Üks (mitte nii) tavaline maikuu päev / (Not) just a random day in May

17. mai on mulle alati seostunud minu hostvanemate Britti ja Arnega - nemad tegid mulle kunagi kingituse ja kutsusid selleks päevaks Norra külla mu emme ja õe. Tänasel päeval ei ole selles ilmselt midagi erakordset, kuid tol ajal 20 aastat tagasi veel ikka oli. Lennupiletid maksid hingehinda, vähemalt ühe tavalise keskklassi pere jaoks. Igatahes ei lähe mul kunagi meelest, kuidas me Oslosse emmele ja õele vastu läksime, hiljem Lillehammerisse sõitsime ja 17.maid tähistasime. See oli üks eriline päev. Mu 7-aastasel õel oli kaasas inglise keele sõnaraamat, sest ta kartis, et ma ei oska enam eesti keelt.

Järgmine mälestus 17.maist on seotud emme ja onu külaskäiguga. Mul oli just läbi saanud aastane kursus Lillehammer Högskoles ning nad tulid mulle järgi. Sellest külaskäigust on mul meeles eriliselt see, kuidas onu sattus vasikavaimustusse Arne Bang & Olufseni stereost, me imetlesime seda pooooool õhtut, Arne rääkis sellest suuuuurima hea meelega (sellest ajast olen ka mina B&O usku pööratud) ja mina olin vaimustuses A-Ha uuest plaadist. Terve tagasitee lõõritasime me "maiiiinooor öörth, meidzör skaaaaai..."

17. mai on minu jaoks üks eriliste mälestustega päev (seda enam, et Arnet, kes mulle nagu isaks muutus, enam meie hulgas pole). Sellest, KUI oluline on 17.mai norrakate jaoks, ei hakka ma isegi rääkima (keda huvitab, siis pange blogis otsingusse 17.mai, ma olen sellest 89 korda kirjutanud niikuinii).

Eelmise aasta mais olime me Idaga kahekesi Norras. Ma nurusin Marekit, et ta Norra tuleks, et ta saaks osa suurest pidupäevast ja meie saaksime perena koos olla. Perena koos saime me olla, kuid tagantjärele mõtlen ma, et see oli üks paganama masendav päev. Meie tujud olid teatavatel põhjustel nulli lähedased, ilm oli masendavalt külm ja 17. mai polnud sugugi oma näoga. Või siis ilmselt oli ikka, sest ilm pole Norras kunagi takistuseks, kuid...no saate aru küll. Me istusime oma hallis ja külmas Lillehammeri kodus ja varjasime teineteise eest oma masendust. Kõik tundus nii tume ja lootusetu. Kas ma juba ütlesin, et õudselt külm oli?

 See aasta oli kõik hoopis teisiti. 17.mai oli jälle oma näoga. või noh võibolla ei olnud 17.mai muutunud? Ma ei saa öelda, et kõik oleks helge ja ilus, ma tunnen ikka, et meie elu on nii keeruline, asjad pea peal ja august välja ronimiseks läheb veel palju aega, aga... Esiteks oli täna IMEILUS ILM. Ja teiseks ei ole me enam Lillehammeris üksinda. Me oleme leidnud inimesed, kes meid külla kutsuvad ja aitavad koduigatsust peletada. Ja selle üle olen ma ülimalt tänulik. Selle aasta 17. maist sündisid uued mälestused. Pildid annavad edasi vaid killukese.

17th of May always reminds me of my hostparents Britt and Arne from Rotary exchange student times. They invited my mom and sister to celebrate 17th of May with us and I remember how thankful I was. I was 17 years old, away from home for the first time for so long time and well, coming to Norway may not seem like a big thing  today, but 20 years ago it was a different story. Only plane tickets cost a fortune. At least for a middle class family. I remember how we picked them up in Oslo and later celebrated the day in Oslo. My 7 years old sister had brought with her an English-Estonian dictonary with her because she thought I cannot speak Estonian anymore. She could have us much ice cream as she wanted. It was a special day.

Next time I celebrated 17th of May was two years later. I had finished my studies at Lillehammer Högskole and my mom and uncle came to Norway to take me home. From this time I remember how my uncle and Arne talked for hours about Arne's Bang and Olufsen stereo, and I was wearing a strange pink leather skirt, Where was the fashion police? Or was it the fashion then? Britt made fantastic dinner (thanks to her I love cooking (and art)).
Anyway... it was one cool day and trip back home. "Minor earth, major sky" we sang all the way to Stockholm, on the boat me and my uncle went dancing to the night club...sounds so weird now:) He was old then (34:D), I wonder what people thought seing a young girl in a night club with an OLD man.

But back to 17th of May. Last year me and Ida were alone in Norway. No families , no friends. I asked Marek to come to visit us, because I really didn't want to be alone in that cold and dark apartment. It was a sad time and being alone made things even sadder. Marek came. I was happy that we could be toghether as a family, but we had no desire to celebrate anything. And it was FREEZING cold outside. We tried to enjoy the days, but you know quite frankly when you have lost almost everything, you don't feel like celebrating. We sat in that cold apartment and did our best to enjoy. 17th of May last year had another face last year. Or was it us?

This year everything was totally different. It was one AMAZING WARM SUNNY AND SWEET day, full of laughter and joy, celebration. the 17th of May had the face I remembered from old times (old times? what am I 98yrs old talking about "old times"?). Or perhaps we have changed? There is still a long way to climb out from the hole and I am confused, where to do this and how, but I feel we have at least taken some (small) steps in right direction. And we have friend (who feel almost like family) here. People, who invite us to their homes, help to get rid of homesickness, make us feel welcome in Norway. I am so grateful to that.
Ida took total advantage of the fact that children can have us much ice cream as they want today. She had 4 popsicles. Four!