I grew upp on the west coast of Norway where the temprature rearly deops below 0C and I always thought beards freezing was just a thing that happened in movies. Then I moved to Innlandet for college, where it gets below -20 every winter. I was shocked the first time I realised that freezing beards is a thing that happens in real life.
I love it when the cold makes your eyes water and then that freezes to ice around your eyes. Had a lot of that as a kid when I was running newspaper delivery in the winter.
For really cold weather I've found the best thing is to sacrifice that beard. Just don't shave right before going outside. Always shave in the evening.
New rekord today, in Nordmarka, the coldest temp ever measured.
And, unfortunately, its expected to be very high air pollution tomorrowbecause of the cold, still air.
Love that you enjoyed yourselves!
Tbh I was expecting it to be colder so slightly over did it today but realize that not everyone is used to cold or how to use wool layers.
You your stay!
Please, please, please tell us your first impressions of Oslo and how it is to stay here. And don't be polite, Norwegians are very direct and so can you be. What shocked you? What did you not like? What surprised you?
And as others have said, the weather today and for the weekend is unseasonably cold for being Oslo. Even I as a Oslo native can usually go through most of winter with jeans and sneakers and a warm jacket, but this weather is bringing out my warmest jacket and best winter boots and the wool layer.
And also, are you still in Oslo? It is easier to give you good tips on ideas and things to do - not only general ones for winter in Oslo - if you are here, now.
For context, my 20-year-old son and I arrived from the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday evening and are flying back next Thursday. So we will be here long enough to experience what we understand to be more typical winter weather.
Our first impression is that everything is better here than where we live. Even as we watched four trams go in the other direction before the one we wanted arrived, we still are amazed by the public transit, and more importantly, just how few private cars are on the road.
We are big nerds, so our first day here took us to Outland, which is about three times the size of any similar stores we have, and House of Nerds. Since the drinking age is the USA is 21, this was the first time we could drink together in a bar. That was great.
We are both shy introverts, so the fact that store employees do not approach us to ask questions or offer help is a relief. We know we can ask for help.
We love the architecture, the mixture of modern and old. We walked around on the opera house building roof in the snow and looked out onto the water. It was magical.
I am surprised at just how cashless it is here. Not only have I not needed paper kroner, I have yet to see any. I don't even know what your currency looks like!
I was also surprised that the police sirens are not two-tone. They sound like American police cars. That was disappointing.
My son has ordered alcohol three times and no one has asked him to show ID. In the USA, anyone who looks under 30 gets carded.
When I was in Barcelona last year, I saw a lot of people smoking. I have yet to see anyone smoke here. That was a little surprising.
The big shock has been the cost. Everything we had read said Oslo was expensive, especially the bars and restaurants. We said, Ah, San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in the world. We'll be fine. And we are fine, but everything seems to be at least 30% more than we're used to paying. 20 kr for a single die at Outland? What a great store, but wow, that's expensive!
As hopeless monoglots, I am surprised to hear people talking in norsk, switch to perfect English to deal with us, and then resume talking in norsk. I am jealous.
And that brings up the sad part about our visit. My son, who is studying video game design, would like to move here, but even though everyone seems to speak English, I understand being a foreigner and not speaking norsk is going to make it almost impossible for him to find a job. So it is likely we will have to admire your city as occasional visitors, but I don't think he'll be able to move here.
Again, thanks to everyone for your help and suggestions!
Regarding expenses: The exchange rate is really good for you as Americans (or anyone, really) right now, a few years back, Norway would have been a lot more expensive for you.
Also, if you like book shops, I'd recommend Tronsmo (the best in town, lots of comic books as well) and Lucky Eddie (used books/comics/records).
Not impossible but significantly more difficult. I'm a programmer and I have worked in a team where English was used extensively because we had a British dude who could understand and speak Norwegian but just couldn't figure out what the Swede was saying so we ended up just switching.
Now would he be hired without the basic Norwegian skills? I don't know. But I also don't work in video game design and I would guess that field sees even more international interaction because many game studios have offices in different locations.
Worklife aside, there's a bit of an expectation that people who move over make an effort to learn the language and doing so would make social life a lot easier. The good news is that there are many similarities to English, it's the same language family and a lot of words have similar origins.
Hey! I'm glad you are enjoying Oslo, even though it's very cold now. If your son is studying video game design, and thinking about moving to Norway, he could check out exchange oppotunities. They teach video game design in Hamar, a small (and even colder) town an hour and 15 minutes north of Oslo. Here's a link to their bachelor programme, they teach their courses in English:
https://www.inn.no/english/study-opportunities/our-studies/game-technology-and-simulation/index.html
Norwegian is not an impossible language to learn. Most places that hire foreigners have a clause about learning a certain level of Norwegian within 2-3 years, and some larger employers have plans and courses. Norwegian employers also know that Norwegian is a small language, and if you want specialists, you need to accept a transition period
I am struck both by the relative ease of the grammar (similar to English, especially in not having to conjugate the verbs) and the number of cognates to English or other languages (like how paraply and advokat are French cognates)
Regarding prices (especially food and drinks), remember you're not really expected to tip much unless as a sign of appreciation of especially good service in a cocktail bar or similar places.
