Comments on: “Why Did You Move to Norway?”

By: Kris

Kris — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 23:42:27 +0000

In reply to Kris. yup. I'm the one replying to myself. I break with the USA, I guess, when I don't understand why someone Wouldn't call themselves: this, that or the next-generation American.

By: Kris

Kris — Wed, 22 Sep 2021 23:20:16 +0000

sigh. I was going for the real simple “little woman,” my partner could be found for me in Norway but little woman I’ve kinda gotten over, so “I love Norway” is a generic version. I, being the granddaughter of immigrants from Norway, find it embarrassing and bordering on impossible to re-identify myself unless I go the 70’s flower-children route.

By: Baboo

Baboo — Thu, 31 Dec 2020 00:33:49 +0000

I get the reverse question, both by Norwegians and from people where I live now, Switzerland. Nobody asks me why I came to Switzerland, I guess the people here assume that if you come from north of Switzerland, the chances are that you’re an expat, if you come from south of Switzerland then you’re probably an immigrant. It’s quite horrible actually, as I don’t really see any difference in either terminology.
Why did I leave Norway?
First of all, I didn’t have much choice, I was only 12 years old at the time, back in the mid 70’s. So I was more or less thrown on top of the heap of furniture, suitcases, skis, etc, etc. and sent down to France and to Switzerland two years later.
My parents had a choice and they decided to leave because they were paying a total of 243% taxes.
My father, who had fought in WW2 and received the St. Olav’s Cross. He had risked his life for his country, as so many others, and was obviously extremely disappointed to be treated in such a way, to be chased out of the country he loved. He used to say in a bitter way that Norway was the last Soviet state.
I never moved back, because I’ve grew fond of Switzerland, and feel at home here.

By: Karen Woods

Karen Woods — Thu, 30 Apr 2020 16:39:34 +0000

What a fascinating and totally honest post. I love travelling in Norway and think it’s well run with first-class facilities and offers a better standard of living than the UK but can’t see myself living there. I’ll live more cheaply here and save money to fly north when I can…

By: Kadisha

Kadisha — Fri, 03 Apr 2020 07:30:10 +0000

I’ve loved all the comments. And I hope to get a response because I’m curious.

I too myself plan to move to Norway from London, and I’ve seen the prices for food. It is a massive change and was curious to know if anyone has ever taken groceries from the U.K. to Norway?

And if you have, how much did you take and how did it work out ahaha. I’m currently a student so I would love to bring a suitcase worth of stuff. Like spaghetti for eg, which I know is 20p in the U.K. and god knows how much in norway 😅😅

And because I’m someone who may take trips back to see family. I wondered if anyone else has done this. ?

By: NJB

NJB — Sat, 14 Dec 2019 00:37:58 +0000

In reply to Mitch. You can survive just fine on that money and do a great job of helping to increase the rents of properties that the working class in Bergen would also like to rent/own, but if you don’t have a work permit or are not doing “family reunification” I’m pretty sure you can only stay for 90 days out of a 180 day period. I.e. not paying into the system means you can get a tourist visa, but not more (again from my understanding and experience immigrating here). You can check with UDI to be sure.

By: Linda Sorensen

Linda Sorensen — Sat, 10 Aug 2019 17:57:16 +0000

I moved to Norway this January from the UK with my Norwegian husband and our teenage daughter. As an Australian who had lived and worked in England as a nurse for 26 years I was often asked why I left Australia for England. Although the English countryside is very pretty I always missed the true wilderness and nature of Australia when in the UK and the space. I find that There are more similarities between Australia and Norway than Australia and the uk in terms of the great outdoors. I knew it would be a challenge moving here but didn’t realise how big an adjustment it would be. I miss my life and my identity that I had in the UK. Being surrounded by beautiful nature certainly helps.

By: lauren

lauren — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 21:13:09 +0000

that wildness is food for the soul. . . .

I would rather live extremely simply and be fed in my soul,
and create a culture of radiant health and wealth of spirit,
with lots of good books at home

than live extravagantly and die for lack of nature.

great article.

By: Crag

Crag — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 17:08:20 +0000

I have always wanted to live in Norway , but until recently didnt think I could, as its was not in the EU.

Now I discover I can, the Uk (my passport) is leaving the EU…Hmmmm

I actually have a one way flight booked to Sweden tomorrow, which if I get the courage to take it, will be an adventure as I have some money, but no exact plan.

Is it realistic to be able to us the last few weeks of my EU Freedom of Movement to move to Norway?

As you can tell I am a bit all over the place at present, and have effectively shut down my UK business for March to do some thinking / traveling / decisions.

I am in the lucky position, that my partner (whose house I live in) is supportive of me establishing myself somewhere else (she will join if it works out).

Craig

By: Dopiazaboy

Dopiazaboy — Fri, 01 Mar 2019 15:10:35 +0000

Great post, Brit Mum Abroad. Moved here myself from UK in 2010/11 so I can relate to many of the experiences you reference.

1. Having your personality stripped bare when you first arrive through an inability to speak the local language; I dread to think the countless times that I stood nodding inanely without having the faintest clue what the person speaking to me was on about; not a particularly pleasant experience but one learns to get over it. Yes, most Norwegians (at least where I live) can speak English pretty damned well but the majority refused to use it even when I was flailing around speaking uninteliigible Norglish; for some reason they seem to be too embarrassed to use it despite at the time it being far superior to my garbled attempts at Norwegians.

2. The eye-watering cost of living; I still haven’t really got over this but I soon learnt to stop converting to GBP every time I bought something as it was just too depressing; you’ve got to live so, as long as you live within your means, best to just get on with it rather than constantly worrying.

For me living in Norway, when compared to the UK, is pretty much a no-brainer, especially if you are bringing up kids. A far superior standard of living, much better work/life balance, incredible & varied scenery & wildlife (I’ve still hardly scratched the surface when it comes to experiencing the opportunites that Norway has to offer) and possibly one of the safest countries on the planet that you could live. How many other places in the world would see babies wrapped in wool in prams parked outside residential front doors in sub-zero temperatures? I thought it was insane when I first saw it, half expecting someone from social services to come steaming round the corner at any moment to whisk the poor babe away to warmth & safety. You just wouldn’t be able to do that in the UK; in fact you would almost certainly be arrested! I suspect that most in the UK would no longer be aware of the benefits of a child having a sleep out in the cold when they are properly wrapped up in wool and protected against the elements.

51�Թ�� may not be perfect but it’s certainly a lot closer to my vision of Heaven than the UK.