The last month we have had to use the lights in our house at night.  This might seem quite normal for most people but since we have been living with the sun constantly through out Summer there has been no need to switch on any light in the house.

But now in Northern Norway the night is slowly creeping in.  I am a little disappointed.  The lights in the house certainly do not make up for the loss of sunlight.  When I look outside after dinner I can now see shadows and silhouettes… the colours outside turn dull and grey.

I don’t think I’m ready for the dark season yet – it’s a race against time to make the most out of the sun.  Autumn days are perhaps the most precious here in Norway.  Every day I make sure the family goes outside to fill up their bodies with natural sunshine.  It is a well known fact here that the sun makes you happy so I’m very keen for us to store up all the happiness we need to last us over the festive season.

January is always the hardest to pass through.  It is the time where I feel closed in – almost suffocated.  I’m well aware of the effects of the Norwegian darkness, especially on outlanders.  Norwegians have learnt to adapted to the changing seasons and I have been watching them carefully to see how they survive.  This year I plan to live the Norwegian Winter lifestyle.  I had been just living normally as I would in the sun, but that doesn’t work well in Northern Norway.  I’ve observed the Norwegian very closely during the dark season and have realised that you can’t ignore the darkness.   In order to survive you need to embrace it.  This will require me to change my perception of ‘darkness’.  Being brought up with an Australian perception has certainly stunted the process but what I need to do is learn how to be at peace with it.  Just as the sun gives me energy I need to allow the darkness to give me stillness.

But the changing light sure does make for a spectacular sunset.