South African/Irishman moving to Oslo.

Last activity 27 August 2013 by AuNordDuMonde

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SeanL1986Member22 August 2013 18:03:37

Hi guys!

I've been following this site for a while and everything I have read has been slightly inconclusive so I thought I'd give asking for advice of my own a go. I've been based in Dublin for 5 1/2 years after moving from Cape Town when I was 21. I've been dating a Norwegian girl for some time, and we've been living together for a year. We've spent holidays together in Norway and Ive become completely besotted with the place. The lifestyle, the architecture, the landscape, whats not to love? I have made the decision to give Norway a go in January and quit my job as an assistant manager in Topman where I have worked for 5 years. It's a big leap of faith for someone who up until this point was extremely career orientated, but hey, if you don't try how will you know? My question is how difficult is it to find work in retail, especially fashion retail with little to no Norwegian. My girlfriend and her friends all think ill be fine, especially with my experience working for such a huge and demanding company. Saying that I'm still apprehensive, I want to immerse myself completely in the culture and the language but I'm afraid I can only do that once I'm there and earning. Any practical advice would be more than welcome!

Takk!
Sean

dmcart13Serial expat23 August 2013 06:22:35

554

Hello,

I would think that not speaking Norwegian will cause you problems. While most people will speak English, they will mostly want you to speak Norwegian. I don't have any experience of retail though, so perhaps I'm wrong. Learning Norwegian as quickly as possible would be a good idea.

David

AuNordDuMondeSerial expat27 August 2013 14:13:20

292

I agree with the above, speaking Norwegian remains key. Sometimes experience or a special expertise can compensate though. Focusing on learning the language in first months could make a big difference also, as you live with a native, it makes a big difference.

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