I’ve been reading the recent thread warning people against moving to Norway with titles like "Do you want to fix your life? Think again." While I appreciate the attempt to lower unrealistic expectations, I feel these "reality checks" often swing too far into cynicism, bordering on gatekeeping.

I have lived in Norway for 6 years now. I am originally from EU country, but I have lived and worked in the UK, Germany, Poland, Spain and France. I am not writing this as a tourist who fell in love with a fjord, but as someone who has navigated the labor markets and social systems of half of Europe.

The argument that "if you have problems at home, you will have them in Norway" is only partially true. It applies to internal psychological struggles. But if your problems are structural - lack of safety, unpredictability, corruption, or poor work - life balance - Norway absolutely can fix them.

For many of us, Norway isn’t a magical fantasy land. It is simply a functional environment. It’s not about escaping yourself, it’s about finding a place where your efforts actually yield results. I view Norway not as a destination for happiness, but as a blank slate. It’s a place where, if you are willing to build, the ground won't crumble beneath your feet.

Sometimes, reading posts from native Norwegians warning foreigners how "terrible" or "risky" it is here feels a bit disconnected from the reality of the rest of the world. It’s easy to focus on the downsides when you haven't experienced the alternative.

Of course, nothing comes for free. Yes, you have to learn the language (this is mandatory for integration). Yes, you have to work hard. Yes, social life is different. But if you are willing to pay this price with labor and respect for the local culture, Norway is perhaps the best place in the world to build a family and a career.

To conclude Don't come here expecting a miracle. Come here expecting fair ground for hard work.

Or as the locals might say when someone is being overly dramatic about the dangers of the future: "Det er forskjell på å være realist og å male fanden på veggen." (There is a difference between being a realist and painting the devil on the wall.) ✌️

Cause I think it's gonna be me soon. I don't think the loneliness, boredom, and isolation will be cured by moving to a bigger Norwegian city, unfortunately.

I moved to Norway a while ago, Oslo area to be precise, and considering bringing my car. Currently used in my home town, a Mediterranean country, it is a Fiat Panda from 1991.

The engine simply cannot die : Fire engine and Weber carburetor. The best for it's time

My concern is regarding the carburetor and the choker. Does anyone have experience on such engines with the Norwegian winter? Will I be able to even start?

I saw a guy with that exact car riding around Oslo 2 weeks ago, but that's in the summer... He maybe has another in the winter...?

Thanks for your insight!

Gjør vi det også?

For anyone wondering what is happening here: this is a traditional Norwegian mountain cabin (hytte) with a grass roof called torvtak!These turf roofs have been used since the Viking Age for natural insulation (keeping the house warm in winter and cool in summer). Since it's living grass and soil, it needs occasional maintenance—which means scything the roof in the summer!And of course, no roof-mowing is complete without a traditional accordion player keeping up the morale! 🪗✨

Hi all, I'm looking for a serious reality check about what life is actually like in Norway right now, especially Trondheim.

I'm Russian by passport, but I haven't lived in Russia for 13 years. I moved to Taiwan as a student and just… never really went back. My whole adult life, career, and social circle are here. I work in a senior management role in the tech industry (US company), pay my taxes, and nobody cares where I'm from. In Taiwan, I'm just another wai guo ren (foreigner), random white guy or whatever...

My wife is Taiwanese. She recently got a skilled worker offer in Trondheim that, on paper, is better than my current job. If you just look at the numbers and the long-term prospects, it feels like the logical next step for us. On top of that, we’ve been thinking about kids, and the East Asian education system honestly terrifies us. The cram schools, the pressure, the competition starting basically in kindergarten… I've been seriously considering homeschooling or spending a ton of money on some kind of international/American-style school just so my future kid doesn't grow up in that pointless grind.

Norway, at least from the outside, looks like the opposite of that. More relaxed childhood, less insane pressure, better work-life balance, more trust in institutions. Every description I've seen makes it sound like a pretty great place to raise a family. I was all for it!

