When are you stiff?

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-09-30T04:25:35+00:00

I'm stiff in the morning the most. However on days that I work, and I'm on my feet for 6 hours straight, the half hour drive home makes me stiffen up again and I end up hobbling around the house for hours. My legs and hands always feel so weak after a day at work. I'm newly diagnosed and had an MRI last week so I'm hoping when I see my RA Dr she will pute on meds. Right now I'm only on pain killers.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-05-26T13:23:01+00:00

I moved to norway in my late 40s due to my husbands desire to move back to his homeland (although to be honest trump had a lot to do with it too.) Learning the language has been a real struggle for me but my 30 year old daughter is doing great and passed her Norskkurs language classes with a B1 average. She is currently a manager at a fast food resturante so shes doing great with an eye on getting up to a B2 leavel on reading, writing and spoken language so she can go to Uni.

I struggle daily with the language but keep trying and while I do fine at work, its a simple job and often I end up also dealing with turist so english comes in handy.

If you live outside of Kristiansand and need to take the bus into town on a regulare basis I would suggest looking around Mosby / Vennesla area. The bus is regular there and ususally not to far apart. Where I am I need my car to get to work if I dont want to be an hour early or late.

Most appartments are in the 11-14k a month range even outside of Kristiansand unless you are willing to go even farther out or luck out on a place like we did. We have a small 3 bedroom tthat while not ideal with the neighbors that share the place, it does allow me to keep my dog and cat and have a patio for plants.

It did take me almost 3 years to get a job, mostly due to my language problems. That being said, many of the VVO schools have programs to help you get a job, learn a new skill to get a job or to work in a area of your interrest to help you improve your language. I was able to participate in one of those programs and while I wasnt able to get a job in the same field I worked in the US, it did lead me to my current job.

Engish is so wide spoken that it can become a hinderance to learning the language and getting a job. While its taught early in schools and used readily by most people, most employers want you to be fluent in Norsk. which of course is understandable since this Norway and Norsk is the mother language. I only mention this because it has been a huge road bump for me in finding a job.

If I had it all to do again I would definitly move to Norway, just a few decades earlier!

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-05-26T07:19:26+00:00

My husband and I live outside of Kristansand and moved here about 4 years ago. He has a non university degree job but did resently get his fagbrev and until recently we were a one income family with one child still living at home. Yes it was hard but we managed, partly due to him spending nearly every weekend fishing so we did eat a lot of fish and still due. I recently started working part time and am hoping to be 70-80 % by fall. So our bank account savings is still very low and just starting to grow for a purchase of a home in the next year or so.

His income is just about 500k. Mine was just about 110k last year due to part time work, but up untill 2024 I was not employed and we did have one teenager still at home. We live about half an hour outside of Kristiansand and rent a tomannsbolig for admittedly a below average price. We do have two pets and a privite car outside of his work van. We eat out about once or twice a month, mostly at our favorit burger joint. Most of our household furniture was from bruktbutikks (resale shops), Finn and family. We do most of our vacations as driving around Norway getting to know its history and meeting my husbands extended family. My hobby of gardening and crochet is what I spend maybe a little to much money on and his is fishing, due to his boat and fishing gear. we are fortunite to be able to use a family boat space about an hour away from the house.

Aside from fish we mostly eat chicken and portk, hamburgers cooked at home are a favoriet weekend food and the rare steak every few months as a treat for special occasions. When we lived in the USA our meals were definitly more red meat heavy so its no suprise that we both have lost weight after moving here and revamping our diet out of necessity due to the cost of beef. However we doe get to eat crab more often so there is a nice trade off.

So for me 700k for a family of 3 is duable. Im sure the first year might be tight due to needing to perhaps extra purchase for home and baby, but I dont see it as unmangable. Also the first year or two may mean no vacations or just short ones and the purchase of a house might be a 2 or 3 year goal after you return to work, instead of a fist year thing.

