Tucked away in arctic Norway, sits the coastal town of µž“Ē»åĆø. In the summer months, the town gets almost constant daylight; in the winter, the opposite is the case and the sun rarely breaks above the horizon. µž“Ē»åĆø has a population of just 52,000, and living there, dealing with such extremes, can be a challenge even for the locals.

In August 2017, Nia Chunashvili got accepted onto a Science in Business masterā€™s degree at Nord University in µž“Ē»åĆø. She packed her bags and moved to Norway from her native Georgia (the country, not the American state) full of excitement and hope.

Read more: µž“Ē»åĆø: New City, New Airport

Nia has, in large, found it to be a positive experience, but it hasnā€™t been without its difficulties.Ā I caught up with her recently and asked her about her experiences of living in Norway's frozen north. She told me about her studies, the dreaded job hunt and her Norwegian language lessons. Here is what she had to say.

Why did you choose to study in Norway?

I really wanted to study a masterā€™s programme in English. Also, I have a friend who had studied at university here and he told me only positive things about Norway. It was a bonus that the education here was free here, that it would not cost me anything, I think this is unique.

But also, Norway is a very safe and peaceful country to live in. It's quite different from Tbilisi in Georgia in that respect, which is a very busy and congested city. As nice as it was to be in peaceful Norway, it definitely took some getting used to.

How does studying at a university in Norway compare to Georgia?

The universities in Norway are modern, well maintained, but it is difficult to make a direct comparison. Since I graduated from university in Georgia in 2008, education has changed a lot and they have made many improvements to university study programmes.

I find the teaching standards in Norway to be very high. I like how you are encouraged to think independently and to develop your own mindset. You have to think outside of the box, not just to the edge. I found this rewarding because you do feel a greater sense of achievement when you finish an essay or an assignment.

What are the best and worst things about university in Norway?

The best thing is that I learnt how to write a thesis, which was different to how they do it in Georgia. I was not used to the Norwegian way of doing things. For example, a teacher would give you a homework, where you are expected to research and get a lot of information before writing the assignment.

This technique was really new for me. These assignments were like a short thesis, with an introduction, a short literature review and method ect. I was not used doing things this way. I think after I had the research and methodology classes everything became clear, but before I was really struggling.

The worst? I canā€™t really answer that. Iā€™m not sure there is anything I dislike that much about studying here. Can I say the weather!?

How have you dealt with the climate in µž“Ē»åĆø?

In my first semester here, it was a big shock for me. The climate was a surprise because Iā€™m from a warm country where so much rain and really cold temperatures donā€™t happen so much. When I arrived, the first weekā€™s weather was just rain, rain, rain.

I did have an idea of what to expect with the weather before I moved here, but it still wasnā€™t prepared for that first Norwegian winter in the arctic circle. Dealing with the snow was new for me, but on the positive side it does brighten the town when it is dark.

The light, which in winter there is very little of, I was surprised by this the most. And I still donā€™t think Iā€™m used to it, but you do adjust, a little. Then, in the summer, too much light is the problem, making it difficult to sleep at night. It definitly pays to have good blinds or curtains!

How was it looking for work in µž“Ē»åĆø?

Finding a job in µž“Ē»åĆø was one of the most difficult challenges I faced when I moved here. Because I was a student, it is no problem to work part time (20 hours per week), but it was tough because I didnā€™t speak Norwegian and this made things very hard.

But I got lucky and found work in an American burger restaurant, but it took me many months to get that position. I definitely think it pays to network, to get to know people and talk to them. This helps a lot and opportunities will usually open up from these connections.

Thatā€™s how I got my new job ā€“ a friend was leaving her job as waitress at the end of July, and she put my name forward for the position and I got it. So this shows how it can work.

How does your life look at the moment?

Iā€™ve finished my masterā€™s studies. Right now, Iā€™m studying the one-year Norwegian language and culture programme at the university. I try to practice my Norwegian as much as I can, and Iā€™m still working as a waitress. Iā€™m enjoying the last of the good weather before the cold and dark arrives again.

Do you have any tips for people who are considering moving to Norway to study?

If you like spectacular scenery and beautiful nature you will love Norway. I often just stop and gaze at the snow-topped mountains ā€“ I think how lucky I am to be here. It doesn't matter what season it is there is always breathtaking surroundings.

I would say, learn Norwegian as soon as you can, it will improve your chances of finding a job. Also, network and make friends, itā€™s important to be sociable and outgoing, both for professional reasons and for your own mental wellbeing.

That leads me onto the weather ā€“ be prepared! Try to bring adequate clothing and in particular good, weatherproof coats and shoes.

The post Student Stories: Overcoming Difficulties in µž“Ē»åĆø appeared first on ĄÖ²„“«Ć½.

Move over hygge. Our friends from Sweden have a new word set to take the world by storm.

Over the last two years, the world became obsessed with one Scandinavian word, helping to shift thousands of books, scented candles and cozy sweatshirts all in the name of hygge. ItĀ defined the simple pleasure Scandinavians take in making things cosy.

But now another important aspect of Scandinavian approach to life is taking centre-stage, and its all thanks to a Swedish word. Is lagom the next Scandinavian word set to take over the world? Let's find out…

Stockholm photographer Lola Akinmade ƅkerstrƶm has a keen eye for what makes Swedes tick, so much so that she's published a book all about this one peculiar word. .

The meaning of lagom

It might only be five letters long, but the word means different things to different people:Ā “If I were describing something to you and say it was lagom, my idea of the ‘perfect' lagom state may not necessarily equate to the exact same state for you. Yet, the presence of the word in my sentence instantly connects both our ideals of what lagom means and you move into that mental space of recognition.”

So, what does it mean? The closest translation into English is ‘moderation', or ‘just enough'. Think frugality, fairness, and all things equal. Everyone's favourite has started a ‘Live lagom' project, to encourage their shoppers to live “a more sustainable, healthy and cost-conscious life at home without a dramatic upheaval”.

Inside the book

What's most interesting from my perspective as a foreigner living in Norway is that was written not by a native Swede, but by a foreigner living in Sweden. Lola takes a journalistic approach to describing the concept, and the story isĀ told through the eyes of someone who has worked hard to understand the word over the past few years.

“Sweden is sometimes called landet lagom (the Lagom Land) by Swedes because lagom has fundamentally been accepted as the way of life in the country, To live like a Swede means to adopt cultural elements of lagom in various aspects of our lives. When it comes to tempering our emotions, lagom takes on the shape of moderation without extravagance.”

As I turned page after page, I couldn't help but think of the similarities to janteloven, in terms of a concept that moderates behaviour. Almost as if the book was reading my mind, the very next page brought up that very same comparison!

Could you do with a little lagom in your life?

The post LAGOM: What Can The Swedes Teach Us? appeared first on ĄÖ²„“«Ć½.

Bonereapers is a murder mystery set in the hostile environment of Svalbard. We chatted to author Jeanne Matthews about the book.

One of the fringe benefits of writing a guidebook for a major publishing house is the opportunity to meet other authors.

Jeanne Matthews is the author of the Dinah Pelerin international mysteries published by Poisoned Pen Press, including , set in the Norwegian Arctic at the site of the Doomsday Seed Vault.

