I have such a good time doing these interviews with expats. I know there are others of you out there who have shared with me that you enjoy it as well.

This time we have Caroline from the blog Migration Dairy and Mumsindependent. She has lived in quite a few places already (one of which is Norway :) and tells us about her experiences living in a new country. I love reading her blog, which is about her trials and tribulations in her life as an expat (check out her post Visa Expired…this is when I realized that expat life is much more challenging with kids and family coming along on the adventure too!).

Sit back, relax and enjoy the interview!

1.Where are you from originally, where are you now and what brought you there?

I was born in South Africa (Durban), grew up in Norway (Fredrikstad). After that it sort of gets complicated but basically I kept moving back and forth between Norway and South Africa. We are now living in the United Kingdom. We moved here because my husband is a writer and internet marketer. we felt that there would be more business opportunities for us in Europe.

2.What do you like/dislike about your new home overseas?

Likes:

• Much less violent crime than in South Africa
• Online shopping is great and the stuff actually arrives!
• There’s so much to do, theaters, concerts, museums, it’s just endless
• Public transport is great
• Children’s playgrounds/facilities and organized holiday activities
• Having dinner in a pub which is 700 years old- and the locals love to share their history
• People are gentle (in this part of the country anyway!). They don’t get upset easily
• Good drivers, no taxis trying to push you off the road (I’ve lived in South Africa for too long haven’t I?)
• People’s sense of responsibility when it comes to recycling and looking after their animals
• I like living so close to the rest of Europe and the (European) historical value it adds to our lives
• Amazon and Paypal (not available in South Africa)

Dislikes:

• Weather! If only it could be spring and summer all year around!
• Property is so expensive
• Bureaucracy!
• Gordon Brown and tax!

3.Do you have any advice or tips for people who want to get a job or visa in Europe (or foreign countries)? What was your experience with getting a visa/job? Was it difficult?

Do lots of research (google) and talk to people. Start the preparation far in advance especially if you have children and take nothing for granted. Preferably visit the country for a LSD trip (Look See Decide). Allow for delays and complications that way you won’t get too vexed or upset if things don’t go smoothly.

We opened a company in the UK so we didn’t have to go job searching and with a Norwegian passport I didn’t have to apply for a visa. We had to do a EEA family application for my husband but it went very smoothly and with no problems.

“South Africans are wonderful people, passionate, vocal and sometimes aggressively assertive but yet friendly and warm at the same time. The country itself is diverse with beautiful regions and as a holiday destination it has a lot to offer.”
~Caroline

4.What was the most challenging part of living in a foreign country when you first started out as an expat? Do you have any advice for those facing similar challenges?

For me the most challenging part is always running around getting everything organized and creating a new routine whilst juggling work and children. As long as the children are happy everything else falls into place. We failed to get one of our children into the catchment area school which really created a challenge for us-it was very frustrating.
Advice: try to get around as much as possible, get to know your surroundings - talk to people and ask questions.

5.If you were to do it all again (moving to and living in another country), what would you do different?

I would have taken the LSD trip sooner and tackled the school catchment issue much earlier. Other than that we were very organized and it was a good move.

6.Do you want to move back to where you came from? If not, what is it about the expat life that makes it all worth it to you?

Not at this point. We like living here, the children have settled so nicely and hubby has so many business ideas which would just not be possible if we had to move back to South Africa. We would consider moving to Norway - hubby would love to try living there.

7.What are some of the good, the bad, the ugly…and the funny things you have experienced as an expat living overseas?

Good:
Learning about other people and cultures. Visiting historical places, sites etc.

Bad:
I got ripped off by the dry cleaner last year (charges me a fortune) but other than that I can’t really remember anything bad.

Ugly:
The schools tend to have nit epidemics every autumn - nasty.

8.Any practical tips for the new expats out there (like me)?

Just have fun and enjoy it while it lasts - attitude is everything. Make friends - lots of friends!

9.Where do you think you’ll go next?

I honestly don’t know. Sorry - that’s a really boring answer.

Read more from Caroline on one of her blogs: Migration Diary and Mumsindependent.

Want to hear more advice and stories from expats? Take a look at these great interviews!

• Ms. Adventures In Italy
• My Own Moon (Sweden)
• La delirante (Malta)
• Eurotrippen (Germany)