Personal experience: Life in Norway - morals, customs, traditions, way of life. Standard of living in Norway

Norway is one of the most prosperous European countries. Due to the discovery of gas and oil fields in the sixties, life in Norway became almost fabulous.

Street in the center of Oslo

According to many people who want to leave Russia or Ukraine for “fairy-tale” Norway, they “fell in love” with this country as children, looking at the magnificent illustrations of the great Kittelsen. Today, the “country of trolls” attracts not only connoisseurs of magnificent fjords and colorful folklore, which is so similar to Slavic, but also those who dream of settling in a prosperous state. Life in Norway in 2017, indeed, compares favorably with life even in other European powers.

Most Russians, firmly convinced that it is truly good only where they are not, fall in love with Norway in absentia, through numerous films, books and virtual guides. Indeed, the standard of living here is enviable, and the quality of medicine and education is more than decent.

View of the Norwegian fjords

It is believed that the “country of trolls” has the lowest levels of inflation and unemployment, and most importantly, almost communism reigns here: there are no poor people, and no very rich people either. In addition, Norway can boast of life expectancy. Women live on average to eighty-three years, men - to almost eighty.

Also, most Russians and Ukrainians are impressed by social policies that include:

1. Special “apartment” programs.
2. Special medical programs.
3. Free foreign language courses.
4. Payments for the birth of children.
5. to the needy.

And yet, you should not hope to find yourself in a real paradise on earth. There are also significant disadvantages to living in the Kingdom.

Working conditions and salary

The wage level in Norway is indeed very high. It is for this reason that most Russians, Ukrainians and Belarusians leave for the Kingdom to work.

Comparison table between Norway's salaries and other countries

It should be taken into account that it is quite difficult for a foreign applicant to find a job in the country. Only a highly qualified specialist with a narrow focus can count on good earnings and career prospects. The rest can work in oil wells or fish factories.

Comparison of the cost of gasoline in Norway compared to other countries

Of course, not everyone can receive unemployment benefits. To do this you need to meet certain criteria.

Who is the benefit paid to?

There are the following requirements for those who wish to receive unemployment benefits in Norway:

• The period of work at the enterprise is at least 8 weeks;
• The person who lost his job was employed during the first three months of his stay in the Kingdom;
• Working hours were reduced by 50 percent;
• A person who has lost his job is actively searching for a new employer;
• A person who has lost his job is able to provide an employment card every two weeks;
• The person wishing to receive unemployment benefits is not a student at a Norwegian university;
• A person who has lost his job and is applying for benefits may submit documents confirming the legality of his presence in the country.

Comparison of various benefits in Norway with other countries

Benefit payment period

How long a person who loses their job will receive unemployment benefits depends on their salary level last year and how much Norwegian kroner they managed to earn. The level of income over the last 3 years is also taken into account.

So, the benefit is paid:

1. Within 104 weeks, if the amount of earnings is about 160 thousand Norwegian kroner and 2 times the amount of national insurance.
2. Within 52 weeks, if the amount of earnings does not exceed 79 thousand Norwegian kroner.

In general, benefits for the unemployed amount to about 63 percent of earnings. If the person who lost his position has minor children, the benefit amount will be slightly higher.

Features of life in the Kingdom

Norway is considered one of the most expensive countries in the world.

Detailed map of Norway showing border states

Prices in Norway really do go up a notch. In general, in terms of price level, large cities such as Oslo are in a kind of “hit parade” not far from Tokyo. This is especially true for food products.

This is because the Kingdom is forced to import a large number of products.

Therefore, in order not to go broke on food, you need to learn to save as much as possible and eat the way the indigenous people do.

The cost of rent is quite high. Rent of a two-room apartment in a large city is approximately 72.0 thousand Norwegian kroner.

Cost of food

In 2017, prices for food products relevant to average Norwegians are as follows:

Cost of clothes and shoes

Norwegian prices for shoes and clothing in 2017 are almost identical to Russian ones. Children's clothing in the Kingdom costs slightly less than in the Russian Federation. Most Norwegians prefer to shop at sales, where there is every chance to buy high-quality and even branded items at a discount of 50 to 90 percent.

Transport

In order to get from one Norwegian city to another, you will need to spend an impressive amount of money. Traveling around the city is also quite expensive. So, a bus trip in 2017 can cost fifty crowns. If you want to buy a car, you should know that it is subject to a very high tax. The average cost of a car varies between NOK 250.0 thousand. Even if you buy a car in another country, you will have to pay tax.

People who have the opportunity to purchase a car or move to Norway with their “iron horse” cannot but be interested in the price of gasoline in 2017. It is important to know that motorists can fill their car with both diesel fuel and unleaded gasoline. The average price of gasoline is as follows:

In Norway it is allowed to transport gasoline in a canister.

Gas cost

The average price of Norwegian gas in 2017 was 0.80 euros. It is important to take into account that:

• In 2017, the Kingdom supplied about one hundred billion cubic meters of natural gas to European residents;
• After the Russian Federation, Norway is the 2nd exporter of natural gas in the world;
• About 95 percent of natural gas was supplied to Europe by pipeline;
• Five percent of natural gas was supplied in liquefied form;
• The growth in gas supplies was carried out at the expense of British consumers;
• Recently, the Kingdom has supplied European countries with about 30 percent of its gas.

Today the country continues to exploit natural gas for domestic consumption.

Layout of the gas industry in Norway

The volume of gas consumed is approximately two percent of the total volume. According to some reports, the cost of natural Norwegian gas will be reduced in 2017-2020.

Tax system

The significant disadvantages of living in this European country are associated with truly shocking taxes. Unfortunately, taxes in Norway also hit hard on the pockets of the average resident of the Kingdom. This is understandable, since this is the only way to ensure social benefits, which are steadily growing every year. According to some reports, more than a third of wages goes into the tax treasury.

Residents of the Kingdom carefully pay direct, property and income taxes. The state also levies a fee on a significant number of current services and goods. A foreign person who manages to get a job in the territory of this state is obliged to pay tax.

Identity card in Norway

In addition, within eight days of arrival, a foreign applicant is required to contact the tax office at his place of residence. This is necessary in order to obtain a taxpayer card. Currently, income tax is fifty-five percent for amounts exceeding NOK 81.0 thousand.

Medical services

The availability and highest quality of medical services on the territory of this state have become a real talk of the town. The core principle of the Kingdom's healthcare is to provide medical care to everyone who needs it. Status and financial situation do not matter.

Today, in terms of the level of spending on the health of everyone who lives in the Kingdom, Norway is in honorable third place after a small state.

Hospital building in Norway

Structure of the medical system

The kingdom is divided into 5 medical territorial zones. Thanks to this, the state has the opportunity to exercise control over medicine. The quality of medical services is the responsibility of local officials.
There are 3 levels of medical care in total. It is represented by 4 types of medical institutions:

1. General medical institutions.
2. Outpatient institutes.
3. Psychiatric clinics.
4. Medical university clinics (this is where you can get the highest quality care).

Help for foreigners

Medicine in Norway assumes that any foreigner living in the state for more than twelve months is entitled to insurance. Also, a foreign person, regardless of his purpose for staying in the country, has the right to choose both a doctor and a clinic.

In 2017, even illegal immigrants have the right to qualified medical care.
Minor children and pregnant women have the right to free medical prescriptions. Unfortunately, this does not apply to dental treatment. The cost of treatment at a dental clinic averages about six hundred Norwegian kroner.

