Books and nostalgia

Norway is famouse for its beautiful nature. And while reading Per Pettersons book, Out Stealing Horses the culture differences go even more emphazised. Instead of snow we have summer, instead of rain we have sandstorms. This book was one of many books that the store Tronsmo donated to the refugee camp before I left Norway in January.

When I was packing my bags home in Norway, I wanted to bring all the books that I've always wanted to read, but never had taken the time to read. However, the day before departure I stopped by Tronsmo, a wonderful bookstore in Oslo and asked them if they wanted to donate som old English books to the refugee camp. At the end I had to put my plan aside in favour of Tronsmos books, beacuse they gave me ten new and beautiful books, everything from comic books to epic novels. I gladly gave away all the space I had saved for my own books in my suitcase. As you may have guessed I took the liberty to read some of the books before giving them to my eager students and I found the Petterson book suprisingly important in this life here. After seeing so many students enjoy the books I brought from Tronsmo, I have realized the need for more reading material. I therefor engourage everyone who has English books at different levels to contact me by mail (sunniva.skjeggestad@gmail.com) before the 9th of Feburary if you want to send some books to the camps. But for now my students love reading Tintin and Persepolis.

Out Stealing Horeses portrays beautifully the nostalgia for a simple way of life. It is easy to relate to the same nostalgia here in the camps. How to manage life without television, a toilet that flushes and using car batteries to get light in the evnings. Sometimes you just want to to know that you don't need the modern world or technology to manage. In contrast to the man in the book, who lives in an isolated part of Norway I am in the desert. Here I am surrounded by people wherever I go. Reading the book I feel somehow more connected to where I am from, something that also emphesises my impressions of the Sahara desert. I am more aware of the life around me, which I truly enjoy. This is not a place for nostalgia, but for pragmatism and durable easy-to-accomplish solutions.