Life in Norway Show Episode 17: Hallo Norge! From Cairo to Oslo

A look at the challenges in adjusting to life in Norway with the Egyptian host of the Hallo Norge podcast.

Full show notes: https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode17/

For episode 17 of the Life in Norway Show I'm joined by Mariam Kirollos, host of the Norwegian language Hallo Norge podcast that introduces Norway to new arrivals.

Mariam moved to Norway with her Norwegian husband and works for Save the Children Norway in addition to her work on the podcast.

Some of the topics we cover on the show include:

• What the differences are between life in Egypt and Scandinavia
• What the podcast is about and how it came to be
• Her favourite interviews from the show
• How Mariam was able to quickly pick up the Norwegian language
• How she was able to find a job in Oslo
• If there is an Egyptian expat community in Norway
• What Norwegians ask Mariam about Egypt
• Mariam's tips for things to do in Oslo

Life in Norway Show Episode 16: Art, Design & Creativity in Norway

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode16

For episode 16 of the Life in Norway Show I'm joined by American artist Elizabeth Ramsey, director of Blank Space Oslo, an ambitious art collective and creative space in the Norwegian capital.

We talk about the differences between creativity in Scandinavia and elsewhere, how Norwegians view art and creativity, the thought behind Blank Space Oslo and how the 'average person' can get involved. We also discuss top art and design experiences for those visiting Oslo and the challenge of being a foreigner in Norway.

Liz says: "We do events all the way from going to bars allowing people to paint on large wall posters, through to classes about skillscreen printing and so on. Most of our classes are for beginners, you just sign up and come."

Liz is also a fellow podcaster. She hosts the monthly Blank Space podcast ‘Blah Blah’, which discusses topics as diverse as illustration, silkscreen printing, augmented reality, and video game development.

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode16

Life in Norway Show Episode 15: Student Life in Norway

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode15

For episode 15 of the Life in Norway Show I'm joined by Kelsey Barnhill, an American student attending the Norwegian University of Life Sciences.

Almost every day I receive emails from people from all over the world who are considering applying for university in Norway. Because I've never studied here, I can only offer general advice. But Kelsey can speak from true experience!

We talk about why she chose Norway, how college life is different here, and some of the things you bear in mind if you're considering applying for a university place.

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode15

Life in Norway Show Episode 14: True Crime - Death in Ice Valley

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode14

For episode 14 of the Life in Norway Show I'm joined by NRK journalist Marit Higraff, co-presenter of the hit true crime podcast Death in Ice Valley.

The hit show from NRK and the BBC has been picking up celebrity fans and awards all around the world. It looks in detail at the case of the Isdal woman, one of Norway's most infamous unsolved mysteries.

A woman's body was found badly burned in a remote valley in Norway in November 1970. Objects were found laid out around her body and labels had been removed from her clothes and personal items. The police never found her identify and still, no-one knows who she was or what happened to her.

We talk a little about the case, how the podcast came to be, the international success of Scandinavian crime stories, and what it's like to work as a journalist in Norway.

Life in Norway Show Episode 13: Travel Hacking in Norway

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode13

For lucky episode 13 of the Life in Norway Show I'm joined by Scandinavian travel hacking expert Martin Damm Laupstad, editor of the Norwegian travel news website InsideFlyer.no.

First things first, what is travel hacking? The term means different things to different people, but what we talk about is how you can use frequent flyer points to earn free or discounted flights, and many other perks such as fast-track security, priority boarding, access to airport lounges and upgrades.

Travel hacking also encompasses all the different ways you can boost your points balance from shopping in the right stores to using certain travel-friendly credit cards.

This episode of the podcast is most relevant for anyone living in Norway, but we talk about travel in more general terms too, so hopefully you'll find it interesting regardless.

Life in Norway Show Episode 12: Job-Hunting in Norway

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode12

The co-authors of How to Find a Job in Norway discuss their top job-hunting tips for foreigners in Norway.

Welcome back to the Life in Norway Show! Yes, it's finally time for season two. I had only intended to take a few weeks break following season one, but it's amazing how quickly a few weeks can turn into almost a year.

Regular readers will know that over the summer we published How to Find a Job in Norway, a book designed to help foreigners put together a job-hunting strategy.

I co-authored the book with recruitment expert Ingrid Romundset Fabrello, who has years of experience leading workshops and one-on-one consulting to help English-speaking foreigners land a job in Norway.

On the show we talk about a couple of the top tips from the book, including:

• The importance of learning Norwegian
• Building a network
• How to get a Norwegian reference

To put these tips in context and get a whole heap more advice on seeking employment, check out the book How to Find a Job in Norway. It's available now in both paperback and digital formats.

