Lorelou from ‘A Frog in the Fjord' is always a popular guest on the show. As she’s just written and released a new book, it felt like the ideal time to invite her back to talk about all things Norwegian culture.

We talk about her own journey to becoming a Norwegian citizen, and some of the cultural insights she shares in her new book, ‘.’ It's available worldwide via Amazon, and in Norway through Norli and Ark.

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Introducing Lorelou

is a French lawyer, writer, and blogger who has lived in Norway since 2009, following a global journey through seven countries.

Best known for her blog ‘A Frog in the Fjord’ and her frequent contributions to Norwegian newspaper VG, she shares humorous and thoughtful reflections on life in Norway and what it takes to integrate into the culture.

Through books, newspaper columns, workshops, and even TEDx talks, Lorelou helps international audiences understand everything from friluftsliv to the subtleties of the Norwegian workplace.

Becoming a Norwegian Citizen

Both Lorelou and I have become Norwegian citizens in the past few years. As such, I was keen to find out her expeirence of the application process, which didn’t go as smoothly as my own!

She also shares a word of warning about applying for Norwegian citizenship, which may trip up people with a certain type of job.

Lorelou explains that she does “feel” Norwegian now, and that feeling is only enhanced when she visits France.

A Deep-Dive into Norwegian Culture

I described Lorelou’s new book ‘How To Be Norwegian’ as a ‘cultural guidebook.’ Rather than a sequel to the popular ‘A Frog in the Fjord: One Year in Norway’, the new book is a witty guide to Norwegian culture, full of useful insights and funny illustrations.

Curious about the book? You can actually read an excerpt here on 51�Թ���. Lorelou was kind enough to let me republish her short chapter on how to party like a Norwegian.

The book is available now worldwide via Amazon, and in Norway through Norli and Ark.

Links from the show

• Lorelou’s company and blog,
• The new book,

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I always enjoy hearing from fellow foreigners living in Trondheim. Recently, artist Tania Winther got in touch to share her love for the region.

As we chatted more, I also found out more about Tania's cultural insights into growing up abroad and the complicated questions of identity and belonging. She's also all about the people and places of Central Norway.

Tania describes ‘The Trønders: A Quirky Guide to Trondheim, Trønderland and Its People' as a love declaration to the region.

There was only one thing for it. I invited her on to the show! Now, it's been a long time since the last episode of the 51�Թ��� Show and for that I apologise. But now, we're back up and running.

For newcomers, the podcast is all about relocation and adapting to Norwegian culture. Typically I interview fellow foreigners and newcomers to let them share their stories. If this is your first episode, welcome!

Listen to the show

You can listen to the show using the web player below, or on your podcast player of choice. This includes , Audible, and . Simply search for ‘51�Թ���' on your platform of choice to get started.

Wherever you listen, don't forget to hit ‘subscribe' so you don't miss a future episode.

Introducing Tania

is a multidisciplinary artist, poet, designer, and interior designer based in Norway. With a background that spans both science and the arts, she brings a unique perspective to her creative work, drawing inspiration from her training in biology and her passion for conservation.

Over time, she has found ways to merge her scientific knowledge with artistic expression, creating work that explores the intersection of identity, belonging, and environmental responsibility.

Her recent projects delve into themes such as marine pollution and ecological awareness, using storytelling and visual art to evoke reflection and inspire change.

Having grown up in various countries and cultures, Tania developed a deeply observant nature and a gift for languages. This nomadic upbringing has shaped how she sees the world and continues to influence her voice as both an artist and a person.

Trondheim & Trøndelag

In her book and on the show, Tania shares some of her recommendations for people visiting the region. Her top pick is , a remote escape known for its raw coastal landscapes combined with beautiful seaside architecture.

In Trondheim, she loves the emerging art scene: “In the last decade there's been so much more going on culturally.” She also recommends the Sverresborg folk museum and the Ringve botanical gardens, and simply taking a city walk.