Psychological help

Many people, especially those who come to Norway from the southern regions, find themselves psychologically unprepared for the peculiarities of the winter season in this country. Against this background, many emigrants develop a fairly severe form of depression. During daylight hours, a person may have serious problems falling asleep. Often this transforms into serious sleep disturbances.

In this regard, an emigrant theoretically has the right to receive psychological help. But this is quite difficult to achieve, since the presence of a psychological problem is recognized only when a person is diagnosed with such a serious problem as autism.

Conclusion

A well-known Russian proverb says that a fish chooses a deeper place, but a person chooses a better place. People usually go to Norway to receive quality education and treatment. It’s quite difficult to get comfortable, if only because high taxes will eat up the lion’s share of profits.

Considering that a person who is not a highly qualified specialist in some narrow industry cannot count on career growth, there is only one way out: to open his own business.

This is also associated with certain difficulties, but at least the foreigner will not be doomed to a semi-beggarly state.

Restaurant by the sea

Family reunification is also a good option. If a Russian man or woman is lucky enough to tie the knot with a resident of Norway, then moving there forever will be much easier.

“It’s quite difficult to get comfortable, if only because high taxes will eat up the lion’s share of profits.”
The statement is false.
In the Russian Federation, a Russian pays not 13% taxes on salary, but 43% (+18% VAT in the price of each product)! If you don't believe me, Google it.
Next - a very important question that you are missing - where do these taxes go?
I think that the lion's share of these taxes returns to the people - in the form of social support, etc. (as is done in any civilized country).
In the Russian Federation, taxes go to:
- to war;
- in the custody of the police;
- for special structures, etc.
And after that the smaller part goes to the slave-vatans-goyim. Read about the closure of hospitals in the Russian Federation, the inability to call an ambulance and other nightmares.
So I don't agree with your statement.

• I was in the hospital twice a year with acute pancreatitis. The ambulance arrived within 20 minutes after the call. Three weeks of hospitalization - more than 70 thousand for medicines (I looked at the price tags at the pharmacy). The doctors are great, the food is good, there is Wi-Fi. What did I do wrong? Stop telling each other your fears about closed hospitals, and everything will be fine! Well, a stupid person, talking something about vatans and goyim, most likely, is another offended person and lives in the Baltic states or in Ukraine, where social. There is no sign of support even at the Russian level.

  • I was in the hospital with appendicitis... (at this point you might think, well, they will feed you little without fried foods, etc., but no, they fed everyone like that) honestly, they fed me shit, the best thing that was in the hospital was apple juice, and the food, how can I say, was SHIT ... Normal porridge? No, no, it’s better to give us porridge made from waste with a taste (I can’t describe it, but the taste is simply terrible) When they were carrying rice with meat, I prayed to God to live another day without food... And then get normal food (from friends and relatives, of course) well, there’s plenty more it was shit. Well, let's move on to the main thing: apples, pears, etc. It was scary to touch Karl to touch!!! Well, I had to (I think there is no need to explain what they were, and it’s so clear “It was scary to touch”):(... Well, this is not the worst thing, the worst thing is when a child is in the room with you, crying day and night for 2 weeks. I I was ready to cry myself... You can write about the beds in the hospital forever, but the horror lurked in the blanket, if you want to warm up, just go n****, you'll die faster than wait for the doctors to understand that patients are also living people and they get cold. The pillows, well, the pillows were comfortable Well, the end, oh, I almost forgot there is also coffee and tea without sugar only, and coffee with 2-3 millipidric beans, the tea has some strange aftertaste in the room there is nothing except a chest of drawers and 3 more beds

    Mom was admitted to the hospital to prepare for surgery; her hemoglobin had to be raised. They found out that they didn’t have medications and needed to buy their own when after a few days there was no improvement - they asked what pills they gave. It turned out - only vitamins, because... there is nothing. Of course, we bought the medicines and systems ourselves. But the question is - why didn’t they say it right away?
    We live in the Russian Federation, Ulyanovsk. We were lucky with doctors - we ended up with good specialists. But the level of supply of medicines is poor.

    Alexeyushka, my husband had a complex technological operation in St. Petersburg a month ago. The operation was expensive. My husband was given a quota. The food was good. The attitude towards patients was superb. Vivat to our medicine! Only one thing. Before the trip to St. Petersburg, I spent a year visiting doctors. I saw different specialists. The diagnosis was made for six months. Sick leave was not given for three months. Although the husband, having arrived on his feet at the beginning of treatment, later took up a cane, and even later was forced to use crutches. But sick leave was not given. And the surgeon stated that with the pathology that the husband had, he should experience slight discomfort. Later, I demanded that the orthopedist stop treating my husband, because three months of treatment was useless, and to begin further examination of my husband. It was clear to me, a person who had not studied medicine for a day, that the diagnosis was not correct. And the head of the orthopedic department accused me of ignorance and exposed me to from the office. And as a result, I turned out to be right. Only, as I already wrote, my husband, by that time, could barely walk on crutches. And tens of thousands of money were spent on useless treatment. Taking into account the fact that my husband is now on disability, this money was would not be superfluous for us. And I can also tell you about my colleague, whose son had a problem with his leg. They put him in for surgery. And... they operated on a HEALTHY leg. Yes, it was so “successful” that the child became disabled. And I almost had a friend died, who, as it later turned out, had appendicitis, and she was treated for two weeks for acute respiratory infections, although in addition to the temperature, she clearly complained of abdominal pain and pain when visiting the toilet. And I can also talk for a long time about how they provide help to my bedridden dad. For example, a therapist will come, take a look, promise that they will come to take a blood test and a neurologist will come. The therapist will leave and happily forget about it. And there are very, very many of these “and”s. So, in our hospitals there is no fear. In our hospitals ( in many) HORROR,

    100% + tax on real estate and cars on an annual basis, no matter how many times you buy and sell your property, purchased with money on which income tax has already been paid. You are required to pay sales tax over and over again.

I was in Norway this fall. I was amazed: on weekends for children under 12 years old (even foreigners) free travel everywhere (Oslo-Bergen train), metro, tram, bus, etc., attractions and entertainment - 30% of the cost of an adult (while an adult is cheaper on weekends, than on weekdays). Saturday through Monday morning is a day off for everyone, even in stores. Shortened working day on weekdays (4-6 hours), maternity leave - 3 years - 1/2 mother and baby and 1/2 father (the state pays 1,750 CZK monthly). The products are expensive, but they are edible (non-GMO), fresh, tasty, etc. The clothes are the same as ours, but a different quality of material and tailoring is felt (even in those brands that are in the Russian Federation). The police are always nearby, but not visible, everywhere is beautiful and clean. You can live there, you just have to learn it (we met Russians often - no one complained).

• I have been living in Norway for more than 5 years, working in the medical field. Norway is a wonderful country, but like other countries, it has its own nuances. Bread prices average 39 CZK per loaf. In such an average store in Norway as Kiwi and Rema1000, Trout is sold filleted in 2-4 pieces and the price is 30-50 crowns, respectively (each fillet weighs 125 grams).
  Next, about the third place in the world in terms of quality of medicine. Every person living in Norway knows that medicine in Norway is one of the most expensive and at the same time the worst in Europe. For each appointment with a doctor you pay 300 CZK (this is just an appointment). Besides this, you never know which doctor you will end up with. I personally had to change doctor because he could not distinguish a sore throat from a common cold, it’s good that I thought of going to the legevakt (emergency room) myself, where I came across a doctor from Poland and really helped (any medical professional knows what serious complications a common cold sore throat gives to the heart).
  In addition, in Norway there are “dental tours” to Poland, since medicine there is better and cheaper. By the way, yes, the author writes about the cost of dental treatment at 600 CZK - this is true if there is no canal filling, because then the amount comes out to about 1200 CZK. The author also forgot to add that when you go to the dentist, you also pay about 800 CZK for an examination plus treatment.
  I don’t complain at all about life in Norway, I can afford a good life, but let’s not think that everything is smooth there. There are absolutely wonderful things there (cultural life in Oslo, for example, various exhibitions, concerts, etc.), but there is also bad medicine, and food prices are also not the lowest.

