An interesting article published by the BBC caught my attention recently. It’s about the Norwegian social phenomenon ‘dugnad’. It can be translated to to help or support, but as the author Oddrun Midtbo lucidly shows, the meaning goes far beyond its literal translation.
Tags: living in norway, life in norway, moving to norway, norwegian culture
‘The earth does not belong to man, man belongs to the earth.’ –Chief Seattle
Land is not something that could belong to anybody. That was the key message of Chief Seattle’s famous speech to George Washington in 1852; nobody can own ‘the freshness of the air’, ‘sparkle of water’ or ‘blueness of sky’. As human beings we are merely particles in the grand scheme of nature and we should thus regard all nature’s elements – down to each needle of a pine tree – as something sacred. Something we are to share equally amongst ourselves.
1. FIND PEACE IN THE NORWEGIAN FJORDS
A long, long time ago the movement of glaciers carved out deep valleys and left behind a dramatic landscape, sprinkled with waterfalls, rivers, lakes and mountains. The fjords are Norway’s most distinctive feature – the word itself comes from Old Norse ‘fjörðr’, an inlet or estuary. There are around 1,190 fjords scattered along the coast, the largest concentration of fjords in the world.
According to several expat studies, foreign residents who live in Norway are very satisfied with most aspects of life, particularly with their new work-life balance and family life. But what they are missing is friendliness of the local people.
Wishing for a better family life? 5 reasons why you may find it in Norway
Career success, friendships, travel, leisure time… We care strongly about these values, but when we become parents, they all become secondary to our family’s happiness. We start to base decisions on the well-being of our children, rather than our personal goals and desires.
Tags: moving abroad, moving with family, family life, living in norway