Life in Norway Show Episode 78: Daniela Laguniak, an expedition leader with Havila Voyages, tells us about her relocation to Northern Norway and her working life on the Norwegian coastal route.
On my recent trip on the Norwegian coastal route, I met one of the expedition leaders, Daniela. Originally from Germany, she is fluent in three languages and lives in a remote part of Finnmark, Northern Norway.
Clearly, she has a fascinating story to tell! So, I wandered over with my microphone and persuaded Daniela to share that story with all of us.
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Introducing Daniela
Daniela worked a seasonal tourism job at the North Cape in 2012 and then made the decision to move to Norway permanently. She now lives in Tana, one of the most remote parts of Northern Norway, with her Sami partner.
“Northern Norway has a lot of fantastic landscape, fascinating weather, and big spacious areas with not so many people,” says Daniela, adding that it felt “natural” for her to live here.
She also talks about her working life on board the Havila Polaris, where she works for 22 days, followed by 22 days off. It's a shift pattern that wouldn't suit everyone, but it suits Daniela perfectly.
“I have a very good time during the year where I can spend my free time. I can go visit family in Germany, and spend good time at home,” she says.
Living in Finnmark
Tana is one of the biggest municipalities in Norway in terms of area, but less than 3,000 people live there.
Daniela lives in Tana village itself, which is home to approximately 900 people. It's close to the Finnish border, and about two hours to Kirkenes by car.
“In the summer we can take the river boat across the river to Finland, which has my nearest supermarket. In the winter, we take the snowscooter and drive across the frozen river to get shopping,” she says.
“The winter can be really rough. Some roads in Finnmark can be closed, especially in the coastal areas,” she adds.
Links from the Show
- Havila Voyages: Daniela's employer on the Norwegian coastal route
- Coastal Route Daily Diary: A record of my trip on the Havila Polaris
- Storm Ingunn: The bad weather discussed in the show
- Sami Culture: An introduction to the Sami of Northern Norway
