About KatW

Currently Lives:

Stavanger, Norway

Citizen of:

Australia

Some Forum Posts:

Norway: job searching:

Hi! Whereabouts are you in Norway? It IS possible to find jobs in areas like Stavanger and Oslo without being able to speak Norwegian, but such jobs are usually found by word of mouth. If you are in the Rogaland area, visit www.spin.no and check out the links to employment agencies there. Also SPIN has a new Guide out, in English, about living in Stavanger. Otherwise, make sure everyone you know or meet knows you are looking for work. Be very open to whatever they suggest and above all try and stay positive. Even after you learn Norwegian, it can still be difficult to get a job as many Norwegian employers will hire one of their own countrymen first, and can use the excuse against you that although you can speak bokmål, you don't understand the local dialect well enough. Be prepared for that one! You could also try advertising (in Norwegian) in the local paper for a job. Just say you can speak a little Norwegian. You can also try Aetat - they have a program whereby you can obtain a job with limited Norwegian - its called a "praksis plass". They place you at SFO, nursing homes in a part time position, etc where you are paid a wage (albeit low) whilst you get the chance to practice your Norwegian. It might be some pocket money for you at any rate. Best wishes, Kat

Norway: SPIN Social Night in Stavanger:

Would you like to meet other expats living in the Stavanger area? Then why not come along to our very first SPIN social night, to be held at: OVENPAA PUB UPSTAIRS AT SKAGENKAIEN 10, 4006 STAVANGER ON WEDNESDAY, 29 MAY, 2002 AT 7:00 PM For more details, visit http://www.spin.no and click on the Spin Social Events logo on the far right hand side of the page. Looking forward to seeing some new faces!

Norway: Working in Stavanger:

You could try contacting NATO in the US and seeing if they have any postings available to the base in Stavanger. Kat.

Australia: thinking of moving to melbourne:

Hi, I would suggest areas close to the city as best for someone wanting to enjoy the single life. Albert Park is a nice area, but expensive. Brunswick, Fitzroy, Clifton Hill, Carlton all offer easy access to the city and varying prices in rental accommodation. You should not have any problems finding work as an admin assistant, there are plenty of jobs around as long as you know a few MS packages. Salaries for an admin assistant can be anything from $28,000 to $45,000 AUD. The highest salary would probably be working in the field of law. We are moving back to Melbourne after living in Norway for a few years so the prices in Melbourne seem cheap to us. Really, the prices are not that high, but the wages are less than in the USA. However, I think the middle class standard of living is comparable. If you earned say $30000 AUD you would probably want to share an apartment with someone, as renting in the inner city area can set you back around $250 to $300 AUD per week. Good luck! Keep this site (www.newcomersnetwork.com.au) in mind if you do move to Melbourne, it has some useful information. Kat.

Date Joined:

5/6/2002

Total Posts:

8

Posts/Day:

0.00