My time in Norway has been all about finding balance:
Balancing between having a social safety net, but lacking a social circle. Balancing between facing bureaucratic delays, while enjoying solid public infrastructure. Balance between embracing the local culture and still embracing my own.
I'm very happy to have had the opportunity to reflect on some of these experiences for a recent article for CNBC Make It.
Here is an excerpt from the article:
There's a joke in Norway that people move here for two reasons: a job or love. I'm in the latter group. I met my Norwegian partner in my international Master's program in Migration and Intercultural Relations.
I decided to do my master's in Europe after a post-college graduation gap year in 2016. Part of the choice was driven by affordability. Two years of my Master's degree in Europe cost less than one year of my Bachelor's in the U.S.
It turned out that I also enjoyed the idea of living where you can accidentally cross the border to another country without even realizing it!
While love did bring me to Norway originally, living in Oslo for the last two years, I've realized how much more there is to draw people here. My days are spent exploring, ice bathing, falling on skis, taking cabin trips and hiking under the "midnight sun."
Norway, with its population of 5.5 million, is a stark contrast to what feels like my previous life in bustling Chicago. The country's slower pace of life and serene natural environment have brought me a lot of peace and joy.
I'm much happier in Norway. Here are five of the biggest reasons why...
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