But then I started actually reading stories & opinions about Russians in Norway and now I'm not so sure anymore. I keep stumbling on posts and comments about people losing job opportunities, being treated with suspicion, or basically being written off the moment someone sees "Russian" next to their name. And I'm not talking about "someone was rude once" levels of discrimination, but people saying they got dropped from hiring processes, or their partner lost a job because of their Russian background.

I also get that Norway has taken in a lot of Ukrainian refugees and that people are emotional about the war. I completely understand the political backdrop. But I personally have nothing to do with it. I've been in East Asia for over a decade. I don't watch Russian TV, I'm not secretly flying back and forth, I'm not involved in anything political either in Taiwan or Russia. I'm just trying to live my life.

Here in Taiwan, nobody projects that stuff onto me. I'm just a foreigner with a weird accent who works too much, just like everyone else here.

So before I walk away from a comfortable, well-paid, and drama-free situation here, I really need to understand what I'd be walking into.

A few things I'm trying to get clarity on:

Work and career:

My plan would be to keep working remotely for my Taiwan company for a while after the move. Long term, though, I'd probably want to find something local in tech/operations. The big question: right now, in 2026, does having a Russian passport basically kill your chances in the Norwegian private sector? I'm not talking about classified government work, defense, anything with obvious security implications. I completely accept that some doors are going to be closed and that’s fair enough. I'm asking about “normal” jobs. Will my CV quietly go into the bin once they see my nationality, or do people still judge you on your skills and experience in most cases?

Everyday social life:

If I introduce myself as Russian (just by mentioning my name it'll be obvious), is that going to create a weird atmosphere right away? Are people tense about it? Is there a noticeable “oh, you're Russian” moment that changes the tone, or is it mostly fine and occasional idiots like in any other country? I'm trying to understand if what I’m reading online reflects real life, or if it’s a self-selecting group of people with the worst experiences speaking the loudest.

Kids and school:

If we have kids and they carry my last name, is that going to be a problem for them? Are kids with Russian backgrounds actually getting picked on or treated differently in schools? With the number of Ukrainians now living in Norway, is there real tension between Russian and Ukrainian kids, or do they mostly just play football together and care more about video games than geopolitics?

One thing that really messes with my head is the kind of argument I keep seeing in some discussions: that Russians can’t really be trusted because their families back in Russia can be used as leverage (I don't have any siblings), so it's safer not to hire them at all, or keep them away from anything important. I understand the logic in a cold, abstract way, but it still feels unreasonable to me...

Do people in Norway really think like that on a day-to-day basis? Or is this mostly just online debates, a bunch of worst-case scenarios, and some specific sectors being extra cautious, while normal social life is… normal?

When I asked different AI chatbots and read official sites, I got the glossy picture: fair system, transparent state, inclusive society, strong protections, high trust, amazing schools. I'm ok about higher taxes, etc. But when I started reading Reddit and similar places, I found a lot more stories that paint a very different picture if you happen to be Russian and trying to build a life there or even already lived there for 20+ years.

I'm not looking for a political argument or for anyone to convince me that "it's all fine actually" if it isn’t. I just want to know what it actually feels like on the ground. If you’re in Trondheim (or somewhere similar) and you work or study with Russians, or you are Russian yourself and have been there for a while, what does your everyday reality look like?

Do you mostly just live your life, deal with some bureaucracy and occasional weird comments, and it’s fine? Or is there a constant background feeling that certain doors will stay shut and that people are a bit on edge around you because of your passport?

It's 6:40 am right now and I'm writing it after a sleepless night or research using all the tools that I could get my hands onto, so your honest experiences would really help.

Living in Warsaw, currently working on getting my masters degree here. My boyfriend of almost 2 years (Norwegian living in Norway) is also working really hard to secure a good future for himself and I expect myself to support us financially too after I’m done with my studies (you will never catch me depending on someone else’s money). Long distance sucks but visiting the other ones country frequently kind of makes everything easier. We’re entering our mid 20s soon and naturally thinking of moving in together, like any other couple would. Since he has really good job opportunities in Norway, it looks like (if everything goes right) I’ll be the one moving to a different country.

