Hello from and Australian moving to Stavanger Norway!

Welcome on Expat.com aussie_norway

Your discussion has been moved to Stavanger forum for effective networking. I hope that you will establish lot of contacts via our site.

Regards

Good luck, be prepared for a very different way of life and to be frustrated a lot.
Best to really network with other foreigners and learn the language as soon as you can.
Stavanger is pretty good, lots of foreigners there, but the job front is different to home, you will experience xenophobia a lot, depends on what your qualifications are.
There are a few things to learn to do, and what not to do in Norway.
main thing is never, ever, ever criticise anything about Norway to Norwegians.  Regardless of what it is.
Us Aussies like to call it like we see it and aren't shy with our opinions, this is a definite disadvantage in Norway.
Again, good luck with the move...

Hey thanks. It is really nice here but OMG i cannot get a job and i have been here for 2 months.

I have currently started to go to school to learn norwegian as its just nearly impossible to find a job without knowing norwegian unless u are an engineer or something like that.

But looking for work in administration and retail is impossible without knowing norwegian!

Regardless of how well you master Norwegian (which one of the 256 dialects have you chosen?), you will most likely have to be content with the lower ranked positions, the shit jobs.  You will find your immediate suoperioirs are mind numbingly lazy and incompetent and that regardless of your efforts and the results you deliver, you will be passed over for propmotion and watch the social set whiz by.
I know it sounds cynical, but that is my experience, I hope you will be luckier.
Look into the bigger industries there, those where English is an advantage, you may have better luck.
Just know that as a foreigner in Norway, we are second class citizens, not entitles to the same freedoms as the natives and whatever shit they throw at us, we cannot ever complain or suggest a realistic alternative.

well i think its poor how most of them do know english yet they look at u with disgust when u say you only know english and wont let u have a shit cashier job.

very frustrating, expecially when i know if they came to australia we would give them a fair go

my school teaches bokmal, and yes many dialects. veryyyy confusing

Stick to bokmål, it is what the King speaks, so that IS the national language.  The dialects are more vanity projects, a remnant from the old days before Norway was one nation.

[Moderated: No rude comments please]

The few Australien people I know about moved back to Australia. Didnt like the winter and they think people are unfriendly and not service minded.

Hope you can meet your bf friends for a start and learn the language. If you not are educated you will not find a job if you only speak english.

look at what you are trained in employment wise and be prepared to return to education, learning the language and getting accredited in Norway as many foreign accreditations are not recognised (regardless that Australia is ok for Norwegians to go to uni at).
Stavanger is more International, but it isn't the land of milk and honey that many believe.
try and keep a 'can do' attitude and be ready to settle for less.

Hi there! Have you arrived yet?! If you want to get to know people, I recommend the rugby club... you donŽt have to play (although we never say no to new players!). We train at Lassa from 6pm on Tuesdays and Thursdays. Come along and introduce yourself!!!

IŽve been here for 5 years now (first 4 in Bergen) - it does take a bit to get used to, especially coming from our laid-back super friendly countries, but I think Norway is a great place to live! I hope youŽll enjoy it!

Hi, Ive just moved to Stavanger because of my BF as well! Ive only been here a week and would love to meet some people, especially other australians.  Reading the posts it sounds like a tough place !  Wish me luck and please send me your details if you'd like to catch up over coffee (or wine)

Hi all, im moving to Stavanger in 4 weeks as my bf lives over there aswell. Would love to meet new people! bit worries about the job situation tho as i hear a lot of negative comments about it

network with other foreigners as soon as possible, you will need some sort of support group.  Learn the language and lower your expectations to avoid disappointment.
Read other blogs by foreigners so as to be forewarned of the possible culture clashes that may occur ad keep your chin up, living here is a real test of what you are made of!
It isn't all bad, just very challenging.
Do you have a profession, education?  that can help

i am learning a little bit through my bf.. but looking into taking norwegian classes when im over there. Because im on a working holiday visa im only allowed to work up to 6 months at one job. i know im not going to find a job i love but i hear its hard to find anything! ive worked in retail and currently working at a real estate agency here in Aus. How did u find the changes? Did you find that looking for a job was hard and did u pick up the language easily?

Hey Id love to meet up. if you guys are up for it. let me know, currently a little lonely

Hey Alice,
drop me an email and we can exchange details and organise a get together.

Hey, you can always try stavangerexpats.com/.  They have a social get together at least once a week.  And it's a good way to meet English speakers.

Good day, Tif

Some of these posts surprise me, but I guess the most disappointed newcomers to Norway are those who are first-time expats anywhere. Look. The golden rule of survival in a place outside the English-speaking world is to get yourself a local boyfriend or girlfriend, and to speak the local language with him or her. I speak not from personal experience, but from the experience of my son. He learnt Spanish in Mexico and Norwegian in Norway, by the "pillow talk" method.

(It's not all plusses: We now have two sweet young granddaughters who can't speak to us in English, except what they pick up during visits to our home. Sigh!)

Those posters who already have English-speaking b-fs or g-fs - I'm sure they're lovely people, but, uhhh, no, never mind...

I'm looking for some friends....
Moving to Norway Stavanger next week from Poland..,

Thanks
[email protected]

Hi guys!

Drop me an email or respond in this thread and we can organize a meetup. There are lots of events this summer so there will be plenty of opportunities to network

I mentioned on another thread about possibly meeting up for drinks or to watch the Euro 2012 football matches this few weeks ... I have been going to either Beverlies or Dickens the last few weeks for the games, sometimes alone, but most of the time with other expats.. I would be happy to expand our group to include anyone who is interested in watching 22 men chasing after a ball..

Hi guys.

I'm also looking some friends. cause I'm moving stavanger after few days.

So, who is interested to watch the Portugal vs Czech game tonight? I am going to Dickens to watch the game, feel free to join!

I would agree with most people, it will be different and frustrating at times... it really is a different way of life... There will be good and bad the scenery is fantastic, I love the long evenings in summer, and a big one coming from Australia - people trust you a LOT more here, no having to show your bags everytime you leave the shops and no flies everywhere. What i have found hard is day to day life and lack of modern living and entertainment.

We have found it hard to meet people, even with me working... if you dont work it WILL be harder - though at least you're heading to area with most English speakers.

In terms of getting a job - only hope are larger international companies if you dont speak Norwegian

And dont be too critical of Norway

Goodluck

Hei guys!! I think we feel like Australian people, hahahaa!! We are a couple from Barcelona (Spain) and we've moved to Stavanger two weeks ago. In the job is also dificult to find friends. They are likeable but after the job: "ok, ha det bra!".. Nothing, they are only coworkers. I love this city and love Norway but they have a different way of life, different culture...

We're looking some friends. We need to restore our social life, aaaaaaaa..!! Any drinks or coffee this weekend?

I am up for some drinks this weekend. What about Friday night? Who else is free? Was thinking either Beverlies, or Cardinals ...

What about saturday night?

I will be out on both Friday and Saturday night ..

Hi there,

I have just recently got back from traveling around Norway and visiting some friends who studied in Australia last year. I know the very basics of Norwegian but of course with my Norwegian friends I want to learn more, I am looking at working in Norway next may 2014. If anyone has any tips, ideas or any information at all that would be amazing as this is something I would really like to do.

thank you

Hello,

You'll find a lot of information here on the forum. If you are interest in the formal requirements for coming to Norway, you can look at www.udi.no.

If you have any specific questions, just ask. You might also want to consider starting a new topic for better visibility.

David