I found myself in a Hijacking attempt Oslo - Istanbul

I was peacefully asleep on Oslo – Istanbul flight when I was woken up by some noise. Looking around I saw a masked man in the back of the plane holding what seemed to me a small plastic box and shouting in Turkish that we would all die if the plane would land in Istanbul. With my little Turkish I understood he wanted the plane to fly back to Oslo. I also realized that while I slept, the crew moved most of the passengers to the front. I was still sitting in 18th row with nobody behind me except the masked man, who got very angry as we started to land. As cabin crew was trying to calm him down I did not dare to imagine what he would do if we landed. There was a Norwegian man sitting in front of me, who told me it was better to deal with the hijacker when on land, not in the air. But as I was busy praying and was not much of a company, not to say anything that I would have been of no great help, the Norwegian turned to a Turkish man sitting in the next row. When we landed it was like in all those movies that we have seen - lots of firemen, ambulances and police around the plane. Some passengers started to get up and the hijacker became more and more agitated, shouting for us to sit still. Frankly now I was more afraid of shooting that could start with the police entrance. But before that, and true to his word, the Norwegian rose and moved towards the hijacker, shouting something in Norwegian. In a second he jumped on the man and the Turkish man was also there. I did not see what happened next as I grabbed my stuff and left the plane hastily with all the others. The bus was there and before leaving we saw the police going up the plane. Most of the passengers fled the plane leaving all their belongings there, jackets, bags, phones, passports… all was later returned to them. But it was so funny to realize that I have taken not only all my things with me but also the airplane pillow that I had under my head while I was asleep.

When I told the story at home, my aunt said, the airlines should demand a certificate that you are not mentally disturbed to allow you on plane. And sure enough, later we have learned that there was no explosive found but they found a card for the handicapped, suffering a mental illness.

All is well that ends well they say, but it ended well thanks to the passengers – Dag Gjerstad and Firat Faysal Ali.

Celebrating Christmas and New Year in Norway

Hei, I am in Norway! I celebrated Christmas here. Not “our” Christmas - for me Christmas is still to be celebrated on January 7. Right! And we celebrate New Year twice in Georgia. The major celebration and traditionally getting together for most families is the New Year’s Eve, on December 31 and not Christmas. Still the legacy of our communist years, when all religious holidays were working days and it was dangerous to be seen in Church. Now many families also celebrate the (old and real as we call it) New Year on January 14. Although until now the Georgian Public Holidays list January 1 (New Year) and January 7 (Orthodox Christmas) as holidays but not January 14. It is a working day. Confusing, is not it?

New Year’s Eve has always been the hardest day for Georgians, as maybe for everyone else. One of my facebook friends from Armenia even called it an International Day of Kitchen Slavery. Every family has to have an abundant table for indefinite number of guests who might show up in the festive season. Coming closer to western world has not made a significant difference for the traditional labour division at New Year’s Eve. Men go to the market and women cook. Sacivi (turkey in walnut sauce), fried piglet, gozinaki (walnuts in honey), egg-plants with walnuts are a must in Georgia.

Not that I ever cooked much on December 31, but I was happy to be in Norway for a change. In Norway traditional dishes vary by region, but ribbe (pork ribs) which I enjoyed at Christmas Eve, and pinnekjøtt (on the photo) that was cooked and served by my Dear Norwegian Friend, Øyvind, at New Year, are most popular.

I thought I would start this year’s festive season on December 25 in Norway, but amazingly I have found out that Juleaften (Christmas Eve), December 24 is the main event, with a traditional lunch, dinner and the exchange of gifts - all churches ringing in Christmas at 5pm.

But the actual start date for the 13 day long Yule celebration in Norway is lillejulaften (little Christmas Eve), December 23 when the tree is put up and decorated lasting till Epiphany on January 6, when I get home, just in time for Orthodox Christmas Eve, to continue the celebrations until Orthodox Epiphany (Jan 19).

But I am still not as good as Umit, one of my dearest friends in Turkey, who set up a Christmas tree on December 25 (her husband was tolerant, just asking why it was still up in January, she said now the Orthodox Christmas was coming, then the Orthodox New Year) and kept it up until March (to celebrate also the Japanese New Year).

Some of my friends at facebook were almost condemned by some others for sending out Merry Christmas messages on December 25. But I also remember some years ago an Orthodox Priest, who, when asked on TV if it was proper to celebrate Christmas twice, said that Christmas is such a big festivity for Christians that it can be celebrated every day. Still confusing, right?

Christmas is filled with traditions, many taking roots from pagan times. And New Year is celebrated worldwide at different times but more and more we share the celebrations. For us all it is the time when people become more reflective and caring. It is also time for us all to make New Year resolutions. Some are about improving ourselves, some others about improving this world. May they all come true!