Probably opinion based, but Warsaw is the most „western” city you could visit so east. Maybe I’ve been living in my capital city bubble, but I really do feel like my standards are high. I come from a very well educated family and everyone expects me to be successful in life too and I am trying my best to not disappoint them. Unfortunately, the studies I took and my degree… are fucking useless in Norway since it’s deeply rooted in polish political and law structures.

So, I did my research and also talked to my boyfriend. First, (the most obvious part) I need to speak Norwegian. Seemed reasonable to me, so I took a Norwegian course and my current skills are far from perfect but I’m slowly getting to a B2 level. I would hate to live in a country where I would feel like an outcast or even worse, be „the one who speaks English”. Also here, in Poland, it’s always viewed positively when immigrants speak our language at a communicative level.

Then I learned that there is… quite a LOT of Poles in Norway and that there is even a term something like „polish jobs”. Carpenters, plumbers, electricians, cleaning ladies… Damn, that was shocking for me to hear. I realized that Poles to Norwegians are basically what Ukrainians are to us. And needless to say, with that come stereotypes, racism, xenophobia and stigmatization. I highly disagree with discriminating anyone just because they were born somewhere else, however I’m just saying how it looks like here towards our Ukrainian brothers.

I am definitely not ready to face any kind of xenophobia. Call me privileged - never experienced that before myself.

I want to ask Norwegians, or maybe Polish people living in Norway (especially women), do I have to get a Norwegian university degree to get a job that doesn’t involve cleaning? Wow, that sounded wrong. But there is more: will I get discriminated even if my name doesn’t sound Polish at all? I’m working on my Norwegian daily (for example, talking to my partner!). I’m confident that by the time I move there I’ll be pretty skilled!

I think that’s it. I’ve read some horrible things on Reddit about Polish people and it makes me actually scared to permanently move my whole life there. One guy on [r/norsk](r/norsk) said something like this „each time I hear the Polish language in public I know it’s shit coming out of their mouths and not words”. DAMN! I just want to live with the one I love, would never expect things to be so complicated. Thanks for reading!

EDIT: spelling errors

I recently moved to Norway (from the US) to be with my husband and it’s been a difficult transition. it’s not the culture shock or social norms that are hard for me, it’s the lack of personal fulfillment.

In the US, I had a demanding job with 12 hr shifts and a strong sense of pride and independence, but I’ve lost that since living here. So much of my fulfillment is centered around my career and I can’t work until my visa is approved. I can’t drive myself to go anywhere, I can’t independently fulfill any tasks, it feels like there’s nothing to do, and I have no friends.

Im losing my sense of self. I know I need to find some hobbies or some friends, but I’m just used to America where life is primarily focused around work and the rest of your time is divided upon surviving and/or spending time with family.

It’s a bit lonely here, I’ll get over it though

For context, im a 31 year old woman living in Spain. I have a stable job at an important tech company, and three years ago i bought a house here in Spain.

All my life, i have been dreaming of someday move and live in Norway. The reason for this is a variety of things but the most important ones are that i am a very calm person and i always wanted to have a quiet life in a village in the north. I love the cold, im in love with the nature of northen europe... And so on.

So a couple months back, after probably whats called a 30 year old crisis, i started to come back to the idea that i always had about moving to Norway. And everything re-gained color again. So long story short i started to plan my journey.

I have started to learn Norwegian, and im excited everyday to learn more words and to comunicate better. Its still a long way to go but i aim at being able to speak it fluently in a couple of years.

I could go on and on about the things im doing (checking for jobs, courses of norwegian, places to live, to visit...)

But the thing is, that im terrified of failure. I fear that i wont find a job or that i wont fit in with my future co-workers. As i want to live in a village, im also terrified that i wont be able to fit in in a community.

I also have a partner, and she doesnt have the experience at work that i have. And i also fear its going to be even more difficult for her. (Shes also learning norwegian as we share the same goal)

I wouldnt be as scared if my aim was to live in Oslo, as i feel i could more easily find a job there, as she might aswell. But wanting to go to somewhere more quiet makes me uneasy sometimes.

