Voicy does Norway

Appart from the drivers license that would bankrupt most South Africans, what is the cost of living like there? Very high I would assume. Do salaries compensate for that? U guys use the Krona hey, not the Euro?
 
Ockie said:
Appart from the drivers license that would bankrupt most South Africans, what is the cost of living like there? Very high I would assume. Do salaries compensate for that? U guys use the Krona hey, not the Euro?
Click to expand...

Kroner yeah. Norway isn't part of the EU, but it is part of the Schengen area, so you can travel everywhere but not everyone is able to just move there.

Cost of living is high, I think Trondheim was declared the most expensive city in the world last year or something. Rent is around R10k for a small place. Food is expensive. Petrol Garage hotdogs are R60 each. A R120 haircut costs R700. A 500ml beer is R120. Taking the taxi is expensive. Costs me around R300 to take it 3km to the airport and that's considered normal. Norway is a major oil producer but we still pay around R20/L for petrol. Their 800 billion dollar oil fund is being used for pension funds etc to ensure everyone has quality of life when they retire.

The thing is, everything is hellishly expensive, but everyone gets an actual LIVING wage. The garbage collector gets a decent salary, the postman as well. So does the Taxi driver and waiter. Semi socialist states like these actually work. Everything is expensive, but everyone is earning. Blue collar workers are well respected here...its so weird to see a guy in overalls climb into his Audi Q7. Hell, the construction guy who lives down the road from me has a very modest looking house...with a tesla in his garage. You can walk into the bank with your overalls on and nobody looks down on you. Ironically they do when they hear you're a foreigner.

Tax is high. Mine's around 35%, but I don't pay medical aid. Hospital is free. School is free. Varsity is free. They even pay the kids an allowance for going to varsity. You don't get paid at work during your mandatory 4 week summer holiday, but the government pays you a summer-holiday-salary from your taxes so that you're well rested. I also get taxed 50% on all overtime...that way I'm "encouraged" to not work overtime so much. If I tell you how much tax I've paid in just the last month you'll cry. (Obviously I'm not going to post that on open forums)
 
Looks very nice and also very dead on the other hand.

Frequent the pubs much? any skanks that you've come across, since the place looks so.... dead?
 
Right...so off to work we go!

We install and commission generators all over the country. This means I do a metric crapton of driving, up mountains, all over really. Everyone here hates it, but I drove loads in the Transkei, so it's fine...also I get to see new stuff.

Me busy programming a V16 92L 1800kVA generator with quad turbos.
10614303_10154665216830602_8780097699273199764_n.jpg

...and there's 2 of them.
11143544_10155584755795602_40203735611466600_o.jpg

Due to all the snow we often have to get the control panels and our gear delivered by helicopter.
10514490_10154799980250602_5267600479290044437_n.jpg

Other times there's too much snow and the chopper has to take us up as well.
10993470_10155357997725602_7887003471709486344_o.jpg

I had to go on a training course to allow me to drive snowmobiles up to the remote locations...
10911503_10155278657645602_5623635171563463108_o.jpg

..as well as one of these.
IMG_3945.jpg
 
Voicy said:
Right...so off to work we go!

We install and commission generators all over the country. This means I do a metric crapton of driving, up mountains, all over really. Everyone here hates it, but I drove loads in the Transkei, so it's fine...also I get to see new stuff.

Me busy programming a V16 92L 1800kVA generator with quad turbos.
[ATTACH8[/ATTACH]

...and there's 2 of them.
[ATTAC910[/ATTACH]

Due to all the snow we often have to get the control panels and our gear delivered by helicopter.
[ATTAC2[/ATTACH]

Other times there's too much snow and the chopper has to take us up as well.
[ATTAC[/ATTACH]

I had to go on a training course to allow me to drive snowmobiles up to the remote locations...
[ATTAC
..as well as one of these.
[ATTACH20[/ATTACH]
Click to expand...

Wow ... NICCCEEEE! Awsome looking machines!!!!
 
Looks amazing, please keep your experiences coming, especially the "mundane" parts of life (like the haircut cost comparison etc.) that make up your day, so we can get a great overview of what life there is like.

Pics of real hot blonde Norwegian Heavenly Blessed Beauties (or NHBB for short) are also welcome.
 
CamiKaze said:
Looks very nice and also very dead on the other hand.