Like her anthropologist sleuth, Jeanne enjoys traveling around the world learning about other cultures and mythologies, which she incorporates into her novels. Born and raised in Georgia, she currently lives with her husband in Renton, Washington.

Can you give us an idea of what to expect in the book?

My amateur sleuth, cultural anthropologist Dinah Pelerin, is recruited to accompany three American senators and a powerful agribusiness mogul on a politically motivated trip to Svalbard. Senator Sheridan, a candidate for president, has brought along his Norwegian-born wife, a former pop singer with a secret past. When an environmental protester is murdered, Dinah is thrust into a maelstrom of lies and deceptions, some political and some deeply personal.

Suspicions abound. Who do the senators represent? What does the mogul really want? What if his biotech company were to gain access to the seeds, manipulate their DNA, patent the new hybrids as their exclusive intellectual property, or render them sterile so that farmers would have to buy the seeds over and over again with each new planting season?

While getting a crash course in the political controversies surrounding genetic engineering and the idiosyncrasies of the local culture, Dinah discovers a tangle of insidious motives. She joins forces with a sexy Sami policeman to investigate, but when a second murder victim tumbles out of the hotel sauna into her arms, she fears she might be the one to take the fall. She knows sheā€™ll have to uncover the murderer fast or suspicion will come crashing downhill like an avalanche and bury her so deep sheā€™ll never see daylight again.

What was it about the Svalbard Global Seed Vault that inspired you?

By some estimates, 75% of the earthā€™s plant varieties have gone extinct in the last hundred years and food security is a hot topic among scientists and politicians. Temperatures around the globe are increasing, deserts are spreading, and wars continue to create food shortages and famines. The Norwegian government conceived the vault as a sort of Noahā€™s Ark for the worldā€™s threatened agricultural heritage. Cold slows the ageing process of seeds and prolongs their ability to germinate and Norway has an abundant supply of cold weather.

In 2008 they hollowed out a frozen mountain on the Arctic island of Spitsbergen and invited seed donations from every country in the world. The vaultā€™s designers claimed that it would protect the seeds from biological degradation, rising seas, disease pandemics, nuclear holocaust, and even hurtling asteroids for the next 10,000 years. In all of my books, setting tends to create the plot and the ā€œDoomsday Vaultā€ intrigued me.

Itā€™s the mystery writerā€™s job to imagine what can go wrong and this amazing facility sounded almost too good to be true. History is rife with impossible-to-predict events. Thereā€™s always some blip the experts never see coming and anything called the ā€œDoomsday Vaultā€ simply cries out for a murder. No fortress, however remote or ingenious, can protect against human corruption and those who have made it their business to gain control of the worldā€™s food supply. That was the idea behind Bonereapers.

To what extent does the location play a part in the book?

The little hamlet of Longyearbyen where the vault is located is a very real character and a remarkable one. Itā€™s the northernmost inhabited town in the world and so cold that, as a matter of public policy, itā€™s against the law to die there. Bodies donā€™t decompose in the permafrost and if a person feels sick enough to die, he is politely asked to fly south so he can be buried in softer soil. For four months of the year, the sun doesnā€™t appear above the horizon and the little town is wrapped in Polar Night.

I learned to my surprise that a few thousand years ago, the area was a steaming peat swamp where dinosaurs roamed. In 1901, the American industrialist Charles Longyear visited Spitsbergen and found coal deposits. He returned a few years later and opened a mining operation. The Norwegian labourers he hired named the place Longyear City.

Today, it boasts Santaā€™s Workshop inside an abandoned mine, the largest wine cellar in the world, and nearly as many polar bears as people. Everybody walks around armed with a polar bear rifle. All this and the Doomsday Vault, too! There couldnā€™t be a more interesting place to set a murder mystery.

As a mystery writer, whatā€™s your opinion on Nordic Noir and the Scandinavian obsession with the strange and mysterious?

Itā€™s ironic that Norway and Iceland are among the most crime and corruption-free places on earth. Perhaps itā€™s the rarity of murder that whets the Scandinavian imagination. Norwegians devour crime fiction almost faster than it can be turned out, especially at Easter time. The tradition of pĆ„skekrim (Easter Crime) fascinates me.

In 1923, Easter fell on April 1st and as an elaborate April Foolā€™s joke, Nordahl Grieg and Nils Lie wrote a story about a robbery on the Bergen train during the Easter holiday. The publisher placed an ad on the front page of the Norwegian daily newspaper, BERGEN TRAIN LOOTED IN THE NIGHT!

It appeared as if it were headline news and believing it to be true, thousands of people called the train station to check on loved ones who had been on the train. That long-ago joke had a lasting impact and ever since, Easter has become the peak season to read crime novels. I think Norwegians must grow weary of all that lovely white snow and crave the novelty of a few bloodstains.

Who are your favourite other mystery authors?

Itā€™s a very long list. The first mysteries I read were the so-called ā€œclassics,ā€ mostly by British authors (Christie and Sayers) and they turned me into an addict. Raymond Chandler and Dashiell Hammett have to be included on the list. Nobody can match Chandlerā€™s way with a simile ā€“ ā€œas inconspicuous as a tarantula on a slice of angel food.ā€

I admire the humor and seemingly effortless storytelling of the late Donald Westlake. Reginald Hill is wonderful. Iā€™m still furious with Sarah Caudwell for dying and Iā€™m deeply jealous of Tana Frenchā€™s extraordinary facility with language. My own books arenā€™t especially cozy, but they fall on the lighter, less gritty side of the crime fiction spectrum. In spite of murder, Dinah can still find situations and characters that make her (and the reader) laugh. By and large, Scandinavian authors are too bleak and fatalistic for me.

What were your favourite places to visit in Norway?

I loved the train ride from Oslo to Myrdal where we transferred to the funky little FlƄm Railway and rattled down the mountain into FlƤm. We hiked from the village to the top of a lovely waterfall (Brekkefossen) and rehydrated with several glasses of the local beer. The ferry ride on the Sognefjord to Bergen was delightful.

What was your scariest travel experience in Norway?

The ascent of Preikestolen was definitely the scariest. Pulpit Rock as itā€™s called in English is one of the most iconic images of Norway and one of the most spectacular sights anywhere in the world. This is a major photo op not to be missed. But for acrophobes like me, itā€™s a queasy experience ā€“ triumph mingled with terror.

It looks less like a pulpit than the prow of some immense ship. On three sides, sheer cliffs plunge 2,000 feet to the brilliant blue waters of Lysefjord below. There are no fences, no rails, nothing between you and the abyss. My husband and I literally crawled to the edge on our bellies to peer off into the fjord. The sight of other tourists perched on the precipice with their feet dangling over the rim made our blood run cold.

And then thereā€™s the crack ā€“ the one right behind you that cleaves the rock from the mountain. You tell yourself, Iā€™m standing on solid granite. This rock will be standing for centuries to come. Thousands have stood where Iā€™m standing and lived to tell. And then you look down through that heart-stopping crevice into the depths below and decide, quite suddenly, that itā€™s time to descend. I snapped a hasty picture to prove I was there and started down.

Is Norway somewhere you could see yourself living?