• Do they have a better education? Well, you've had too much. My child studied in a private school in America, no exams, only an essay, entered 3 universities without problems. It's difficult for Americans to enter there. I finished my bachelor’s degree, came back, retrained, it was very difficult, there was no training. The only thing is a good language (that was my goal), and that is American. Any of our certified specialists is many times better than an American one.

  Norway produces per capita: 1) gas 15 times, 2) oil 8 times.
  And, probably, Norwegians work better than others from “cook” to “president”.
  Don’t forget that in pre-revolutionary Russia, poorly done work was characterized as “theft,” if I’m not mistaken.
  So, my dear compatriots, I think that our well-being depends only on ourselves.
  Well, for those who want to live for free, good riddance... And as Kozma Prutkov said: “An extra mouth is worse than a pistol.”

Residents of any country want to know how their country is perceived abroad. This is especially true for those countries that not everyone can find on a map. But in some countries it can turn into an obsession and one of such countries is Norway. For four centuries it was under the rule of Denmark and Sweden, and now many Norwegians are trying to determine exactly what their own culture is and what they would like to be famous for. Some Norwegians believe that they cannot do anything right, while others believe that Norwegians do everything right. Because of this, there is a constant war of commentators in national news feeds.

The crisis of Norwegian identity and uncertainty is evident every time Norway is mentioned in the international media. This leads to some kind of painful exaggeration. For example, when the Norwegian swimmer Alexander Dale Oen died a few years ago, the national media rushed to tell the whole world about how much the swimmer meant to the world, to the development of swimming and to Norway in particular, although only a few people in the world had heard about him.

2. The main national problem is not cold, but dampness

When you think of Norway, you think of winter. Yes, in some areas of the country it is really very cold. But in coastal Norway, where most of the population lives, temperatures rarely reach extremely low levels. In Oslo it rarely drops below -10 degrees, which is no colder than other cities at the same latitude, such as Anchorage, Helsinki and St. Petersburg. The interior and North are, of course, a different story. During the summer it is generally quite pleasant to travel throughout the country. The most inconvenient thing about Norwegian weather is quite predictable - it is constantly humid, and one might say damp.

The city of Bergen is particularly famous for its rainfall (almost 500mm of rain in January 2015), but other parts of the country see long periods of grey, wet landscapes that leave people in the same state of melancholy as the dark winters. The cold is annoying and the humidity is depressing.

3. Most Norwegians have accumulated a lot of debt

Norway's oil treasures gave its people confidence in prosperity. Because of this confidence in a bright future, rental rates in the country are among the highest in the world. Yes, most Norwegians have a huge combined income and access to well-paid jobs, and in this situation you might think that all financial problems are behind you. But, unfortunately, this is not the case. Oil prices remained high throughout the previous financial crisis, meaning Norwegian consumers were unlikely to feel the impact and therefore continued to buy houses and borrow money. In the country as a whole, housing prices have increased by more than 50% since 2008, and in Oslo by almost two-thirds. Rent arrears have become one of the highest in Europe. It is therefore not surprising that the TV show “Luksusfellen” appeared, where a couple of experts give financial advice to families on how to get rid of unnecessary habits and items and try to help them get out of debt. Until now, the high incomes of Norwegians helped them, but at some point the desire to earn and invest money played a cruel joke on the Norwegians. And with current oil prices, it seems that the problem is becoming more acute every day. And modern reality is increasingly spoiling the mood of the residents of this country, driving them into the harsh jungle of national melancholy.

4. Foreigners do all the dirty work for Norwegians

There has always been a lot of controversy in the country about the Protestant work ethic. It was considered the basis of the economic success of the Scandinavian countries, Germany and even the United States. It turns out that you can easily forget about it after easy money appears. For more than a decade, the majority of low-prestige service jobs in most parts of Norway have been occupied by Swedes. Meanwhile, carpentry, painting, plumbing and many other jobs are carried out by workers from Eastern Europe, especially Poland. Why is this happening? Simply because fewer and fewer Norwegians are willing to take on this work. Norwegians work hard, they just prefer to do it in the office without getting their hands dirty. Everyone knows this can't last forever.

5. Norway has a big drug problem...

It's no surprise that the country with the highest drug overdose death rate is in Eastern Europe, Estonia to be exact. Guess who's in second place? Norway. Oslo used to have a very large community of drug addicts, it still exists, they've just been driven off the main streets. Plenty of ports and trade connections make it easy for drug dealers to bring dangerous drugs into the country and, like most Western countries, when the problem began in the 1970s, Norwegians simply looked away. Now most European countries have decided to fight the problem, but Norway still does not pay attention to it.

6. ...and problems with alcohol.

Unfortunately, this problem is common to all Scandinavian countries. It used to be the norm that you were either a total teetotaler or only got drunk on the weekends. Since then, traditions have changed a lot, in particular, the state monopoly on the sale of alcohol began to instill continental drinking habits. Norwegians now drink several glasses of wine with dinner throughout the week... in addition to continuing to get drunk on the weekends. Alcohol is in many ways the only thing that makes Norwegians sociable, because Norwegians are introverts by nature. Alcohol also became a vital concept and part of the national culture. In Norway, it seems that not a single meeting takes place without drinking alcohol. In the long term, this is harmful to health, but even in the short term, weekly alcoholic get-togethers affect the health of both Norwegians themselves and society as a whole. According to recent reports, Norwegians are increasingly doing stupid, dangerous or illegal things and always under the influence of alcohol.

7. Norwegians are still puritans at heart

Despite all the above problems, Norwegians still have a high sense of morality. Norwegians are still a little skeptical about people not working during the week, especially if they drink more than wine, which is a sign of high culture in the country. Many are also quite skeptical of anyone who uses drugs to enjoy life, after all, alcohol has been a part of society for almost two millennia, so why experiment and go against the norm? For all the talk about Scandinavian countries being the most socially liberal on the planet, look at how the country treats divorced mothers, sexual minorities or people with darker skin than usual once you leave the city. Fortunately, there are few places left that are openly hostile (mainly in the southwestern regions of the country).

Conclusion: Norwegian social liberalism is superficial and superficial as much as it is convenient for Norwegian society in this moment.

How good it is to live or go on vacation to Norway, perhaps life and vacation in the country are completely different concepts, for example, it may be good to vacation in, but this cannot be said about permanent residence in this country.

Statistics about Norway say completely the opposite: it’s good to live in Norway and, on the contrary, it’s bad to relax, let’s look into this issue. So, Norway’s GDP is twice that of the United States and almost four times that of Western European countries, all thanks to its oil and gas reserves, which in total exceed those of European countries. Thanks to the export of energy resources, as well as fishing, Norway has managed to create unprecedented socio-economic conditions for its population, which are the envy of even neighboring Scandinavian countries, for example, if you divide the money from the Norwegian pension fund by the number of population, you get an amount of $ 147,000 per inhabitant countries. It is not difficult to understand the Norwegians who opposed the country's accession to the European Union. The other side of the coin of happiness can be the high prices for “everything” in Norway; prices even scare away tourists from Western Europe, where you can still find 95 gasoline for 2 euros a liter.

