Life in Norway - considering Moving

Hello,

I have written at length on this topic elsewhere in the forum. I have been living in Norway for over 5 years now, and I look forward to moving back to Scotland. The only thing stopping me is my job. Perhaps I have a different experience of Scotland than you do. I enjoy being able to strangers, although this is not possible in Norway, where you are met with suspicion if you try to engage in conversation with someone you don't know. I know many foreigners here who feel isolated because they simply cannot find a way to befriend the Norwegians. Of course these are generalisations, but it's difficult to provide anything more than that. I personally would not recommend moving to Norway. Unless perhaps you need a job.

David

dmcart13 wrote:

I have written at length on this topic elsewhere in the forum. I have been living in Norway for over 5 years now, and I look forward to moving back to Scotland.

why are you so excited to move back to Scotland after all the years in Norway? I've browsed through some of the threads you've commented on recently and didn't find anything specific yet.

As a recent arrival to Norway I'm particularly curious why you're interested to leave

@dmcart13

so you are saying it is not so good then?

@Iceland Animator: I seem to remember I wrote a couple of essays at some point about my 'issues' with Norway. One of them was removed because I was involved in a discussion with a few others and it was deemed political, although I thought it was philosophical. I obviously can't repeat these reasons here because they may result in my post being removed, but it these philosophical differences which cause me problems.

@ScotsGaurd, I wouldn't say that it is a good or bad place to live (although obviously in some cases it is obviously better, it will depend on what we are comparing with). I would say that whether or not Norway suits you will depend on what you want to get out of life. If you want to go to school, get married, have a few children and live an 'off-the-shelf' life, then Norway may well be an excellent choice. I value personal freedom and freedom of choice, which I find lacking in Norway. I greatly admire the Scottish philosophers David Hume and Adam Smith. If the philosophy on which Norwegian society is based matches your own, then you may well love living here. I don't find that it matches my outlook on life, and therefore I don't think it's a good place for me to live. Also, I don't like outdoor life, which is a major part of Norwegian life. I don't like the natural world, and would much prefer to be in a concrete jungle. Something which you don't find much of in Norway.

I'll put a couple of caveats here. Obviously I am simplifying and generalising. I could write a whole book on the subject where I nuance my response, but that wouldn't be appropriate here. The second point I might make is that I have spent my entire working life in Norway, so whether I am comparing Norway to the UK as it is or the UK as I imagine it to be is a matter for debate.

I will also say that I don't have a problem with Norwegians. I have made many good friends here, my fiancée is Norwegian and I have a lovely Norwegian 'family-in-law'.

So, in conclusion, it depends on your tastes. I can't stand the taste of coffee personally, but some people love it. I think people in the UK are often given a false impression of what Norway is. I found the UK Norwegian myth not to be particularly helpful. So I think you are doing the right thing in trying to find out more.

Thank you dmcart13 for your response it has been very helpful,
Personally I hate the concrete jungle, and one of the main reasons of moving to Norway would be for that way of life they have, rural rather unpopulated and having the Natural world, everywhere, so I see how preference's come into play here.
So it seems that the Norwegian life would suit me better,
but as you say it is what you want in life, that suits you.

If you love nature, the outdoors and rural life, I would absolutely recommend Norway. Can be harder to find work in the rural areas though, assuming you will be working? There are many nice rural towns though which combine some benefits of the city with a lot of the benefits of rural life.

@dmcart13
Yes I will be working hopefully, but as you say it is difficult to find employment in rural areas.
So has your experience in Norway been altogether negative I know you dislike the Natural World so it is not an ideal country for you, but aside from that has your working life and altogether experience there been not so good?

Well, I'm still here after five years, so I suppose I must like it enough to stay, despite what I say. There are many good things. The working conditions are definitely one of the best things. Where I work, and I think this applies more generally too, it's a very relaxed and informal environment. The salary is often pretty high too. The system tends to drag the high incomes down and pull the low ones up, so that everyone earns more or less the same. Well, at least the disparities are smaller than in many other countries. The government is very irritating, which is also a big problem for me. Some people don't like the weather. I can live with it. It can be very cold and dark. I notice this more in Oslo than on the west coast, where I used to live. It's much colder in Oslo in the winter, and there is a lot of snow. Too much for me. The weather on the west coast was more similar to Scotland. Warm and wet.

How can it be best to find accommodation in Norway?

dmcart13 wrote:

There are many nice rural towns though which combine some benefits of the city with a lot of the benefits of rural life.

this is exactly what I like about it here. I'm living somewhere with train connections and plenty of stores, but I can walk out the door and be in the forest in minutes.

as for the government, it can't be more irritating than the one Iceland just bloody re-elected into power

@dmcart13

Thank you for the reply.
Well for me the weather and climate is what I find attractive of Norway,
so that does not bother me plus Scotland is just as cold and weather-similar as Norway to be honest so it is not too much of a problem.

I have heard though that Norwegians can be rather discriminant towards immigrants and somewhat condescending if this is true then to heck with it, I cannot be bothered with that attitude,
you would think that Scottish/British and Norwegians would get along and view each other as brothers rather than foreigners,
Here we have a very tolerant view and welcome Scandinavians in general.

So I guess then that if they do have this attitude then it really is something that puts me off Norway, to be honest I could not care less about socialising with them and making friends I am not that type of person, but their condescending view is something to consider.

ScotsGaurd wrote:

I have heard though that Norwegians can be rather discriminant towards immigrants and somewhat condescending if this is true then to heck with it, I cannot be bothered with that attitude,
you would think that Scottish/British and Norwegians would get along and view each other as brothers rather than foreigners,
Here we have a very tolerant view and welcome Scandinavians in general.

My experience so far (admittedly a bit limited to extensive work visits up until last month) is that they're quite friendly if you meet them in their environment. I've had random conversations with all kinds of people out in the forest, and when I admit I don't yet speak Norwegian and that I come from America, they've all been very welcoming. I'm also in the process of finding a choir to join and found that the groups are very interested in having a new person not from Norway. I've got 2 Norwegian friends I met years ago in Iceland and they are lovely and welcoming people who've introduced me to their friends too.

I know foreigners in Iceland who felt Icelanders (also notoriously frigid and scandi-standoffish) were extremely welcoming, helpful, and friendly, and others who thought they were the most dour, grouchy, closed-off people in the world. I think it must also depend on your own attitude going into the interaction given that the same population can be perceived so differently.

I agree with you on the weather thing though- after growing up in New England, this climate feels juust right, even in the winter. Can't wait to get myself a new pair of skis next winter!