Oslo: City of Love- Chapter I

And then I held her in my arms one last time.  

After a long embrace I gave her a kiss on the cheek and we said goodbye.  Watching her drive off I could feel a piece of me leaving with her..............

Intense, eh?  I know!  It was an intense three days in Norway.  Yes, thats right, I was in Norway.  I guess I'd better back it up a little: 

I have traveled to Norway to see a girl.  The girl.  Marie.  Five years ago, in central Florida, we met.  It was my first orientation at Walt Disney World.  A large group of young adults from around the world had gathered in a conference room at Disney University.  Excitement was in all of our eyes (and maybe a little anxiety in some).  I didn't know anyone but I felt right at home.  Working for Disney was my dream, and this was the beginning of that dream.  I took a seat at a round table on one side of the room.  I introduced myself to the couple of people already seated and then scanned the rest of the room with my heart beating rapidly.  And then it stopped.  For a split second my heart stopped, because there she was.  On the far side of the room stood the most beautiful girl I had ever seen.  I don't know what was brighter, her eyes or her smile (let's just say, had the power suddenly gone out we would have been just fine).  She was talking with a small group of people.  I imagined her saying something like, "Do you guys see that Canadian boy over there?  Isn't he cute?  I must have him!"  It was a reasonable assumption, only she didn't even know I existed yet.

The seminar began and the administrator started the agenda.  I listened intently, but all I wanted to do was burst out of my seat and shout, "Hi!  Young lady!  Yes, you!  I'm Jozef."  But I was patient, and when the first coffee break arrived she walked over to the side of the room and it was there that I met her.  I learned that her name is Marie and she is Norwegian.  I was so overwhelmed I can only hope that I pronounced my own name correctly.

And so, on the very first day I already had my very first Disney crush.  We became friends and hung out a few times within the first couple of weeks.  And one night, on the couch in her apartment, we kissed.  I'm sorry, that's not nearly enough excitement.... WE KISSED!!!  Now, I was 19 years old at the time, and my list of kissing partners was quite short (some might say embarrassing) but I had never, EVER felt a kiss like this.  I've never really been the guy who gets the girl, so I couldn't believe this was happening to me.  This really was a magical place where dreams come true!  Only, that was the peak of my romantic relationship with Marie.  One single kiss, never to be repeated.

Our friendship also hit some rocky ground and when I left Florida I wasn't sure if I would ever see her again.  We fell out of touch.  She was out of sight, but not out of mind.  Eventually, we regained contact through e-mail.  Then MSN.  Facebook and Skype to follow.  Over the years we started to chat more and more.  As the frequency of our conversations increased so did the intensity.  We shared confessions and apologies.  We spoke of the shared wish that we would one day see each other again.  Worlds apart, we were closer than ever.

A couple of months ago, as I was preparing to move to the United Kingdom at the end of the summer, Marie was preparing to move to Spain in the fall.  She insisted that I come visit her in Madrid.  I had to think about this carefully;  would I like to go visit the girl who I've been thinking about for five years in one of the most beautiful and romantic cities in the world?  Yes, yes I would.  I agreed and started casually looking at flights from London to Madrid.  While I was searching I came across an incredible deal from London to Oslo.  I sent Marie an instant message letting her know and asking if I could come and see her in September in Oslo or if I should just wait until November and meet her in Spain.  "OSLO!!!!  Come to Oslo!!!"  She was so excited to be the one to show me her country for the first time.  She's so cute when she gets excited.

September 10th, 2oo8.  I stepped off the plane and let out a deep exhale.  I can see my breath!  I'm in Norway!  Lee and I have to take a bus from the airport to Lysaker where Marie is picking us up.  The bus driver speaks over the P.A. system and announces the stops.  He says, "Lysaker 1:25".  1:25!!!  What does he mean, 1:25!?!  It's just past 10am!  We thought the bus ride was going to take about 2 hours or less, and now we're being told that we've just begun a 3-hour cross-country tour.  I text Marie to let her know it's still going to be a few hours before we meet again.  At about 11:45 the driver calls, "Lysaker" over the speaker.  WHAT!  Already?  But he said 1:25!  Oh no.  I told Marie 1:25!  Apparently, I've just had my first "lost in translation" moment.  When the driver said "One twenty-five," he must have meant the journey was going to take an hour and twenty-five minutes!  I'll have to call Marie and tell her the mistake I made.  I step off the bus and reach for my mobile phone.  Before I can grab it my eyes lock in to hers.  Marie is standing right in front of me!  Out of pure instinct I wrap my arms around her.  I'm shocked.  Absolutely shocked!  Lee has to retrieve my bag from under the coach because there is no way I'm letting go before that bus takes off.