The diary of David, a just-turned-30 Brit living in Norway
Other than celebrating my first year in Norway, I've been a little quiet on here of late. Reason being, I've been incredibly busy! A New Job When I moved here one year ago it was on a temporary contract, so my future was always unclear. Sadly things didn't work out so the past couple of weeks I've been looking around for a job. Not an easy thing to do when you don't speak the language fluently and you're running out of money! Well, I have some … [Read more...]
Hey folks! I began this blog one year ago for many reasons. I wanted to keep in touch with family and friends, keep motivated to explore the country, meet new people in Norway, document my time here to look back on in years to come, and also flex my geeky muscles and build my Wordpress skills. One year on, it's time to take stock of what this blog has become and where it's headed. And what better place to start than with you, my lovely … [Read more...]
I have a confession to make. I've not really enjoyed the winter. Before all the Norwegians start piling in, I'm well aware it's been the mildest winter for many a year. But that doesn't change the fact that for me, it's been the coldest, darkest, iciest winter I've experienced. The knowledge that next winter will surely be colder, darker, icier, does not put a smile on my face. It's not so much the cold that's bothered me (although if … [Read more...]
There are three things certain in life. Death, tax and change. One day I will die. Each year I must pay tax to one Government or another. And yep, you guessed it, Life in Norway is changing. I began writing the Diary of David in April 2011, as a personal blog intended to keep my friends and family updated with my move from the UK to Norway. Very quickly I found myself enjoying my writing, leaving out the personal stuff and making … [Read more...]
The Diary of David has come to an end. Long live the Diary of David! But don't fear, loyal fans! I know many of you log on after work desperate to read my latest witterings about life in Norway... you do, right? All the old posts remain and there'll be plenty more to come, it's just the design that's changed. The old white minimal look has been dumped in the bin, in favour of this black, white, red and blue design that's basically just a … [Read more...]
A few weeks ago I turned the grand old age of 30. Did I have a total blowout, waste thousands of kroner on beer and take the next week off work? No. I had a nice relaxing weekend, tried lobster for the first time and turned up to work on Monday with absolutely nothing having changed. But rewind a few years and I remember my panic upon turning 25, the realisation that I was closer to 30 than my teenage years and that my life was passing me by. … [Read more...]
Tonight I was honoured to be invited to an annual friends & family Christmas dinner hosted by Anne, the mother of my friends Kathrine and Andreas. I'm told this is traditionally held in December (funny that!) but I'm not sure why September was chosen this year. I didn't really ask :D Anne was born in England but has spent 40 years in Norway, so it was an interesting mix of Norwegian and English Christmas traditions. Everyone was asked … [Read more...]
Since arriving in Norway in May I've been stunned at how nice the weather has been. Yes there's been some rainy days, but overall it's been an impressive summer, with many days touching 30C and the warm weather lasting long into the evenings. But now August is drawing to a close, things are changing. It's starting to get dark at 8.30, not 11.30. Cool crisp mornings are replacing bright sunny ones. I'm seeing ski jackets and warm sweaters in shop … [Read more...]
It's been nine days since I last updated my diary, telling you all it was time for a lifestyle change. It might sound cliche or gimmicky, but I genuinely am trying to reboot my life through more exercise and a better diet. This also includes spending less time online, which unfortunately means less blog posts. Soz-a-tron! But you know what they say, less is more. Since my last update I've been to my new gym a further three times, which when … [Read more...]
Since arriving in Oslo I've been debating with myself whether to join a gym. My diet has been better, although recently I've fallen foul of the snack attacks. I've also done a lot of walking. Most evenings I take a walk up (literally, up!) to St. Hanshaugen Park, or down to Aker Brygge. I've not put on any weight here, but I do feel sluggish, and now the days are just beginning to get shorter, the realisation has hit me of how much more difficult … [Read more...]
He writes here about his new life in Norway: his observations and experiences, the language and culture, the people and places. [Read More …]
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