Norway has the worst price competitiveness in tourism in the world, the ground transport infrastructure is also not conducive to active tourism, the environment and the priority of the travel and tourism sectors are poor. In the ranking of World Economic countries in terms of tourism competitiveness, Norway ranks 22nd in the world, neighboring Sweden is 9th.

The Kingdom of Norway is a sovereign and unitary monarchy in the west of the Scandinavian Peninsula, sharing borders with Russia and Finland, and distinguished by extensive coastlines on the North Atlantic Ocean and the Barents Sea. Norway is one of the oldest still existing kingdoms in the world. Norway has signed the Schengen legislation, but is not officially a member of the European Union; it has its own currency, the Norwegian krone.

Standard of living in Norway

Norway has the highest standard of living in the world, supported by the so-called Scandinavian welfare model, comprehensive social security, universal health care, for example, parents in Norway have 46 weeks of paid leave.

Oil in Norway

Norway boasts vast reserves of oil, natural gas, minerals, lumber, seafood, fresh water and hydropower. A quarter of GDP comes from the oil industry. Norway has the highest Human Development Index.

Climate and weather in Norway

The climate in Norway is cool, oceanic with the influence of Atlantic storms and unfavorable natural conditions, heavy rainfall, but milder winters than its neighbors. The capital city of Oslo is the most favorable region in Norway for life, it has the warmest and sunniest summers, from the end of May to the end of July the sun never completely sets below the horizon in areas north of the Arctic Circle, and from the end of November to the end of January the sun does not rise at all above the horizon. In Oslo, the climate is very similar to what can be observed in St. Petersburg, however, in the summer it is quite cool, the temperature rarely rises above 15 degrees Celsius, in the winter it is not very cold, about 0 degrees, in general the weather is very bad, which can bring great discomfort to heat-loving people .

In Norway, you will have to sit indoors almost all year round, this life is no different from prison, you will have to get used to the sun, the dark and long winter will seem endless, there is no one on the streets at this time, since everyone is sitting at home, the streets are slippery, wet, cold piercing wind, but snow of several meters can also fall. Psychologists recommend drinking fish oil and going outside every day to avoid going crazy.

Population of Norway, foreigners, migrants

Norway has a population of 5,136,700 people, half of whom live in the country's two largest cities. 86% of the population has at least one parent who was born in Norway, 14% of the Norwegian population are immigrants or children of two immigrant parents, about 6% of immigrants come from the EU countries, North America and Australia, 8.1% come from Asia, Africa and Latin America. In municipalities such as Oslo there are 32% migrants, in Drammen 27%, in others less than 15%. Today, about 18.5% of newborns were born to migrant families. The rate of immigration to Norway has increased since the beginning of 2005, with the main flow of labor migration from Eastern Europe, especially Poland. The population of Norway is actively replenished by children born into families of migrants from Pakistan, Somalia and Vietnam. The largest non-European minority in Norway are Pakistani Norwegians, in the last couple of years the number of Iraqis and Somalis has been growing, and the number of immigrants from Poland, Sweden and Lithuania from European countries has been growing. There are many newly arrived Muslims in the country; the attitude towards them is very wary, but restrained in a European way.

Religion of Norway

Most Norwegians are registered at baptism as members of the Church of Norway, which was the official state church until the constitutional amendment of 21 May 2012. The character of Norwegians is very closed, cold, Nordic, they do not let anyone get close to them. Long winter evenings can create the illusion of depression; here there is such an evil as alcohol.

Languages ​​in Norway

There are two of them: Bokmål and Nynorsk, the first is Danish, which spread during Danish rule in Norway, and Nynorsk is an artificial language created on the basis of dialects, so half the population speaks one language, the second another, another They hardly understand their friend, they have to switch to English, which is well understood by modern youth. Everything in Norway is only in Norwegian, TV programs, radio, signs on the streets, courses, theaters, Internet sites, in general, the entire information and entertainment component is only in Norwegian, which will be very difficult to learn.

Education and universities in Norway

There are 7 universities in Norway that offer free education regardless of nationality and citizenship, for this reason Norway is very popular among our students, this is the best way to settle in this prosperous country with a recognized diploma and save a lot of money. You should not think that Norway has a very high level of education, after all, it is a provincial country, there is a very strong shortage of qualified teachers, the only advantage is that Norway is like Europe. Training is often carried out on English language, Norwegian is of course a big problem that you will have to face. If you don't know Norwegian, you will immediately find yourself isolated.

Work, vacancies, economy in Norway

Residents of Norway fully enjoy the second largest GDP per capita among European countries, only Luxembourg is ahead of the rest of Europe, but in such a dwarf state, GDP has its own specialization. Today, Norway is considered the second richest country in the world in monetary terms, with the largest capital reserve per capita. The economy is based mainly on the export of oil and gas, but the disadvantage is that the economy is dependent on world prices for these resources, for example, in 2014 and 2015, the economy of Norway, like Russia, was hit hard by the fall in prices for carbonaceous minerals. A number of key sectors of the Norwegian economy are in the hands of the state

Unemployment in Norway is at a record low of just 2.6%, it is interesting to note that 9.5% of the population aged 18-66 years old receives a disability pension, 30% of the working population work in government in senior positions in the Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development.

Salaries in Norway

Norway has one of the highest salary levels in the world, which also applies to hourly rates, while the difference in salaries of the most sought-after highly qualified specialists is relatively not much different from the salary of a cleaner or waiter. Many state-owned companies are considered large employers, for example, the oil companies Statoil and Aker Solutions, the hydropower industry Statkraft, the aluminum concern Norsk Hydro, the largest Norwegian bank DnB NOR, and the telecommunications provider Telenor. Norway, like Liechtenstein and Iceland, participates in the common economic European space, however, such sectors of the economy as fisheries, agriculture, oil are not fully covered by the relevant agreements; roughly speaking, the Norwegians do not want to share their wealth with poor Europe.

Work can be found in Norway primarily in companies that exploit natural resources, such as oil, gas, fishing, forestry, and mineral mining. The economy boom occurred in the early 1960s when oil and gas fields were discovered, after which Norway took a strong lead even compared to other Scandinavian countries. Export earnings from oil and gas have reached almost 50% of total exports and account for more than 20% of GDP. Norway is the 5th largest oil exporter and the 3rd largest gas exporter in the world, but is not a member of OPEC. Back in 1995, a “state Pension Fund - Global” was created in Norway, where part of the money from oil export proceeds goes, the so-called insurance fund or national welfare fund in case of any crises, minimizing uncertainty from instability of oil prices, the task of the fund compensate for the costs associated with an aging population. Today, Norway's pension fund holds $870 billion, that's $173,000 for every Norwegian, the largest sovereign wealth fund in the world. Russia, which also depends on oil prices, is trying to follow exactly the same path.

Who's going to Norway?

However, to move to Norway you need to be either very rich or have a job, preferably with high qualifications and knowledge. But again, knowledge of the Norwegian language is required; globalism has not yet penetrated so deeply into this wilderness. If you have financial savings, then Norway is for you, but on the other hand, why spend these savings on a very expensive, cold and unprepossessing life when there are cheaper but sunny countries.

Norway through the eyes of Russians

In Norway today, for more than one thousand immigrants from Russia or Ukraine, the reviews on the forms are generally favorable.