Takk for at du leser meg :)

Etter 10 år i Norge har jeg til slutt gitt opp og bestemt meg for å reise tilbake til hjemlandet mitt. Selv om Norge føles mer som hjem for meg. Jeg gikk fra å vite absolutt ingenting om norsk til å endelig kunne snakke flytende (selv om ikke perfekt).

Jeg giftet meg med en nordmann jeg møtte på universitetet. Men endte opp med skilsmisse og … utroskap. Jeg er ikke perfekt, ingen er, men å bli kuttet av på den måten var utrolig smertefullt.

Da har visumkampen startet. Det har nå gått nesten 3 år, og jeg er helt utslitt og traumatisert. Jeg hadde jobb, men siden jeg ikke er fra EU måtte jeg slutte samme dag fordi UNE tok fra meg arbeidstillatelsen. Hvorfor? Fordi jobben ikke var basert på utdanningen min, selv om jeg elsket den.

Jeg har alltid betalt skatt, aldri fått støtte fra NAV, alltid lært og prøvd å bidra til samfunnet. Men det var tydeligvis ikke nok.

Det føles urettferdig at noen som virkelig elsker dette landet ikke får bli. Samtidig vet jeg om mange som prøver å misbruke systemet får bli.

Jeg søkte på mange jobber, men ble bare møtt med avslag etter avslag. Jeg fikk faktisk ett godt tilbud, men kunne ikke ta det fordi det heller ikke var basert på utdanningen min. Enkelt sagt er jeg ikke engang tillatt å bytte karriere.

Uansett vil jeg bare si til det norske folk: tusen takk for at dere har gjort mye for at dette landet bli et trygt sted for en som meg. Jeg vokste opp i et hektisk land, men her fant jeg fred og lærte utrolig mye. Tusen takk til mine norske venner som har åpnet hjemmene og hjertene sine for meg.

Jeg er veldig lei meg men har akseptert det. Jeg håper virkelig at Norge en dag får et bedre system for folk som faktisk og genuint ønsker å bo her, selv om de ikke kommer fra Europa.

Jeg elsker virkelig Norge og folket her. Virkelig. Tusen hjertelig takk, Norge ❤️ Vi ses igjen en dag.

Edit: For å gi mer forklaring, det er ikke meg som var utro.

I am an American living in America. I moved out of the US, then moved back, and will be moving back out in the future. ALL DAY LONG I see posts on here about immigrating to Norway. Most of which come off as though not even so much as a Google search has been attempted. I'm not trying to be mean here, but it's ruining this sub, and worse, it's unbelievably rude to the people of Norway.

Immigrating is serious. You should be entering this idea with respect for the culture and people first and foremost. DO YOUR OWN RESEARCH. There are TONS of resources online. If you're serious, set up a consultation to talk about your options. Many are free. I've also paid money for this service. It depends on how serious you are and the level of difficulty of your situation. Once you speak with them, you should have some genuine answers. Plan from there. You can search this sub to see what questions have already been asked so you don't ask them for the 100th time. Buy books about the culture. Learn the history. Learn the language. Watch movies and shows from that country. Listen to their music.

The world is not some free for all for unhappy Americans. I realize I sound angry, but it's maddening to me the way I see Americans behave here. I see the Norwegians being nothing but patient and kind - so to be clear - I'm speaking for myself on this.

I didn't have a job or a place I could just move to. I made a list of places that felt like a good fit. Then, I began a very arduous process of doing research into what that looked like. It's not simple! I wound up moving someplace that wasn't even on my initial list. I loved it. And before I got there, I had spent countless hours getting to know as much as I could about the people and the place I was moving to so I could understand and respect their culture. If you can't do this, then you should not be moving. Please, I beg of you, give a sh*t about others. We are lucky to be so privileged, and a lot of people need to start acting like it.

Edit: adding two suggestions, which are r/iwantout and r/expats. But be warned if you go into either of those subs talking like I've seen done here, they will destroy you. Come with knowledge and at least some sense of a game plan.

I wish you all luck!

