A Fia Adventure: Finding a new home
Dearest Reader,
The other day I realised it’s been almost two and a half months since my last letter. Somehow it feels like yesterday that I picked up the key to my little house here in Wales and played Tetris with all my belongings—yet suddenly it’s the 7th of December. Time has a strange way of folding in on itself when life is full.
Since I last wrote, I have become a quarter of a century old, and truly celebrated in Fia-style. I have re-submitted my article for publication, submitted my full research proposal, and begun my ethics applications for my PhD. I’ve wandered through the Lake District, hopped up to Newcastle, and travelled back and forth to Cambridge more times than one. So much has happened—and yet it still feels like I only just arrived.
My birthday was absolutely wonderful. My good friend Caroline, whom I haven’t met since I last studied in Cardiff, joined me for a celebratory brunch at The Ivy. You can trust we will visit again. The food was excellent, the service impeccable, and the ambiance quite elegant! It set such a beautiful tone for the day✨
And somewhere between the laughter, the clinking of glasses, and good company, it hit me just how far I’ve come.
After countless hours revising and refining the article from my master’s thesis, I finally managed to re-submit it to the journal, and hopefully I won’t have to do any further revisions on it before publication🤞🏼
Once I hear back, you will be the first to know!
As for the PhD itself… well, I’m not sure it feels real yet. So far it’s mostly been revising my proposal, opening a research journal (which I’m choosing to call my Stream of Consciousness to avoid perfectionism), and touching the surface of the big ocean called ethics applications. But I know the new year will bring momentum—and with it, intensity—so for now, I’m trusting this quiet beginning.
One of the biggest highlights since my last letter was visiting Newcastle to see my friends and fellow musicians from Kleppe Musikklag performing at Brass in Concert. I had been looking forward to it for weeks! Sometimes, when you look forward to something extremely much, you build great expectations in your head, and then end up in disappointment. But not this time. It was everything I hoped for and more—the music, the atmosphere, the joy of being reunited with people who know you deeply. The simple magic of hearing Norwegian spoken all around me again—that privilege of being surrounded by your native language is massively underrated. Even the weather felt comfortingly familiar. Being reunited with good and missed friends, and stepping into Christmas with them was deeply appreciated🥰
And then, something unexpected happened—I realised I hadn’t cried in over a month. I hadn’t felt that heavy homesickness in weeks. I wasn’t exhausted from adapting to new routines anymore. I had been quietly, slowly settling in—without noticing.
I felt proud of myself. Proud of adapting at my own pace. Proud of taking things day by day. Proud of honouring this transition, instead of rushing it.
And then, of course, a week later… I cried again. Homesickness shows up when it wants to, and it doesn’t ask permission.
That’s the thing about life abroad; It doesn’t stop being challenging—you simply grow more capable of carrying the difficult parts.
And in that spirit, I want to share one small thing that has helped me more than anything:
It is very important to find this one tiny little everyday ritual that grounds you. Supports you. Comfort you.
For me this has been lighting a candle. Whether it’s morning, noon, or evening, I will light a candle every single day. And while I do it, I take a deep breath and let myself get lost staring into the flickering flame for a bit. Letting it steady me, become my anchor.
If you’d like to try this too, here are three grounding rituals that help with overwhelm, homesickness, and seasonal softness:
1-minute sensory pause: touch something warm (a mug), cold (a spoon), textured (a blanket), or soft (your sweater) and name the sensation.
The ‘micro-reset’ walk: 5 minutes outside, no headphones, noticing colour, light, and breath.
The ‘returning’ question: once a day, ask: What’s one thing that would make today feel 1% softer?
Take whichever feels comforting, make it yours, and let it support you.
Now, I have to share something magical I experienced recently:
A concert that absolutely spellbound me✨
I was scrolling through the Christmas page on the Norwegian National Broadcasting website, and stumbled upon Helene Bøksle: Jul i Oslo Spektrum. I know it sounds cliché, but I had goosebumps and teary eyes the entire time. Truly. If you give it your full attention — volume up, distractions away — it will spellbind you and bring you on a journey through the breathtaking wonders that only this Norwegian singer can! Her voice, her emotion, her presence… it brought me so deeply back to my Norwegian roots.
You can watch it here (VPN might be needed outside Norway):
In just a week, I’ll be sitting in my parents’ living room with a warm cup of gløgg, hopefully with a sprinkle of snow outside. Christmas will be different this year, but I’m grateful to spend it with the people closest to me♥️
All the best, and a very merry Christmas🎄
More to come, with love from Wales 💌
My 5-day roadtrip through Europe
New Video
Experience a week of driving with me.
What started as the happiest news quickly turned into weeks of anxiety and paralysation, panic-packing, endless to-do lists, customs paperwork, sad goodbyes, and one very emotional solo roadtrip through Denmark, Germany, the Netherlands, Belgium, France and England — all the way to my new home in Wales.
This vlog is the real, messy, heartfelt beginning of this new chapter. The tears, the overwhelm, the tiny moments of magic, the sunsets, the ferries, the laughter, the fear, and the quiet bravery of starting over all alone in a new country.
✨In this vlog:
Emotional goodbyes & last days in Norway
Chaos packing, paperwork & moving prep
18-hour ferry to Denmark
Solo driving across Europe (Hamburg → Utrecht → Ghent → Lille)
The moment I entered the UK by car for the first time
Arriving in Wales (!!) and picking up my keys
First night, first breakdown, first morning in my new home