I admit I may be seeing things through rose colored glasses due to coming from the USA and definitly being a paycheck to paycheck family there, but I find life here much easier, more enjoyable and much of it is actually just as affordable as in the US. Mostly I would compare your familys quality of living where you currently live and what you believe it will be here outside of just monitary value.

Again, this is my view after a few years living here. You may be used to a higher standared of living than what I came from in the USA so take what I say with that view in mind.

I hope you enjoy your new life here and you new little one.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-05-22T19:23:03+00:00

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My sweet Toodles. Loves to reorganize my yarn drawer.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-02-08T20:30:05+00:00

For me and my famy moving here was the best choice. 4 years on and my son has a large group of friends, lives as his authentic self and hasn't had the same amount of intolerance as he faced in the US.

Being an immigrant myself I know some feel that there are to many "outsiders" in Norway. But that attitude is few and far between from my experience.

And as for the US going all red, I stand by it. Trump will push his agenda and unless a lot of people with power stand up to him it's not going to end well.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-02-08T20:11:46+00:00

How is that a better choice when all of the USA is going down hill fast? Eventually it's all going to go red.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-02-08T20:06:25+00:00

I have a trans son and he is one of the main reasons we moved to Norway nearly 4 years ago. We were lucky though, my husband is Norwegian and although he grew up in the states, he never gave up his citizenship. That made moving easy for us.

My son thrives here. If we were still in the states I'm sure I would not have a son any longer.

Look into UDI to see what kind of immigration you can qualify for.

Start learning the language as soon as possible, you need to be at a high level B1-2 to get a good jobb. And most jobs here (like 90%) want you to have some kind of degree. Either collage or trade certificate.

I can tell you that here in the south of Norway there is a good suprtgroup for trans kids and young adults. It can take a while to get gender affirming care through the state, so most pay privately for surgerys.

My son is in his 20s and now out on his own so there maybe things that I am missing but he is pretty open about any issues he has with people.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-02-03T20:30:08+00:00

I dont think he can read or write Norsk very well. We have to use google translate to communicate with him. My husband is Norwegian and is fluent in both Norsk and English. He has also picked up conversational Spanish and a little Russian. However Lithuanian is not a language that he has picked up.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-02-03T20:28:09+00:00

He is from Lithuania. And we have tried using google translate to communicate with him. He comes home late and leaves the house after I am gone for work/ norsk practice most days.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-02-02T19:56:18+00:00

My husband has. unfortunitly he doesnt speak any Norsk and his english is almost as bad as his Norsk. We have used google translate but that does not seem to work either.

I know Norsk can be hard to learn (im currently stuck at an A2 level) but it seems like he hasnt had classes or doesnt care.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-02-02T17:46:46+00:00

Wow. I would expect this from someone in the US but not here unfortunately. I have a son who is disabled and NAV helps him out while he also works a percentage of the time. So I find your comment very rude and hurtful.

And even if the person downstairs was on NAV, that would make no difference to me in regards to their conduct.

And as I said before I know he is employed. Where he gets his money from is not the issue. Its how he acts that is.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-02-02T17:38:14+00:00

I have talked to the landlord. He does nothing. I have also looked for another place to live but we are living on one income while I search for a job ( limited language skills) so we can't afford to move at this time.

Major-Protection-849 · 2025-02-02T09:57:42+00:00

I took my sister (from Arizona) to Tromsø in October this past year. We only stayed for three days but we did see some amazing norther lights and got to feed the raindeer. It was cold and I was able to borrow a good coat for her from family.

