January 12th, 2005 | The lowdown by Caitlin Sasha Trein

Culture of Norway

I arrived in Norway 9 short days ago, and I have already spent more money in a week and a half than I would normally spend in a month in the states. I'd heard that Norway is an expensive country. I simply had no inkling that it was THE MOST expensive country.

For a tourist, this realization may not come as such a shock. Tourists are used to shelling out the green at the hotspots in one country or another. However, as a student attempting to live in Norway, it is very difficult to find any discounts or deals whatsoever.

However, as long as one is aware of what they are spending, one can keep their earnings in the bank. I've been from one end of Oslo to the other for the past 9 days and I know where to find coffee, salmon, and a few other nordic neccesities for a few kroner less, but in the end, prices are level throughout the city. Some things to steer clear of are products not native to the country, like peanutbutter. Woolen hats, shrimp, and the hazlenut/chocolate spread Nutella are a bargain!!

A night on the town can also be weary. Subway transportation (T-Bane) one way is 20 NOK (3 USD) and a taxi ride less than 10 minutes is 140 NOK (20 USD). That isn't so bad. Drinks in a pub are much worse. A small glass of wine is usually around 65 NOK (10 USD) and a beer is not much less. You can purchase a bottle of wine for the same price in a store. But be careful, Wine and hard liquor are only sold in specialty shops which close early on weekdays and earlier on weekends. And don't even think about McDonalds. With the enormous taxes in Norway, a Big Mac isn't worth it.

So how to avoid bankruptcy while abroad? Well, there are a few ways. Purchase fresh vegetables and seafood from a grocery and cook dinner with friends or family. Don'y forget to bring along your 65 NOK bottle of wine you purchased before 5pm! A great one is to shop right after holidays like Christmas when every store is having sales, or 'SALG!' as it is called in Norwegian. Bring a pocket calculator to discourage impulse spending due to a non-mathematically oriented brain. All these are good ways to save.

Despite the unsettling prices, Oslo is a fantastic city. It is amazingly beautiful day and night. The best part is that everything is close at hand. Transportation is excellent and the city isn't very big so one can shop at the malls, go to museums, experince the majestic sight of a fjord, and make a delicious dinner all in one day. The word 'expensive' may be included in the description of culture of Norway but in no way does it define it.