Salary in Norway is on average 5,000 euros, a third goes to taxes, if the salary is over 10,000 euros, then taxes are already 55%, but legal entities can be charged 80%. Taxes are taken from luxury goods; Norwegians often buy everything on credit, even if they have enough money for purchases from their wallet, it’s more profitable. After paying taxes, like an astronomically large salary, Norwegians may not have enough money for the simplest things, so prosperity here is a relative thing due to the very high prices for goods, products and services, families with very large incomes are ultimately forced to take out loans to buy , for example, the simplest furniture in the house. The working day is 7.5 hours, everything else is at double or triple rate. In Norway there is no such stratification as we have between rich and poor, everyone represents a single middle class, there is total equalization, there is no reason to envy your neighbor. There is no corruption; they hire not a relative, but a professional in their field. Norwegians retire at 67. By this age, old people can do whatever they want, for example, live on cruises around the world or buy real estate in southern Europe or on the islands. In Norway, the role of social support is high; if a citizen does not have enough money for something, the state will definitely help.

Medicine in Norway

Medicine in Norway is free, but if you take into account the entire tax burden, it could be better.

Transport in Norway

Due to the fact that the country is stretched along the coast and the low population density, public transport is not as well developed as in other European countries, this is especially noticeable outside of large cities. However, there is a modern railway network and motorways.

Apartments, houses, real estate, rental and sale prices in Norway

Renting a two-room apartment in Oslo can cost 1,000 euros per month including utilities, it seems that the price is not very high by European standards, the cost per square meter of real estate is also at an average level and much cheaper than in Moscow, for example. However, finding an apartment is very difficult. The depressing thing is that there is no construction boom in Norway; there are more people looking to find an apartment than there are offers. The future tenant needs to contact the agency, which will draw up a questionnaire for him; salary data will be entered; if the person wins the competition, then he can count on living space. Local housing is warm, but very modest inside, even compared to Soviet housing.

Food in Norway

Prices for food in supermarkets are simply crazy; Norway has practically no agriculture of its own, with the exception of fish. Almost all food products are imported; if a person does not learn to eat like the Norwegians, then almost all the money will be spent on food, especially the cost of fresh vegetables and fruits during the long winter. A kilogram of vegetables or fruit often costs around 10 euros per kilogram.

Disadvantages of living in Norway

Many people go to Norway, believing in the fairy tale that there is high social support here, but in reality such support must be earned; social benefits are guaranteed after at least one year of official work and payment of all required contributions. It is absolutely not true that Norwegians will feed foreign parasites. It is also a fact that in Norway you cannot live on social benefits.

In Norway, products, goods and services are limited. Life in Norway and even in its capital Oslo can be compared to a village in other countries, there is a shortage of food, shops may open on shortened hours, the number of specialty stores and products is limited, traffic is limited, there is a steady queue for many socially significant things, e.g. , it is difficult to enroll a child in a sports section, or to go to a gym or swimming pool on your own; in the summer, many enterprises work for reduced hours. In Norway, despite the large influx of foreigners, there are no ethnic restaurants or exotic food products. There are no festivals or holidays in Norway, life can seem very, very boring, and many everyday joys are inaccessible.

Norway is a very difficult country for migrants, it’s one thing when a couple or the whole family comes here, it’s another thing when one person, most likely such a person will be left alone, will see only work and an empty apartment in the evening. Those who are accustomed to the noise and joys of large cities in Norway will not like it very much.

In Norway, life is very difficult from a physical point of view; to get to the store with your feet you will have to spend an order of magnitude more effort than in any other country in the world, because you will have to walk through snowdrifts, ice, puddles, hills and the like. It is worth noting the problems of discrimination and racism. The medical servants are quite mediocre, the same can be said about the teachers, whose level is also not the highest. You will have to rely only on yourself in everything; Norwegians have absolutely no regard for foreigners.

Eat modestly, live frugally, behave calmly, do not talk too much... These principles are followed by the citizens of the most prosperous country in the world - Norway, where income from the sale of oil belongs to the people.


The first thing that strikes a visitor to Norway is the prices.

46 CZK, please. Come see us again,” the seller smiles welcomingly, and I think that this is the most expensive Big Mac I’ve ever afforded. In terms of rubles, it costs more than 350, that is, more than three times more expensive than ours. The so-called Big Mac index allows you to determine the level of purchasing power of the country's population. In Norway, this index is one of the highest in the world. But he's not the only one.

For several years in a row, the country, a third of whose territory is located beyond the Arctic Circle, has been ranked first in the world in the Human Development Index. This comprehensive indicator reflects the standard of living and potential of a nation.

The average monthly salary of Norwegians is 42,300 kroner, that is, about 4,580 euros. But it's "dirty". Norway has a complex differentiated tax system. The minimum income tax rate here is 27% (in Russia it is fixed - 13%), and a few years ago it reached almost 50%. VAT - 25% (in Russia - 18%). High rates are directly related to the extensive social security system in the welfare state. And the citizens of the country are ready to give this state a significant part of their income, understanding that what they give is guaranteed to return to them in the form of free and high-quality medical care, decent education and social benefits. The total income from taxes paid by Norwegian residents and businesses amounts to more than 40% of the country's GDP. The lion's share of this amount goes to oil-producing enterprises, which are subject to a marginal profit tax of 78% (in Russia, the profit tax of oil companies is 20%).

The first oil field in the Norwegian North Sea was discovered in 1969. A couple of years after this, the country's parliament adopted the concept that oil revenues should belong to the people. This is how Norway turned from the poorest country in Europe to the most livable country in the world.

Modesty on display

The joke about Norwegians is that they are born with a silver spoon in their mouth, skis on their feet and a barrel of oil in their pocket, says Dina Johnsen, the wife of the vice president of Norway's largest telecommunications company, Telenor. - But the greatest benefit for the inhabitants of our country is to be closer to nature: to be able to breathe fresh air, admire the fjord from the kitchen window.

The Johnsen family lives in a wealthy suburb of Oslo, but there are no wrought-iron gates, marble lions, or ornate spiers here. Everything is simple in Scandinavian style. And so it is everywhere: outwardly, the houses of rich people cannot be distinguished from the houses of Norwegians with an average income. Everything is neat, tasteful, and the lawns near the houses are equally green and smooth. Showing off wealth is not common in Norway.

We were recently invited to visit the family of one of the richest people in the country,” says Dina. - So, in the children's room they have all the furniture from IKEA. Why spend extra when you can get by with what you need?

On the streets of Oslo, people don't flaunt big brands. Instead of expensive cars, wealthy Norwegians drive electric cars. Norway ranks first in the world in terms of sales of electric vehicles per capita. Those who buy a high-tech vehicle are supported by the state not only with low taxes, but also with a number of other benefits, such as free travel on toll roads, free parking and even free recharging. Owners of electric vehicles are exempt from a 25 percent value-added tax and purchase tax, which can reach tens of thousands of dollars per vehicle. As for gasoline prices, they are among the highest in Europe in Norway: a liter costs about 15 Norwegian kroner, that is, more than 112 rubles. The state takes care to preserve the purity of nature. The focus is on alternative and renewable energy sources.

Saving habit

Most of Norway's oil and petroleum products are exported. Domestic needs are mainly provided by hydroelectric power installed on numerous Norwegian waterfalls and rivers. In terms of its production per capita, Norway again ranks first in the world. Wind and tidal energy are actively used.

A whole generation has grown up in the country accustomed to leaving the lights on, complains Sigurd Kviknes, owner of the Kviknes Hotel in Balestrand. - This is because electricity prices are low.

Together with his two sisters, Sigurd runs the family business. Hotel Kviknes is one of the largest wooden buildings in Norway (8000 square meters). It is heated with electricity. Heaters are installed in both historical rooms from the 18th century and modern ones. There are no frills in the rooms, everything is simple.

