Tuesday, March 23, 2010

Cultural Shock Norway:Chapter Having a baby in Norway

Sorry this one goes in Spanish ;)

Tener un bebe en Noruega ha sido de verdad un "cultural shock" para mi desde el comienzo. Pero antes de explicar el por que, quiero aclarar que estoy muy contenta de como el sistema social en noruega funciona, porque de verdad que funciona muy bien. No he pagado nada por mis consultas medicas, el ultrasonido, examenes médicos etc. Eso hace todo mucho mas fácil para cuando se esta embarazado porque no te tienes que preocupar por cuanto dinero necesitas para esto y lo otro. Me siento muy acogida en el país en ese sentido, porque a pesar que no soy noruega recibo los mismo privilegios, obviamente porque estoy residente y pago mis impuestos todo los meses.

Sin embargo, y nunca esta demás un pero, el quejarse un poquito no esta demás; hay ciertas cosas con las que me he tenido que adaptar y es que de verdad, muchas de estas cosas han sido un total "cultural shock" para mi. Comienzo desde el comienzo del embarazo. Aquí, para los que no saben, no hay eso de que si tu ginecólogo, tu obstetricia, tu pediatra o dermatólogo, nada que ver con eso, sino que tienes un medico general, asignado por la municipalidad y que generalmente es un doctor que vive en tu área de residencia. Obviamente, tu tienes la oportunidad de escoger otro medico, el de tu preferencia, pero la mayoria de las veces los mejores están totalmente ocupados y siempre con listas de espera de pacientes que quieren verse con ese medico en particular. Mi medico en este caso estaba un poco lejos (ya que me he mudado varias veces), pero me parecía simpático, buen doctor y con un trato humano que es necesario, pienso yo, cuando se es medico, muchos doctores noruegos suelen ser secos, fríos y muchas veces se sientan en frente de la computadora tipiando lo que tu les vas diciendo. No es que sean malos médicos "ojo" no, sino que es parte de la cultura. En fin cuando llego a la primera consulta, me encuentro que hay otra doctora! uhm! mi medico esta de sabático. Bueno nada le doy el chance a esta chica joven y simpática; el problema estaba en que era muy novata y a veces ella no tenia ni idea de las cosas que le contaba, asi que termine consultando todos mis problemas con un website babycenter.com totalmente recomendable por cierto para mujeres embarazadas. En fin lidie con eso por un tiempo hasta que conseguí otro medico despues de buscar por semanas! Este nuevo medico con mas experiencia y el consultorio me quedaba a 5 min de la casa. Perfecto problema resuelto.

El segundo problema con el cultural shock fue cuando pregunte por un ultrasonido. Aqui te dan un solo ultrasonido, el cual es gratis, pero lo hacen cuando estas casi 5 meses en el embarazo!!! Cuando me dijeron eso, casi me da un infarto...mi cara de sorpresa fue que????? estan locos que pasa si el bebe viene con defectos de nacimiento o lo que sea, 5 meses es como muy tarde para saberlo no?. En fin discutí el tema con tanta gente, por que no entendía bien el por que esperaban tanto; pero nadie estaba seguro. Cuestión de religión?, de derechos del infante que no importa el sexo o si viene con un problema todos tienes la oportunidad de venir al mundo?, me preguntaba yo todo el tiempo. Cabe destacar que en algunas culturas hacen abortos por el simple hecho del sexo. En fin nunca entendí muy bien el por que esperar tanto, quizás simplemente la paciencia noruega, a la que regresare luego. A la final decidimos pagar en una clinica por el ultrasonido cuando estaba en el mes 3. Y fue muy bueno hacerlo por cierto, ese día nos sentimos que realmente estamos embarazados. Lo otro es que no existe test para revisar por enfermedades genética para mujeres menores de 38, si quieres hacer por ejemplo el de amnio sintesis test, tienes que viajar a Dinamarca para hacerlo, que les parece??

El ultimo punto que tocare aqui en cuanto al choque cultural es la espera del dia de terminacion. Aqui te dan una fecha de terminacion, que es el la semana 40. El dia de terminacion de mi embarazo fue el pasado 19. Obviamente pense que Alessa naceria alrededor de esa fecha, pero a diferencia de en Venezuela, aqui no te inducen el parto hasta la semana 42 de embarazo. Aqui se espera a que el parto venga solito, cosa que me parece muy bonita y bueno asi que me encuentro aqui en la semana 40 y 3 dias basicamente esperando y a la paciencia nordica. Lo que no sabia es que mientras esperas, tienes contracciones y mas de una vez he pensado que ya voy a dar a luz, y llamo al hospital primero antes de lanzarme para alla y que me devuelvan y siempre me responde que es normal que te den contracciones de vez en cuando hasta que llegen las "verdaderas". En fin la espera es largisima, no tienen idea. Me encuentro aqui con una barriga gigante, con dolores, y preguntandome todos los dias sera que hoy es el dia? La espera es estresante al mismo tiempo porque una se preocupa por el bebe todo el tiempo. Creo que lo importante es que la siento y que he tenido un embarazo muy sano. Pero ya falta poco y se que terminara en algun momento. Alessa pronto saldrá de allí.

