Settling in Norway: Five places to meet new people and make friends
Making new friends can sometimes be easier said than done in the socially reserved country of Norway. Here are our picks of the places where you can meet new people in Norway.
Friends can improve everything, whether it's having someone to enjoy a hobby or interest with, grab a bite to eat with or lean on for support when times feel tough.
Unfortunately, making friends in Norway can sometimes be challenging. This can be for a few reasons, whether it's not knowing anyone when you move, the reserved nature of the locals (with Norwegians sometimes closed-off nature being more a sign of them respecting your privacy, rather than being antisocial), or simply being a bit shy.
However, while it's unlikely you'll make a friend for life in Norway (or most places for that matter) trying to strike up a conversation at a bus stop, there are still plenty of places where you can make friends and meet new people.
READ ALSO: The best tips to help you settle in Norway
Clubs/activities
Finding and joining a club of any kind, whether it's a lifelong hobby or something you've always wanted to try, can be a great way to meet new people.
"Look for local groups, for example, I subscribed to a dance class where there were only Norwegians, and I made friends with them," Timea, who lives in Bergen but hails from Hungary, told The Local previously.
Sharing a mutual interest or passion will give you and the other members something to bond over and discuss.
While it may take a while to become friends with other members, you may have a friend for life when you do make a breakthrough.
"Take up common local activities like hiking, cycling, skiing, swimming etc., enjoying nature. Attend various activities around the city- get involved in dugnad. Most importantly, show up, and once they get to know you, they are really good friends that you will have for life," Taiyeba, who has lived in Norway for seven years, said to The Local in an earlier survey.
There are plenty of groups and activities comprised of both other foreigners and Norwegians. In Oslo, for example, there are several groups for international residents looking to find others to play football with.
Norwegian courses
Learning the language comes with many benefits, from being able to help you land a job to helping you qualify for permanent residence or citizenship later down the line.
However, one often overlooked benefit is being able to make friends with your fellow coursemates if you attend one in person.
Additionally, it'll help newer arrivals meet one another and set up support networks to help with the bedding in process.
However, even for those who have been here a while and are just now learning the lingo, the shared experience of picking up Norwegian will give you something to chat about with your coursemates.
Språkkafe
This is great for somebody who speaks a language in addition to English and will give you more chance of mingling with the locals than a language course.
There are several språkkafe, or language cafes, in Norway's big cities. For those who don't know, a language café is where a group of people who speak different languages meet up to teach one another. However, as so many people in Norway are highly proficient in English, other languages are in much higher demand.
Sharing your language with somebody and teaching them about your culture could help spark a friendship based on cultural exchange.
To find language cafes across Norway, click here.
Expat groups
A go-to for anyone new to Norway should be to join a social media group of other foreign residents. The group could be open to all foreign residents or just those from a specific country.
These groups will regularly hold meet-ups, allowing you to meet people in real life. Foreign resident groups have a number of purposes, too, whether you have a burning question, want to vent about something, or need help tracking down food that reminds you of home.
Making friends with people in these groups can be a big hand if you're feeling homesick and want to socialise or talk to your fellow nationals.
Volunteering
Spending your free time helping others can be rewarding in more ways than one, beyond knowing that you've done something to help someone else.
You could be networking with others and establishing friendships.
"Learn the local language as quickly as possible and try to be a part of social groups where you can help people that need help. This way, you make professional connections and friends," Gaganmeet from India told The Local in a survey when they were asked about the best tips for settling in.
With more than 100,000 different volunteer organisations, there's plenty for you to get stuck into. You can look for volunteer groups here.
Making a serious time commitment isn't a must either, for example, taking part in a local dugnad may only take a couple of hours a few times a year, but it will help you to connect to people in your local community.
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Friends can improve everything, whether it's having someone to enjoy a hobby or interest with, grab a bite to eat with or lean on for support when times feel tough.
Unfortunately, making friends in Norway can sometimes be challenging. This can be for a few reasons, whether it's not knowing anyone when you move, the reserved nature of the locals (with Norwegians sometimes closed-off nature being more a sign of them respecting your privacy, rather than being antisocial), or simply being a bit shy.
However, while it's unlikely you'll make a friend for life in Norway (or most places for that matter) trying to strike up a conversation at a bus stop, there are still plenty of places where you can make friends and meet new people.
READ ALSO: The best tips to help you settle in Norway
Clubs/activities
Finding and joining a club of any kind, whether it's a lifelong hobby or something you've always wanted to try, can be a great way to meet new people.
"Look for local groups, for example, I subscribed to a dance class where there were only Norwegians, and I made friends with them," Timea, who lives in Bergen but hails from Hungary, told The Local previously.
Sharing a mutual interest or passion will give you and the other members something to bond over and discuss.
While it may take a while to become friends with other members, you may have a friend for life when you do make a breakthrough.
"Take up common local activities like hiking, cycling, skiing, swimming etc., enjoying nature. Attend various activities around the city- get involved in dugnad. Most importantly, show up, and once they get to know you, they are really good friends that you will have for life," Taiyeba, who has lived in Norway for seven years, said to The Local in an earlier survey.
There are plenty of groups and activities comprised of both other foreigners and Norwegians. In Oslo, for example, there are several groups for international residents looking to find others to play football with.
Norwegian courses
Learning the language comes with many benefits, from being able to help you land a job to helping you qualify for permanent residence or citizenship later down the line.
However, one often overlooked benefit is being able to make friends with your fellow coursemates if you attend one in person.
Additionally, it'll help newer arrivals meet one another and set up support networks to help with the bedding in process.
However, even for those who have been here a while and are just now learning the lingo, the shared experience of picking up Norwegian will give you something to chat about with your coursemates.
Språkkafe
This is great for somebody who speaks a language in addition to English and will give you more chance of mingling with the locals than a language course.
There are several språkkafe, or language cafes, in Norway's big cities. For those who don't know, a language café is where a group of people who speak different languages meet up to teach one another. However, as so many people in Norway are highly proficient in English, other languages are in much higher demand.
Sharing your language with somebody and teaching them about your culture could help spark a friendship based on cultural exchange.
To find language cafes across Norway, click here.
Expat groups
A go-to for anyone new to Norway should be to join a social media group of other foreign residents. The group could be open to all foreign residents or just those from a specific country.
These groups will regularly hold meet-ups, allowing you to meet people in real life. Foreign resident groups have a number of purposes, too, whether you have a burning question, want to vent about something, or need help tracking down food that reminds you of home.
Making friends with people in these groups can be a big hand if you're feeling homesick and want to socialise or talk to your fellow nationals.
Volunteering
Spending your free time helping others can be rewarding in more ways than one, beyond knowing that you've done something to help someone else.
You could be networking with others and establishing friendships.
"Learn the local language as quickly as possible and try to be a part of social groups where you can help people that need help. This way, you make professional connections and friends," Gaganmeet from India told The Local in a survey when they were asked about the best tips for settling in.
With more than 100,000 different volunteer organisations, there's plenty for you to get stuck into. You can look for volunteer groups here.
Making a serious time commitment isn't a must either, for example, taking part in a local dugnad may only take a couple of hours a few times a year, but it will help you to connect to people in your local community.
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