In addition to the country being so beautiful, Norwegians enjoy an extraordinarily high quality of life. Every Norwegian citizen has free cradle-to-grave healthcare, free access to higher education, and a standard of living that is the envy of almost ever other nation.

And unlike most other nations, certainly unlike the United States, nobody hates the Norwegians. Theyā€™re just so darn nice. But in whatever locale I find myself, at home or abroad, I tend to be a contrarian. Iā€™m not sure Iā€™d fit in with all that niceness.

The post A Norway Mystery: Jeanne Matthews Interview appeared first on ĄÖ²„“«Ć½.

Georgina and Sam Bevin moved from the UK to rural Norway in 2016 to run a farm. Read their remarkable story!

I'm always thrilled to hear from fellow expats living in Norway who do something a little bit different.Ā So when Georgina Bevin from the blog got in touch, I knew I had to share her story.

She kindly agreed to this interview, where she tells all about her and her husband's move from the UK to become sheep & dairy farmers just minutes from the Geirangerfjord.

First question: How did this all happen?

My husband Sam and I met in Hellesylt in Norway in 2008. Sam is a sheep shearer and had been working the autumn season in Norway when the sheep come off the mountains into the abattoir. Norwegian hygiene regulations (Mattlesylt) stipulate that sheep have to be shorn before being processed for meat.

Anyway, Sam was shearing and I was wool grading in the abattoir Ole Ringdal, we were working as part of a gang for 3 months. Sam has been doing the season for 13 years and I have done 4 seasons.

So in 2015 when Sam was in Norway shearing a local farmer's sheep, he found out that the farm was for sale. Naturally Sam thought it would be too expensive but was curious.

The whole farm was actually not as expensive as we thought, he then rang and said do you want to buy a farm in Norway so thatā€™s how it all started. We both come from farming families and grew up on farms helping our parents, and together we had always dreamt of having our own farm.

However in the UK it is virtually impossible due to land prices, availability and set up costs. The only way would be to inherit. Both sets of parents were still farming and not at a stage to retire so there wasnā€™t an opportunity there.

Is it possible to make a living as a farmer in Norway?

Norwegian and British farming are opposites. Norwegian farming is on a smaller scale compared to the UK but we have been able to turn a profit within the first year of owning the farm, which is unheard of in the UK.

The Norwegian government are very supportive of farming and believe it's inherent in their culture, therefore they subsidise farmers however big or small. How much is determined by how easy it is to farm your land, so farmers in the south receive less due to having more productive land and a warmer climate, while famers in the mid and northern regions will receive more.

We were unable to have the subsidy payments for the first year and we still managed to make money. Basically we are getting a very good price for the milk we produce, about 5kr per litre. Tine, the national dairy company, also provide extra payments such as a yearly bonus to say thank you to the farmers and provide extra payment for those farming in difficult regions such as us in MĆøre og Romsdal even more in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø.

So the simple answer is YES! We milk 18 cows plus we produce bulls for beef and beef is a good price in Norway. We also have 20 sheep, lamb is in demand in Norway especially at Christmas and the wool is the best quality, fetching about 40-50 kr per kilo.

What are the biggest challenges in running a farm?

As a self-employed business the buck always stops with you. You canā€™t pass it off to anyone else to sort. The biggest challenges with Norwegian dairy farming are having enough grass to last the winter, and as farming is a 24/7 activity, there is always something to be done from day to day tasks, solving problems, paperwork, and juggling money coming in and out.

Finding enough productive land is also another big challenge. The amount of land determines how many animals you can keep and therefore how much money you can make. Our farm is about 350 acres but only about 40-50 acres of it is productive.

What were the biggest challenges moving to Norway?

The biggest challenge has been the communication and paperwork. Most people can speak to you in English but everything is written in Norwegian so all the paperwork for the farm has to be translated to make sure we understand it. We love where we live but, for example, to get tax documentation sorted and register our move we had to travel for two hours to ƅlesund a lot of times to get everything right.

The farming side isnā€™t challenging for us as thatā€™s what we love doing, and our neighbouring famers have been very helpful and are quick to guide us in the right direction and of the Norwegian way of doing things.

What do you miss most from the UK?

We miss our social life and friends and family. Where we live there are no pubs or restaurants we can go out to. We miss takeaways especially fish and chips and Indian, although luckily in Hellesylt there is a very good pizzeria.

What do you like best about Norway?

Where we are in the fjords and mountains, the pace of life is just so much slower and itā€™s taken a bit of getting used to. Donā€™t get me wrong, people work hard and get jobs done, but everyone appears calm and not in a rush. We love the nature and landscape we canā€™t believe we live just ten minutes from the world-famous Geirangerfjord. We love how there is little traffic no traffic lights or queues for anything.

Can you tell us about your actual relocation to Norway?

We knew the drive would be tough, but we didnā€™t consider that moving house and country would be a problem in the height of the European Summer holidays.

After successfully catching the overnight ferry from Harwich to the Hook of Holland, Mum and I and the dogs in the pickup and Sam in the lorry set off driving through the worst traffic we had experienced in a long while, we were sat at 10 mph for 2-3hrs in Germany. This wasnā€™t an issue for Sam, but it was for us as we were trying to catch the next ferry from Hirtshals in Denmark to Norway.

Read more: Driving from the UK to Norway via car and ferry

We left the Hook of Holland with the sat nav stating we would arrive in 8hrs to the next ferry, this allowed us 9 and half altogether for stops and or any issues, we were sure to make the ferry in time.

However 5hrs into the journey we had used up the extra hour and a half and had to make the difficult decision not to continue driving up to Hirtshals, instead we took the same route as Sam going over the bridge at Malmo in Sweden and driving up the coast to Gothenburg and then Oslo.

It was a frustrating time because we lost about Ā£400 by missing the the ferry and gained an extra 16hrs driving, but it was the correct decision in the end because all of the other ferries were fully booked and if we had continued to drive to Hirtshals and missed the ferry, we would have then had to drive 3hrs back down to the bridge crossing to Sweden.

We waited for Sam to catch us up and on Friday night we had 3hrs disturbed sleep in a truck stop off the motorway, and I had driven 9hrs with one 10min stop for the dogs. Sam was finding the drive harder than expected, especially with a heavy lorry restricted to 53mph and no company to keep him awake.

However at 3:30am on Saturday we trundled on up through Sweden, Mum and I and the dogs reached Oslo by 1pm and Sam about 2hrs behind us. The next part of the drive was the most enjoyable of the whole trip, an 8hr drive through Norway. In my opinion this is one of the single most beautiful drives in the world. The scenery was stunning, even more so in the sunshine helping us to stay awake.

I made it to our new home, Kjellstadlia at 20:30 on Saturday evening exactly 52hrs after we left from Peckleton, Leicestershire. Sam arrived at 23:00 absolutely shattered, 55hrs after he set off. I donā€™t how he managed to do it in the end, Iā€™m extremely proud of him.

The journey was mentally draining just from continuously fighting the tiredness. It is a journey we wonā€™t be forgetting for a while and hopefully we wonā€™t be doing again.

How would you sum up your lessons learned from the move?

