It’s been 7 months since I arrived here and maybe you guys are thinking that I already have a good grip of the language… To be fair, I can say that I improved and am way better than before. But like any person in a foreign land, I still have a big share of struggles and difficulties speaking and understanding. I have to be honest with myself that I have a long way to go, many things to learn and ginormous efforts needed to master the langauge.

So, for those who would like to learn the langauge, particularly my fellow Pinoy nurses who wish to go and work here, I think it will suffice to say that the importance of learning the language is extremely huge. I will try to my best to teach you correctly. These are some I use at work, dealing with both coherent and demented elderly patients. It’s not easy, NOT EASY! hehehe

Ved Sykehjem, på en avdeling. (At the Homecare, in a ward)

Du går in på rommet til Norveig Andersen, 87 år gammel, klar, går ikke selv, bruker en rullestol

(You are entering the room of Norveig Andersen, 87 years old, coherent, unambulatory, uses a wheel chair.)

YOU: God morgen.

(good morning)

NORVEIG: Hei. (Hi)

YOU: Du er våken, da. Så flott! Hvordan sovet du i natt?

(You are awake, then. That’s great! How did you sleep last night?)

NORVEIG: Jeg sovet bra, takk. Men noen ganger, ble jeg våknet.

( I slept well, thank you. But I woke up a few times.)

YOU: Å ja.. Er det noe som du tenker på eller plager deg?

(Oh yeah.. is there something you are thinking about or bothers you?)

NORVEIG: Det er ingen akkurat nå men jeg lurer på om jeg kan sove etterpå igjen?

(There is nothing, exactly now but I wonder if i can sleep later again?)

YOU: Selfølgelig. du kan få et langt hvile ettermiddagen.

(Of course! You can get a long rest in the afternoon.)

to be continued….