctor, it was kind of cute) and had to take antibiotics, then my husband got phneumonia and although he is much better and has started working again, he is actually still on meds as I write this. SO, the only time SO went hiking, it was with my husband (I was sick, and then it started to rain most days). SO and I got good training in being chefs/nurses for my husband. It was a good deal of "every day" life during SOs stay, also it was a different routine for us since I was working 4 days a week and he had to wait for me, not the other way around like when I am in Turkey!
The intention was for SO and my husband to switch places every night and for me to stay in the flat, but my husband could not be moved when he was sick, so for the most part I travelled between the hotel and home every night. It was nice sometimes and a little stressful at other times. The hotel was better than I expected and I got a good deal on a month's stay. My husband also liked staying there when he did. Apart from the flat and the hotel, we also stayed one night each at 3 other places; my family cottage, a hotel in the capital and in his friend's flat outside the capital.
Here is some of the stuff we did:
- visited his best friend's fiance (she lives in my city) and their 4 month baby boy
- travelled with lightrail, train and bus - it should have been plane too, but there was an airline strike - he was very fascinated by our tunnells...
- did a Norways in a nutshell tour - our route for 10 hours was: slow local train, guided bus ride, stop at a nice spot where I bought him a suivinir, guided boat over a fjord (very romantic), stop at a railway museum (he was really into it...he had never stayed on a train before), a special train up a steep mountain, then the main train back again. He was so exhausted that he was sleeping on most of the last stretch... It was really so, so nice.
- cooked food and made drinks. I found some German-produced Turkish sausage which was quite good with fried eggs, and SO made the best marinated olives. I made SO Norwegian sourcream waffles that we ate with jam and whipped cream. SO developed a huge fondness for Sweedish type of soft bread, shrimp "salad" (shrimps in a type of majo sauce - a very popular bread spread here) and Cheez Doodlez.
- visited his other best friend; a Norwegian girl who lives outside the capital, her Turkish husband and her mum and step-dad. And the mum's cat, who loved me (although it dislikes everyone else. The mum claimed it is because I am peaceful, which cats tends to like). The first night I talked to the mum alone. I had never met her before and was so nervous that my hands were shaking. The Turkish boys were talking football and bla bla. I enjoyed listening to Turkish, it has been more than 3 months since I was last in Turkey, so all the Turkish I hear is music and Turkish class. I can understand quite a bit, and say a little too - Biraz Türkçe konuşuyorum!
- he started to learn Norwegian. I am amazed at how good his pronunciation is! I was helping him say Norwegian Y and Ĝ. He was reading every sign and repeating every station or message said in public transportation. I am very positive towards him learning Norwegian this year...
- he got a sort of job offer! Someone is opening a Turkish restaurant in my city, and want Turkish waiters to wait...Everything is just in planning stage yet, but it sounds good so far. If he can learn Norwegian...
- he met two of my siblings. We did not say what our relation is, but still a huge step.
- he met some of my friends and I met one of his friends/guests
- when asked by one of my overtly curious friends if he is going to have a child with me, he just said something like Let's wait and see. Smiling. yes, I am probably reading far too much into that!
- When I brought SO to a polyamory meeting, I found out that his grandfather was married to 2 women at a time; his grandmother and his step-/co-grandmother. Now I understand his family history so much better! He is really close with his step-/co-grandmother and his step-aunt. I think it is cool that he has some poly in his history, even if his granddad was married to two women only a couple of years (until his grandmother died).
- I brought him for Turkish class, and yoga class
- We celebrated Valentine all three of us - the boys got me 10 red roses and I bought the boys a book each (crime fiction for my husband and a sort of comics guide to Norway for SO)
- We celebrated his birthday - I ordered a big cake with his picture on it, it looked good and was actually good too.
- We swapped clothes; he got my husband's jacket, I got his cardigan and sweater