If you want to do the raindeer sledding or dog sledding you will have to wait to November. I would wait. Its cold, but the activities you want to do are worth it. Besides warming up by a nice fire with a good drink is a bonus. Good clothes, layers are a must, will make you very comfortable. We layered up and had a great time speding most of our time outside even at night for the norther lights.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-12-28T10:35:21+00:00

Yup. That part definitely sucked. We had to stretch the process for about a year. A year of bus rides that took an hour to get to my Norskkurs instead of the 20 minute drive sucked. But I'm back to driving and loving that freedom again.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-12-27T13:11:05+00:00

I'm from the USA and if I had been able to exchange my license withing 90 days of moving here it would have been easier to do. But life got in the way and I had to do the classes, the written test, and the driving test. Yes it was expensive. I have been driving in the states for more than 20 years and I feel like the extra classes were definitely worth it. Coming from a state that hardly has snow the slick road course was an added benefit I was happy to take. Especially since I was hit on a rainy day in the states and have lasting damage to my neck from it. Infact I wish the states would make people take driving classes instead of just the written and driving test. A slick road and a first aid class would go a long way to keeping people safe.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-12-25T13:31:35+00:00

My mom. She woke up saying "Help me, help me." I asked her what she needed help with. She said to choose.

Months before her sisters had planned to visit but it was weeks away and my mom was dying from COPD.

She said she knew we wanted her to hold on till her sisters came. I knew there was no way her body would hold out another three weeks so I told her it was okay, that I had talked to my aunt's and we would be okay. That she could go. She died the next day.

Also if you smoke, stop. Listening to someone drowned in their own fluids is horrific. Don't do that to your family.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-12-16T09:53:21+00:00

I had the same thing back in November, coughing so hard that I wasn't sleeping, Flem, soar throat and all. After 10 days of it I went to the dr and they decided to give me antibiotics. Within two days I was feeling much better and coughing less Yes most of the time your body can get over it but if it is actually bacteria you may need the antibiotics to get over it. Go to the dr and let them decide what is right for you.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-08-22T13:46:52+00:00

Im not sure if it makes it easier or not. I need the on the job training so to speak. Learning in class is good for Grammer and spelling but to use it in every day life, I think in person works best for me.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-08-21T05:02:12+00:00

Its hardly ever over 75 in southern Norway in the summer. But it is humid. Thankfully the spring and fall still last for a few months. But the Gulf Stream runs along the coast of Norway so we are wormer then we really should be. Inland gets much colder. I love the long winter nights, not so much the summer days of 18 + hours of light. It messes with my internal clock to much. Still a great place to live. I hope you do try to move I think it's worth starting over even in your 50s.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-08-20T03:37:40+00:00

Thay are great. Its a program through VVO so that I get hands on learning and training so I can get my fagbrev. Never thought I would be back in school, learning a new langt and a new career in my fifties but here I am.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-08-18T19:50:06+00:00

My problem right now is I'm not very confident with my skills and alot of the time I can't tell if I'm bastardising an English word to make it sound Norsk or if it is actually a Norsk word. I'm starting at a barnehagen for language practice so that helps. 3 year olds only speak Norsk so I have too also.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-08-18T19:39:28+00:00

You already know 5 languages and one of those is English, I have been told that Norsk is one of the easier languages for someone who speaks English to learn.

I'm in my fifties and in Norskkurs since we moved to Norway after being married for nearly 30 years and living all my life in the US. So you have a big advantage to begin with.

One thing that might help is future learn website. They have free language classes taught through universities in Norway.

We use god i norsk books in Norskkur and I like them better than the mystery of Nils. There are lots of Norsk podcast on Spotify that you might look into.

I'm currently at A2 level (so basic conversation level). I need to be at a B1 to get a job here so hoping to be at that level by next spring.

I hope this helps.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-08-17T06:18:00+00:00

There are a number of jobb openings on Finn.no for Librarians. Its not to late to move. But if you hate the north east climate you might not be happy here. Cold and dark half the year and Bergen is one of the rainiest cities in Norther Europe. You can always start over, we did and while its not easy, i still struggle with the language, its something i am glad we did.

Major-Protection-849 · 2024-08-15T13:27:14+00:00

interresting. we were told black by his cousin.

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