Sigurd Kvikne is also dressed casually: a sweatshirt, sneakers and faded jeans. He prefers a bicycle to a car. You can’t tell right off the bat that this is a millionaire. Sigurd has a worthy role model - one of the richest people in the country, 92-year-old Olaf Thon. The owner of a chain of hotels and other real estate travels by public transport, although he can afford a lot.

Not only millionaires, but also the head of state avoid unnecessary spending.

The daughter of the Crown Prince of Norway, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, is in fifth grade at the same school as our daughter,” says Dina Johnsen. - I often see her father in ordinary clothes at the school door. He picks up his daughter after school, and they go together to the Tesla electric car. The prince helps his daughter carry the briefcase and gets behind the wheel himself.

Ekaterina Bagreeva, general manager of a consulting agency, says that rubber boots and a down jacket are the clothing of a typical Norwegian, regardless of his income. The former Muscovite has been living in Oslo for 17 years and has long ceased to be surprised.

When I first attended an important meeting with top managers,” recalls Ekaterina, “I was amazed by the appearance of my colleagues. Everyone except me was dressed casually, if not sportily, and brought thermoses of coffee and sandwiches, although there is a cafe in the office building. They were not shy about eating during the presentation. And some almost immediately after the start of the meeting took off their shoes and put on warm woolen socks. Two colleagues even took pillows from their backpacks and placed them under their backs. They were all comfortable, unlike me, who was sitting with a straight back and in a strict business suit.

Not creating inconvenience for yourself and others, avoiding stress is another important feature of the national Norwegian character. She even has high technology in her service.

Only peace

An unusual device at Gardermoen Airport in Oslo looks like a shower. A huge watering can on a thin leg, installed in the middle of the waiting room, is called a “sound shower”. This device is designed for those who are afraid of flying. If you stand on the small red dot marked with paint on the floor under the “soul” dome, you will hear the sounds of nature - the sound of the sea and the cries of birds, prayers and motivational phrases in Norwegian and English like “You are strong, you can do it”, which should reassure passengers before the flight. In the area under the dome you can hear clear stereo sound, as if someone is whispering these prayers directly into your ears. If you take a step back, you won’t hear anything.

This is what Norwegians are all about,” explains Betina Hansen, sales and advertising coordinator for the travel company. - We not only try to avoid stress, but we are also terrified of disturbing someone. Disturbing someone else's comfort - with loud conversation, music, or even the clicking of heels on the paving stones - is considered extremely indecent.

We are sitting in the oldest tavern in Norway, Bryggen Tracteursted. A very popular restaurant on the waterfront in Bergen is full of customers, there are children, but no one makes any noise. After 9 pm, even in the city center you cannot find noisy companies.

- Norwegians usually go to bed early, at 9–10 pm. It is not customary to bother with phone calls later, says Betina. - We get up early too. For many people, the working day begins at seven in the morning, and at 16-17 hours everyone strives to reunite with their family. Most shops close around this time. Norwegians set their own working hours. When overtime, the employee submits a request for overtime pay.

Most large companies practice the so-called “home office”. This means that if there is no need to attend meetings or appointments at work, you can solve problems at home, sitting in front of the computer in slippers. True, staying too long at work or in the “home office” is not accepted.

In Norwegian companies, no one fusses, but everyone gets there on time,” Betina assures. - It’s not customary to talk about work at home. The couple discuss family matters and plans for the weekend. In cafes, they also don’t talk about work and don’t sit on iPhones.

Bryggen Tracteursted serves simple food - rutabaga soup and klippfisk, dried cod. The same food was prepared here 400 years ago for Hanseatic merchants. Until the middle of the 20th century, Norway was a very poor country; local residents made do with what they could get from the sea and grow on poor soil. The main food was potatoes and goat's milk cheese. The fish caught in the fjords were stored for the winter. The national cuisine of Norway is peasant: hearty, nutritious and very simple. Even today, Norwegians prefer to eat modestly. Rutabaga soup and cod are practically festive dishes. The principles of life that have evolved over centuries have remained the same: get by on little, know how to save money, and don’t talk unnecessarily.

Simple life

Silent farmer Laila Quellestad treats me to gray pancakes with homemade jam. The dough is prepared from flour and water. On the Otternes farm, Laila keeps 30 sheep, but rarely eats meat - it’s too expensive. Well-groomed Old Norwegian sheep chew hay behind the fence. The lawn offers a view of the fjord that would be the envy of any five-star hotel. Otternäs farm, more precisely four peasant farmsteads from the early 18th century, is located on the shores of the Aurlandsfjord, an arm of the Sognefjord, the longest (204 km) and deepest (1308 m) in Norway. Laila lives in one of the old houses. Wooden walls blackened by time, a traditional grass roof that retains heat... Picturesque, but not too cozy. On the ground floor there is an earthen floor, narrow windows that look like loopholes. A rickety staircase leads to the second floor. You can't even stand up to your full height there - people used to only sleep on these peculiar mezzanines. Behind the house there is a pen for domestic animals. Behind its fence is a meadow where peasants have grazed sheep since ancient times. However, Laila buys hay for her family.

- Once upon a time, grass for grazing sheep was the main “money” of peasants. This part of the meadow behind the fence is rented only for the summer. There’s no point in paying in the fall, hay is cheaper,” Laila explains sparingly. She has no time to be nice - one of the sheep, a young bright one named Marion, has run away. The animal has left clumps of fur on the mangled barbed wire fence, and Lila rushes to repair it to prevent other sheep from wandering off. By the way, the fugitive had already been found on the road below. The day after tomorrow she will be delivered home by a driver who brings food to Laila once a week. There is no employee on the farm; she manages all the affairs herself.

“I’m not a peasant,” Laila admits. - In my youth I worked in the highland police. And in 1998, the state bought this farm from its previous owners in order to save it from destruction and maintain its historical appearance. There are 84 similar ones left in Norway. I got a job here because I want to be closer to the earth and nature. It seems like I’m working, but it’s like I’m resting.

Rest - don't work

If you ask a Norwegian “Where are you going for the weekend?”, it means whether you’re going skiing or skating,” says driver Benjamin Rock. - Summer options - shooting and orienteering. And while foreigners spend a lot of money on holidays in Norway, locals only need a fishing rod and rubber boots to have the perfect holiday. Families go out into nature. You can often see the following picture: dad is shooting in the forest, and mom is walking with a stroller nearby. Moreover, the child is wearing special headphones.

Benjamin moved to Norway from Germany for a high salary. In winter he drives a city bus, in summer he drives a tourist bus. And in the off-season he works part-time as a taxi driver. Benjamin took me to the famous Borgunn Stavrk, one of the oldest surviving frame churches. It was built back in Viking times, in the 12th century.

Behind the church, the ancient royal road Vindhellavegen begins, Benjamin points out. - Everything there is marked for walks for an hour, two and three hours. Many Norwegians walk this road with a backpack on their shoulders. I recently attended a party in honor of a colleague’s 40th birthday. So, she rented a house in the mountains, and all the guests walked six kilometers uphill to get there. In general, going somewhere with a backpack, even on a short hike, for Norwegians is the same as for us Germans going on vacation at the seaside.

German Benjamin values ​​tranquility and solitude, for which Norway has all the conditions: “It’s like I’m on vacation here. You follow your own route, admire the scenery and relax.”

For a rainy day

The absence of stress and the habit of worrying about trifles, healthy environmental conditions, and the confidence that the state “will not fail” and will take care, give the result: the average life expectancy in Norway is 82 years.