Thursday, February 18, 2010

A las 5 de la mañana


The waiting is getting long, sometimes painful, anxious but exciting. Today, i woke up again around 5 am, after another crazy nightmare. After sometime rolling around on my bed trying to get back to sleep, i decided to get up, have something to eat and why not? write something on my blog. The last two weeks have been hard, i am dealing with different sort of pains, but luckily nothing serious, my doctor told me that everything is normal and in fact it is true, there is so much going on inside your body while pregnant and I know that but somehow i get paranoid. I am also dealing with having a big belly, which makes it difficult to walk or move or have sex. But the best thing to do is to take everything easy, watch out every step or move you make, don't stay at home all the time, walk for at least 30 min, even though it might feel painful. Fresh air always helps. I also find that going to work helps as well. I am not doing much but i try to keep my self distracted at work by reading articles or doing some easy lab work. It takes awake part of my anxiety. I have been also trying to keep my artist side awake by taking more pictures, i finish two paintings and i ve been working on a webside. From next week, my maternity leave will start and hopefully i wont get too crazy for been at home so long....If you have any suggestion for a nice creative activity i could do at home, well let me know, perhaps i could learn knitting, i always wanted :)

Saturday, December 19, 2009

28 weeks


 I lovely sunday at home. It is snowing outside. The snow comes from everywhere and it has covered everything. So here i am, there's no much to do so i just log into my blog when i noticed
WooW! i can't believe it. Why did i stay away from writing for so long? My blog needs a resurrection... I am  trying to give it a new look but i am not to good at it. I must work on that. 

Alessa ultrasound --> 4 months

Perhaps, my life has been a bit busy lately. I lot have happened in 6 months. A lot!!! well yeah, i got pregnant. How awesome is that? Yes it is, even thought i must admit that i totally freaked out when i knew about it. But time goes by, and you just get used to it. and It feels great, really! it does. Well you might think in a few minutes that it doesn't but  i guess you just need to experience that yourself and you will understand what i mean.

Pregnancy is a beautiful stage in women life....some people say, and i agree with that however, they forget to tell you few things about being pregnant, perhaps because they forget about that or because after having the baby, everything seems so far away? like it never happen. I dont really know. I just tell you that pregnancy is beautiful yes, but painful too (isn't it?) 

What about all the morning sickness? when you feel horrible, don't want to eat, can't smell thinks, you find your self throwing  up must of the time, don't want to see people. Seriously, at the beginning i just wanted to be by my self. My room was the best place to be in. After morning sickness, you get afternoon sickness, don't want to eat much again and you basically sleep most of  time. The first month of my pregnancy, i just loose weight. However, when week 12 came along, the morning sickness started to disappear and instead, i got crazy cravings. For example, i suddenly became carnivorous again! I just wanted to eat steaks every day. A friend of mine showed me this video, see it because that's exactly how i felt at that time

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=r0WhgEc86B8

My cravings are also going away. Now, I feel more energetic however, i just have to deal with some pain in my back,  it was horrible at the beginning, couldn't walk or move to much but in the end, i again got use to it. Some exercises, swimming, a good spirit and a nice massage from my lovely hobbit  are helping a lot.  Now, my weight is increasing more and more! It is not easy to see your self so different but when i feel her kicking and moving inside me i get such a nice feeling that i don't care about my weight anymore. My feet and legs are swallow, specially during the night. I have problems breathing at night, but nothing serious, it seems to be part of the process as well.  

Does it seem so horrible and painful to be pregnant? nah!  i am just  complaining a bit and perhaps, i became a bit annoying. Even though, i try not to be that way.  I feel fine! hehehe how ironic is that? I guess you just understand that your body is being  taken for a while for a good reason. 

I so much looking forward to see her :)



Thursday, May 28, 2009

What would you do if you have to stay on bed-home for one week?

I asked this question a week ago after the accident when i realized that i was not going to be able to go out or move for at least one week. After 5 days at home, i could probably write what i have done:
  1. The first days: studying and studying and more studying ( i had an exam but now, it is over)
  2. Sleep: take the longest naps ever! but i feel to weak afterward. Gotta do something else.
  3. Look at the roof of my room: i start to realized that there's a crack on it and the painting is falling apart! I should tell the landlord before something goes wrong.
  4. Look around my room: Oh my gosh!!! what a mess!!! cannot tide it up yet! how? by crawling around? Bad idea (next).
  5. Look around at my room again: what should i do? and i saw my paintings on the wall
  6. Painting again: i got an idea, actually i am working on that (very efficient huh?)
  7. Complaining about how much my knee hurts: i have to go back to bed and rest my knee.
  8. Reading: I got so many books that i dont know which one is the best to start with. Besides, after the exam, i got mentally exhausted for at least one more day.
  9. Internet: check blogs, music, news-but i get bored after sometime....
  10. Looking for music on Spotify: I love this one!
  11. Talking on skype+talking on the phone.
  12. Fix some stuffs i have never done but i thought about it long time ago. My coat looks very nice!
  13. Watch movies: i def need to get more movies
  14. Write on my blog...

