WEEK 2 IN OSLO - ALEX

October 21 to 27, 2024 – Settled but not Adjusted

The best way to sum up our current status after almost two weeks in Oslo is that we are settled, but not adjusted. Here and there small things continue to come up that are reminders that we are abroad, most notably at the grocery store. At first pass the selection at the grocery store would appear to be the same, but after walking up and down the aisles looking for specific items we can attest that there are slight differences. Soup and broth come in solid forms that require you to add water later, there are no refried beans, chocolate chips can’t be found yet there is an entire aisle devoted to assorted candies, and there are almost no varieties of squash, a fall staple in the Walker/Sanger household. In response we began looking into grocery stores focusing on imported goods from specific regions of the world. We found a really nice one specializing in North American food, but have decided to choose assimilation over $10 cans of pumpkin puree.

Another adjustment for us will be that almost every store is closed on Sunday. In the mall by our house that houses two grocery stores, a hardware store, and home goods store the only establishment open on Sunday is a coffee shop. In fact it seems that all grocery stores, at least the 4 in our immediate vicinity, are closed on Sundays. This will mean a transition away from our typical Sunday shopping to a midweek Alex task.

We are also adapting to the standard pedestrian and cyclist norms in the city, of which there are none. Cars drive on the right, people walk wherever they please on the sidewalks with bikes and scooters weaving in between. It would seem that the polite thing to do when passing someone on two wheels is to say nothing at all. Also, it would appear that stopping at a crosswalk to check for oncoming traffic is impolite. We frequently witness people crossing without breaking stride or even looking and have been honked at for waiting for the oncoming car to stop before crossing.

When we signed up for our gym membership we were excited about the classes, which are advertised and described in English. However, as Morgan learned in person at Wednesday’s spin class is that a description in English does not guarantee instruction in English. Thankfully her instructor was accommodating and offered to provide the key instructions in English, which he proceeded to do exactly once at the beginning of the class. Figuring out when and why English is used is a work in progress.

Morgan Gets to Work

After almost a two week vacation in Italy and our first week acclimating in Oslo, Morgan has begun to find her stride with work. Although she is still catching up on work from Washington, more projects have been added to her plate since arriving here. She is learning to manage the workload while conforming to Norwegian’s work-life balance. The workday starts no sooner than 8 and is over by 4. Experience to date would suggest that working past 4 is frowned upon.

Alex Buys a Bike

Prior to moving we had accepted that aspects of our life where going to change while we were in Norway. This was based on expenses, practicality, and the logistics of our eventual move back. One such hobby we were planning on foregoing, at least this fall, was cycling. Bikes are expensive, hard to move, and the long winter were all reasons to at least wait until spring to decide if we were going to bike. All that logic and reason went out the window within the first hour of being in Oslo. Immediately a bike search was conducted and Alex began reaching out to people on Facebook Marketplace and Finn.no (Norwegian Craiglist) looking for a bike. Luckily he was able to find someone selling a bike in his size, price range, and most importantly willing to accept cash.

On Monday Alex picked up the bike from the kind Norwegian who accepted a form of payment that his bank does not accept. Finding an ATM that did not charge 5-10% in markup and withdrawal fees was challenging enough. Something that was not difficult during our early October trip to Italy took almost 2 hours in Oslo. Typically, it’s as simple as visiting a bank branch and going to the ATM. In Norway bank branches are far and few between and when you do find one you quickly realize that the ATM sitting in their lobby is contracted out to one of two operators that charge additional fees. For example, the largest bank in Norway, DNB, no longer operates any ATMs in the city. After searching multiple neighborhoods, train stations, and banks I was able to find such an ATM, making the whole ordeal worth it. 

Alex with a big smile as he arrives home with a new bike

Alex is enjoying a new found sense of freedom. Instead of only being able to explore the forest a few miles from the city he is able to go back tens of miles and explore the woods in a much different way. The gravel roads in Nordmarka are extensive and closed to general motorized traffic, which makes them very quiet. It is rare to see other people once you are a few miles from the main roads and even more rare to come across a car.

Via the roads are trails of Nordmarka access to vistas overlooking the forest and lakes abound.

Morgan and Alex Explore Oslo

A relatively quiet week as we find the rhythm of routine and settle into the city. We continued our goal of exploring the city's different neighborhoods by spending a weekend afternoon in Frogner, an upscale neighborhood near the city center. Our highlights were window shopping at the different boutiques, oohing and aahing at the food selection (and prices) at the North American grocery store, and enjoying a walk through Frogner Park, which was a real highlight for us. We also took advantage of free entry to the museum celebrating Norway’s own Edvard Munch to enjoy The Scream as well as his other work.

From Upper Left Clockwise: Morgan appearing less than impressed in front of the sculptures at Frogner Park, Morgan soaking up the fall leaves, Enjoying a beer after a full day walking the city, Alex riding the metro

Prior to our move we had been told about the extensive trail and cabin system throughout the entire country. After being introduced to the trail network the week before we decided to make sure to get acquainted with the huts this week. The huts or cabins, or “hytta” in Norwegian are structures accessible by foot, bike, ski, or paddle that serve food, offer overnight accommodations, or both. After Alex made a trip on one of his bike rides to Kikutstua, we took the opportunity to visit a cabin together during the weekend. A cafeteria style cabin, Ullevaseter, is within a couple kilometers of Sognsvann and a great place to get some warm food and drink. We both enjoyed a pastry and coffee next to the fireplace here. Visiting cabins for day or overnight trips promises to become a frequent activity for us.

On our way to Ullevaseter

Alex’s waffle with cream and berries at Kikutstua and Morgan’s cinnamon roll at Ullevaseter.

Healthcare

Norway has universal health coverage for its citizens and tax paying residents. We do not and will likely not fall into the category during our time here. Alex had to visit a dentist last week and without any coverage received a consultation and x-ray for the equivalent of $80. An amount similar to if not less than if he visited an in network dentist in Washington.

Final Thoughts

It is easy to note and harp on the adjustments and inconveniences we have encountered in less than 2 weeks since moving here. The reality of our situation is that transition has been generally smooth. There isn’t a significant culture shock in moving here, the city is clean, getting around without a car is easy, and it’s a pretty place for a city with lots of access to nature. We are having a lot of fun taking each day at a time and enjoying this experience together.