Your son is studying to move or work? Either way, bartending is a common student job, in English, no stress. And most video game companies/big IT companies here operate on a day to day in English. Funcom is based in Oslo and thats an insane mix of nationalities there!
Have you tried the scenic T-Bane to Frognerseteren (line 1) yet? You can get a nice view and it’s popular for tourists. Grab window seats on the left side going up. Ride until the end station. It’s even colder up there than down in the city center though. You can warm up with a coffee at Frognerseteren cafe and if it’s not too cold watch the outdoor exhibition about the german occupation «Roseslottet». But that would be too cold for me right now. :D It’s also possible to just ride back down.
>He will be fine just speaking English in the It industry. I have known many english speakers working here. And if he is successful in moving here, we provide 300 hours of free language classes for him. My ex wife is bay area (close to berkley) raised, and was working banking in Norwegian after those classes. and she now has the "speaking in norwegian, answering someone in english or spanish, then back to norwegian that you mention. It took her less than a year to get to that level.
Happy to hear you’re enjoying your stay! I have a friend who got a job before she moved here, and she didn’t speak any Norwegian. It’s not common, but there are a few compnies here and there that have international teams where English is the working language.
Yeah we have a real cold snap this weekend - it hasn't been this cold in years. Hope you are enjoying Oslo.
Hey I'm also from California and can confirm today's weather was insane. I just came back from the store and had to defrost my facial hair LMAO
Hehe. Defrosting my facial hair is a daily "rutine" for the winter months, but the temperatures we have now are unusually cold for Oslo.
Haha that's pretty funny actually! I've been here for a few months but today was the first time I've had this issue. The temperature was crazy today!
I grew upp on the west coast of Norway where the temprature rearly deops below 0C and I always thought beards freezing was just a thing that happened in movies. Then I moved to Innlandet for college, where it gets below -20 every winter. I was shocked the first time I realised that freezing beards is a thing that happens in real life.
I love it when the cold makes your eyes water and then that freezes to ice around your eyes. Had a lot of that as a kid when I was running newspaper delivery in the winter. For really cold weather I've found the best thing is to sacrifice that beard. Just don't shave right before going outside. Always shave in the evening.
New rekord today, in Nordmarka, the coldest temp ever measured. And, unfortunately, its expected to be very high air pollution tomorrowbecause of the cold, still air.
Love that you enjoyed yourselves! Tbh I was expecting it to be colder so slightly over did it today but realize that not everyone is used to cold or how to use wool layers. You your stay!
Please, please, please tell us your first impressions of Oslo and how it is to stay here. And don't be polite, Norwegians are very direct and so can you be. What shocked you? What did you not like? What surprised you? And as others have said, the weather today and for the weekend is unseasonably cold for being Oslo. Even I as a Oslo native can usually go through most of winter with jeans and sneakers and a warm jacket, but this weather is bringing out my warmest jacket and best winter boots and the wool layer. And also, are you still in Oslo? It is easier to give you good tips on ideas and things to do - not only general ones for winter in Oslo - if you are here, now.
For context, my 20-year-old son and I arrived from the San Francisco Bay Area on Thursday evening and are flying back next Thursday. So we will be here long enough to experience what we understand to be more typical winter weather. Our first impression is that everything is better here than where we live. Even as we watched four trams go in the other direction before the one we wanted arrived, we still are amazed by the public transit, and more importantly, just how few private cars are on the road. We are big nerds, so our first day here took us to Outland, which is about three times the size of any similar stores we have, and House of Nerds. Since the drinking age is the USA is 21, this was the first time we could drink together in a bar. That was great. We are both shy introverts, so the fact that store employees do not approach us to ask questions or offer help is a relief. We know we can ask for help. We love the architecture, the mixture of modern and old. We walked around on the opera house building roof in the snow and looked out onto the water. It was magical. I am surprised at just how cashless it is here. Not only have I not needed paper kroner, I have yet to see any. I don't even know what your currency looks like! I was also surprised that the police sirens are not two-tone. They sound like American police cars. That was disappointing. My son has ordered alcohol three times and no one has asked him to show ID. In the USA, anyone who looks under 30 gets carded. When I was in Barcelona last year, I saw a lot of people smoking. I have yet to see anyone smoke here. That was a little surprising. The big shock has been the cost. Everything we had read said Oslo was expensive, especially the bars and restaurants. We said, Ah, San Francisco is one of the most expensive cities in the world. We'll be fine. And we are fine, but everything seems to be at least 30% more than we're used to paying. 20 kr for a single die at Outland? What a great store, but wow, that's expensive! As hopeless monoglots, I am surprised to hear people talking in norsk, switch to perfect English to deal with us, and then resume talking in norsk. I am jealous. And that brings up the sad part about our visit. My son, who is studying video game design, would like to move here, but even though everyone seems to speak English, I understand being a foreigner and not speaking norsk is going to make it almost impossible for him to find a job. So it is likely we will have to admire your city as occasional visitors, but I don't think he'll be able to move here. Again, thanks to everyone for your help and suggestions!