Friday, May 22, 2009


That's how my bike looks like after the accident!

Friday, May 15, 2009

Gratulerer to me! 4 år i Norge


I am studying today, i got an exam in 10 days, and i suddenly realize that I have 4 years in Norway! I am in fact surprise because i can believe how fast time flies...
Looking backwards, I'm remembering my first time in Norway when i visited my sister in Stavanger, everything was so different as it is right now. So many things on, in me and about me and my life have changed since 4 years ago.
4 years ago:
I was younger, 24 years, i had another boyfriend. I still have some believes about God. I didnt speak in english, just a few words, and of course! i had no idea about norwegian, Norway or Norwegians. I didnt speak Norwegian and now it seems that i am forgetting it again, so apparently i still in that point...my norwegian is not so good after all (i feel embarrassed about myself)
4 years ago:
May felt like a very cold winter to me...I remember when i went to the parade on the 17th of May, I had so much clothes on!! I was frezzing! and i couldnt believe that all these pretty Norwegians girls were wearing just a nice dress and sandals, how could they do that? when it was so cold for me!...Now i do that to :P and i dont freeze anymore...
4 years ago:
Bergen seemed so beautiful. Specially that weekend in June when i came to Bergen for the first time. Bergen just tricked me, well in fact a guy from Bergen did it as well. I felt in love with Bergen and in Bergen...The sun was shining and that guy from Bergen seemed so spectacular to me...hahaha for years later, neither Bergen is that beautiful as i thought nor that guy from bergen (sorry but is true)...
4 years ago:
I have no idea were i was going..still i have no clue what i am going...

My life has changed so much since them that it feels a lot more than 4 years....

So i came along 4 years ago, just to visit my sister who was ill at that time...Anyways, this country tricked me somehow, i didn't believe at that time that that trip would turn my life up side down. All the events that happened during my 3 first months in Norway, made me decide and give a huge step in my life. That step was, start a new whole life in Norway...So here i am, in Norway, still here...where am i gonna go after wards? who knows? I guess i will always go by the flow..i am some kind of hippie though...

Tuesday, April 21, 2009

wasting my time...

Internet, laptops, computers, chating programs, websides, youtube, facebook, gmail ++++++++++++++ and more and more...the list is huge! i think you already realize why i am going to talk in here....Internet is taking our lives!!!!

Yes, it is indeed. I can believe how many hours i spend on internet. My average of hrs spending on internet is about 16h/day!!!!!!! Which means 112h/week, including Sundays; which means 5840h/year

That's a lot of my time, that’s a lot of my life! Thats time that i should spend in something else. Perhaps right now, I should be doing something else (having sex, doing yoga, reading a book, listening to music, or painting) but instead I am here writing on my blog.
A summary of a normal day for me: I get up in the morning around 8 00 am; if i am not too sleepy. I go to the bathroom, then, to the kitchen, I make coffee. I TURN ON my laptop to check my emails, facebook, log in on skype and I check the weather for that day. Finally I get ready, and as soon I get to work, I set up my laptop and there you go INTERNET again. So, I do a second checking of my emails, which is a total waste of time! I don’t really need to do this twice. Anyway, the day goes by, I try to do some lab work, I probably will have a meeting or a lecture during the morning or in the afternoon but not matter what I do, I always find time again to check INTERNET!!! It is actually driving me crazy and is def addicted! At some point that I DON’T leave my laptop alone, I always carry it with me.

I think that a lot of people is having the same problem and are dealing with this same issue. We must stop it! This new way of living is killing relationships, friendships, communication skills and so on. I even communicate with both my boyfriend and flatmates on internet all the time and we leave in the same place! We use either facebook to send messages or skype to organized stuffs. We don’t use a cellphone anymore; we don’t talk too much anymore! Do I really need internet that much? I don’t think so.

I know internet as its advantages, I do not have doubts about it. Especially when you leave so far away from your hometown…internet is my contact point with them. My point here is that our life has changed without even realize it! We are victims of this new era of internet which has slowly taken our life as we were used to have it! Life is not private anymore, anyone could know about you, where you live, how your house looks like or you pets, whether your status is at the moment know were your exactly at that moment! or even see pictures of your family !!!! Anyways, this is my reflexion of the day. From now on (and hopefully I will manage to do this), less internet hours a day, perhaps I ll try to reduce them at least to 10.


Look at the winddow and see how beatiful is out there: Bergen from the top of Fløyen