Author: froginthefjord

I am The Frog in the Fjord: a French lady who lived in Denmark for a bit before moving to Norway for good (or for now, who knows!). This blog is about all these new realities foreigners like me face when trying to adapt to a new culture, language, country and most of all to new people. In this case, trying to understand the Norwegian culture and blending in (or trying hard). I am hoping to give non-Norwegians a glimpse of what makes Norway and Norwegians so awkward and so loveable; and to give Norwegians something to laugh or to think about. Bonne lecture!
Blog of Norway, En Français

Tout savoir de mon nouveau livre “Au coin du fjord: Les aventures d’une Française en Norvège”

C’est en 2017 que mon livre “En frosk i fjorden- Kunsten å bli norsk” est paru en norvégien chez Cappelen Damm et 6 ans plus tard ce livre sort enfin en version traduite et rédigée pour le public francophone sous le titre “Au coin du fjord: Les aventures d’une Française en Norvège”. Je raconte mon histoire en espérant qu’elle inspire, fasse rire, éduque et provoque. … Continue reading Tout savoir de mon nouveau livre “Au coin du fjord: Les aventures d’une Française en Norvège”

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Blog of Norway, Culture & People, Travelling, Work

Moving to Norway: Essential Questions to Ask Yourself Before Moving

Norway has it all, doesn’t? Happiest people on Earth, a yearly Nobel Peace prize to hand out, a low unemployment rate, high gender equality, paid parental leave, red cabins in the woods facing the fjord, clean water and air. My goodness, what are we doing still here, we should all move to Norway! Calm down. There is no perfect place. There are great reasons to … Continue reading Moving to Norway: Essential Questions to Ask Yourself Before Moving

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Blog of Norway, Environment

6 Lessons learned from the Indigenous Sami protest in Norway against Fosen Windmills

Picture credit: Alf Simensen/NTB Scanpix via AP There has been a historic protest in Oslo, Norway in the past week week.  See my previous article Norway: Indigenous & Environmental Youth Occupy the Ministry of Energy over Human Rights Violation for the details. The protest went from 15 indigenous and youth activists occupying the Ministry of Energy and Petroleum on Thursday 23rd of February to over 2000 … Continue reading 6 Lessons learned from the Indigenous Sami protest in Norway against Fosen Windmills

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Environment

Norway: Indigenous & Environmental Youth Occupy the Ministry of Energy over Human Rights Violation

Photo credit: Ole Berg-Rusten / NTB Youth from the indigenous Sàmi organisation NSR, as well as youth environmental activists from Natur og Ungdom have been occupying the offices of the Ministry of Energy and Oil since Thursday (23rd of February 2023). They are doing so as an act of civil disobedience to hold the Norwegian state accountable for its violation of indigenous peoples’ rights. We now … Continue reading Norway: Indigenous & Environmental Youth Occupy the Ministry of Energy over Human Rights Violation

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Blog of Norway, Food

Norwegian Cuisine cannot be the Worst in the World, right?

TasteAtlas Awards 2022 ranked 95 countries from best to worst cuisine. Surprise surprise, Norway makes last spot, therefore becoming the worst cuisine in the world according to TasteAtlas. Is it really that bad? Who did Norway lose against? Let’s look at something else first. Which cuisines did Norway lose against? Where is for example ranked Danish cuisine in this survey, which is I think really … Continue reading Norwegian Cuisine cannot be the Worst in the World, right?

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Blog of Norway

10 Strange Food to Eat in Norway

As a disclaimer I must say not all of these are typical Norwegian. Liquorice is for example eaten in many other Nordic countries. That being said, there are very strange things Norwegians come up with in terms of food culture, either by taste or because of the access of certain produce (ex. skrei/cod as on the picture above). 1. Cod tongue Cod tongue is a … Continue reading 10 Strange Food to Eat in Norway

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Blog of Norway, Environment

The Whale in the Room. Why does Norway continue Killing Whales?

“A whale burger with that?” asked the lady at the restaurant. Wait, what? The picture in the menu was of a burger, with red meat that looked like beef or any other red meat. But reading the description I realised it was whale meat in that burger. I was divided between my environmental conscience and the curiosity of tasting whale meat. Whether it is with … Continue reading The Whale in the Room. Why does Norway continue Killing Whales?

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Blog of Norway, Food

Why do kids in Norway get such bad food?

My child was a bit over 1 year old, and we had our first parental meeting with the barnehage pedagogical leader, a person with high authority in a Norwegian barnehage. “You child will have great difficulties to learn to speak” she said. I was horrified. I am neither a health personnel nor an expert in child behavior, I am just a mum. She is an … Continue reading Why do kids in Norway get such bad food?

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Norwegian Food Items on a table with Norwegian flag
Blog of Norway

20 Signs You’ve Become a Real Norwegian

It isn’t enough to get the citizenship. Here are signs you have become a real Norwegian! You always drink water from the tap but cannot stand drinking lukewarm water. Although in your home country you would never waste water by letting it run for long minutes, here in Norway you can wait as long as it takes to get a cold glass of water. It … Continue reading 20 Signs You’ve Become a Real Norwegian

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Blog of Norway

9 Reasons Not to Live in Norway

The internet is filled with breathtaking pictures of Norwegians fjords and lakes with pristine water, red wooden cabins and beautiful people hiking. “This is Norway” it usually says on those pictures and videos. Sure, those places exist and it is Norway, but Norway is also many other things. A new study by OsloMet (Oslo Metropolitan University) shows that 30,000 foreigners leave Norway every year (project … Continue reading 9 Reasons Not to Live in Norway

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