Frequent the pubs much? any skanks that you've come across, since the place looks so.... dead?
Click to expand...

Baxteen said:
maybe I should become a garbage man there. screw web dev...
Click to expand...

I am in the quieter areas yes, which I prefer. However if you live in the bigger cities you'll have to be very ugly not to score. Oslo is very very loose... Random hookups isn't exactly my cup of tea. 1 girl is more than enough for me...plus the lack of traffic and crowds is kinda cool.

It's so weird to walk into a petrol station and see the hottest girl you've ever seen behind the counter...then to go onto the ferry and see the hottest girl you've ever seen behind the counter ... then to drive along the road and see the construction works flag waver chick be the hottest girl you've ever seen. I know a girl here who is very good looking. Into anime cosplay by night and by day she operates a bulldozer on a construction site. Hot girl in overalls...strangely appealing. :love:

There's no gender stereotyping in the workplace here. It's actually refreshing. They also have tons of women in the military.

My apologies if this thread is coming across as boastful, that's not the intention at all.
 
Voicy said:
Kroner yeah. Norway isn't part of the EU, but it is part of the Schengen area, so you can travel everywhere but not everyone is able to just move there.

Cost of living is high, I think Trondheim was declared the most expensive city in the world last year or something. Rent is around R10k for a small place. Food is expensive. Petrol Garage hotdogs are R60 each. A R120 haircut costs R700. A 500ml beer is R120. Taking the taxi is expensive. Costs me around R300 to take it 3km to the airport and that's considered normal. Norway is a major oil producer but we still pay around R20/L for petrol. Their 800 billion dollar oil fund is being used for pension funds etc to ensure everyone has quality of life when they retire.

The thing is, everything is hellishly expensive, but everyone gets an actual LIVING wage. The garbage collector gets a decent salary, the postman as well. So does the Taxi driver and waiter. Semi socialist states like these actually work. Everything is expensive, but everyone is earning. Blue collar workers are well respected here...its so weird to see a guy in overalls climb into his Audi Q7. Hell, the construction guy who lives down the road from me has a very modest looking house...with a tesla in his garage. You can walk into the bank with your overalls on and nobody looks down on you. Ironically they do when they hear you're a foreigner.

Tax is high. Mine's around 35%, but I don't pay medical aid. Hospital is free. School is free. Varsity is free. They even pay the kids an allowance for going to varsity. You don't get paid at work during your mandatory 4 week summer holiday, but the government pays you a summer-holiday-salary from your taxes so that you're well rested. I also get taxed 50% on all overtime...that way I'm "encouraged" to not work overtime so much. If I tell you how much tax I've paid in just the last month you'll cry. (Obviously I'm not going to post that on open forums)
Click to expand...

Guess I will go to Israel as everything is cheap there :p
 
Voicy said:
I am in the quieter areas yes, which I prefer. However if you live in the bigger cities you'll have to be very ugly not to score. Oslo is very very loose... Random hookups isn't exactly my cup of tea. 1 girl is more than enough for me...plus the lack of traffic and crowds is kinda cool.

It's so weird to walk into a petrol station and see the hottest girl you've ever seen behind the counter...then to go onto the ferry and see the hottest girl you've ever seen behind the counter ... then to drive along the road and see the construction works flag waver chick be the hottest girl you've ever seen. I know a girl here who is very good looking. Into anime cosplay by night and by day she operates a bulldozer on a construction site. Hot girl in overalls...strangely appealing. :love:

There's no gender stereotyping in the workplace here. It's actually refreshing. They also have tons of women in the military.

My apologies if this thread is coming across as boastful, that's not the intention at all.
Click to expand...

Organize a job there my bru man
 
ichigo said:
Guess I will go to Israel as everything is cheap there :p
Click to expand...


but lets not derail the thread.

give us more pics and comparisons its very informative and I am enjoying this
 
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Ockie said:
That is not what I heard. I would love to go to Tel Aviv pride. Being surrounded by hot dark haired hairy shirtless jews. /sigh
Click to expand...

The rent is a bit higher than here, but electronics and other things are quite cheap, I went there 2 years ago :).

Oh I was in Jerusalem

Ancalagon said:
I'm still waiting for pics of said blondes.
Click to expand...

Google images gives plenty
 
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