living in norway 2017

Living in NorwayMaking the most of life in The Frozen NorthTekna – The Norwegian Society of Graduate Technical and Scientific Professionals

Tekna – Teknisk-naturvitenskapelig forening

Personal Qualifications for the Position of Guideline Giver

•Karin Lee-Hansen

•District Office Manager Agder (office in Grimstad/southern coast)

•Number of years working for Tekna: 3

•Number of years living in Norway: 25 (!)

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Course description: Will give you…

‘…certain guidelines on how to 1) connect with and 2) get to know Norwegians’

A two-step process

‘’Get to know’: What does this phrase mean to you?

Acquaintance versus Friend

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Course Description: Will help you to…

‘…understand Norwegian culture, behavior and habits.’

Implies uniqueness: But is this really so?

Implies your need to adapt: But is this really necessary?

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What to do/What not to do

Do: Discover and develop your inner extrovertDon’t: Wait (ever, ever, ever)

For example: 1) being introduced and/or 2) meeting someone for the first time

Small talk = asking the other person questions

Where do you live? What do you do? How did you get interested in that? What do you know about …? Have you ever been there? What did you enjoy most?

Climate,places of interest (especially beautiful outdoor spots),food, special holidays and festivals, music

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What to do/What not to do (cont.)

Small talk = being asked questions by the other person

Nr 1: Where are you from?

Nr 2: Why did you come to Norway?

Nr 3: Do you like it here?

Do: Practice The Short Version of My Life

Answers questions 1 and 2

Question 3: A little trickier…

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What to do/What not to do (cont.)• Don’t: become offended…

1. “Doesn’t everyone in America go around wearing bulletproof vests?”(person next to me at party)

2. “ In Poland, neighbors talk to their neighbors!”(Polish doctor when I had my ear operation at the hospital in Oslo)

3. “Don’t you miss your family?”(people I meet all over the place, especially in southern Norway)

…or too sad/disappointed if things don’t work out:

3. “I don’t have time for making any new friends.”(Englishwoman I know named Margaret)

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• Think: What are you own hopes and goals?

• Adapt: This culture is different in certain ways than yours

Differences: Some aren’t important while others are…so?...

• Lesson: Don’t focus on all the things/people you miss

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Do:1. Take the time to learn about Norwegian history/culture/current events: For example, do a search using “Norway news” for helpful websites

2. Learn how to cook/bake - ?!- invite new acquaintances over for coffee, dinner, etc. (make something from your country?)

3. Join, join, join!- parent group at school/barnehage, choir, the ‘gym’ (treningssenter), work groups (soccer, volleyball,fishing etc.), a course at a local school

- ask your HR rep/co-workers for tips where to join clubs/sign up for a class- emphasis on getting outdoors (get proper clothes!)- most of all, don’t worry if you don’t speak Norwegian

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More Join, join, join

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International Football/Futsal Club of Trondheim: Coordination of football/futsal games in Trondheim, so that we can enjoy kicking together.


And while you’re joining, joining, joining…

Do:1.Take the time to learn Norwegian

- often free classes offered through the city (‘kommune’)- watch ‘BarneTV’ on NRK (really!)

2. Have the courage to try out your Norwegian- greetings/goodbyes- words and phrases-ask ‘What is that called?’

3. If you’re here only a short time- work on your English- learn what you can in Norwegian anyway

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What is assimilation? What is integration?• Don’t:

• Worry too much about hanging out with ‘your own’

• Needing the familiar is okay – culture, food, language, humor

• Transition is easy for some people and rough for others

• Brings out inner conflict in some people – how do they treat ‘their own’?

• An immigrant story as old as time itself – learning the new world while hanging on to the old

• Find what works best for you = path to personal sense of happiness and wellbeing

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Attitude is everything (?)

Negative: “It’s quiet. There are no people.”(me, 1991)

Positive: “It’s quiet. There are no people.”(Chinese PhD students in my English class)

Negative: “There’s no shopping.”(female PhD student from Shanghai in the same class)

Positive: “There’s no shopping.”(male PhD student from Shanghai in the same class)

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And a final word on joining….Join Tekna!Professional reasons

- interesting events in your area, including company tours, speakers, skills development courses, professional networks (f.ex. Tekna Oil and Gas, Tekna Biotechnologists)

- most of the events are in the evening/free for members (can often bring a ‘+1’)- people like you with common interests (good for networking)

Social reasons

- family events (local Science Center), outdoor events (skating/skiing/boating/hiking, etc.),beer brewing, wine tasting, lots of eating, lots of time for mingling

Go to www.tekna.no (click on ‘English’) for more information and/or

Contact District Office Manager/Trondheim Åse Vellene Tveit [email protected] Cell phone nr: 93 25 96 18

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http://www.tekna.no/

mailto:[email protected]

Tekna – Teknisk-naturvitenskapelig forening // Side 15

Wishing you the best of ‘living’ luck!

living in norway 2017

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