1. Donā€™t drive through the Netherlands or Northern Germany (especially Hamburg) during the summer holidays.
2. The landscape in the Netherlands and Northern Germany is pretty dull.
3. Donā€™t underestimate how mentally tough driving for long periods of time can be.
4. Most importantly, driving through Norway especially in the summer sunshine should be on everyoneā€™s bucket list.

If someone is thinking about moving to Norway, what advice do you have for them?

Do your research on the cost of living and tax. Have a plan, with a job or a business plan lined up, and visit Norway before you move! Bring family or friends to get a second opinion. Read up on the culture and society. Visit expat websites, try speak to someone who has moved out here.

Really think about why you are moving, donā€™t just think we will see what happens, you need to have a goal and ambition. Also, your experience will be completely different depending on where you choose to live in the country.

—

Thank you so much to Georgina for taking the time to speak so honestly about their move to Norway and living in the fjord region. You can read more on their blog or follow their journey through their fantastic photographs on .

The post Running a Farm in Norway appeared first on ĄÖ²„“«Ć½.

One Englishman decided to forgo a promising football coaching career in England and try his luck in Norway. Eight years later he's a key part of the team at Sandefjord, and plans on staying in Norway for good.

There are many links between football in England and Norway. Many point towards the influx of Norwegian players to British football in the early 1990s. But today there are a surprising number of Brits working in the game in Norway. One of those in Shaun Constable, a former player turned coach who works as an assistant manager to Lars Bohinen – one of the Norwegians who played in England in the 1990s – at Eliteserien side .

Our chat focused more on living in Norway, but for more on the current fortunes of Sandfjord you can listen to Shaun's on the .

Why did you move to Norway?

Work, and to do something different. I didĀ play professionally for a few years for Scunthorpe United and Halifax, but I didn'tĀ have a big name in football.Ā I was working at the Stoke City Academy and had made good progressĀ when I first began to get contacts in Norway. Sometime around 2001, me and Andrea Loberto spent a week working with the Oslo side Ready who were visiting the Leeds Utd Academy, and things went from there.

At the end of 2008, I agreed to come over to Norway to help outĀ Ć˜rn-Horten on a two-year contract. I started working with Sandefjord six years ago in August, initially on a 25% contract. I spent the rest of my time working as a PE teacher back in Horten thanks to my Sports Science degree, even though my Norwegian wasn't that great.

What are the differences in football culture between Norway and the UK?

IĀ think both countries have a real thirst for the game. When I first moved here,ĢżIĀ couldnā€™t get my head around that every Norwegian answered “Leeds” or “Wolves” when I asked which team they supported. There is a real passion for the game butĀ they do seem toĀ watchĀ English football more than the Norwegian game.

The biggest difference is the number of peopleĀ with that hunger to play the game as adults. In England, things get serious at an earlier age and there is tremendous competition even at the non-league level.Ā Also, you can easily go to University and get a good secureĀ job here in Norway, whileĀ a professional football career is lessĀ stable andĀ unlike in England, it doesn't offer any more money.

What is life like in Sandefjord?

It's a typical coastal town in the south. It's still busy in the summer even thoughĀ a lot of people are away on holiday. There's lots going on outside, lots of activities and some really lovely beaches. Of course, in the winter it goes a little quiet, people tend to stay inside and put the fire on. But as soon as the sun comes out, people get outside and light up the grill as early as possible. I thinkĀ Sandefjord is a really lovely place, I really do like it here. It's a decent size, with everything you need.

What do you enjoy about living in Norway?

I likeĀ the chilled nature of life. One of the biggest things I find when I go back to england is the difference on the roads. When you get on a BritishĀ motorway you realise how fast it is and how many cars there are!

It can be tricky to get to know Norwegians as they tend to walk along the street with their head down. Luckily I'm a social person. If you take the first step, you get a lot of warmth back from them.

I alsoĀ love the concept of socialism in the country, even though it's not perfect. When I was out of work, I had to go to the NAV office for a period and there were brilliant. Iā€™ve had a couple of operations on my knees and throughout the process the health service has been outstanding.Ā These social aspects are not to be underestimated.

Do you miss anything about the UK?

I do miss the pub culture, and by that I don't mean going out drinking and getting hammered. It's about popping in and finding your mates there, and maybe watching sport together.

I also miss the football culture where you can be a little more aggressive with your manner.Ā working with players where you can be a bit more aggressive, not shouting and bawling, but pushing them a bit more.Ā I once received some advice from a colleague toĀ be as English as I can in the game – they love the direct style – but not outside the game!

Of course I miss friends and family – I have a daughter who lives in England so that's tough – and also the silly things likeĀ fish and chips and aĀ decent curry!

How's your Norwegian?

Iā€™m still struggling. Iā€™m nearly 50 now and starting to learn a language at this age is tough. There's no doubt if you want to move to Norway and make it work, you really do need to take learning the language seriously.Ā Lars Bohinen stands up in the changing rooms and speaks Norwegian,Ģżand I do have a good understanding of the language when we're talking about football. Having said that, we have a very international squad now so he's taking some meetings in English.

A lot of football players coming to Norway don't feel they need to learn Norwegian as they are only using the country as a stepping stone to get noticed by bigger clubs in Europe. But for those who want to stay longer, learning the language is important. One player recently asked for language courses to be provided in their contract with us.

Any final thoughts about life in Norway?

Norway isĀ a lovely country in which to work and live, there is no doubt about it. The weird thing for me is that Norway has always had a special place in my heart. Before my knee injury I was a good runner, and a big fan of Steve Ovett and Seb Coe. I have great memories of seeingĀ them run at Oslo's Bislett Stadium and that was one of the few things I knew about Norway when I arrived!

I donā€™t have any plans of going home, asĀ IĀ got married to a lovely Norwegian lady three weeks ago here in Sandefjord!

—

Photos: ,Ģż,Ģż,Ģż

The post Shaun Constable: Sandefjord Football appeared first on ĄÖ²„“«Ć½.

Vanessa burst on to the blogging scene a few years ago when she started to share her experiences of travel and life in and around northern Norway on Snow in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø.

UPDATE: Don't miss Vanessa's appearance on the ĄÖ²„“«Ć½ Show, where we dig into many of the points raised in this interview. You can listen in on iTunes, Stitcher and even YouTube, and you can find out all the information over here.

Having thoroughly enjoyed each trip I've made north, I have long wondered what it would be like to live there, so her blog quickly became a must-read for me.

I was lucky enough to meet Vanessa in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø when I was on my research trip for my travel guidebook and her enthusiasm for the town shone through.

So, when I recently read she had decided to move away from the city, I was somewhat taken aback!

She has kindly agreed to tell her story here on ĄÖ²„“«Ć½. Thanks for your time, Vanessa!

Where are you from originally?

Iā€™m from a small town in North Rhine-Westphalia, Germany. After living in the area for the first 23 years of my life, the travel bug hit me and I decided to travel around Scandinavia for a while ā€“ and basically havenā€™t really stopped doing that since.

Why did you move to Norway/°Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø?

I took a gap year after finishing undergrad studies in Germany to travel and figure out what I wanted to do with my life. Right at the beginning of that year, I stumbled upon an online course in Northern Studies at the University of °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø (), which I applied for and got accepted.

