As of today I have moved away from Norway where I have made my home for the past two years. It feels sad, as I do love Norway, the people, and will miss my life there. But I think it was time to move on. The company I worked for in Oslo has downsized dramatically recently, which involved chopping jobs, including my own.
My chosen career path (WordPress development) involves work which can be outsourced at any given moment, and even though I could probably have found another job in Oslo, there is always a concern that my employers would simply realise they could have the same work done elsewhere for cheaper and I’d end up having to find another job again. With that in mind, I took a job working for a growing company called 10up in the USA. They don’t care where I live, so instead of living in the most expensive place imaginable (Oslo), I have decided to have a crack at living in Berlin, Germany, where costs are significantly lower.
I know very little about Berlin, apart from the fact that I always have a terrific time when in Germany and I think my mindset fits in well with the German way of doing things. I’m hoping this will be a long term move, but I hoped that my move to Oslo was going to be long term (or even permanent) too, but that hasn’t worked out, so I’m not promising anything.
I had a very poorly laid plan for my arrival in Berlin. I have no work visa (the German embassy in Oslo told me to apply after I arrived), nowhere to live (I’m crashing at a hostel at the moment) and no backup plan for if it all falls to pieces and I don’t get the work visa I need. I always seem to land on me feet though, so either things will work themselves out or I’m going to have to haul my butt to some place else until I figure out plan B.
To all my friends in Norway, I will be back! Probably not to live, but definitely to visit. There are too many people I will miss for me not to come visit. In fact it looks likely that I will be back on the 25th and 26th January for WordCamp Norway 2014.
Here are some photos I took during my awesome time living in Oslo …
I know those mixed feelings. Everything will work out for the best, that’s my wish for you.
It was awesome having you as a colleague and thank you for all the invitations for the social living in Oslo.
You’ll always be welcome at Porto, so text me whenever you feel that’s time 😉
I’m bound to find my way there at some point!
It’s was awesome working with you too.
#nohomo guys, but just so you know that Oslo and working with you was awesome experience. Hope that we will meet again some day!
And FYI if you want to live super-super cheap, come and visit Serbia 🙂
#definitelyhomo Yes, it was great “working” with you too Milan. That invite to visit Serbia is mighty tempting!
Sorry, I thought we are a bit official here on your website 🙂
It really was a pleasure hanging out and have to spend 8 hours with you Ryan 😀 Better? 😛