Since moving to Norway, I've really enjoyed reading the work of travel blogger Vanessa Brune.
Vanessa is a writer and photographer who has made it her mission to travel all over the Nordic region, documenting her journeys on the fantastic 'Snow in Tromso' blog.
Originally from Germany, Vanessa has been living in Norway for the past few years. Read the below interview to find out her thoughts about her new home, as well as some of her top travel tips for Scandinavia and beyond!
BS: What was it that originally made you to want to explore Scandinavia?
VB: The nature and landscapes. Scandinavia (and the Nordic countries for that matter) have an abundance of wilderness to offer and even though I enjoy big cities as well, there’s nothing like a Norwegian fjord or a frozen lake to make me feel completely relaxed.
However, I also wanted to find out more about the Scandinavian way of life when I first started to explore the region as it always seemed like the opposite to Germany, which is where I’m from originally. While the latter is rather hectic and stressful, Scandinavia always seemed more calm and peaceful to me – and after having lived in and explored the region for more than 4 years now, I can definitely say that life up north fulfills my original idea of that “Hygge” lifestyle.
BS: You’ve been living in Norway for quite a few years now. What do you like most about the country?
VB: I love how, no matter where you live, it’s always close to nature – whether that’d be a hiking trail or even a fjord. You’re spoiled for choice when it comes to views and outdoor recreation, which definitely brightens up your everyday life.
I also love how the Norwegian culture revolves so much around the surrounding landscapes. Everyone loves to be outside, no matter the season and weather, and as an employee, you often have the freedom of flexible working hours so that you can, for instance, leave work earlier on a sunny Friday afternoon to go skiing, for instance.
Skiing is one of Norway's favourite pastimes - and some people even leave work early on Friday to enjoy the sport.
Photo © Ola Mattson (CC BY 2.0)
BS: What has been the biggest culture shock about moving here?
VB: Hands-down the food! I was shocked by the lack of variety in supermarkets and by how bland the food seemed at first. You’re definitely spoiled for choice in my home country Germany, not just in regards of variety but also in regards of prices as there are discount supermarkets etc.
Here in Norway, however, the selection in supermarkets is more or less the same wherever you go and you always have to pay extra for products that have to be imported – the Dutch cheese that, arguably, tastes much better than Norwegian cheese, for example.
BS: Do you have any tips for people who want to move to Norway?
VB: Learn the language before you go. It’s still common for people to think that they only need to speak English in Norway as Norwegians in general, have a very high command of speaking English.
However, that doesn’t necessarily go for the workplace. Unless you work in a highly specialized field, like the oil business for example, or are able to provide a service that is highly requested in the country, you definitely need to be able to understand and speak at least basic Norwegian in order to find a job.
Vanessa's tip for people moving to Norway: learn the language before you go!
BS: As a travel blogger, you’ve visited places all over Scandinavia. What are some of your all-time favourite destinations?
Not Scandinavian but Nordic, I absolutely love Greenland. I was fortunate enough to visit the country in 2015 and am dying to get back. Seeing icebergs and whales for the first time, I couldn’t help but fall in love with the country and I’d urge everyone reading this to put the country on their to-see list!
In Scandinavia itself, my favourite city is Copenhagen, just because it doesn’t feel like a very big city at all, but offers endless activities, restaurants, and shops. I also love Lapland very much – if you’ve ever been on a snowmobile ride passing frozen lakes and snowy forests, you’ll know why!
Read more about Vanessa's adventures in the Nordics on the Snow in Tromso blog. You can also stay up to date with her latest journeys on Twitter, Facebook and Instagram.