What do expats find most challenging?

"The hours of operation of shops and other public places; the lack of understanding Norwegian at times when people speak to me (I feel like an idiot); the "can't be bothered" or "pass the buck" mentality people working in the service sector often have here -- whether it is Telenor, UDI, NAV, or the local municipality offices, etc. Experience has shown me that these type of workers are incapable of admitting a mistake, apologising for mistakes, or actually doing their job effectively. Lastly, the staring. I came here from a big US city where people rarely look at you in passing (unless there is really something to look at) each other on the streets or in cars, etc. Here, it is more common. It has angered me so much when I saw people staring or looking at me. I was told it's just local curiosity because they don't know me or haven't seen me before (one person even said it's because I'm handsome), but it's hard not to think it rude and unacceptable behaviour. This is not so much the case in cities like Oslo, Trondheim or Bergen," remarked another expat who made the move to Gjøvik, Norway.

"Not knowing how to speak the language. It's not easy learning a new language from scratch. I tried speaking Norwegian when I first started taking the course but my spouse was very critical of my pronunciation to the point that I became fixated on making sure the words sounded correctly instead of actually speaking the language itself. Living with a husband and adjusting with life in his country isn't easy either. And the prices here are extortionately expensive. It's difficult for me because back home, I have gotten accustomed to the fact that having fun always involves spending money," explained one expat living in Bergen, Norway.

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With over 2 million bookable vacation rentals, Vrbo connects homeowners with families and vacationers looking for something more than a hotel for their trip. The Vrbo community offers families an array of rental property types such as condos, cabins, lake rentals, beach houses, and more. Discover properties in destinations that everyone dreams of visiting.
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