We discuss a lot more about Trondheim and Trøndelag, including the number of famous skiers based here and the unique nature of the Trøndersk dialect. Or is it a language? Tania describes Trøndersk as “speaking in vowels.”

The Book

“There are so many good books written by foreigners about Norwegian culture,” says Tania, explaining why her book focuses on the people and places of central Norway. “I've tried to be really nice in my book and I call it a love declaration to the Trønders.”

‘The Trønders: A Quirky Guide to Trondheim, Trønderland and Its People' is in selected bookstores in Norway, and online across the world.

Links from the show

• (International Baccalaureate)

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Recently, I stumbled upon a video made by a fellow Brit on YouTube. Nothing unusual there! But this video was about something curious: a long-distance cycling trip in the Norwegian fjords. The scenery was truly spectacular.

A few hours later, I’d watched several more. Yet more spectacular scenery, but then I started to wonder about many things. How does Norway compare to other cycling destinations, and what sort of experience and equipment do you need?

Before I knew it, I’d invited the creator on to the show to find out more. We talk about why Norway is such a good destination to see on a bike, where you should plan to go, and why these days you don’t even a good level of fitness to see Norway on a bike.

Listen to the show

You can listen to the show using the web player below, or on your podcast player of choice. This includes , Audible, and . Simply search for ‘51�Թ���' on your platform of choice to get started.

Wherever you listen, don't forget to hit ‘subscribe' so you don't miss a future episode.

Introducing Matthew and Cycle Norway

Matthew Tolley moved to Norway in 2016, after, as so many Brits do, having met a Norwegian girl. He was no stranger to living abroad, having spent time in several countries previously.

After falling in love with exploring the country on two wheels, he began publishing videos of his adventures on YouTube. He quickly built a loyal following because of successful videos like this one about :

After building a loyal following for his videos on YouTube, he now runs to share his passion for cycling with a community of others interested in planning cycling trips around Norway.

Although he loves the trails around the fjord region, Matthew recommends the valleys of Eastern Norway as his favourite location. Listen in to find out more, including his advice on the experience you need to undertake such a trip. It might surprise you!

Links from the show

• Cycle Norway
• Cycle Norway
• 51�Թ��� Show #30: Cycling from Southern Europe to Northern Norway

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Who doesn’t love a good bookstore? When I visit London, I’m a regular visitor to Stanfords, the big travel bookshop in Covent Garden. In Sweden, I love popping in to one of the branches of the English Bookshop.

But in Norway, there hasn’t been too much of an independent bookshop culture until recently. One of the recent additions to the independent bookshop scene in Oslo is Prismatic Pages, which specialises in English language books.

When I found out about the store, I immediately got in touch with the owner, Indigo, to invite her on to the podcast. I was curious to hear her story and how the bookshop came to be. Enjoy!

Listen to the show

You can listen to the show using the web player below, or on your podcast player of choice. This includes , Audible, and . Simply search for ‘51�Թ���' on your platform of choice to get started.

Wherever you listen, don't forget to hit ‘subscribe' so you don't miss a future episode.

From Seattle to Oslo

Originally from Seattle, Indigo Trigg-Hauger moved to Oslo in 2016, but that’s not when her Norwegian journey began. She grew up with a strong Norwegian influence as her mother had spent some time in Norway.

She went on to study a combination of Scandinavian Studies, history, and the Norwegian language, spending time in Norway as part of her studies. The move to Oslo followed soon afterwards.

Opening Prismatic Pages

Despite many people having a lifelong dream to open a bookstore, Indigo says that wasn't the case with her. She did, however, work in a bookstore for a year, a job she says was the best she'd had.

It was during a period of reflection while on sick leave in Oslo that a friend suggested to her she should open her own store. Although she initially dismissed the idea, the suggestion lingered and very soon, Prismatic Pages became a reality.

The store is in what Indigo describes as an “off-the-beaten-path” part of the Grünerløkka neighbourhood, north of downtown Oslo. It sells both used and new books, with an emphasis on a cozy environment and personalised service.