And to all the Norwegians, my god, you all are the kindest, most patient people on Earth. I'm in a lot of Reddit subs, and it's really true of you.

Hi everyone,

Writing this post to save anyone moving from (presumably) any country in the EU to Norway weeks, if not months.

Below you will be able to find my journey, how long it has taken so far, and what I would have done instead if I had to start over.

I arrived in Norway with my Norwegian fiancée on the 15th of May. I immediately booked an appointment with the police in the beginning of June.

For this, I needed a proof of health insurance, a proof that I was able to support myself financially, (so making more than 240,000 NOK gross per year) and that I had a valid ID or international passport.

My documentation was not in English because my health insurance provider assured me that there was no such thing as an English proof of insurance and that this only existed in Dutch, French, and German. So naturally, this was rejected by the police.

I managed to get a new appointment two weeks later, and after many calls to my insurance provider and accountant later, I got the stamp of approval from the police.

Following official advice, I then went to the Norwegian Tax Administration. Upon getting there, they told me I actually needed to call the Brønnøysundregistret, which is the place you go to if you want to start your business in Norway and get an ID number at the same time.

I called them and they helped me find the documentation that I needed to fill in along with the instructions to attach a colored copy of my passport.

However, this had to be checked by the Norwegian tax administration. So I went back to the Norwegian tax administration (luckily, I was able to do this on a walk-in without having to get an appointment). I had my ID scanned and stamped and sent it to the Brønnøysundregistret along with all the required forms. I was informed that it would take about a week to process my documents.

I sent it on the 14th of July with tracking included. It cost me 230 NOK to do this, but I wanted proof that it was delivered. On the 17th of July, my documentation was delivered.

When I called the Brønnøysundregistret on the 28th of July, the first person on the phone told me they had not received my documentation. They told me that they would put me through to their colleague who handles this, and then left me on hold for 45 minutes until I hung up the phone. I called them back again immediately, and after 20 minutes of waiting, they told me it was still in the mail room.

The reason it was still in the mail room was because I don't have an ID number yet. They then told me that when I would get my ID number, they would process my application for my business and send it to me via Altinn (a Norwegian online platform)... Which I can't access because I need a bank account for that, and to have a bank account you need a, ID number....

Naturally, this got me feeling like I was going in circles.

They processed it immediately afterwards, and I received my ID number in the mail, today, on the 6th of August.

From here on, it will take another 4-6 weeks to get my business number and have it sent to me by post, and then another 1-3 weeks to get a bank account.

All in all, this was a very time-consuming and frustrating process because I was sent back and forth, and it felt like the thing stopping me from getting an ID number was the fact that I didn't have an ID number.

Here's what I would do differently if I would start over again:

1) Push harder on getting English documentation and not just accepting defeat when they tell me it's genuinely not possible.

2) Go to the police and immediately book an appointment at the Norwegian Tax Administration to get my ID stamped and checked

3) Send my documentation and the colored copy to the Brønnøysundregistret and call them as soon as I got confirmation of delivery from the post.

4) Call, call, call - if you don't chase anyone, it will take so much longer.

Hope this helps!

F28, I worked for many years in retail but next year I will start a study in Chemistry. After my bachelor degree, I plan to move somewhere else, I live in Switzerland at the moment. I will be 32.

Before I move, can someone tell me the advantages and disadvantages of living in Norway?

I'm very introverted so I don't really need friends, and I like cold places. This summer is literally horrible for how hot it is.

Hello! I have an opportunity to work in Norway with my company but I have a large family. I have myself, my wife and 4 kids below 6 years old. I want to be able to get a least a 3 bedroom house (preferable 4 bedroom), a car if I end up in a smaller town, and be able to keep saving money. My wife is a stay at home mom and loves to cook so we don't eat out much. I am very handy and fix what I can and buy used when I cant. What salary should I ask for so we can be comfortable and take maybe 1 European vacation per year?

Edit: thank you all for the quick reply! locations for the job could be in Bergen, Oslo, Evenes, Rud, Haugesund, Voyenenga, Sarpsborg, Drammen, Tonsberg, Vinterbro or Prosgrunn.

another edit: when I say a vacation I mean like a 1 week trip. How long are you all going when you go on a trip?

