The Decision To Move To Norway

Just before Thanksgiving, John and I were en route to Florida in the little grey Saturn, when a call came from a head hunter about a job in Kurdistan. I think we were somewhere along I-81 in northern Virginia. A few minutes into the call, it dawned on us that the job this headhunter was pitching was one John had already been offered and turned down for the not-so-spiffy compensation package, and lack of warm fuzzy feelings about the company.

So, I'm driving and John is taking his call...it hits me that I had seen a job posted for Norway on this particular headhunter's website the day before. I start wildly gesticulating and whispering 'ask him about the Project Manager's job in Stavanger!!!' John gives me his best combination of 'What are you talking about?' and 'Can't you see I'm on the phone?' looks. I can tell he is getting annoyed, but I persist....he finally inquires...and long story short; here we are in Stavanger.

For John it meant his Florida holiday was cut short by 2 weeks. But it was hard to feel too sorry for him since he'd been pretty much on vacation since June. I was just about to ask him if he was retiring. We didn't think he was quite ready for that yet...so off he went, with a suitcase full of new winter clothes we bought at Macy's black Friday sale. I stayed behind in Orlando, enjoying the unseasonably warm weather. He flew to Norway to check out the company, the position, and the fine print. I expected nightly reports about the weather, the restaurants, and the grocery stores.

It all checked out and the best part was...it was a job he could get really excited about. The company was small, but not brand new. They wanted him to oversee the roll out of a new product; to take it through testing phases and into the market. I think the idea gave him goosebumps (the good kind)....the kicker being that the market they wanted to explore first was North America, and we would be expected to move to Houston in 6 to 12 months. Perfect! We have been anxious to get closer to home for a while, become a little more settled...maybe even buy a house....close to a Kroger....close to Rotel tomatoes because it's the little things you miss the most sometimes.

While John was away, a wrinkle in the plans turned up in the form of a job offer with a big company in Singapore. I had high hopes for continued time in nice hot weather (excessive humidity notwithstanding). I could picture myself planted in an air conditioned high-rise where I could still afford a housekeeper. John, however, couldn't deny his affection for the Norwegian job, so he decided to let the Singapore one go. Sigh....Hope he's not sorry when he sees his first paycheck and most of it is missing.

I'd say the biggest negatives about coming to Norway are the high taxes and the high cost of living (gas costs more than $10 per gallon). The company has given us a housing budget. We might be able to find something we like within it, but from checking out rental prices online, it seems like it might be a bit light, and we'll have to kick in some money of our own. It's not exactly free housing either, the value of the rent is added to income each month (as is the company car), so you have to pay income tax on it. This is the same in most countries, but it's something it took me a while to remember when I was trying to figure out how much money we would net each month.

On the positive side, there were plenty of reasons to come here. Most people speak English which makes life so much easier. You can actually rinse your fruit and vegetables with safe-to-drink tap water. The scenery is very nice, and there is a terrific public transportation system. Buses are clean, frequent, and go everywhere; live close to the commuter rail and you've got it knocked. There is a reliable public healthcare system so you don't have to leave the country to get your annual check-up or see a doctor, for that matter. There probably isn't much in the way of government corruption. Where we lived last, in Azerbaijan, people spoke either Russian or Azeri; you get by with a few words and some hand signals. In Azerbaijan, it was best if the tap water didn't come in contact with your food; buses weren't recommended for expats, drivers were; and "no thanks" on the doctors....come to think of it I was never healthier than when we lived there, though. It was nice that you really didn't need a prescription for anything at the pharmacy, you could just go in and buy what you need...not so nice that you had to try and communicate your needs with your hands.

Another plus was that Norway would be an easy sell to our families back home. My mother becomes an authority on every single place I tell her we are considering for a move. She used to comb through her stacks of National Geographics looking for relevant articles and photos, but now she has Google, and she knows how to use it. I get her feedback much earlier in the decision process than I once did. 

John reported back that it rained most of the time; the stores are closed on Sundays; and that the restaurant food (while priced in the stratosphere) was at least better than what you got in Denmark. Moreover, he loved the company and the people at the new office. The fix was in. He'd be back in Orlando in time for us to drive up to Canada for Christmas. We''d stay long enough to celebrate the New Year and #1 son's 30th birthday, then off we'd go. The date was set and the tickets were bought....January 19th we'd be flying to Norway.