Coming to America…from Norway

by Hanne Lucier

In July of 1999, I sat down on a flight from my hometown of Avaldsnes (pop 3,000ish), on the island of Karmøy, Norway, to make a major move across the “pond” to Rochester, Minnesota, where my American husband, Kevin, had taken a job at IBM. As an 18-year-old newlywed, I was young, adventurous, and very excited about what the future with my husband had in store.  

After growing up in a small town where everyone knew everyone, and my paternal grandma was my family member who lived the furthest away with a 15-minute drive, it was exciting to think about living in a bigger city, learning better English, and eventually starting school. Little did I know that my adventurous spirit would take a few hits.  

The first hit was the food. I mean, food is food, right? How different can it be? Well, basic flavor in Norway and most of Scandinavia entails cream, cardamom, butter, salt, and for those very extreme foodies; black pepper. Let’s just say this, my Scandinavian palate found one restaurant that fit the bill in Rochester, and that was Baker’s Square. Thankfully, tastebuds can adjust, and I now enjoy the various food possibilities, especially Thai food. I even go as far as adding black pepper to some of my meals these days without exclaiming “This dish has a bit of kick to it!”   

Oh, and Minnesota, is a little bit far from the ocean for this beach- and seafood-loving girl, who grew up with the ocean right outside the house. Like, really, I could see the ocean from my parents’ house, and my grandma’s house was literally on the ocean. High tide meant water in the basement and even remember catching a fish in that basement. Growing up on an island, I could see both the ocean and the mountains at once. What a beautiful and majestic world God created for us!  

The second hit was realizing that just because we live in the same state, does not mean I would be able to visit with people often. This was a big change from being able to walk to visit any of my friends and family any time I wanted, without asking for permission since they all lived so close by and still be back in time for dinner. In Norway, people would often show up unannounced and there was always coffee, tea and a sweet treat ready for visitors.  

A third thing that was both terrifying and exciting was the roads in the US. SO wide! And SO many lanes! Though I had my license when I moved here, I had to take the driver’s road test again, and I was terrified of driving through downtown Rochester. This girl was picturing downtown NYC, Chicago, LA, etc., so the day Kevin “forgot” to tell me I was heading into big ‘ol scary downtown, I drove straight through and the only time I thought I might crash was when Kevin informed me that I had just gone through down town and I turned to see what he meant since I was sure he was joking. Meanwhile, Kevin white-knuckles the handles in the car when we drive in Norway because he feels the roads, meant for two cars, are too narrow and are more like sidewalks. 

Though there were many “hits” there have been so many good things about moving to the US as well. One of the greatest things about moving to the US, other than my family and friends, has been our church and the opportunities it has given me. Though Christianity was taught as a required subject in school, it was more a talk than a walk. Through our church and church family here, God has pushed me out of my comfort zone more times than I would have expected, opened doors I had never even considered looking at, and has given comfort and support when needed. Though I still call Norway home and often times find myself homesick, I am happy to have planted roots in Rochester with Kevin and our children. 

---

Hanne lives in Rochester with her husband Kevin, and three of their children – Michael (25) who works at Mayo, Madeline (16), and Kaia (14), while their oldest daughter, Victoria (22) lives and works in northern Minnesota. Hanne loves reading, crafting, baking, and youth group, as well as catching up with friends when time allows. She is currently looking forward to her upcoming trip to Norway, where she can eat all the foods and visit with family and dear friends.