My Nordic blood continually bubbles urging me to move northwards. Even as a boy I wanted to live ‘up north’. It wasn’t that Michigan was bad* but Canada, England, and Norway seemed so much better. I figured it was a case of ‘the grass is always greener’ and I would grow out of it. Alas the more I learned about the northern kingdoms the better they became and my longing did not dissipate. The countries of Scandinavia and The Great White North consistently rank as some of the happiest countries in the world while the cranky U.S.A. ranks much lower. I am a fish out of water as it were living as I do in the American Southwest.

My latest longing is to go to Iceland.  This is influenced by Icelandic history and poetry  Like Norway Iceland has a lot of fairy-folk which is a selling point, as well as gorgeous Viking-types, most of them well over four feet. Iceland has fabulous Christmas traditions including all children must receive a book at Christmas. So what’s not to love about living in Iceland?  Jaeja!

Norway is still high on my list as it has all the charms of Iceland and as a bonus: it has trolls, Ibsen, fjords and Grandiosa pizza.

As for England I would be gladly become a subject of Her Majesty, having been an Anglophile from the get –go.  I recently learned there are 48 counties in England which vary in character as much as The States. There must be a few in which I would be happy, maybe one of the northern ones would be best with their Viking/Nordic elements thus combining Norway and England.  Tewkesbury is in Gloucestershire I think which would be poetic justice to call my home.

Alas, Babylon! All three kingdoms probably have up ‘no vacancy’ signs up towards immigrants and they only want my tourist dollars not my U-Haul items. This leaves Canada which has the advantage I have some Canadian genetics so perhaps I can persuade Mr. Trudeau I am merely returning not immigrating. French sounds easier to learn than Northern Germanic tongues and I already have a Tim Hortons mug. Which province would I move to I wonder? British Columbia looks too expensive. Ontario is familiar and it feels like home in a way. I would do fine in the Maritime Provinces like NS and PEI. There are fine fellows there who could  sponsor me as a person of character or adopt me in a pinch.  Yes this sounds the best solution:  become a Canuck and go a-viking to the other places.

What a lovely notion this is, a happy velleity not to happen.  It does cheer me up to consider such. 

 

 

*Certain counties in western Michigan exempted.