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Eurionovna's avatar

“This tension between (small c) conservatism and (small p) progressivism interests me - can it become a healthy dialectic or is is it fated to fall into irreconcilable polarities that will eventually tear us apart?” . Powerful. This statement of yours reveals intellectual curiosity and courage. The number of people on this planet who are willing to depart from ideological stances to truly explore these two political forces is incredibly slim. Please keep at it

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Christina Waggaman's avatar

thank you for the encouragement!

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Ilona Goanos's avatar

So excited to hear from you and looking forward to whats next

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Christina Waggaman's avatar

Thanks so much Ilona!

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The Ivy Exile's avatar

I enjoyed absorbing all of this eloquent context about your background and sensibility and am excited to see you broaden your focus further. As I've mentioned before, I think your insights range far beyond eastern medicine!

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Christina Waggaman's avatar

Thank you! A huge compliment coming from you as I really love both your style of writing and the topics you dive into!

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Doctrix Periwinkle's avatar

I'm happy for you and excited to see where your life journey takes you. I moved to a very different culture from the USA about 11 years ago--when I was the same age as you are now. I couldn't agree more about how place--and the community in that place--changes one on a deep level. I hope in a decade you have found as much meaning and joy from northern Norway as I have found from my Caribbean island home.

Every best wish for you, your family, and your community.

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Christina Waggaman's avatar

thank you for the well wishes and thank you for sharing about your positive experience with the Caribbean!

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Laura Payette's avatar

Glad I stumbled across your writing. Our family recently spent 9 months traveling the world, with one of those months in Norway (Oslo and Bergen, though). We absolutely loved it and want to go back, but I could tell from the expat group in Oslo how challenging it was to integrate for those who live there. We are now spending a year in Albania and have put the kids in an international school. I'm wrestling with many similar questions as you as I explore who I am at this juncture and what parts of me I need to let go of to keep growing. There are many cultural nuances and tensions at play, plus assumptions which don't necessarily serve me well. The world is indeed at an interesting precipice and being deep in transition myself at the same time is challenging but also fascinating. Here's to the path forward, whatever it may look like.

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Christina Waggaman's avatar

Thank you! And good luck in Albania.

I have never lived abroad anywhere besides Norway, but I have heard from people who have lived in several European countries that Norway is one of the hardest ones for Americans to integrate to. I have a little one on the way, and although his father is Norwegian we are discussing sending him to an international school in order to for him to appreciate that he comes from two cultures and to make sure he is as strong in English as he is Norwegian. Trying to raise a kid across cultures is certainly its own challenge!

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Laura Payette's avatar

Congratulations on your pregnancy. I hope you're feeling well. What an amazing transition to parenthood you have ahead. I'm looking forward to learning what the experience is like for you in Norway. I bet it will differ in many ways from the US. Here's to all that's ahead.

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Janet Asante Sullivan's avatar

Really helpful insights on Norway here.

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Christina Waggaman's avatar

Thank you Janet!

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Aug 19
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Christina Waggaman's avatar

Oh cool! Glad to hear living there was such a positive experience for you.

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