To ensure a long and high-quality life for citizens in the country, a fund has been formed into which the net income of the Norwegian oil industry is allocated. Created in 1990 as the State Petroleum Fund (Statens petroleumsfond), in 2006 it changed its name to the Global Public Pension Fund (Statens pensjonsfond utland, SPU). According to Norwegian authorities, this name emphasizes that this is money for the future, for the time when the natural resource is depleted. As of October 2015, over seven trillion Norwegian kroner (more than $825 billion) had been set aside for a rainy day in Norway. The fund is the largest in Europe - the value of its assets accounts for more than one percent of the global stock market. The procedure for replenishing the fund is determined by the government and approved annually by parliament; about half of the oil revenues of the state budget go into it. The principled position of the Norwegian authorities is that the expenses of the state treasury are covered by taxes, and “oil” money is a reserve for “extreme cases”; only 4% per year can be transferred to the state budget. The fund's assets are invested in 75 countries and 47 currencies of the world. 60% - in shares, 35–40% - in securities, up to 5% - in real estate.

Economists predict that this reserve will exceed the trillion-dollar mark in 2020. Income from oil production and investments in the stabilization fund are transparent, data are regularly published. Any Norwegian can get acquainted with them. Get acquainted and rejoice that after the depletion of its deposits, Norway will maintain its leading position in the world and will not reduce the standard of living of its citizens.

Location orientation Kingdom of Norway

Legend

1 Sognefjord
2 Nærøyfjord
3 Aurlandsfjord

Capital: Oslo
Square: 385,170 km2 (67th place in the world)
Population: 5,190,000 people (116th place)
Population density: 15.5 people/km2
Religion: Lutheranism
GDP:$420.958 billion (27th place)
Average monthly salary: NOK 42,300 (~EUR 4,580)

Attractions: Akershus fortress in Oslo, Bryggen Hanseatic embankment in Bergen, fjords, Preikestolen rock.
Traditional dishes: Pinnekjøtt (pinnekjøtt) - salted and dried lamb ribs, steamed on birch branches; smalahove (smalahove) - lamb's head, lutefisk (lutefisk) - dried fish soaked in alkali.
Traditional drink: aquavit (about 40% strength).
Souvenirs: Brunost (brunost) - brown whey cheese with caramel flavor, figurines of Vikings and trolls, sweaters with deer.

Distance from Moscow to Oslo:~1650 km (2 hours 40 minutes flight)
Time lags behind Moscow by 1 hour in summer, 2 hours in winter
Visa:"Schengen"
Currency: Norwegian krone (1 NOK ~ 0.11 euro)

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In the “Moved” section, we publish stories about how and why young people leave to live in other countries. Last year, art director and stand-up comedian Natasha Alekseevna started the process of moving to Norway, but she had already gained impressions and experience, which she shared with 34travel. How to get housing and work in Norway and experience the signature Norwegian tranquility - read below.

There is a lot of physical work there for which emigrants are hired. But I needed agency experience. If you just send a cv, they may not respond. You have to come with a CV, knock on the door, and say “I want to work for you.” My first month in Norway began with the fact that I arrived and the very next day I went to a radio interview. I came to this interview by chance - the University of Oslo called out that they needed radio presenters with English. But my English was not enough for them.

You drink coffee with every employer, he asks you questions - why are you, how are you, you probably feel so bad in Belarus. What do you think, why are you asking me these questions? And throughout the first month, I actually attended several interviews a day. They don’t want to hire you because you are not familiar with the Norwegian advertising industry, you don’t know exactly how it works there. But at the same time they offer unpaid internships. If they tell you that they are keeping your CV in the database, then they do so, and in a couple of months they may call you for some vacancy or internship. At the same time, it’s possible to get a job without knowing Norwegian.

If you are not afraid of menial work, or you just need money while you are looking for a normal job in your field, then there is a lot of work. Wash houses, babysit, unload wagons, cut down forests. There is plenty of such work for emigrants, and the Norwegians are happy to hire Slavs for it, because they consider them more responsible. The Norwegians themselves work like brakes, everyone is relaxed - why bother if they already get normal money.

If people are willing to take on menial work, then they can earn fairly normal money. And, in principle, cleaning houses, as I did, is a dust-free job. Because Norwegians themselves are clean. If you are hired to clean a house once or twice a week, then they will clean it themselves minimally first, you will come and you will clean it even better, and you will get your € 60 for two or three hours of work. And the coolest thing is the attitude towards you. You come to clean, they go to work, and leave you breakfast - coffee, pie. Then they will call you many times, ask how you are doing, wish you Christmas and New Year’s wishes, and leave gifts. It's like you're talking to friends.

“If you are hired to clean a house once or twice a week, then they will first clean it themselves minimally, you will come and you will clean it even better.”

They are very interested in visitors from Ukraine, Lithuania, Latvia, and Belarus. They need labor. The Norwegians themselves will not go to work for hard physical work, moreover, few of them will work for some guy. They work for themselves, many have their own small businesses. Even Norwegian students do not take such jobs. Therefore, they are interested in labor. At the same time, they have a very normal attitude. They receive you very friendly, they are interested in talking with a person from another country and learning about your experience.

As for earnings in all sorts of advertising agencies, I was shocked. Because the average salary in Lithuania in such a place is around € 600 (if you are lucky and get into a top agency). In Norway, even if you have little experience and do not speak the language at the best level, the average salary after taxes is € 2000.

Hiring isn't as difficult as it might seem. At least with the type of documents like mine. I now have a Lithuanian residence permit, not a student one, which is important, and I can come to work there with these documents. If I am accepted, then I need to get an ID number in Norway, this is done through the UDI and Politi services. With this ID number, without which you cannot take a single step legally, you get a job, you sign a contract and work in peace. Of course, you will have to tinker a little with the design, but overall the procedure is quick.

But an ID number is required in Norway. If you have a student visa (I have a friend who lives there), then you can only work part-time, in principle, this is a common story. In Norway the rules are as follows: first you get a work visa, you work for 3 years and you can apply for a permanent residence permit, and after another 4 years - for citizenship. But if you have a permanent residence permit in Lithuania (or another EU country), then you have the right to live in Norway for 90 days without work or find a job with 70% employment and receive a permanent residence permit in Norway.

“In Oslo you meet a lot of different expats and few Norwegians themselves.”

The most expensive thing in Norway is housing, especially in Oslo. But if this is an area where only emigrants live, then at Norwegian prices it will be more or less normal. Rent a room in a three-room apartment with a good renovation will cost € 600-750. I probably wouldn’t be able to live in Oslo, because even though it’s small, it’s too noisy and very expensive. It’s much cooler to live in Norway, which is located in the suburbs. Because Oslo is the same Norway as Moscow is Russia. When you live in the suburbs, you see how they live, you can communicate with them. In Oslo you meet a lot of different expats and few Norwegians themselves. In connection with all sorts of political things, they are gradually moving away.

Utilities are also high, about €100-200 for everything. A deposit is usually required for three months. In Norway, in order to save time, everyone connects to their Internet banking and pays through it. There is one trick for people like me who come and don’t make a decision right away. You can take individual subjects at the University of Oslo, this is called “enkeltemne”. It’s very easy to take, they are always there. You take 10 points and become a student. This gives the right to housing. The main thing is to do this as early as possible, two to three months before the start of school (before the end of August).

In general, Norwegians are very, very frugal people; they do not spend money on what they don’t need or on what is impractical. They are simple and invest in valuable things. Of course, everyone's values ​​are different. But what I noticed among the Norwegians and what I really love (as one of the most important things in life) is comfort and home. They are ready and will invest a lot in comfort and home.