On the show, Indigo talks about the market research process, the support she got to start the business, and how the first months of trading have been.

Links from the show

• Website of
• Follow Prismatic Pages on and
• at the University of Washington

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Today’s guest is Nyagoa William Nyuon, a U.S. citizen who spent much of her adult life working in South Sudan. She now lives in southeast Norway working in international relations, but also helps to run a charity focused on raising awareness of child marriages in South Sudan.

We talk about South Sudan, her charity work, the move to Norway, and her first impressions of the culture. Niagua is also honest about what life is like for a black woman living in a small Norwegian town.

Listen to the show

You can listen to the show using the web player below, or on your podcast player of choice. This includes , Audible, and . Simply search for ‘51�Թ���' on your platform of choice to get started.

Wherever you listen, don't forget to hit ‘subscribe' so you don't miss a future episode.

A summer break

Before we begin, I want to let you know that this will be the last podcast episode for a while, as it’s having a little summer break.

In the meantime, keep up to date with all things Norway with our newsletter. You can also check out , where I will continue to publish new travel videos throughout the summer.

Links from the show

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But the reason Anna is on the show today is to tell her story of relocation from Russia, and what it’s been like living in Norway as a Russian over the last few years.

We talk about how the current situation in the world has driven Anna and her friends to start a podcast explaining the Nordic model to Russians, not because that is the solution but to show that there are other ways.

We also talk about the experience of voting for the first time, and the relationship between Russians and Ukrainians in Norway.

Listen to the show

You can listen to the show using the web player below, or on your podcast player of choice. This includes: , Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and . Simply search for ‘51�Թ���' on your platform of choice to get started.

I have stopped publishing the podcast on the , as I’m focusing on building up an audience for videos there. Let me know if you prefer listening to podcasts on YouTube and I’ll see what I can do!

Wherever you listen, don't forget to hit ‘subscribe' so you don't miss a future episode.

Introducing Anna

Anna moved to Finland to study environmental sciences, before studying landscape architecture in Norway.

On the show, she speaks frankly about her experiences of living in Norway, especially over the last few years since Russia's place in the world fundamentally changed.

Anna explains the complex relationship between Ukrainian refugees and Russians living in Norway, including the choice of language to use.

Russia and the Nordic model

Together with some Russian friends, Anna has started a Russian language podcast to explain the Nordic model, and what could be done in the country in a post-Putin world.

They discuss how society is organised, and basic building blocks of the Nordic model such as unemployment benefits.

Anna explains who the podcast is for: “Our focus group is people in Russia who want another Russia, not the Russia of 2024. But they don't really know what kind of Russia it could be. They are really interested in the rest of the world, but they are now blocked from it because of the sanctions.”

Anna also created to document her experience of voting for the first time. “Democracy is not about pink clouds and ice-cream, it's hard work and you really need to be fully involved in it,” she said.

Links from the show

• Anna's Russian language podcast: (Scandinavian Model)
• Anna's video about (with English subtitles)
• The Akerselva river walk in Oslo

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Christoph Graf is from Switzerland, and a big reason he chose to move to the Oslo region with his Norwegian wife was because of the better value housing than in his home country.

On this episode, we talk about the house buying process. We cover research, viewing, and bidding. We also chat about some of the other reasons Christoph chose to relocate, including easy access to nature.

Listen to the show

You can listen to the show using the web player below, or on your podcast player of choice. This includes: , Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and . Simply search for ‘51�Թ���' on your platform of choice to get started.

I have stopped publishing the podcast on the , as I’m focusing on building up an audience for videos there. Let me know if you prefer listening to podcasts on YouTube and I’ll see what I can do!

Wherever you listen, don't forget to hit ‘subscribe' so you don't miss a future episode.

Introducing Christoph

Christoph is a 30-year-old Swiss citizen who has also lived briefly in England, France, several years in the United States, and of course Switzerland. Together with his Norwegian wife, he chose to move to Norway to raise their family.

