Welcome-basket

[differentcountries]

I was thinking about making SO a welcome basket for his first visit to Norway. He has lived in Turkey all his life and not travelled much abroad. I expect Norway and my city to be a little different from what he is used to, and I want to make sure he fits in nicely. I have found a few things that could go in the basket , like a personal bus card and warm socks, but I am still not done with it. I am thinking different themes, like something to eat, something to wear, something to read, a suggestion book /list of suggestions for things to do while he is here - and that the "basket" can be a gym bag that he can use if he wants to work out.

Have any of you done something similar for your your SOs first visit? Do you have suggestions of what I might include in the welcome basket, I would be happy to hear them

[Emilia]

This is such a great idea! You are so thoughtful!

[differentcountries]

This is such a great idea! You are so thoughtful!

Thanks

The book I ordered came in the mail today! It is like a comic book explaining/mocking stuff about Norway, in English. SO likes comics. He is quite introvert so I imagine he might like Norwegian social life better than Turkish ones (he is always complaining there is no way to escape being social), but he is still a polite man and I don't want him to get offended, so maybe the book can explain it better than I can? He has met lots of Norwegians, but drunk Norskies on holiday is nothing like we are at home.

I have bought a "visual dictionary" (Norwegian-Turkish), I will start him a subscribtion on Babbel.com so he can start to learn Norwegian, and we are going to make some "gift cards" to get rain boots and the like because he will need a lot of rain gear coming here.

Turks tend to like...well, Turkish food. I will not try any preserved Norwegian food because he doesn't like that. But I will get some Norwegian chocolate, and nuts, and perhaps some drawings of food I am going to make to him, and I could make him some cakes.

I know a few things to do around here - like take him out on boat trips to se the area, or rent a car to drive to our cabin and other places.

[sweetshay]

Great idea!! For some reason a cool map popped into my head that with pictures of things that highlight places your SO should go visit, like MUST SEE things such as historic or beautiful landmarks you could go to. The dictionary is a nice touch too. Maybe find info on something trivia related such as things that are normal in Norway that aren't in Turkey like hand gestures or greetings.

[merlinkitty]

I didn't realize he'd never been to see you! But now you mention it, I do remember you always going to him and the flat you had how exciting! This will be so much fun for you to finally have him there to see your home city!!

[differentcountries]

Thanks Before we realized how restrictive Norway can be about "yellow" countries, he tried for a regular tourist visa and got rejected from a very suspicious embassy. This time we do visitor visa with money guarantee from me and now they could eat from our hands, haha! I guess we prepared well.

About the map; I know the tourist information give out free city centre maps, so I would maybe plot in some of the things I want to show him in that one. I have found a book to write/draw/put pictures in, and my idea is now that I will make 99 (or some other nice number of) suggestions of what to do while in Norway. I want to show him my fav castle and tower, hike in the mountains and go out on a boat in the fjord (I am quite good at rowing, which I have never shown him before). It will also be nice to cook at home, celebrate Valentine and his birthday, see my friends, take him for a yoga class etc.We will probably stay in my city most of the time, perhaps go for a weekend trip to the capital, as we all have friends there (and rent an Airbnb flat).

About body language: I notice that when I am in Turkey, my body language starts to be more timid (I don't fling my arms around as much nor throw myself down on a chair) while at the same time I get more extrovert with like greeting everyone all the time. Compared to Norwegian standards, Turks are very polite (which SO sometimes refers to as "lying" but I think that is taking it a bit far) but also more extrovert and blunt. A lot of politeness rules are different, which the book I bought explains rather well. But I actually think they will suit him... He is very introvert for a Turk and often longs for that stuff Norwegians tends to crave and create for themselves - like mental and physical space.

I am pretty serious about him learning Norwegian proper - especially if he should consider living here - but yes he needs somethink to kickstart that somehow, so perhaps I could make him like differentcountries' easy dictionary, or buy him a small guide. I think someone will visit the tourist information tomorrow... Also I am going to buy a new computer that he can use if he wants to practice on Babbel.