Instead of just learning about the North online though, I travelled around Northern Norway for a couple of weeks and also visited °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø, which had me hooked immediately. The city was just so different from anything Iā€™d ever seen at that time!

Originally, I had plans to move to Sweden to do my Masters and even learned Swedish for 3 years at university in Germany, but my growing interest for the Arctic lead me to finding the Masterā€™s program in Indigenous Studies at UiT, which I started in 2014 and graduated from last year.

What is the best thing(s) about living in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø?

The gorgeous Arctic nature that surrounds you. To look out of the window and see snow-covered mountain tops, no matter what season, makes you feel incredibly spoiled. It also never is a short way to nature in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø, no matter which part of the city you live in.

I guess this kind of goes for all of Norway but I personally find the landscapes around °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø just a bit more special and fascinating than in the rest of the country. The sight of Store BlĆ„mannen Mountain over on KvalĆøya in particular is one that Iā€™ll remember fondly.

What are 2-3 must-sees for someone visiting °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø?

When visiting °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø, you have got to make your way up to Fjellheisen cable car station. It doesnā€™t matter whether you hike up the mountain or take the cable car but youā€™ve got to make your way up somehow.

The view on °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø from above is just stunning and I can guarantee you, youā€™re going to want to sit up there and take in the view for the rest of the day!

Another place you should definitely visit if you have the chance to rent a car, is the island of KvalĆøya. Itā€™s basically Norway in a nutshell and offers everything from dramatic mountains to lush fjords and even sandy beaches.

In the summer, you will most likely see reindeer along the way and you can also admire ancient rock carvings at Hella!

A bit further away is SommarĆøya, the ā€œsummer islandā€ where the water is turquoise and the beaches plenty. To put it short, if youā€™re interested in seeing a place that looks like the Caribbean but is actually in the middle of the Arctic, SommarĆøya is where you should head to!

How do you cope with the dark winters?

To be honest, I donā€™t. Iā€™ve spend 3 winters in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø and have tried each and every one of the coping mechanisms people recommend: taking vitamin D supplements / fish oil, daylight lamp therapy, visiting the solarium, exercising, going out during the few hours of twilight etc.

While taking vitamin D supplements and going outside during twilight certainly helped me to cope the most, I unfortunately suffered from seasonal affective disorder in each of my 3 winters in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø, and it only seemed to get worse after I started to work full-time and was trapped in an office without windows to the outside world each day.

As much as I love the Arctic, after a while I just had to accept that Iā€™m not cut out for the winters there, which brings us to the next question:

Why are you leaving?

The main reason of why Iā€™m leaving °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø is my health. I donā€™t cope well with polar night and donā€™t see the point of having to take medicine every winter just to be able to live in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø.

Life in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø, as gorgeous as the city is, has a few other flaws though, so the tough housing market and the cityā€™s remote location have contributed to my decision to leave.

My boyfriend Simon and I both had work contracts and a lease coming to an end, making this summer the perfect time to move. After 3 years in the Arctic, Iā€™m also looking forward to being more flexible again when it comes to travelling.

Where are you moving to, and why?

Weā€™re planning on moving to Southern Norway at the end of the summer.

Kristiansand, Stavanger and Bergen are the places we lay our eyes on and while all of these will certainly come with challenges and flaws of their own, weā€™re looking forward to life in the south-west of Norway as there are plenty of places for us to explore there, that we havenā€™t been to yet.

The decision to move to the south-west mainly arouse from the fact that we wanted to live somewhere more central in Norway, south of the Arctic Circle, not in Oslo, but still in a bigger town.

We are intrigued by the weather in Kristiansand, the current housing prices in Stavanger and the cultural scene in Bergen. To see where weā€™ll eventually end up, youā€™re more than welcome to follow along at my blog Snow in Tromso.

What happens now to your blog?

Nothing. Snow in Tromso has never been a blog just about °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø and although I have to admit that the name choice I made over 3 years ago was quite unfortunate, I donā€™t think a rebranding is necessary at this stage.

As my readers know, the blog has always been about travels and life up north in general and thus, Iā€™ve written about everything from visiting Swedish Lapland, my fieldwork in Greenland, Norwegian traditions, and Sami reindeer herding, in addition to travel tips and expat advice on °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø.

I will continue to provide tips and advice for those looking into visiting or moving to °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø, as I have lots of content left to share even though I donā€™t live in the city anymore.

What is the one piece of advice you would give to someone planning a move to °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø?

Prepare yourself. Whether thatā€™s for the dark season, the tough housing market or just life in Norway in general. Preparation is key in order to ā€œmake itā€ in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø, as life in the Arctic differs quite a lot from life in Central Europe.

Youā€™ll live in a quite remote place in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø and travelling back and forth to see your family might put a significant strain on your budget.

Figure out how youā€™d cope with polar night before you actually make the move, set yourself a budget for accommodation and bring enough savings to pay the deposit (usually 2 months), and last but not least, learn Norwegian in order to find a good job.

I get asked this quite often but itā€™s not as easy to find a job without speaking Norwegian as you might think ā€“ especially not if youā€™re looking for full-time employment. A lot of expats in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø therefore start out as tourist guides, hotel/restaurant staff or kindergarten assistants.

Keep in mind however that the market for part-time jobs is quite saturated already as °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø is a university city and youā€™d have to compete with all the students looking for a job.

Anything else you'd like to add?

If itā€™s your dream to live in the Arctic one day, whether thatā€™s forever or just for a year, by all means: do it!

Despite what I advise others, I certainly wasnā€™t as prepared as I should have been but still had an amazing 3 years in °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø, and made memories thatā€™ll last me a lifetime.

The post Living, Loving & Leaving °Õ°ł“Ē³¾²õĆø appeared first on ĄÖ²„“«Ć½.

Meet the British pastry chef making a sweet living in µž“Ē»åĆø.

British pastry chef fulfilled a lifelong dream last month by opening his very ownĀ patisserie in the northern city of Bodo.

I recently visited µž“Ē»åĆø but it was a few weeks before his store opened, so I was unable to sample any of Craig's incredible looking creations!

However Craig took some time out of his hectic schedule to answer a few questions about his shop, µž“Ē»åĆø and life in Norway.

After completing his chef education in England, Craig proceeded to study and work in France, before moving to Norway where he now resides.

During his time in France he studied at Ecole Nationale SupĆ©rieure de PĆ¢tisserie in Yssingeux, where he was taught by some of the worldā€™s greatest pastry chefs, such as Bruno Moncudiol, SĆ©bastien Serveux and Jean Marc Guillot.

What brought you to Norway?

A girl. I suppose itā€™s always the same answer with most British guys in Norway! We met while I was travelling around Europe, and we then lived together for a while in the UK.

We moved to Stavanger for a while and now µž“Ē»åĆø, which is great to be close to her family as we now have two young kids.

What do you do?

Iā€™ve been a chef ever since I left school, although I didnā€™t delve into chocolate and pastry work until I started to study in France. Itā€™s always been a dream to have my own place, and it made sense to open it here in µž“Ē»åĆø because I felt there was a huge gap in the market, and µž“Ē»åĆø is a growing city.

