Living Between Worlds – Intercultural Reflections. Where is Home?

Navigating two cultures. What I’ve learned from living with one foot in Norway, and one in the U.S.

Norway gave me roots. There, I learned the value of stillness, of silence shared without discomfort, of being in rhythm with nature. Simplicity was enough. Quiet presence brought trust. An environment that offered space to just be.

When I moved to the United States—everything sped up. Here, I was met with energy, enthusiasm, and a strong pull toward growth and possibility. But also urgency. Performance. Pressure to succeed, to always do more.

In the US, I was met with energy, enthusiasm, and a strong pull toward growth and possibility.

Living between these two cultures has taught me how to carry both within me: the spaciousness of Norway and the dynamism of the U.S. I've learned to translate—sometimes literally, often emotionally—and to see that stillness isn't indifference, and slowing down isn't weakness, but wisdom

This intercultural lens shapes how I see the world. It allows me to hold paradoxes, to make space for nuance. I don’t feel I have to choose—I have been given an opportunity to weave both worlds together, into how I live, how I work, and how I support and share with others.

I don’t feel I have to choose—I have been given an opportunity to weave both worlds together

Living between these two cultures has taught me how to carry both within me: the spaciousness of Norway and the dynamism of the U.S.