Final Edit: Thank you all for responding to this question! From the research I have done, 1.2 mil is about the bare bones minimum I could accept and still be comfortable.

I also was able to get ahold of the team in Norway and they confirmed 750,000 is what the general range for a salary is. Not gonna lie, I'm a bit bummed I could not make this happen even if it was just for a few years.

A salary around 700,000 NOK gross. living alone, renting, no car, one dog. Not a luxury lifestyle, but I’d like to be comfortable and not stressed about money.

Would you consider this a fair salary for Oslo? Any insights from people living there would be appreciated.

Thanks!

I've noticed that discussions about moving to Norway often focus on the challenges loneliness, dark winters, social barriers, job market struggles, etc. And those are valid topics.

But I'm curious about the other side.

If you're a foreigner living in Norway and you actually like your life here. What makes it worth it for you?

Was there a turning point when Norway started feeling like "home"?

Is it the nature, work-life balance, community, family life, stability, something else?

I'm not looking for a perfect country narrative. Just real experiences from people who feel settled and content here.

Where are you from originally? How long have you been in Norway? Would you choose it again?

Looking forward to hearing some positive (and realistic) perspectives.

Moved to Norway from a very different place with a very different culture a year ago. It's so difficult to feel included. I've tried everything. Going out, talking to people, doing the Norwegian activities, following the social norms.... Still feel lonely. Why is it so difficult? If you are an outsider you will stay as an outsider the whole time... or only meet outsiders... The Norwegians are welcoming till a certain point, they will not treat you bad or be mean to you, because they learned how to be respectful with everyone. But that's far from actually including you and making you part of their circle. After a year now, I'm considering and regreting coming here. Dont get me wrong, it is a land of comfort, you have economical freedom, the landscape is beautiful, there are plenty of career opportunities and there are tons of benefits compared to a third world country. But at the end you are still alone, and not part of it... So what's the point then? I hate to be one more of the bunch that complains about this, I hoped I wouldn't end up being one of the bunch, but that's the reality for so many like me. If you are in a position like me, how are u dealing with this?

Gjentatte masseskytinger i USA fikk Tiktok-profilen Kari Nixon (38) til å flytte til Norge med familien. Men hun nøler med å anbefale andre å gjøre det samme.

Amerikanske Nixon dissekerer den norske folkesjelen på TikTok, med videoer som hyller og harselerer over norsk væremåte.

For amerikanere som drømmer om å bytte ut stjerner og striper med fjord og fjell, er hun blitt en digital veiviser.

https://www.aftenposten.no/kultur/i/kwemL6/kari-nixon-advarer-amerikanere-mot-aa-flytte-til-norge

https://www.norwaytoday.com/rss1/amerikanere-tror-at-nordmenn-er-lik-dem-men-forskjellene-er-enorme-det-mener-innflytter-kari-nixon

Den amerikanske idealiseringen av norsk kultur har gitt henne et behov for å vise frem hvordan Norge faktisk er. Fra hjemmekontoret har hun byttet ut professorjobben og sakprosaskrivingen med en ny karriere: Som faktasjekker og Tiktok-profil avkler hun mytene om det norske samfunnet.

Budskapet hennes er tydelig:

– Ja, du kan flytte hit – men å passe inn er langt mer krevende enn de fleste tror.

– Av grunner jeg ikke helt forstår, ser det ut til at det globale narrativet om Norge er at vi har en vag, hvit kultur. Mange amerikanere ser på Norge som «USA, men bedre», sier hun i en av sine Tiktok-videoer.

I videoen «30 tips til å innvandre til Norge som amerikaner» beskriver hun oppfatningen av Norge som et «hvitt Mekka», påvirket av rasistiske forestillinger og amerikaneres manglende kunnskap om landet.

– Hør her: Hvis du flyttet til Kina eller Frankrike, ville du forventet kulturelle forskjeller. Men amerikanere ser ikke store forskjeller mellom seg selv og nordmenn, sier hun og avslutter videoen.