What Iā€™m trying to create is the best chocolaterie in the country, although my first focus is to succeed here in µž“Ē»åĆø.

Is there a market in Norway for such a premium product?

Absolutely yes. Having lived here for arund ten years now, Iā€™ve learned that people are willing to get involved with something that is a little more exclusive.

They are very interested in that kind of thing. It helps of course that Norway is a relatively affluent country, that helps make projects like this one viable.

How was your opening month?

Weā€™ve been open now for just four weeks and had a very good reception from the locals. On the opening weekend there were queues out of the door.

Although Iā€™d been working in a restaurant for the past couple of years, I was able to promote my products on the side, so I built a good buzz ahead of opening.

ĢżĢż

Has the business side of things been easy?

Iā€™ve found the Norwegian people incredibly helpful, given that they couldā€™ve just left me to work things out on my own. The authorities have been very good helping me with certain paperwork.

Even though my Norwegian is reasonable, the formality of business registration and regulations means I still end up with plenty of questions. Things have been okay so far, but I still have a lot to learn business wise.

Speaking of language, how is your Norwegian?

Itā€™s been a difficult journey purely because everyone is so eager to speak English with native speakers.

Iā€™ve been here for ten years now so of course I can understand Norwegian and speak it, but I could be better. I think in any other European country I wouldā€™ve been completely fluent in the language by now.

Having said that, even though the branding of my products is in English, the language of our shop is Norwegian, and I interact with all our customers in Norwegian. Thatā€™s important for the success of the business.

What is it you like about µž“Ē»åĆø?

The nature for a start. Itā€™s a beautiful place and the first time I came up here I was gobsmacked by the surroundings. The growth of the city has been remarkable too.

For the first few years, things werenā€™t happening and it wasnā€™t the most appealing place to live. But over the last four years the city has grown and almost every month it seems thereā€™s something new opening up.

It really feels like now is the right time to open up the shop.

Where do you take visitors?

Once weā€™ve been to my shop, I would take them on a boat trip to see the whirlpools at Saltstraumen, and up into the mountains just to experience how accessible nature is here.

If anything, what do you miss most about Britain?

Of course I miss family and so on, but I miss the pub and the English humour. The humour isnā€™t so different in Norway, but when English people get together there is a different kind of banter.

But thatā€™s about it. I really like living here in Norway, and Iā€™m pretty sure Iā€™ll be here for the rest of my life.

Photos:

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Peterborough native Adrian Douglas (Dougie) runs the in Trondheim. With only a few hundred Brits calling Trondheim their home, the pub has to do far more than just cater to expats.

Despite positioning itself as a football pub, the Three Lions draws a variety of patrons.

“Our regulars are mostly Norwegians,ā€ says Douglas.

“Those expats who do come here treat it as their local, even if they live on the other side of town. We are also home to a lot of Norwegians who have studied or worked in Britain. Theyā€™ve experienced the atmosphere of an English pub and donā€™t get the same feeling from a Norwegian bar.”

The Norwegian government imposes high taxes on alcohol and also bans promotions, so youā€™ll find no Happy Hour at the Three Lions. Dougie says the cost isnā€™t so much of a problem.

ā€œFor our Norwegian crowd cost is irrelevant, youā€™ve grown up with high prices. If anything it puts expats off because you have to limit your time going out for meals and drinks. Another big problem for expats is the lack of local pubs in the suburbs of Trondheim, they just donā€™t exist. You have to come into the city centre for a beer, and that creates a different relationship.”

Q&A on running a pub in Trondheim

I'm an occasional visitor to the Three Lions, more for the burgers as I tend to watch football at home. On a recent visit I caught up with Dougie and he was kind enough to answer a few questions about living and working in Norway.

How did you get involved in the pub trade?

My story goes back to when I moved to Spain in 1989. I was one of those pilgrims who did the inter rail ticket. I went off with my best mate to France, northern Spain, Italy, Portugal. and we ended up in Fuengirola near Malaga. We were watching the Everton v Liverpool 1989 cup final and met a bunch of lads from Torremolinos.

They asked if we were interested in working in the town and as we had no ties we decided to give it a go and began working there in the summer and travelling in the winter. It wasnā€™t financially viable for us long-term but then one of the guys offered us 50% in the business, so between 1993-97 I was running a pub in Spain.

In 1997 I met a Norwegian girl. We moved to England in 1998 but she wanted to come home to Trondheim to be closer to her family. I was 31 then, playing semi-pro football and working as an advertising salesman for a golf magazine. It was a great life but I chose to follow my love to Norway.

How did the Three Lions come to be?

In 1999, I started work at a piano club in the city. It was a very different place in 1999, there was nothing here for expats at all. If you didnā€™t speak Norwegian you didnā€™t stand a chance. I mustā€™ve gone to the same places four or five times, but there was no work because I didnā€™t speak Norwegian. It's not quite the same now.

Since then I worked in the Irish pub then became the manager of the Scottish pub Macbeth, then they asked me to move to Kings Cross at the top of Nordre gate. I was headhunted by the owners here ten years ago, by two Norwegian lads who are silent partners. It was a shell of a pub then, a very minimalistic student bar. A lot of the customers followed me from my previous pubs and that helped to get the atmosphere going. It did take time though. Atmosphere canā€™t be paid for, you have to work at it over time.

What are the challenges of running a pub in Norway?

I set out with two niches in mind, football and the general ā€œpubā€ feeling from England. After three or four years I started to realise there has to be more then one niche in a pub now.

There has to be live music, football, quizes, food, and so on. I donā€™t think any pub can survive with just one thing. Itā€™s not like the old days when you could just open the doors and people come in. Itā€™s the same back in my home town of Peterborough.

Convincing Norwegians that you can come out for a social drink without overdoing it or staying all night is tough. A lot of younger Norwegians travel a lot, so they are used to the culture in Britain, Australia, and they have brought it home.

Is Trondheim home for you now?

Oh yes, absolutely 100%, but I have been here for fifteen years now! I have three beautiful kids and theyā€™re fully integrated into the Norwegian school system and Iā€™m even coach of my oldest sonā€™s football team. They quite like having an English influence in their team!

Do you speak Norwegian?

Yes, but I'm not fluent. I was terrible to start with because I was working late-night in pubs and missing the courses in the morning. It got going when the kids were around 4 years old and started to get homework, things began to click. All in all it took six years for me to get to a decent standard.

The thing is, every Norwegian who comes into an English pub watching English football wants to speak English. Thatā€™s the concept weā€™re looking for. I employ people who arenā€™t so good in Norwegian because itā€™s not so crucial in this environment. I do think English people in general arenā€™t so great at languages.

Whatā€™s funny is people think I donā€™t understand Norwegian now in the pub. I listen to conversations right in front of me and surprise people when I respond!

You now also run the cafe at in Trondheim, can you tell me a bit about that?

It's the same concept as the pub really. We provide a service-focused cafe with quick food because of the environment. People are keen to get out on the course, or home to their families. Weā€™ve given it an English golf club feel.

We have a lot of retired people up there who are nice folk and of course thatā€™s improved my Norwegian because they donā€™t speak so much English as the younger generation.

What do you miss most about UK?

