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I don't have family. My closest to family are in Norway.

Welcome to the 60+ club next week 😎

Chapter 9: Out to See the World When Anette turned 18, she was no longer a foster child. However, voluntary transitional arrangements were in place so that she could continue her schooling without any major disruptions. Helene and Mikkel naturally still wanted her to live with them, and this had been agreed upon well before her birthday by them, her, her father, and the municipality. Anette wanted to pursue a career in a field where she could work with and help people. She considered nursing, teaching, and physical therapy among other options. She also considered becoming a veterinarian, since she enjoyed being around horses. Ultimately, she was inspired by her case worker at the municipality, Ms. Johansen. Ms. Johansen had visited the foster family and spoken with her and Stef twice a year to make sure they were doing well. Anette decided to become a social worker like Ms. Johansen. The bachelor’s program was three and a half years long and took place at a university college. The nearest one was in Rindum. However, first, she wanted to travel the world for a year. She explored many options and talked to friends and acquaintances about her plans. Wanting to see the midnight sun, she decided to go to Northern Norway right after high school, while it was still close to midsummer. She bought an Interrail train pass, which allowed her to travel by train throughout Europe for a month. She planned to travel with a backpack and stay in inexpensive hostels. After Norway, she would travel south through Europe to Pamplona, Spain, from where she would walk the Camino de Santiago. The route was about 700 kilometers (435 miles) long, and she expected to complete it in about a month. After that, she had no set plans. She hoped to meet someone to travel with, find unskilled work, or perhaps go home if she grew tired of traveling. Helene and Mikkel helped her prepare for the trip. However, they were concerned about her safety and talked to her about how a woman traveling alone could stay safe. They made her promise to call whenever she arrived in a new place, so they would know where she was if anything happened. The journey began two days after graduation. She traveled north through Sweden and then west to Narvik, Norway. The town was surrounded by mountains that blocked the low sun, so Anette took the cable car to the top of Narvikfjellet. The view from the mountain was fantastic, and seeing the sun begin to rise again before it had even set was a remarkable experience. The journey along the Camino was also an experience in itself. She usually walked 20–25 kilometers (12–16 miles) a day, taking rest days or shorter walks in between. She had time to reflect along the way, but especially enjoyed talking to the many different people from all over the world. Toward the end of the Camino, she traveled with a German couple who had brought their three- and five-year-old children along. The children rode in sturdy strollers with large, spring-loaded wheels. The Germans had started about 150 kilometers before Santiago de Compostela and walked only 10–15 kilometers a day. This suited Anette just fine, as she was starting to feel worn out by then. She mostly spoke English with Manfred and Liese, as the couple was named. She had been learning English since third grade and spoke the language fluently. She also took the opportunity to practice her German, which she had learned in high school. The children didn’t speak English, so she spoke only German with them. They got along so well that Manfred and Liese offered Anette a position as their au pair in a Bavarian village. She would look after the children during the day and do light housework. After thinking about it for a day, she accepted. It would be exciting to give it a try. After they arrived in Santiago, she flew back to Germany with Manfred, Liese, and the children. She had a good time with the family and stayed with them until the end of June the following year, when she returned to begin her studies.

Great music video. I do have one question for you, what brand of diapers are you and the other girls wearing?

I hate reflux! If I forget to take my acid-neutralizing medication before dinner, I might spend hours tossing and turning—alternating between sitting up and lying down in various positions—before I can fall asleep, due to pain in my throat and chest.