First impressions

Buisness center in Nydalen

When I got to the apartment, coworkers were there to greet me, give me the keys and a phone provided by Opera. It was very sweet of them to take the time to do so on a Sunday, a day when most Norwegians hang out with family and almost everything is Oslo is closed.

After that, I was invited to family dinner with Conrad at his step dad's house. We had a traditional Norwegian dinner - ocean trout, mushrooms and potatoes. Ocean trout is a lot like salmon and much tastier than river trout. This dinner is where I had my first conversation with real Norwegians and got a little insight into how the country functions socially.

Norwegians get a bad rap for being 'cold', at least from most US expats and visitors. This is not true. They are very warm and inviting people. What is different is their approach to conversation and life in general. The majority of Norsk think that small talk is wasteful - the country is very quiet and peaceful, with almost no noise on the street. Some of them actually long for some 'superficial' conversation and are turned off by the typical Norsk deepness of conversation. When you sit for dinner in Norway, the talk isn't directed at what you like or how your day was; you are tasked with explaining and expounding viewpoints.

Opera building and surrounding wilderness

Refurbished industrial buildings in Nydalen

This is not so bad, in my opinion. I get the benefit of both worlds. Norwegians who are tired of the constant exposition tend to like the chit-chat of American, British and Australian foreigners - although they like to make fun of Australian accents. And, those who are not a fan of small talk challenge and excite me to explain the reasons for my world views. They are not afraid to discuss any topic - except, perhaps, Islam, in light of Utoya.



Everyone I've met here is extremely well educated and, since the fall of socialism, extremely liberal minded. It's refreshing. Especially at Opera. The engineers and developers are very involved in the idea that access to information is human right. They work very hard to remember that the internet should not be just a first world privilege, but it's the first world's duty to work toward making access for impoverished nations as easy and widespread as possible. This is an ideal I quickly defend.

Speaking of Opera, these pictures that are surrounding the text are from the tech area in Nydalen (New Valley) where the Opera building in Oslo resides. Nydalen is just outside of Ring 3 - the tunnel that circles Oslo proper. Oslo fyord is fairly flat but there are restrictions on building in certain areas, including the wilderness to the north of the Opera building. Norway is very attached to nature and has passes a ton of regulations to protect and revere the natural landscape. Interaction with nature is mandatory if you want to assimilate into the culture.

Opera 'O'

Oslo is very unique in comparison to the rest of the country. It has the largest concentration of foreigners - many Pakistani and Indian, as well as Swedish. Norwegians love Americans. They show American TV (South Park, Friends, Simpsons, Workaholics, Storage Wars, How I Met Your Mother, Big Bang Theory, and so many others) and love to speak English when they hear me.

Everyone keeps telling me that Oslo is an expensive city. That may be so, in terms of rent and eating out, but it seems like there are very easy ways to keep costs down by being a little more Norsk. Norway charges outrageous import taxes on foreign companies that wish to sell products in their stores. This is in effort to keep the local economy strong. Most expats get upset that Old Spice, for example, is three times what they would pay in the states (if you can find it even, a stick of deodorant may run you 20 or 25 NOK). But, if you let your ethnocentrism go a little, you can pick up a Norwegian local brand for 10 NOK (around $2.50 USD).

I really like the idea that Norway is out to protect Norwegians - both socially, through advanced and extensive social programs, and economically, through import tax and other legal actions. There is a great sense of pride in the country and it's reflected in the treatment of the work force and the quality of life.

I live on Maridalsveien (Mary's Valley Road?). It's an interesting walk to and from work. The architecture definitely still has a lot of the old socialist Labour Party feel. There are almost Soviet style block apartments surrounded by extremely modern LEED type buildings.

It's an amazing amalgamation of history and style. I'm in awe when I walk around. Soon, I'll start in on the language and cultural history a little more. I'll be exploring city center tomorrow, as I have to identify myself to the police to continue my application for my work permit. This means I'll be right on the bay and hopefully can take some pictures of the water and the older, more prominent downtown buildings and squares.

