WEEK 1 IN OSLO - ALEX

October 15, 2024 – Welcome to Oslo

We were on the first flight leaving Florence at 6:05AM. A long checked baggage line and an unsuccessful attempt to receive the equivalent of $10 in VAT reimbursement led to some pre 5:00 AM chaos, but we ultimately had an uneventful flight to Zurich where we were laying over for a few hours. A layover in Switzerland appropriately gave us sticker shock, $12 for a pumpkin spice latte, and prepared us for what we expected prices to look like once we reached Norway. Fortunately, they haven’t met expectations. While laying over, Alex received a fortuitous email from the Norwegian Immigration authorities notifying him of the approval of his visa application as a cohabitant of Morgan. Now both of our residence permit applications have been approved, Morgan’s a couple weeks earlier, bringing a sense of relief as we set off for our new home.

Morgan at the Oslo Airport waiting for our train to the city. We arrived!

The flight into Oslo was very scenic. A sunny day allowed us to enjoy the marine coastline slowly transitioning into rolling hills blanketed with trees and farms as we descended into Oslo. The autumn leaves were awash in yellows and oranges, breaking up the monotonous green of evergreens. The fall leaves have been a reminder of the past few days of how much of our forest in the PNW is made up of evergreen trees in contrast to the extensive deciduous forests we both grew up around in Wisconsin.

After collecting our luggage and taking a train from the airport to the city center, we met Morgan’s colleague who has been coordinating our arrival from Norway. He gave us a crash course in the metro system and guided us from the central train station to our closest metro stop next to the national soccer stadium. After a short 10 minute walk we arrived at our new apartment, both happy and relieved to be at home for the next 9 months after so much traveling the past few weeks. By this time it was 3:00 and we were eager to take advantage of the nice weather and remaining afternoon light. We went for a walk up to Sognsvann Lake, a nice sized lake at the boundary between the city and the forest. This will likely become a favorite that we return to for walks, runs, winter skis, and summer swims.

Oslo Apartment

Sognsvann Lake

October 15 to October 18, 2024 Adjusting to Norwegian Living

Norway is a digitally integrated country that prides itself on its digital security. This is great in a lot of ways, until you are trying to join the exclusive club and participate in the economy more as a resident than a tourist. For the moment, we have our resident permits approved, but we still have to check in with local immigration authorities and then wait for up to a month to receive an ID-number. Without that ID-number there are aspects to civilian life we may not participate in. A few of the big ones are:

1.   Paying our rent

2.  Setting up a bank account

3.  Signing up for a phone plan and obtaining a phone number with an E-Sim

4.  Registering our address

5.  Receiving mail from outside the country (probably inside Norway as well too)

6.  Using Vipps, which is Norwegian Venmo with a greater user base and in some cases the only means to pay a person or vendor.

7.      Going to our library branch between 7:00AM to 10:00AM and 3:00PM to 10:00PM.

Fortunately, we were able to clear the phone hurdle by purchasing a prepaid sim from 7-Eleven and using it in a spare phone we brought with us. This provided us with a much needed Norwegian phone number and allowed us to register our growing number of accounts and subscriptions. With a Norwegian phone number we are now proud members of our local grocery store, sports store, hardware store, gym, library, and transit system.

Well marked trails...everywhere!

Aside from the phone number and ID number struggles the rest of our acclimation to Norwegian life has been pretty good. Mass transit, grocery stores, and a mall are all within walking distance of our apartment. Everyone speaks English, so there isn't a language barrier as much as our own embarrassment that we can’t speak with the locals in their native tongue. We hope to work through that in the coming months and become more proficient so that we may navigate basic aspects of our life in Norwegian… hopefully… at some point. The dollar is strong versus the kroner taking out some of the sting of high Norwegian prices. Best of all are the trails, the miles and miles of trails that extend virtually to our apartment and are accessible to us by foot, bike, or public transportation. To date the trails have exceeded our expectations.

The lack of dryers in this country will be another adjustment.  It seems the majority of people air dry their clothes here, which was very surprising. Needless to say, we started washing on Tuesday and didn’t have everything dried and put away until Friday. The drying rack is quickly on its way to becoming a permanent furnishing.

October 17, 2024 – Morgan Starts Work

Morgan works in a nice commercial building about 2 miles from our apartment. Walking, biking, train, or bus are all viable means of transportation that take anywhere from 15 to 40 minutes depending on the mode. She is enjoying getting to know her colleagues, who come from all over the world and continue her exciting work. Her days are highlighted by regular breaks for coffee and cake.

Morgan outside her new office.

October 19 to October 20, 2024 – The First Weekend

Our first weekend was nice and relaxing as we continue to get our bearings about the city. The weather was a mix of light rain, fog, and overcast skies, our comfort zone. On Saturday we explored a hip Oslo neighborhood, Grünerløkka, and went vintage clothing shopping. Alex was able to find two sweaters after unsuccessful trips to multiple other stores. Our exploration of Grünerløkka also included a coffee from the shop credited with starting Oslo’s craft coffee scene.

Sunday, we went for a hike in Nordmarka, the extensive forest that reaches out of our backyard. The principal objective was an overlook of the city named Vettakollen. Although not actively raining it was very foggy and a rain jacket was most certainly appropriate. At the viewpoint overlooking the city we had to turn to our phones to see what it was supposed to look like. After comparing the two we decided on making a return trip when it’s clear. 

The cold, wet, muddy atmosphere turned the hike into more of an exercise in staying positive than anything else. But we both remarked how enjoyable it was to be able to start our hike into an endless forest directly from our apartment. If anything, that was the highlight of the day and made us excited for more time spent in the woods in the near future. 

Post hike we traveled across the city to the Fram, a museum celebrating Norway’s polar expeditions at the end of 19th and beginning of the 20th century. A clear source of national pride the exhibits were interesting and complete with the actual ships that spent multiple winters at a time locked in Arctic and Antarctic ice sheets.

The week ahead looks to be the start of a daily routine for us. We are excited about a stretch of clear weather and hoping to finish our search for bicycles so that we may enjoy some two-wheeled adventures.

Clockwise from top left: Walking by the waterfront in the city center, Alex trying on sweaters in Grünerløkka, overlooking the city from Vetakollen on a foggy day, Morgan looking at the accommodations aboard the Fram.