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Living overseas

Norway/Sweden!

5 replies

Skogkat · 23/12/2013 13:12

I'm Norwegian, live in Norway (Bergen) but moved from the UK four years ago for a job (althoigh we moved to Alta for nine months before here). I am originally from Oslo.

I have the oppurtunity to move for my job. It would be a two and a half year move with oppurtunities for an extension or permanency afterwards. The places are Tromsø, Stockholm, Oslo, Stavanger, Gothenburg and Malmö.

I have three DC. My middle son is disabled. My eldest is also hearing impaired, but only moderately so. Where we live now, there is good care and provision. My DC grew up knowing Norwegian, and because my brother was deaf, so I knew it before they were born, they are fluent in NSL too. If moving to Sweden, my aim would be to start talking Swedish from essentially now, because they rely on lip reading a lot (as most people don't know NSL, and the dialects are slightly different too). So moving to Sweden would also mean learning STS, so we would be learning two languages by moving which would be challenging. My DC are generally quick learners but I'm not sure that it would be worth it?

So I am leaning towards Tromsø or Stavanger- probably Tromsø for the adventure? I don't know, but Norway. But if we moved to Sweden, Stockholm seems very expensive overall however a friend in Liljeholmen is moving back to the UK, so has offered to rent out their apartment at a lower cost, although it would still cost more than Gothenburg or Malmö.

And then I could just stay put or move to Oslo. Oslo is lovely but we go there fairly regularly to see my family and I don't see what, in particular, we'd benefit from iyswim.

DP is caught between Stockholm/Tromsø/staying put. I'm leaning between Gothenburg/Tromsø/Stavanger. So we haven't even got a short list. Realistically, if we can't agree, we would stay where we were- Bergen is absolutely amazing. But I think we are lucky to have such an oppurtunity and I think it could be a great experience.

I don't want anyone to make a decision for me, but give me some ideas/perspective- or ask some questions so we can work out what we want?

OP posts:
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vikinglights · 24/12/2013 09:12

Language wise it does sound like norway might be the better bet. I'm in rural trøndelag so can't say much about either tromsø or stavanger.

Lots of expats in stavanger and apparently the international schools are expensive compared to trondheim but thats just what i've heard, my kids are in the tiny local school and v. Happy.

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13loki · 28/12/2013 09:09

I love living in Sweden, but I'd probably stay in Norway. From the Swedish plages I'd chose Göteborg or Malmö, Stockholm is nice to visit but seeds expensive to me (but I live in a cheap rural area in Småland).

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QuintessentialShadows · 28/12/2013 09:59

I am from Tromsø, so I am biased. Grin

We live in London. I love Tromsø. I love everything about the Tromsø lifestyle with mountains, winter, midnight sun, and outdoors life.

Despite being so provincial, it has a great urban feel, with coffee shops and restaurants, a massive big modern library for borrowing books films and games, good cinemas. I love the cultural aspect, with the film club and music.

Education wise, .....
Tromsø International School is small and friendly and cater for a wide range of needs. It is right by the hospital and the university, teaching is in English to cater for international families and expats working within research, IT etc.
Ekrehagen is a privare (adventist) school that sometimes take on children not of Adventist faith, if the school is deemed right for the child. It has a really good ethos.
Most schools should be good though, as they are in general good.

For more information about schools to avoid, PM me, as certain schools have children moving in droves.....

I would move back here in a heartbeat.

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DorisButtons · 29/12/2013 07:33

Bergen. Message ends.

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Velocitractor · 02/01/2014 21:08

I live in Copenhagen but dp is from Stockholm and his parents still live there. Stockholm is a great city and if you have the chance of a cheaper flat to rent, then it might be a good opportunity to try it? Surely Swedish supermarkets are cheaper than Norwegian? I love Swedish supermarkets although to be fair, Danish ones are a bit crap and more expensive so I am a little biased and it's a fair few years since I was in Oslo, so can't comment on Norwegian ones.

Language-wise, I don't have experience of sign language, but how much difference is there between NLS and SLS? I think children pick things up very quickly and especially if they are quick learners. From what you have said (and what I have seen in my 2 dc's and other friends' dc's that have moved internationally) it sounds like that would be less of a concern. (Although dp would probably have a few comments regarding Swedish in Malmø versus Swedish in Stockholm!) So you could possibly move the language argument to a lower priority in your overall considerations?

What about your dp and jobs / opportunities for work? Are there are considerations there that could help you in making your decision?

What sort of lifestyle do you have as a family? Is it more suited towards a capital city or a smaller city? Things like museums, theatre, hiking, easy access to wilderness etc could perhaps also help you to narrow it down?

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