Bridge by Ring 3 and Maridalsveien

Travel

The journey to Oslo was pretty terrible. Our plane had mechanical issues and I stayed overnight in Chicago before getting out to Heathrow the next day. There were a few very angry people to keep me entertained during the wait time.

Heathrow was very posh, I'd say. It's a little ridiculous and fairly frustrating socially, but the gate system and the efficiency is impressive. The best way to describe the terminal (or at least Terminal 3, where I departed from) is Las Vegas strip with gates to planes. The place is littered with Burberry and Fendi shops, caviar and sushi restaurants, and very, very expensive wi-fi. There are free charging stations for cell phones and computers which are powered by StatOil, a Norwegian gas company. I do like that flights aren't assigned a gate until the plane has docked. Most long layovers in America become very stressful because by the time you settle in for the wait, the airline shifts were the plane will be. There's nothing worse than having to lug heavy carry-ons across terminals because the gates change. Heathrow has that problem solved.

Heathrow Airport, Terminal 3, London

Getting into Oslo is very easy, as an American - probably doubly easy for me as my temporary residency permit was being processed by the time I arrived (and officially accepted as of today!). The airport is small, smaller than the Sunport actually, but beautifully laid out and furnished. Norwegians are amazing at mixing raw materials when they build these gorgeous modern structures. The airport is mostly hardwood flooring with concrete walls and huge plate glass divisions. Its all very cozy and inviting.

There's two trains from the station to Oslo: the commuter train and the express train. Supposedly the commuter train takes 40 mins to get from the airport to Oslo Central Station; the express takes 20. It really works out to be closer to 25 mins on the commuter and is almost half the price. It's a wonderful train, too - fully automatic, different cars for different customers (one for people with prams, one for storing skis, one for people who require a table, etc.), and warm.

Right now, I'm off to sleep (even though it is very early in the evening). Jetlag is kicking my ass. Tomorrow, I'll put up some pics of the neighborhood and talk about my first impressions of Norway. As a teaser, here's a pic of a cute little antique shop on my way to work:

Adios Albuquerque

After seven and a half years in northern New Mexico, tomorrow I'll be jumping on a plane to start a European adventure. Meghan and I took a walk around the University of New Mexico campus one final time and snapped some photos. It was a freeing experience. The car sold this afternoon and we got enough cash for Meghan to see some family before she joins me in Norway.

Ah, Norway, right. That was the reason for creating this web log. I recently took up a position with Opera Software, and am relocating to Oslo. I'm a technical writer and will be helping with internal process documentation, instructions, FAQs, some language translation and copy editing. I'm hoping to get more involved with HTML and CSS in the professional sense, as well. The design blogs all say that 2013 is the year that the web gets a shot of typography (99% of the web will be design choices made specifically for type). And they laughed at me when I get an English degree. Ha!

An adventure to Norway is the next step in my career. It's a little overwhelming how much of an adult I have become. I'm so happy to be done at Raytheon. They gave me a great starting point but I don't think I was a fantastic match for the corporate culture. Now all of my possessions fit into a suitcase and two backpacks. Opera is providing an apartment for us, until we get out bearings. That was a huge relief. I don't know what I would've done if I were literally dropped off in a foreign land.

This post is mainly for some geographical comparison. I'm very excited to see how different the architecture of Scandinavia is, especially coming from the Land of Enchantment. The sky will be much grayer, too, I'm sure and we'll have to use to some heavy-duty snow.

Alumni Church on the University of New Mexico campus.

Adios, Burque! I'll definitely miss adobe buildings, punched tin mirrors, copper sinks, vigas, pinon trees, mesquite and creosote in the rain, chile and chile and chile. Don't hesitate to send us chile, by the way. I'll get my new address up on my homepage as soon as I figure out what it is (http://samirons.us).

The flight leaves tomorrow afternoon. First to Chicago O'Hare, then to Heathrow, London - a five hour layover hopefully filled with fish n' chips and a Boddington's - then to Oslo. Some coworkers are going to meet me at the apartment and show me around the neighborhood: groceries, 711, buss stops, etc. I'll be updating with many, many more pictures I'm sure, and possibly some recordings if street musicians are out braving the cold. Wish me 'Bon Voyage'.