Leirvik, Norway?
 

Hi guys,

I've been looking for an internal transfer with my company, and have been offered a 2 year assignment in Stord, near Leirvik, Norway.

I don't really know much about this location, and it's fair to say I was looking for something a bit more glamorous i.e. Italy, France, Spain.

The position itself sounds fantastic and it's a real honour to be offered it, however I'm perhaps a little less enamoured with location and not sure if it will work for me.

I have a 2 year old son, and another baby due in May '16, so if we move I would expect to have it there. I don't expect my wife to work but have heard families are well looked after in Norway?

We are outdoorsy type of people, love playing sports and going out for a walk with the family. However, in reality, with a 2 1/2 year old and new born I think the focus will have to be on family activities.

Would you expect people to know English in this area? Unfortunately I can't see me learning much Norwegian if only for a 2 year fixed period.

Just looking to get a bit of info on the local area and West Coast of Norway in general.

Thanks,

Kevin

Re: Leirvik, Norway?
 

My only contribution is: check out the expat population of Stord. It seems the kind of place that would have a fair proportion of expats, and a high proportion of out-of-towners (Norwegians from outside the area). I would expect expats to have English as their lingua franca. (Have you been an expat before?)

I'd never even heard of Stord before! But I have a son who lives further east, and Norwegian grandchildren. As a broad statement, Norskies are quiet but very welcoming of foreigners. Now I'll sit back and let others with more experience tell you what you need to know! Good luck.

Re: Leirvik, Norway?
 

I think you might have this a bit arsy-versy; Leirvik is a town, on the island of Stord.
I've only been there a couple of times, but it seemed quite nice - and the debauched metropolis of Bergen isn't so far away ;)

>Would you expect people to know English in this area? Unfortunately I can't see me learning much Norwegian if only for a 2 year fixed period.

Pretty much everyone above the age of about four speaks passable English - many have a vocabulary that exceeds some who claim it as their mother-tongue - so you're not going to have any problems. Obviously, if you make the effort to learn a bit it's usually appreciated.
Most people coming to Norway permanently are obliged to take language lessons, so there are evening-classes etc readily available.
Just be aware, if you get a 'teach-yourself' course, that there are two written versions of the language and a multitude of spoken dialects, and most of the official bodies in Hordaland use the one you won't learn. You can figure most of it out if you say the words in your head - learn "sykehus", see "sjukehus" etc.

>Just looking to get a bit of info on the local area and West Coast of Norway >in general.

Rainy, pretty. Lots to do if you like the outdoors. The only bit of Norway worth considering :thumbsup:

Re: Leirvik, Norway?
 

Go for it !
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leirvik