Field notes | The Norwegian Experience

Fieldnote #106: Vinmonopolet – The Wine Club

An inside look at the wine club at Vinmonopolet in Åsane. A humorous take on “minerality,” pretentious rituals, and surviving the endless Bergen rain.

Dave // BERGEN June 13

Fieldnote #105: Operation Perfect Lawn – Four-Year Report

Operation Perfect Lawn: A four-year report from Bergen, Norway. The tragicomic story of how thousands of kroner and endless labor resulted in a world-class moss garden.

Dave // BERGEN June 06

Norway vs. USA: Comparison for the Class Sleeper

From American “hustle culture” to Norwegian “kos” and brown cheese. Join me for an honest and humorous comparison of two very different worlds, seen through the eyes of an expat living 20 years in Norway.

Dave // BERGEN June 03

Fieldnote #104: Friday, somewhere in Bergen

It’s 7:42 a.m. and I’m already standing here wondering if I’ve gotten too old for this. Or if it’s just the carpenter’s apprentice who’s making me feel this way.

Dave // BERGEN May 30

Fieldnote #103: The Weekend from Hell – or Dear Family, I Love You

I stood in the doorway like a true Bergen native: hot coffee in hand, a warm smile in place, and an inner voice whispering “you’ve survived this before, you can do it again”.

Dave // BERGEN May 25

Fieldnote #102: IKEA – That guest bed

It begins with optimism and the dream of the perfect guest bed, but usually ends in an existential crisis and Scandinavian self-loathing. Here is the field report from inside IKEA Åsane – a tale of flat-packs, hot dogs, and lost souls.

Dave // BERGEN May 22

Fieldnote #101: The Coffee Brothers - The Big Bender

Flagpoles lie strewn about as if after a naval battle, sausage wrappers dance in the wind like little greasy white doves, and the air reeks of burnt sausage, beer and collective remorse.

Dave // BERGEN May 18

Wooden Houses: From American Dreams to Norwegian Realities

From the sprawling suburbs of Texas to the rugged hillsides of Norway – this is the story of how I learned that “good enough” doesn’t cut it when the mercury drops. Join me for a look at sawdust, fussy details, and the difference between a house built to be sold and a home built to last.

Dave // BERGEN May 15

From Texas to Bergen: 22 Years in the Rain

Here is my partner in crime’s own account of his experiences from when he first arrived in Norway and Bergen. Dave is one half of The Norwegian Experience.

Dave // BERGEN May 11

Voluntary community work in the Nordic countries and other countries

We Norwegians think of “dugnad” as our national pastime. That Saturday when everyone shows up with a thermos, tools, and a healthy dose of grumbling about the weather, to paint the garage or tidy up the cabin grounds.

Dave // BERGEN May 05