The apartment building where I stay is currently going through a face lift. New and more spacious balconies have been put up. My balcony was ready yesterday, so finally I can open the door again and utilize the extra space. Concurring with a long weekend and nice weather, it feels great. A question has risen now from jealous neighbours; “how come my balcony got finished first?” I’m not staying at the top, nor the bottom or any side. Facing the building, it’s hard to find that any logical order will start with me...

But is it really such a big mystery? C’mon, I’ve just returned from Africa! I even returned with a new MB degree (Master of Bribery). Sure, I talked to the construction workers on a couple of occasions. I’m a talkative and outgoing person, what can I say. There was something strikingly “African” about them though.

In fact, after returning to Norway, I see everything with a whole new set of goggles. I feel 100% sure my MB has got something to do with it. Society is like an onion with multiple layers, and I am now able to see a couple of layers that was previously locked up and hidden.

Watching the construction workers day after day doing seemingly nothing has been such a déjà vu. It was just like that police woman in South Africa when she repeated her bulls**t for the 20th time. They could of course not say it straight. Only discreetly encrypt the message in such a way that a culturally trained mind (MB degree holders and equivalent) could pick it up. To me, it was a loud and clear cry for an incentive. Base one, mutual understanding, is covered thanks to my MB. Base 3, and my obvious goal, was in this case a completed balcony. My neighbours are just not familiar with this “DaVinci Code”, so they will have to wait for a few more weeks. That’s all. I do not have an edible explanation to my neighbours though…

Sitting on my balcony I am satisfied that my degree has already proved helpful. At the same time, I’m feeling a bit sad. Corruption was to me something that occur other places. Not in Norway. Norway used to be such a clean country (naïve tourist impression) - pure and innocent. It was of course always there, I was just too blind to see. My degree has cast a new light on my beloved Norway.

With my practicum, I am already accepted for PhD in the Philippines and in India. A PhD however might reveal further layers and a paparazzi insight into shady affairs. Do I really want that? It has already damaged the impression of my own home country as it is. Sometimes it’s maybe better to remain blissfully ignorant. I think I will put my PhD on a hold for now.