When you move to Norway as a foreigner there’s one question you’ll be asked often. That of course is “Why Norway?”.
Usually, that’s also followed by “And do you plan to stay?”
So much for feeling welcome.
These questions can easily be as jarring as the culture shock us foreigners sometimes experience in Norway. I don’t completely understand why Norwegians often ask such questions. These questions are usually the first or second thing they ask you! So to help my fellow foreigners better answer this question I’ve assembled this list of possible (albeit somewhat sarcastic) answers. I hope it helps.
- I’m here for the amazing weather!
- I’m here for a girl.
- I’m here for a boy.
- I’m here for a girl who used to be a boy.
- I just want to be closer to your beloved fjords.
- I thought it might be fun to double my tax liability in this wonderful country.
- I’m hoping to get on your nice welfare system and ride that out for as long as possible.
- After living in a place with sun for so many years I kind of got sick of it, to be honest.
- I’m hiding in the one place no one would ever care to look.
- I was tired of the corporate rat race at home so I moved to a place where no one works too hard.
- I just can’t get enough of that brown cheese!
- I no longer wish to engage in small talk or make any friends so Norway is perfect for avoiding such things.
- My liver has had it far too easy at home so I’m here for the Norwegian drinking culture.
- It’s much easier to dress in Norway. Instead of having to worry about what to wear now I can just wear all black every day.
- I’m just here to access Norwegian Tinder.
- I really enjoy the punishment that is cross-country skiing.
- I come from a war-torn region so the struggle of life in Norway as a foreigner is slightly less grueling.
- I really like the feeling of wool on my skin.
- I love the Norwegian summer. It’s the best day of the year!
- I’m trying to switch to an all bread diet.
