My story

Hello, I'm Ingrid!

I'm French, originally from Lyon, and I've lived in Oslo since 2018. If someone had told me ten years ago that I would one day live in the land of fjords, northern lights and brunost, I would never have believed it. And yet here I am: seven years later, a mum of two children born here, deeply attached to this northern land that has become mine.

It all started when my husband, Thomas, was offered a job in Oslo in the energy sector. We looked at each other, weighed up the pros and cons for about... three days, and said yes. We were young, curious, and a little reckless. We didn't speak a word of Norwegian and we knew no one there.

The first months were a whirlwind: finding an apartment in an extremely tight housing market, understanding the fødselsnummer system, opening a bank account without a Norwegian ID number, deciphering letters from Skatteetaten... Every step felt like an obstacle course. I spent my evenings on forums, looking for information that was often contradictory and rarely in my own language.

And then, little by little, the magic worked. I discovered the gentleness of Norwegian summers, the joy of family hikes in the forests around Oslo, the exceptional quality of life, the reassuring healthcare system, the wonderful barnehager (nurseries) for our children. I learned to love koselig (the Norwegian art of cosy living), the Sunday-morning kanelbullar, and the long walks along the Oslofjord.

Norway isn't perfect, and I will never tell you otherwise. The winter is long and dark, the cost of living can make your head spin, and social integration takes patience. But for our family, it has become a life choice we don't regret at all.

Why I created Living in Norway

During my first years here, I received more and more messages from people who were thinking of moving to Norway. Always the same questions: how do you find housing? Is life really that expensive? How does the healthcare system work? Where do you enrol your children in school?

I started by answering individually, then opened a blog in 2020. The response was incredible. In 2023, I decided to turn that blog into a genuine complete guide, with in-depth articles, practical tools (budget simulator, converter, quiz) and reliable resources.

My goal is simple: to give you the information I wish I'd had when I arrived. No marketing speak, no idealised picture. Just practical, honest advice based on my real experience and that of hundreds of families I've helped.

My values