Connect to the Internet, open a bank account, see a doctor - if you have an ID, go ahead. You come to the bank and calmly make an account, connect to the Internet at Telia, visit the doctor for a fee, of course, in any clinic according to your registration. But Norwegians don't get sick. Elderly people do not have the cult of the hospital and hanging around there every morning, as in Belarus or Lithuania. Because in Norway people still run at 70 - I know, such old men overtook me when I ran in the morning.

It’s better to move around on foot - firstly, you’ll save money, secondly, it’s for your health, and thirdly, Oslo, for example, is very small, you can get around it on foot. Same story in Drammen. In Oslo, people love bikes and the subway. You only need a car if you work outside the city, it’s difficult to park and it’s expensive to pay for crossing zones. To save time you need a bicycle. There are no problems at all with a city bike. It's cool and convenient. Other transport in Oslo costs about € 10 per trip, a pass costs about € 70 if you are not a student. If you go from Oslo to Drammen, the ticket will cost about € 20. Therefore, a bicycle on your own!

“In general, Norwegians are very, very frugal people; they do not spend money on what they don’t need or on what is impractical.”

There, suckers like me gather in libraries and talk to each other two or three times a week. Conversation club. It’s easier for me to perceive language by ear, all I did was walk and listen to people, turn on the TV. For those who know English, Norwegian is easy to learn. Very similar in terms of formation of tenses and all that. You learn this basics in a week, and then it’s a matter of practice, you just know what you should say, order. If you communicate, it’s easy to learn. The language is very funny and interesting.

Just going out to drink coffee will cost the same as, for example, in Lithuania - € 3, no more. They have coffee shops or just coffee machine shops, with a bunch of names of coffee drinks, and you can just stand there and try them. If you came just as a tourist, and you have a budget of € 50 for three days, then you will not die of hunger there.

If you go to chain stores like Rema 1000, you will pay €2-3 more for vegetables and fruits than in stores usually opened by Arab emigrants. They bring products from their country, from Belarus, condensed milk, for example. Therefore, vegetables and fruits in such non-chain stores are much cheaper and of better quality, because they are brought from warm countries.

“Norwegians seem to follow a healthy lifestyle, but they like everything overcooked, but they make this overcooked food at home.”

As for other products, they have a monopoly on everything. There is one manufacturer that makes all dairy products. On the one hand, this is, of course, good, because it is the development of the domestic market, but on the other hand, there is not enough variety, my family does not have enough “our own products.” And for me, for example, this is ideal, because everything they have there is “eco”, gluten-free, super-healthy. You won’t see a bunch of meat or salted or over-salted sausages in the store - it simply doesn’t exist. Much more shelves with cereals, muesli, beans. Norwegians seem to adhere to a healthy lifestyle, but they like everything overcooked, but they make this overcooked food at home.

The shops there look like a warehouse. People just buy and leave. It’s the same with mid-level cafes and restaurants - everything is simple in them, no atmosphere. I drank coffee, ate and left. They miss the comfort and our kitchen. They love shish kebab shops, Belarusian and Ukrainian cuisine. Everyone I asked said that when they come to our countries, the first thing they do is eat. Therefore, this could be a gold mine for anyone who would like to do something similar there.

“Every Friday you can fill your evening with such cultural parties, although in fact everyone goes there not because of art, but to socialize and chat”

I'm used to hanging out, going to techno parties, rap parties. There is no such thing there. They have a different leisure culture. For them, rest means going to a neighboring city, climbing mountains, walking around. In the summer they end the work week on Thursday. They go to the fjords on their boats and are gone all weekend.
There is one club, “Rockefeller,” where they bring great artists and create techno parties. But to get there, you either need to know someone or pay €20-30 for entry. And at the same time be in their subject, go through face control and dress code. And this is a little difficult, because you come from another country and in any case are different from the Norwegians.

But there is one salvation for those who want to party on Friday. The theme of art is rapidly developing there, and exhibitions of contemporary artists are held. If you monitor this, then you can go there, communicate, they give you a drink there, you get to know everyone, because they all move in a crowd from party to party. And every Friday you can fill your evening with such cultural parties, although in fact everyone goes there not because of art, but to socialize and chat. By the way, in Oslo, if you are a beginning artist and want to make an exhibition or installation, you are welcome. There are certain institutions that you can write to and they will give you accommodation.

Bars are open until 3, after which they cannot serve drinks according to the license. Everyone mostly drinks at home and comes to the club just to dance. There are no wild dances here. They come, sit at the table, talk, and that’s all their hangouts.

Norwegians will always help you, in any situation. I had a fight with my parents and decided that I would leave. I packed my suitcase and went to the airport. And it’s 100 kilometers from Oslo. I think I'll hitchhike. While walking to the highway, they approached me a hundred times and offered to help me and bring my suitcase. In the end, they took me to the airport and sat there with me.

I have seen similar cases many times. In the store, my grandmother felt bad, she twisted her leg and fell. All the sellers ran to her, gave her water, called an ambulance, which arrived no more than 5 minutes later. Even in Lithuania, people often pass by.

They always smile at you, they always say hello to you, they can talk to you in the store. You think it’s cool how friendly they are. But over time it becomes annoying because they are always smiling and you can’t understand what their actual emotion is. Either they are angry with you, or they didn’t like you. Therefore, during interviews, for example, it was sometimes difficult to navigate.

In the first month I was very bored, I wanted to go back home, it was boring. But after a month you get used to these quiet weekends, you go somewhere outdoors, you can just walk into the mountains. You get tired (I once walked 30 kilometers up and back and then lay in bed for two days), but it’s worth it. It’s a completely different feeling, you even calm down inside yourself. Those who are looking for peace should go there, live like this and communicate with the Norwegians - they are the calmest people possible. While I lived in Lithuania, I was wildly twitchy, constantly in a hurry somewhere, running, everyone was kind of sad, sad, although in Lithuania everything is not so bad.

“They can turn to the state in any situation and the state will help them. They don’t understand how the state can screw you over.”

In Norway you relax. Any problem can happen to you, but you know that you will solve it. I think this is due to the fact that they have never experienced the stories that our countries have experienced. In any situation they can turn to the state and the state will help them. They don’t understand how the state can screw you over. How can you ask for help, but they will send you away. There is no such thing there, and therefore they are always calm, because they know that there is support from the state, that they will not remain on the street. And you also calm down, make your life measured. You work, even if it’s dirty work, even if it’s hard for you, but you know that you’ll get normal money for it and you’ll be able to live. Most people who go there from Belarus, Ukraine, Russia know that they will work hard. It may not be their dream job, but they know that with this money they can travel, help relatives, whatever.

Norwegians are polite. It's probably more politeness than friendliness. They are stingy with emotions. If people are friends with us, then you are in touch with this person 24/7, emotional conversations, get-togethers, weekends. With them, everyone lives on their own, and at the same time, they are very open. How I met a Norwegian. I sent my CV to all these offices, and a guy from one office found me on Facebook and wrote, let’s meet, at least get to know each other, we’ll know who you are and what you are. It was strange for me, because they couldn’t offer me anything at that time, but they met just to talk about fashion and the weather. In this regard, they accept you, there are no problems. But it's more of a stereotype that they are so cold-blooded. They have become very interested in what is happening in our countries, they are interested in knowing what is happening here and how we live.

Older people, of course, are not ready to transform into a different mentality, so they live in their own diaspora. And young people are able to integrate. Only through mentality can one understand why their system is structured this way.

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