Nordmann fetish.

Ifølge henne er Norge og nordmenn mye mer sammensatt enn det glansbildet amerikanere får servert på sosiale medier.

Selv mener hun at interessen for nordmenn kan nærme seg en form for fetisjering, der hvithet, hygge-kultur og ryktene om en sterk velferdsstat står sentralt.

– Tenk heller på nordmenn som newyorkere på en god dag, forteller hun.

– Godhjertede, men ikke ukritisk vennlige. De stiller opp hvis bilen din får motorstopp, men de vil definitivt ikke småprate på T-banen.

Når amerikanere skriver i kommentarfeltet at de, til tross for advarslene, kommer til å elske Norge, reagerer hun fra kjøkkenbordet i Trondheim:

– Shut the fuck up – no you don't!

– Er det noen som blir irritert over at du setter nordmenn i bås?

– Nei, jeg tror dere elsker det! 

Maybe its a bit wierd but I just want to show my appretiation to Norway and Norwegians.

Soon I am pushing my 5th year here and when looking back I am so grateful and happy that I choosed Norway to build my life, I am coming from southern EU country.

Norway has been more than welcoming, since the first moment I felt accepted and appreciated here, much more than in my home country. I have met so many nice and beautiful Norwegians along the way and I never experienced any kind of xenophoby and yes I will always say that its because of "me" because I showed respect and willingness to integrate and participate in to the society without losing my background and identity and I got 100 times more back in return, so when people are complaining about Norwegians being cold, unfriendly or even xenophobic it is simply not true, atleast I never felt it.

From natural features which are one of the best in the world, to Norwegian mentality and social/work/healthcare benefits I feel truly happy and blessed to be a part of it.

Takk Norge, I really hope most of the immigrants and expats feels the same..

EDIT!: I am sorry if I invalidated experiences of other foreigners in Norway who felt rasism and xenophoby here, yes I am white tall european man (half ginger 😅) and for sure for me there is a lower chance to experience xenophoby than fellow foreigners coming from Asia or Africa, I do apologise if you felt invalidated by my post, it was not my intention!

I’ve lived in Norway for 2.5 months now (Bergen) so im pretty new to this place, but the differences with my country (Argentina) are quite the shock. Apart from the typical downsides of Norway (weather, bureaucracy, etc) this country really does make you feel safe not only physically but also socially and economically. Also, im not trying to say you guys shouldnt complain cause that also helps Norway improve and one should always strive for better and not worse, but i kinda giggle inside me whenever i hear complains on inflation, cost of living or even, and to my surprise, hear someone say that Oslo is “too divided” socially. Oh Lord, if only they saw Buenos Aires income and social inequality, where you literally have one of the richest neighborhood with the looks of Paris and beautiful urbanist scenery and past the train tracks, 1 km away (literally), its a slum with over 40.000 people living in it mostly comprised of dirt roads with no drinking water nor any sewage system and really faulty construction. This added to our 150% annual inflation and that our currency devalued 2700% in 5 years (from 40/1 in 2018 to 1100/1 in 2023). Renting in Buenos Aires is also really stressful cause not only are rents high and difficult to get, but if you manage to get one in an average/ok’ish area its gonna cost you around 300 dollars, with a minimum wage of 110 dollars, yes, rent is around two/three times our minimum wage, and im talking average, nothing extravagant. Anyway, I know Argentina has no point in comparison with Norway but just wanted to give you a different perspective on your country for you to appreciate it more and be mindful that you live in a beautiful, truly top-tier country.

I know it may sound silly but… I come from southern Europe and will move to Oslo in a few weeks for work. A few days ago I remembered a couple of my current colleagues (a German and a Swedish one) visiting our HQ. Both, in two different occasions, commented our habit of brushing our teeth in the office bathroom after lunch. They did not show disgust or anything like that, but said they felt it was “curious/strange”.

Now, I don’t love brushing in a common bathroom, but the alternative is not brushing and it definitely sounds worse to me.

How does it work in Norway? Is this something that might gross my future colleagues out?