He now works for the Norwegian company . Their core business is the market approval and certification of electrical appliances, but they have also started a digital arm to their business.

Christoph is very passionate about the outdoors and being active. He loves running, biking, skiing, kayaking, and climbing. Since moving to Norway, he's become involved with a local sports club as a volunteer.

The House-Buying Process in Norway

Unusually for a country associated with a high cost of living, it was the good value housing in Norway that attracted Christoph to move to the Oslo Region. That's because property prices in his native Switzerland have skyrocketed.

Having bought a place to live myself here in Trondheim several years ago, I was keen to hear how things work in 2024.

We discuss the similarities and differences between our house buying experiences, including the research, viewing, and bidding processes.

Christoph also talks of the administrative challenge he faced with Norwegian banks given his citizenship: “Being Swiss in a time of several wealthy Norwegians moving to Switzerland to avoid taxes has been both funny, but also quite a challenge.”

Links from the show

• Our article on Buying a House in Norway
• The Norwegian website

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The 51�Թ��� Show is not the only game in town when it comes to podcasts all about moving to and living in Norway.

‘El Podcast de Noruega' serves the Spanish-speaking community, and today I’m joined by one of its founders and co-hosts, Florencia Meinardo.

Originally from Buenos Aires, Florencia spent some time living in the US before deciding to make Norway her home together with her Spanish partner.

We talk about the relocation process, Florencia’s decision to learn Norwegian as quickly as possible, and what life in Norway is like as a native Spanish speaker.

Listen to the show

You can listen to the show using the web player below, or on your podcast player of choice. This includes: , Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and . Simply search for ‘51�Թ���' on your platform of choice to get started.

I have stopped publishing the podcast on the , as I’m focusing on building up an audience for videos there. Let me know if you prefer listening to podcasts on YouTube and I’ll see what I can do!

Wherever you listen, don't forget to hit ‘subscribe' so you don't miss a future episode.

Introducing Florencia and ‘El Podcast de Noruega'

Florencia grew up in Buenos Aires and spent some time in the U.S. before making the decision to move to Norway together with her Spanish husband, who found a research job in Oslo.

Listen to El Podcast de Noruega on and

The podcast came about when Florencia answered a Facebook post from someone interested in starting a show.

A few more people joined the team, from different countries and living in different parts of Norway, and ‘El Podcast de Noruega' was born.

“We came across the fact that there was a lot of information about Norway being spread, but most of it was in English. We wanted to represent the needs of the Spanish speaking community, and we wanted to share our stories,” says Florencia.

Spanish-speakers in Norway

Florencia explains that there is a Latin American association that focuses on Norway's Spanish-speaking community, including those from Spain.

But there's also a lot of country-specific organisations and cultural initiatives, and the Oslo-based Radio Latin Amerika.

“Recently, I came across with a theatre group that offers classes in Spanish in Oslo. So if you start to dig in, you will find a lot of things that are going on in Spanish in Norway,” says Florencia.

We also talk about the interest in the Spanish language throughout Norway, and how Florencia found a job as a part-time Spanish teacher.

Links from the show

• Listen to ‘El Podcast de Noruega' on and
• Follow ‘El Podcast de Noruega' on or
• Follow Florencia on
• Learn about the radio station,
• My video of the
• Florencia's book recommendation,
• Our guide to Volunteering in Norway

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Kristine arrived in Norway just weeks before the pandemic, which led to a unique relocation experience. Everything from meeting new people to learning Norwegian suddenly became more of a challenge.

On today's show, we talk about what to expect when job hunting as a foreigner, some of the cultural barriers you’ll need to overcome, and the challenge of learning Norwegian.

We also cover the things that Kristine likes about living in Trondheim, and those things she still finds challenging.

Listen to the show

You can listen to the show using the web player below, or on your podcast player of choice. This includes: , Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and . Simply search for ‘51�Թ���' on your platform of choice to get started.

