Stroopkoekje, Reindeer meat and a Gypsy life

Its been a week away from home which is in Linkoping, and the travelling is taking it's toll on me. As much as I might pride in being a true nomad, I think I am a real home bird. My home is the centre of my universe. I am happiest when I am at home.
And I miss my tiny little corner in Linkoping.

I left last Friday for Stockholm -> Saturday in Rotterdam - The Netherlands, for the European Commission's ECOLEAD project meeting -> Sunday back in Stockholm -> Monday in Oslo - Norway, and I've been here since. Nomadlife has it's charm and it's ugly horns too.

Rotterdam is probably one of the ugliest cities in Europe that I have ever been to. Though it wasn't the first time I was there, for some reason, I found it particularly ugly this time around.
I wonder if it was because of the insulating and soothing effect Sweden, and particularly Linkoping has had on this Bombay Boy.

I can't seem to appreciate the skyscrapers, the traffic, the urban landscape and the crowds anymore. The recent spurt in crime and vandalism in Rotterdam may have fuelled my disposition here. For the record, Rotterdam is the city with the highest crime rate in Europe.
One can't help but feel insecure and particularly vulnerable when walking down the street late in the evenings.
At the rate at which quality of life is deteriorating in Rotterdam, AIESEC International will probably have to double their efforts in the years to come, in publicising and glamourising their pedestal for future generations to fill their shoes.

Rotterdam, may the Lord save your soul!
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Oslo is a city with its own charm, and the Norwegian language has it's own swing!
Not the cleanest of the Scandinavian capitals; but I tend to believe that maybe, Stockholm has kinda spoilt - rather skewed by sense of averages.
Opera Software , where I work, is headquartered in Oslo and we have a little more than an averagely sterile office with a little more than averagely insane crowd! :)
Oslo is probably one of the smallest capitals you will ever see. The city centre is tiny (read: tiny!). Unlike most of the capitals of the world, where the rich and flourishing live in the city centre; Oslo's extravagant and elite prefer to chill in the hills that skirt Oslo city. The fjords (pronounced: fyords) and the harbour is picturisque and lend character to the city.

That reminds me; if you have read 'The Hitchhikers's Guide to the Galaxy' by Douglas Adams, you must remember this geriatric character called Slartibartfart! (hehehe, can you imagine your mommy calling you 'Slartibartfart'?!) In the book, Slartibartfart is known to have designed planet earth, and he is rewarded for his work on the Norwegian fjords! :) Yes, they are that beautiful!
Random comment, I know!

What surprised me about this city was the number of immigrants. Norway is known for it's evangelical efforts in sheltering refugees from around the world, and for mediating negitiations in international gridlocks. Eg. the LTTE - Sri Lankan government peace process.
One will find many Somalians and Pakistanis in Norway. On my first trip to Oslo in March 2004, I happened to jump into a taxi, and found myself chatting up with the cabbie who happened to be from Somalia. To my shock and surprise, he was a post graduate in international economics! Makes me wonder if the Norwegian government is doing enough to integrate refugees in the socio-economic systems of the country.

I am also told that the large number of Pakistanis owes it's answer to the fact that, when Norway first found oil, they needed a large number of workers for the oil-rigs. And that was when they actually imported whole villages from Pakistan to fill the labour shortage and pump petro-kroners into the economy by pumping out oil!

I have this knack of striking up random conversations with cabbies; and as luck would have it, every single cab that I have taken in the past 3 days has had a 'Paki' behind the wheel. I met a cabbie today in the morning who was a lawyer from Lahore University - came to Norway to find work 4 years back; today, drives a taxi.
Chatted up with other cabbie last night who was from Islamabad - was a hardware engineer until he lost hope and persuit of an IT job; today, drives a cab to make ends meet.

I can't help but think - is it the language barrier, or is it the Norwegian mindset? I tend to be more convinced by the latter.

Another thought which crossed my mind, was how quicky these cabbies and I warmed up to each other. Let me put this in perspective. I was happy to realize how quickly an Indian and a Pakistani warmed up to one another in a foreign land.
We speak the same language, we share the same palette, we look the same, we wear the same clothes, we share the same culture, we are one...

What happens to us when we are in our own countries?