Although Trondheim is my home, I do go back to the UK about four times a year and my parents come over twice a year too. I do miss the day to day banter with a lot of English people even though I get it to a certain extent here.

What would you say to a Brit with a dream of running a pub overseas?

Absolutely do your market research. I lived in Spain for nine years and saw so many people lose a lot of money. If youā€™re gonna invest the rest of your life into something as big as that then spend the time looking for the right place and the right people.

Also, be sure you are the right person to run a pub. Itā€™s a 24/7 way of life. You canā€™t get someone else in, you have to be an owner-manager because the markups arenā€™t big enough. We donā€™t make a fortune here but it provides a steady wage.

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Here in Scandinavia we are all one big happy family! I've visited Denmark a few times, specifically Copenhagen and Esbjerg, but I've often wondered what it's like to live in what is commonly believed to be the happiest country in the world.

To find out, I reached out to Kay Xander Mellish, the American behind the blog, podcast, book and gameshow.

Where are you from, Kay?

I come from a small town in Wisconsin, which is a US state of 5.5m people, the exact same population of Denmark. Like Denmark, it has a major city Milwaukee, like Copenhagen, and a small academic city like ƅrhus.

150 years ago Scandinavia was not a pageful place like it is today. Refugees came to Wisconsin, Minnesota and Iowa, anywhere with a similar climate where they could farm.

People donā€™t change very much over the years so there is still a strong Scandinavian culture in those states. Generally speaking, the people are honest, straightforward, hard-working, and there is an excellent education system.

Wisconsin had a strong union movement and never had the death penalty, so the Scandinavian influence is still there.

How did you end up in Denmark?

I left Wisconsin at 18 to study journalism and art history in New York. I couldnā€™t find a job, so ended up working in Berlin and Hong Kong as a journalist. I stayed in NYC for 10 years enjoying myself and then I was ready for something different.

Read more: Fun Facts About Denmark

I shopped around different American cities: Austin, Seattle, Chicago, Atlanta, but didnā€™t really find one quite right for me. On a vacation to Europe, I found Copenhagen. It was sophisticated without being intense.

Around that time the web was really taking off and as I'd been working as an online producer for ABC. an agency brought me over here.

But just five months later I was out of a job. I was in Denmark with all my furniture, didnā€™t speak Danish and didnā€™t know many people! I was unemployed for a year and not eligible for social benefits. I spent a year visiting every museum, learned Danish and found a job in Danske Bank, just in time.

If you can still remember, what were your first impressions?

It was a hard culture to arrive into. Like a tribe, Danes are people whoā€™ve been here hundreds of years and have traditions that they don't even see as traditions.

A good example of what I mean is a story a Sri Lankan guy told me. One year his Danish friend told him to come by for an informal “jeans, t-shirts and beer” party for his 29th birthday.

He was invited again a year later but this time the entire family was there, aunts, uncles, all in suits and formal clothing with expensive gifts.

He didnā€™t understand that in Denmark “round” birthdays are important and therefore there was a big difference between a 29th and 30th birthday party. Danes don't even think to explain this because it is so ingrained in the society.

And these days?

Danes are more comfortable with people that are similar to them. In a recent chart of the top 100 young business talents in Denmark, 96 of them were ethnic Danes, 3 grew up in Denmark and only one came from abroad.

I feel you can come into Denmark as a foreigner but you can only reach a certain point. Carlsberg just brought in a Dutch CEO, so perhaps things are slowly changing.

Customer service is notably bad in Denmark, albeit with some slow improvements. When I first arrived the supermarkets always closed at around 1830 and at 1300 on Saturdays.

Even the hardware stores closed, so if you were doing some DIY on a Saturday lunchtime and found you were missing a screw, you had to wait until Monday. Even now pharmacies are still open 0930-1730.

In the USA, we do what can we do to keep the customer happy, whether through opening hours, returns policies or levels of service, but in Denmark the worker is more important than the customer. Denmark is a very equal society so there is not that tradition of service.

As expected, everything so far sounds very similar to Norway! Have you noticed any differences?

The landscape is so different! The landscape affects the way people see the world. It's said the Danish language is flat because it mimics the flat surroundings, whereas the opposite is true in Norway.

Read more: Denmark v Norway: Two Scandinavian Countries Compared

I think the landscape means Norwegians are more colourful in many ways. The language has more energy to it, and as a people they are more in touch with nature.

On that topic, how easy or hard was it to learn Danish?

It's similar to Norwegian but pronunciation is much more difficult. I do think you have to be born here to have the pronunciation perfect. I'm at the point where I can hold my own at both business meetings and social situations in Danish, and I'm happy with that.

Basically because of the comprehension of English here, you have to put yourself into a situation where you are forced to speak Danish.

I tell a lot of people to get a job in the daycare system as that helps immensely with language, because you are speaking at a basic level with children who are still developing their own language skills.

Everyone has a different learning style. I don't do well in a classroom situation so I have a private tutor. There's plenty of students that will do that for not very much money.

How are relations with Sweden?

Sweden is fascinating because of the Copenhagen to Malmƶ link. Immediately off the train you can see that Sweden had a car industry and Denmark didnā€™t.

The streets are much wider for cars, whereas in Denmark it's common for CEOs to cycle to work. A lot of Swedes come to Copenhagen to work because the unemployment rate is higher in Sweden.

Going back to the earlier question, that's made a huge difference to the levels of service here.

What keeps you in Denmark?

My network is here now and it's a nice place to raise children. In the US there is too much pressure on children to achieve too early.

There's too much testing and too much pressure on getting into colleges. The Danish system focuses on holistic knowledge, which I really like.

There is more time here, people are not as stressed. You donā€™t buy as much stuff because you donā€™t have as much money. People have fewer things but better things, and most importantly, more time for family and friends.

How do you find the business culture in Denmark?

In general Danes are extremely competent and I rarely meet someone who cannot do their job well. They arrive quite early in the morning, take a short lunch, focus on their job and then go home to focus on their private life.

You donā€™t see much of that in the USA or even the UK. Here in Denmark, you would never call your boss out-of-hours unless it was an emergency. Danes are extremely productive when there are at work, but of course whole departments are gone by 5pm.

I do find that gender equality is not what I expected here. We have a female political elite but most of the leaders are men in the private sector. If there's a woman on the board they are usually HR or communications.

As a fellow expat blogger I must ask you this. Why the blog, podcast and live events?

What came first were the essays about living in Denmark, which got really popular.

As I do voiceovers professionally, I started the podcast as it was a good way to practice. The podcasts turned into the book, and then I began to get calls from people about doing presentations.

Danes love to hear about themselves from outsiders, and I get a lot of comments from foreigners along the lines of ā€œI thought it was only me!”

The whole experience gives me a lot of faith in a future multicultural Denmark. It is important in a multicultural world that people learn how to understand each other beyond language.

One of the most interesting things I've done is Chinese and Arabic versions of the book. We have a lot of Chinese students here and although they read in English, they send the book back to their families in China. We are working with the Red Cross to give out the Arabic version to new arrivals.

It's so easy to get to Copenhagen from Norway. What are the must-dos?

First of all I would go on one of the flat boats around Copenhagen harbour. It's a water city so you see it from that perspective and it allows you to check off the bit hits like the Lille Mermaid while you are on the boat.

