AboutRoy Helge Rasmussen Expertise I live in the southern part of norway and can find my way around most of the country. I will answer questions about social life, culture, language and politics to the best of my knowledge. I am not so good at travel tips outside the south-eastern parts, although I will try to answer.
Experience I live here and have been guiding members of my family around when they visit from abroad for years.
Expert: Roy Helge Rasmussen Date: 4/20/2008 Subject: Moving to Norway as a PhD student
Question Hi
I'm going to move to Norway as PhD student at NTNU, I'm from Iran and will go to Trondheim. You previous answers were quite comprehensive, would you please help me with these questions:
1- As a person with Middle Eastern background, do you think that I might face any problem in Norwegian society? (can you compare the situation with other European countries?)
2- My salary is about 350k NOK(before tax of course) and I'm single. What level of living should I expect?
3- I'm not a religious moslem, however I don't use to drink alcohol (I don't smoke as well, I mean its not a religious belief ), Does it mean a negative social behavior there? (especially when you are from a moslem country)
Answer 1) Not more than elsewhere. You will probably have to answer the same questions about civil liberties in Iran, and the religious political system until you're sick of it, but if you can endure that, you'll probably be ok. If you're genuinly interested in learning how people think, then I believe you'll do fine. But this is the same for any person moving to a different culture. The iranian community in norway is quite large, so there'll be thing to do when you feel homesick, but don't rely on an iranian (if such a thing exist) network for all your social needs. Learn about the locals, how they think, what they feel, what they fear, and you'll come home a much richer person. Good people and a-holes are everywhere, noone but you can sort them out. Especially pride issues can be quite different from what you're used to, and the management culture. Don't assume, ask and ask (and not only other iranians) until things make sense, and your life will be so much more enjoyable.
2) That salary is decent enough. If you only have yourself to support you'll do just nicely. This is about the salary of a schoolteacher, or a nurse, or a common clerk. The cost distribution is different though, so be careful with how much you spend until you get a feel for what is expensive and what is not so expensive. You'll have to forget most of what you know about cost levels anyway, so start learning from basics from day one. Services will be generally to expensive for everyday use, so you'll have to learn to cook and clean as one of the first things you do.
3) Not smoking is the norm these days. All public establishments, restaurants, schools, offices, bars and pubs are now smoke free in norway. If you'd been a heavy smoker, that would have been a much more difficult adaption. Not drinking is a matter of personal choice, and teetotalism is actually getting more popular again with the increase in muslim population in norway. Just tell people that you dont drink, and order a Coke or something else. Having strict dietary rules is much more difficult in a social context. If you can eat anything you'll have a much easier time socializing with locals. (You don't have to LIKE the food after all.) I have an Indian friend who worked a few years in Bhutan, the poorest country in the world with building telephone infrastructure. He went there not eating pork, to avoid conflict with the muslims, and not eating beef to avoid ticking off the hindu and a lot of other rules. He came back eating anything served on a platter that looked like it could be chewed. Life is much easier now he told me.