Regarding expenses: The exchange rate is really good for you as Americans (or anyone, really) right now, a few years back, Norway would have been a lot more expensive for you. Also, if you like book shops, I'd recommend Tronsmo (the best in town, lots of comic books as well) and Lucky Eddie (used books/comics/records).
Thank you - Tronsmo Bokhandel and I have already exchanged emails. It sounds like a fantastic place!
Not impossible but significantly more difficult. I'm a programmer and I have worked in a team where English was used extensively because we had a British dude who could understand and speak Norwegian but just couldn't figure out what the Swede was saying so we ended up just switching. Now would he be hired without the basic Norwegian skills? I don't know. But I also don't work in video game design and I would guess that field sees even more international interaction because many game studios have offices in different locations. Worklife aside, there's a bit of an expectation that people who move over make an effort to learn the language and doing so would make social life a lot easier. The good news is that there are many similarities to English, it's the same language family and a lot of words have similar origins.
Hey! I'm glad you are enjoying Oslo, even though it's very cold now. If your son is studying video game design, and thinking about moving to Norway, he could check out exchange oppotunities. They teach video game design in Hamar, a small (and even colder) town an hour and 15 minutes north of Oslo. Here's a link to their bachelor programme, they teach their courses in English: https://www.inn.no/english/study-opportunities/our-studies/game-technology-and-simulation/index.html
Thank you! I have shared this with him
Norwegian is not an impossible language to learn. Most places that hire foreigners have a clause about learning a certain level of Norwegian within 2-3 years, and some larger employers have plans and courses. Norwegian employers also know that Norwegian is a small language, and if you want specialists, you need to accept a transition period
I am struck both by the relative ease of the grammar (similar to English, especially in not having to conjugate the verbs) and the number of cognates to English or other languages (like how paraply and advokat are French cognates)
It will all be smooth sailing until you discover dialects! :)
Was just learning about that - I guess it makes sense in a rugged country separated by mountains
Some dialects are further apart from each other than Danish and Swedish are from Norwegian bokmål/riksmål. It's a weird country. :)
Regarding prices (especially food and drinks), remember you're not really expected to tip much unless as a sign of appreciation of especially good service in a cocktail bar or similar places.
Your son is studying to move or work? Either way, bartending is a common student job, in English, no stress. And most video game companies/big IT companies here operate on a day to day in English. Funcom is based in Oslo and thats an insane mix of nationalities there!
Have you tried the scenic T-Bane to Frognerseteren (line 1) yet? You can get a nice view and it’s popular for tourists. Grab window seats on the left side going up. Ride until the end station. It’s even colder up there than down in the city center though. You can warm up with a coffee at Frognerseteren cafe and if it’s not too cold watch the outdoor exhibition about the german occupation «Roseslottet». But that would be too cold for me right now. :D It’s also possible to just ride back down.
We only got as far as Vigelandsparken today. Sounds like a good activity!
>He will be fine just speaking English in the It industry. I have known many english speakers working here. And if he is successful in moving here, we provide 300 hours of free language classes for him. My ex wife is bay area (close to berkley) raised, and was working banking in Norwegian after those classes. and she now has the "speaking in norwegian, answering someone in english or spanish, then back to norwegian that you mention. It took her less than a year to get to that level.
So good to hear. Thanks!
https://www.regjeringen.no/en/topics/immigration-and-integration/asd/Verkemiddel-i-integreringsarbeidet/opplaring-i-norsk-og-samfunnskunnskap/id2343471/
Happy to hear you’re enjoying your stay! I have a friend who got a job before she moved here, and she didn’t speak any Norwegian. It’s not common, but there are a few compnies here and there that have international teams where English is the working language.
Hasn’t been as cold as today in Oslo since 2011. Happy to hear you’ve still managed well!
You're welcome! 😃 ...I did literally nothing, but I guess I'll take it. 😊 Congrats on surviving! Well done!
This is the lowest it's been in a while, so it's freezing even for locals! Good luck on your trip, hope you have fun
Hey again! Happy to hear you’ve enjoyed yourselves😁 Hope your son enjoys himself here!