Walk down StrƦdet and from the round tower you get an overview of all the spires in Copenhagen. After that, I'd say it depends on your interests. If you have a few days to spare then the  is a worthwhile visit.

Somewhere I always send people to is  above the Central Post Museum. It offers really tasty Danish food. It's a little expensive but perhaps not so much for Norwegians!

You can find out more about Kay and her work at .

The post Interview with Kay Xander Mellish on ā€˜How To Live In Denmarkā€™ appeared first on ĄÖ²„“«Ć½.

This summer, Dr. Len and Dr. Linda DuevelĀ retireĀ after a collective 82 years of service to the . The schoolĀ describes itself as a “crossroads of diversity” with nearly 700 students representing some 50 nationalities.

Dr. Linda Duevel was named the International Superintendent of the Year by the Association for the Advancement of International Education (AAIE) and took time away from her busy schedule to speak to ĄÖ²„“«Ć½ about the school and what has kept an American in Norway for so long.

Linda, tell us your story! How did you end up in education?

IĀ grew up with one foot on eitherĀ side of the Atlantic, half-American and half-Scouse! My mother was a wartimeĀ ambulance driver in Liverpool. After they married, they joined theĀ relatively big group of English girls who went to the USA after the war.Ā She moved toĀ Kalamazoo, Michigan, where a lot of people complimented her on her English!Ā My first friends were the children of other war brides, and the group reallyĀ held on to their sense of Britishness.

I knew IĀ wanted to do something that would make use of both sides of my persona. I was studying to be a teacher and my plan was toĀ be a journalist, but for a woman in the late 1960s there were really only three options: secretary, nurse, or teacher. Teaching appealed, andĀ luckily my University had a program where IĀ could teach overseas. IĀ was really fortunate to land in a situation where I was teaching high school English in London, and they hired me to do my first year of professional teaching.Ā It was invigorating time for me as a young teacher, we got to take students all around the country.

What brought you to Norway?

For me it was an easy decision. IĀ landed in Stavanger in August 1975 onĀ aĀ beautiful sunny day. After driving along the fjord for just tenĀ minutes, IĀ knew I wasn't going to go home! Having said thatĀ I didn't expect to be here this long either!Ā My husbandĀ grew up in a dairy farm in MinnesotaĀ andĀ did his student teaching in the Canary Islands, but Norway just suited us both. Between the two of us weā€™ve been here a good long time. Weā€™veĀ had opportunities toĀ go elsewhere,Ģżbut Norway has always won out.

We are here not because we are stuck here but because we choose to be here. In fact wee feel very lucky to be here. After we “graduate”Ā this summer, this is where we will stay.

Can you tell us a little about the history of ISS?

When the school was first founded in 1966, the thought was there would be a need for an English language school for around ten years due to the emerging oil industry.

There were mainly American families to begin with but now it's much more international. At the time, the Mayor ofĀ StavangerĀ ordered housing to be built in the middle of winter to accommodate the new arrivals. ThereĀ was a real sense of making the most of the opportunity,Ģżand even though he's passed awayĀ there is still that spirit in the area.Ā It's been a fascinating place to live and work.

This beautiful piece of land we are on was given to the school by StavangerĀ kommune. We finished the campus and moved here in 1982. The local authoritiesĀ paid us one-thirdĀ of the construction costs and it's been such a good investment for them, because so many more families are able live locally, rather than commute on a weekly basis. Together with the French and British schools in Stavanger, theĀ international community here is great.

How does the education experienceĀ differ in an international school?

We have 50 different nationalities here and everyone wants to make sure their kids will do well here, but also reintegrateĀ well back into their country's education system.

We spend less time thinking about that than about the three pillars education is based on – learning, wellbeing, and community – that permeate through every aspect of education in Norway. Every decision from the board of trustees here is taken with a child-first focus.

Although we welcome a diverse mix of nationalities, Norwegian children make up a big percentage of our student population. Many of them are part of mobile families and may have been studying in an international school before and may well again in the future. In these instances it may be better for them to stay in an international school system rather than reintegrate into the Norwegian system.

Our studentsĀ donā€™t ask each other if theyā€™re going to University, they ask on which continent! We offerĀ the international baccalaureate and theĀ iGCSE through the University of Cambridge. That combination is sort of seen as the gold standard for students in international education who are part of mobile families.

Do any of your students stay with you for their entire education?

Hardly any go all the way through.Ā This year we have 2 students graduatingĀ who started their educationĀ here. One of the girls has been with us sinceĀ barnehage (kindergarten). She's a Norwegian citizen of Pakistani origin, President of the Student Council and working on anĀ art project connected withĀ the World Wildlife Fund.

What should potential expat parents know about education in Norway?

Firstly, the community element I mentioned before is so important.Ā We have fiveĀ cardiac defibrillatorsĀ at the school and trainĀ all of our staff and students – from middle school and above –Ā inĀ how to use them. In Norway this equipment is available in places like shopping centres and train stations, but it's only useful if someone is capable of using it in an emergency.Ā Citizenship is a big part of education here.

Secondly, Norway is known for its gender equality and this starts in the schools.Ā Typically weĀ have just as many girls as boys in physics and upper level maths classes, that's very different from many other countries. Myself and otherĀ female heads of international schools are doing work to encourage more women to becomeĀ senior teachers and headteachers.

Having been in Norway for so long, do you feel Norwegian?

What a great question!Ā Many years ago I was in hospital and when I came of the anaesthetic my husband told me I was speaking Norwegian. I was so pleased to hear that! But no, I don't think I'll ever feel truly Norwegian, although I do feel like a very honoured guest.

No one will ever look at me and listen to me and think I'm Norwegian. Iā€™ll always be identified as a foreigner butĀ these aren'tĀ negative things. Iā€™m fortunate to have had a job where Iā€™ve workedĀ with very interesting politicians of many different parties. StavangerĀ is an international city and politicians of all different persuasionsĀ treat us well.

Iā€™ve been asked twice to run forĀ City Council here, but in both cases I very tactfully and diplomatically thanked them for the great compliment.Ā My job is withĀ the schoolĀ and although I like working with politicians, I don't want to be one.

My point is, this is an amazing country for me to have come to as a 25 year old and have a long and fascinating career. I've met all kinds of remarkable people of different nationalities including many Norwegians that have graciously allowed my husband and IĀ to become good friends. It's an endlessly fascinating place to be.

But IĀ also recognise that I will never wake up one morning and feelĀ Norwegian. I donā€™t think that's possible.

What's next for you and yours?

We will probably stay very busy and look forward to doing a lot of volunteering. For example, IĀ am chairingĀ anĀ international organisation for next two years, we teach graduate classes during the summerĀ and I'll deliver someĀ volunteer international school governance workshops.

I'veĀ been invited to Uzbekistan and will do board training there. My husband will come along and we will travel around the Silk Road. Then in September, we'veĀ been invited to go to a conference in Mumbai on international education followed by some volunteer teacher training work.

In November we go to Washington DC for the last piece of the Superintendent of the Year award process. That's threeĀ days of meetings culminating in a trip to the White House. SoĀ it's going to be a very busy year!

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All photos used with permission of the International School Stavanger.

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