Life in Norway Show Episode 11: The Norwegian Americans

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode11

The history of Norwegian emigration to America is a fascinating one. Newspaper editor Emily Skaftun tells us all about the modern Norwegian American community.

It’s time to wrap up season one of the Life in Norway Show, and for the first time, I’m speaking to someone who doesn’t actually live in Norway. The reason? More than a hundred years ago, Norwegians moved to the USA en masse in search of a better life. Because of that, today there are huge numbers of Americans with Norwegian heritage, and there is quite the community built around them.

Emily Skaftun is the editor of the Norwegian American newspaper, and I speak to her about the Norwegian American community in the USA, the history of the newspaper, and her thoughts on Norway from her recent visits.

During the episode, we talk about:

• The history of Norwegian emigration to the USA
• The history of Norwegian media in the USA
• Where in the USA the community is concentrated
• Some of the community events
• Emily’s recent travels to Norway including the Peer Gynt festival
• The challenges of running the Norwegian American

PS: Don’t forget you can support the show for just a handful of change per month over on Patreon. I’ll be asking my supporters on Patreon who we should be interviewing for season two, so if you want to have your say, you know what to do! 

Life in Norway Show Episode 10: Inside Work-Work

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode10

Come take a stroll around Work-Work, Trondheim's gaming bar and coworking space for creative entrepreneurs in the latest episode of the Life in Norway Show.

As we race towards the end of season one of the Life in Norway Show, it's time to mix things up a little. Rather than the usual one-on-one interview, this episode sees yours truly take a walk around Work-Work, Trondheim's creative coworking space and gaming bar.

Amongst many other creative companies, Work-Work is the home of my company Words of Norway, which publishes this website and podcast among many other things. As we meet some of the other members, you'll hear the reasons why this fascinating place was set up, who exactly works here, and what life is like as a Norwegian entrepreneur.

During the episode, we meet:

• Marius Thorvaldsen, co-founder and General Manager of Work-Work and about a billion other things.
• Hans-Andreas Kleven, CEO of Pineleaf Studio, the developers of the cooperative strategy game Dwarfheim.
• Ronny Anderssen, CEO of game development company Kybernesis
• Peter Bakkeid, CEO of new virtual reality company Vizflex
• Eric Holten Haugen, developer of Stikkmenn, the game for your inner 5-year-old.
• Cathrine Vik, owner of creative agency Leaf Designlab
• Pablo Gómez Margareto, developer of TRD Events and StandPlasser.no

Life in Norway Show Episode 9: Living in Lofoten

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode9

American photographer Cody Duncan gives us the lowdown on what life is really like in Lofoten, northern Norway.

Lofoten is one of the most popular bucket list destinations for travellers, but very few people actually live there. One of those lucky few is American photographer Cody Duncan, who makes a living leading photo tours, selling ebooks, and taking photos.

He joins the latest episode of the Life in Norway Show to talk all about life in Lofoten, the good and the bad. If you've ever dreamed of living in a remote yet beautiful part of Norway, this is a must-listen episode. For more on Lofoten, check out our Lofoten travel guide.

We talk about:

• Why Cody moved to Lofoten
• How it was for an American to get a self-employed work permit
• What makes Lofoten such a special place for photography
• The best ways to get to Lofoten
• The downsides of life in Lofoten
• The cost of living in a remote part of northern Norway
• Cody's recommended hikes and beaches

Links from the show:

• Cody's website: 68 North
• Cody's photo tours
• Lofoten photography eBooks

And to find out more about Whitney:

• Follow Cody on Twitter
• Follow Cody on Instagram

Life in Norway Show Episode 8: Norwegian Food

Full show notes from the episode can be found at https://www.lifeinnorway.net/episode8

Whitney Bredland Love from the Thanks for the Food blog is the latest guest on the Life in Norway Show.

Whitney talks to us about the interesting world of Norwegian food. We look at Norwegian cuisine from the perspective of living here, and some tips for visitors too. We also take a trip around Norway and hear about some of the regional specialities.

We talk about:

• Why Whitney decided to start a food blog
• A typical Norwegian diet and the daily eating routine
• The Norwegian tradition of boiled potatoes
• Whitney's favourite Norwegian dishes
• Recommendations for visitors
• Whitney's trip to Røros
• How shopping for food and groceries differs from the USA

Links from the show:

• Whitney's cookbook: Thanks for the Food
• Food safari in Røros

And to find out more about Whitney:

• Follow Whitney on Twitter
• Whitney's food blog: Thanks for the Food
• Whitney's cookbook: Thanks for the Food

Enjoying the Life in Norway Show?

Please consider supporting us from just $2 per month - that's less than the price of a simple black coffee here in Norway! Not only will your support guarantee the future of the show, supporters get access to exclusive Q&A podcasts where you can ask any question about Norway. You’ll also get massive discounts on all eBooks we produce. Support the show here.