Normal for Norway

Imagine our confusion when we realized Indigo (I'll take the blame) had ranked Nydalen so highly on the list. But maybe there is more than meets the eye? And in news: Norway is still (at the time of recording) in the world cup and bagel shops are going bust in Oslo. Music: Whiddershins

It's time for a neighborhood that holds a dear place in our hearts: St. Hanshaugen, where we first kindled our friendship! This former rocky, uninhabited trash heap is now a gorgeous and thriving place to live, and we've got mostly positive things to say. Plus, a bit about Bislett. On the news: why are doctors getting paid to keep us at work? Which street was flooded with sewage? And, a pe...

Is it Majorstu en or Majorstu a ? And what does Frogner actually mean? Two of Oslo's posher neighborhoods get their day in the sun--but did we let them off easy? On the news: where to go in an emergency, building density, and an update to Seamus's investigation into why our local grocery stores are so sad. Music: Whiddershins

Can Sentrum even be called a neighborhood? According to the city, no! And we concur, because it's got very little going for it. But why is that? And who lives there besides rats? We've also got news about an alcohol robbery and a pollen warning. Stay tuned for our ongoing neighborhood rankings! Music: Whiddershins

Next up on the Oslo neighborhood chopping block: we return to Carl Berners plass and discuss what it has to offer besides a squareabout. Indigo learns how bingo works, and we share a snow crab update, as well as concerning news from podiatrists. Theme song: Whiddershins

Eeeeeveryone is about to be sending us objections, corrections, and maybe even hate mail, as we kick off our Oslo neighborhood guide series. Starting off at the bottom (according to us): Skøyen and Torshov. Before the dragging begins though, we've got news and updates, including signs of spring, icy roads ( is this news??), and who's behind "I love sluts" graffiti.

This week is all about complaints: a loud waterfall, the people of Carl Berner's Plass don't want McDonalds, and Indigo gives a piece of her mind about Norwegians and small business. Plus, Sweden is salty about new cider standards. This episode brought to you a day late by Indigo having a flu :( Theme song: Whiddershins

What a week of celebrations! We do a brief dive into religious traditions and history. Foreigners can't drive in the snow, say residents of Troms. And also, crows invading the city. What do they want?

We are really bringing the most important news this week on a real breadth of topics: new tax and debt rules that could affect YOU, a kleptomaniac cat, a snus update (kind of?), and is it safe to walk your dog at Jernbanetorget?' Music: Whiddershins

Haven't tried snus yet? We don't recommend you do, but in Norway it's ubiquitous, and the reason for strange bumps under people's lips, making them look like Whos straight out of Whoville. But what actually are these mysterious Scandinavian pouches? How do they convey nicotine into your bloodstream? And when did they get so popular with MAGA bros across the pond?

Happy new year, and it's certainly kicking off with a variety of news, from (questionable?) dating advice to the possible invasion of Greenland. We've also got warnings about icy stairs, a biting incident at Christmas, and the latest signs of winter. Music: Whiddershins

This week 49 episode brought to you by Indigo fighting off a flu, our controversial takes on The Nutcracker, and a weird amount of news about cars in Oslo. Music: Whiddershins

Another week of eclectic news has come and gone, and as week 48 closes out we bring you the answers to questions like: Are Norwegians eating healthier or unhealthier? Why is a Norwegian in ICE custody? Do we need more Nynorsk in movies? How late can you be to work? Who sets the wine trends in Oslo? And finally, did you ever want to hear 20 minutes of knowledge about snow crabs? Well now you're goi...

We aren't just covering the news now, we're creating it: Séamus has found a sign of week 47 that requires further investigation. Meanwhile, Indigo tries to cover the big news in sports out of Norway, reports on a runaway otter, and Séamus admits to attempting a crime. Theme song by Whiddershins

Too much ribbe in Røst, breaking IBS treatment, toll and import drama, and northern lights in a "cannibal storm", we've got all your news for week 45*. *46, because we didn't know what week it was actually. Intro music by Whiddershins

So much has happened since we last spoke that we needed a whole other hour to cover it all. In part 2 we bring you killer party buses, post-apocalyptic party plans, and grenades in the streets of Oslo. A lot happened this year.

We bought a new mic, dusted off the podcast equipment, and we are BACK. What even happened the last year? Month by month we'll give you all the news you should care about including scamming children (they are the scammers), the many ways Norway is probably trying to kill you, and how to survive doomsday (hint: liters of vodka). Theme music by Whiddershins

After all these years, it's finally time to bring in an actual expert. When we heard that Torleif Villmones AKA Norwegian With Tor wanted to share some Norwegian language wisdom, we were delighted to have someone who knows what they're talking about join us. Tor shares some tips and tricks, experience in teaching, and of course teaches us about dirty idioms. He gets us. Want to start learning? Fol...

A deep dive (or shallow, if you're a linguist listening) into one of the building blocks of Norwegian society: the language itself. How did it develop, do you write beiken or bacon, and what is actually the difference between Bokmål and Nynorsk? Theme music: Fuji Fakes New jingle: Christopher Helberg

Newsflash: it's cold in Oslo right now. Really cold. And we aren't sick of talking, complaining, and speculating about it. So buckle for the whys, hows, and also what do you DOs of when it's -24 degrees.

To support the establishment of Indigo's bookstore in Oslo, Normal for Norway recorded a very special LIVE episode! The topic of course: books. Did Vikings have books? What did they like to carve on rocks? How much did the new Oslo library cost, and why is it always overrun by the cast of Skam? All this and more will be answered. You can still donate to help start the bookstore at spleis.no/pr...

Don't get worms in your brain! Listen to this episode to find out how NOT to be poisoned or taken over by parasites when foraging for local treats. Want to donate to Indigo's new English language bookstore to help it get off the ground? Visit this link: https://spleis.no/prismaticpages And follow Prismatic Pages on Instagram @prismatic.pages Theme music: Fuji Fakes News jingle: Christopher...

As autumn is soon upon us, it felt time to address a very cozy topic: foraging. Have you ever picked berries in the woods? What about mushrooms, or nettles? Warnings and tips abound, but first we dive into the history and significance of foraging (New Nordic cuisine anyone?). Theme music: Fuji Fakes News jingle: Christopher Helberg

It's summer and what does that mean? That nothing is happening. But we dragged ourselves to the mics to record this podcast just for our listeners. Theme music: Fuji Fakes News jingle: Christopher Helberg

We're back and weighing in on sensitive topics like sunglasses (if you know, you know, and if you don't we'll fill you in), ferry boats, and the odd things people get up to when there's bad weather in Oslo. Theme music: Fuji Fakes News jingle: Christopher Helberg