I have stopped publishing the podcast on the , as I’m focusing on building up an audience for videos there. Let me know if you prefer listening to podcasts on YouTube and I’ll see what I can do!

Wherever you listen, don't forget to hit ‘subscribe' so you don't miss a future episode!

A New Start in Norway

Kristine's Scandinavian adventure began when her partner was offered a position at a research institute in Trondheim:

“We decided that it would be a great opportunity for him to apply. At the time I didn't necessarily love my job, and also not having kids, it seemed like a cool opportunity to try something new.”

However, that optimism quickly turned on its head when the pandemic lockdown hit just weeks after they moved to Trondheim:

“It was an exciting time. We had a new apartment to furnish and everything felt new, but that quickly changed. My partner's work were really good at making sure that news was communicated to them.”

Challenges of Relocation

One hurdle Kristine quickly faced was that most things are closed on Sundays: “You really have to change your habits and routines. In Canada, I did all my grocery shopping on Sundays, so having to adjust to that at first was a challenge.”

Kristine also talks about other challenges including finding a job, dealing with a different administration system, and the importance of using Facebook in Norway.

We also discuss the challenges of learning Norwegian. During lockdown, she used the Duolingo app to get started but says that only takes you so far:

“Taking Norwegian courses now is much easier, but it's also still difficult to practice. But that's on me too. It takes just one little incident where you feel a little insecure and then maybe you don't want to go out of your comfort zone for a while.”

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We often feature interviews with people relocating to Norway from the United States, or like me, from the United Kingdom. I'm always on the lookout for people from other places, and today we feature one of those stories.

Surendra Thapaliya is originally from Nepal, and moved to Norway in 2016 to study at BI, the Norwegian Business School. He’s since gone from strength to strength and now lives with his wife in Oslo, where he has a senior marketing position.

We talk about studying in Oslo, the differences between life in Nepal and life in Norway, and his own projects helping other from Nepal study abroad.

Listen to the show

You can listen to the show using the web player below, or on your podcast player of choice. This includes: , Google Podcasts, Stitcher, and . Simply search for ‘51�Թ���' on your platform of choice to get started.

I have stopped publishing the podcast on the , as I’m focusing on building up an audience for videos there. Let me know if you prefer listening to podcasts on YouTube and I’ll see what I can do!

Wherever you listen, don't forget to hit ‘subscribe' so you don't miss a future episode!

Nepal to Norway

I started off the show by admitting my own ignorance about Nepal, so asked Surendra to describe his homeland and how it differs from Norway.

”Nepal is a very small Asian country in between China and India. We have an area of about half of Norway, but we have 30 million people. We are divided into three regions. The southern part is mostly plain lands on the border with India, the central part is more hilly, and the northern part is mountainous. It’s a very diverse country. We have more than 100 different languages, for example.”

Studying in Oslo

He said there was a “huge difference” in the styles of education between the two countries. “Back in Nepal we have theoretical studies, we focus on books and theories. In Norway, it’s more about practical work.”

He describes Norwegian student life as a bit more “formal” than he was used to in Nepal. “I had a formal relationship with my classmates. Back in Nepal, when I have a very close classmate I used to go to his home and get to know his family.”

But here, Surendra says if he wanted to see a Norwegian friend he felt as if he had to send them an SMS first before even giving them a call.

Working in Oslo

After eight years in Oslo, Surendra is settled in the Norwegian capital. Culture Intelligence, the company he now works for, markets itself online in English, but he says that a lot of the marketing material they do produce is in Norwegian.

In Oslo, Surendra does a lot of different activities outside of work. “I have a YouTube channel for a Nepalese audience wanting to study abroad. I am also active in the Nepalese community events in Oslo. Other than that I like to go hiking with my wife.”

Links from the show

• Surendra's employer
• Our Complete Guide to Oslo
• Connect with Surendra
• Surendra's videos for the Nepalese community

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