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Relocating to Norway - Monique Ceccato’s Journey from Australia to Stavanger
What happens when an Australian travel journalist swaps the sunny shores of Perth for the rainy landscapes of Norway? Join us on this Global Travel Planning Podcast episode as we sit down with Monique Ceccato to find out!
Discover how Monique navigated the complexities of moving abroad during the COVID-19 pandemic and the emotional challenges of adapting to a new life in Stavanger with her Norwegian partner.
In this episode, Monique opens up about the cultural adjustments she faced, from learning a new language in a country with a high English proficiency to experiencing Norway's long, sunlit summer days and nature-driven lifestyle. Monique’s vivid descriptions of Norway's picturesque landscapes, including wild deer and stunning beaches, offer a captivating glimpse into her new world.
Whether you’re thinking of moving abroad or just curious about Norway's beauty and culture, this conversation is packed with valuable insights and personal anecdotes that you won’t want to miss!
⭐️ Guest - Monique Ceccato
📝 Show Notes -Episode 25
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Hi and welcome to the Global Travel Planning Podcast. I'm your host, tracey Collins, who, with my expert guests, will take you on a weekly journey to destinations around the globe, providing travel inspiration, itinerary ideas, practical tips and more to help you plan your next travel adventure. Welcome to episode 25 of the Global Travel Planning Podcast. In this episode, and continuing into episode 26, I have a fantastic conversation with Australian travel journalist, monique Cicchetto about the stunning Scandinavian country of Norway. In today's episode, we focus on the challenges and joys Monique Sicato about the stunning Scandinavian country of Norway. In today's episode, we focus on the challenges and joys Monique has experienced relocating from her home in Australia to Stavanger, norway, with her Norwegian partner. Join us as Monique shares her personal journey insights and tips on setting up a new home in Norway. Also, don't miss episode 26, where we delve into why you should visit Norway, filled with travel inspiration and expert tips from Monique. But for this episode, I first started by asking Monique to share her background and how she became a travel journalist.
Speaker 2:My story isn't exactly the linear story that most people kind of follow. So you know, way back when, when I was in university which is too long ago to you know, I won't mention how long ago that was, but blogs were like digital marketing wasn't really a thing and blogs were kind of just starting to emerge as something that maybe people should take note of and it could potentially be a way to, you know, build your business. So we had to start a blog and I started one and kind of kept it going after university. But it was all based on fashion and because I'd started it around the time that blogs started becoming popular, I somehow wound up accidentally being like an OG influencer in Australia.
Speaker 1:Okay.
Speaker 2:Yeah. So you know, back when blogging was a really big thing, I had this blog going and somehow I'd managed to do the SEO really well on my blog which was again another fluke and I had an editor from Nine Honey Nine Honey Travel email me and ask me if I could write a guide on the best brunches in Perth for Nine Honey Travel. And I was like, oh my God, oh my God, yes, oh, I think I think I can do it. And, um, therein started my career as a travel writer because she kept coming back to me for articles about Perth, um, and when she moved to, I think she moved from Nine Honey Travel to AWOL, which was a pedestrian um publication, and, uh, I ended up writing for them. She then introduced me to other editors and I kind of took this, I guess, nonlinear route into travel writing.
Speaker 1:Yeah, no, that's interesting, and I should also just say as well that so you are originally from, you're obviously Aussie. I'm sure anybody listening is going to know that you're an. Aussie, even though I'm also an Aussie and I don't sound like one because I've just become an Aussie. But you're originally from Perth, is that right?
Speaker 2:I am yes, but it's interesting, over here I keep getting mistaken for British. So really. Yes, and I think it's because I don't sound like Steve Irwin or you know, any of the Irwins or any of the kind of, you know, prominent Australian figures on TV. I don't have that really strong Australian twang. So yeah, but yes, I am from Perth.
Speaker 1:Yes, okay. Well, I was only in Perth last month, first time I actually visited Perth, so that was an interesting because it's so far away from the east coast because I live in Queensland, in Brisbane. It's so far away from the east coast because I live in queensland in brisbane. It's so far away. I know a lot of people don't ever go over there, so I was quite. I was quite pleased, after living in australia for seven years now, that I actually managed to get over there, mainly because my daughter has actually moved over to wa.
Speaker 1:So that was exciting, yeah so. But now you're not living in perth in australia, you are living in Norway, which I have to say. So my husband spent three months, I think it was living in Norway when he was doing his nursing training and he loved it and I loved it. I was lucky enough to be able to go and visit him. So tell us about how you ended up moving from Australia all the way to Norway and whereabouts in Norway are you living?
Speaker 2:Look, the only sane reason that someone would move from sunny Western Australia to rainy, cold Norway. I ended up meeting a Norwegian and we've been together for six and a half years now. So we are back living in his hometown. It's a place called Stavanger and it's in southwestern Norway. So most people if they've heard of any cities in Norway, they would have obviously heard of Oslo and they would have heard of Bergen or Bergen, as Australians say, yeah, and we are about a four-hour drive south of Bergen. So we're kind of, if we're looking at the map of Australia, we're kind of like the Perth of Norway, yeah, down in the southwest corner there.
Speaker 1:I have to say I've been to Norway a few times and I have not been that far down. I have to say I've been to Bergen. I'm going to say it the British, australian way. I actually haven't been also, but I have been to Bergen a couple of times and I can never pronounce the place that my husband worked at was he'll tell me off because I'll pronounce it wrong, but it's Leerdal and he'll I can hear him probably going it's not how you say it which was a slightly more unusual place to actually visit.
Speaker 2:Yeah.
Speaker 1:So tell me about what is life like in Suranga. So what have been your biggest challenges? I guess about moving all the way over there, apart from, in fact, getting used to the weather, which I know would be a challenge for me.
Speaker 2:Yes, oh gosh, there's so many things that you just don't really think about when you're about to move country, or um, you know you're in the process of moving from one country to the other and I think, um, for me the biggest challenges have been the little things. So just silly things like going to the supermarket and not knowing where to buy like a tin of tuna, or not being able to find like your favorite brand of oat milk, and it sounds so silly, but you're dealing with so much. I guess, in the grand scheme of things, moving to a new country, that it's these little things that really kind of send you over the edge.
Speaker 1:That's so true, you kind of look for those things that are familiar and they're not there, and those are kind of your safety blankets as well.
Speaker 2:A hundred percent.
Speaker 1:As you say, it's those things that you just go. Oh, I just want to have my favorite this, or I want to be able to phone my doctor up, or I have a bit too thick. I would like my dentist. It's those things, isn't it that I know? I mean, I've spent a lot of time moving around and I always say the first six months are the toughest. Now, how long have you been in Norway for? You've been there quite a few years, or is this a kind of fairly recent-ish move in the last year or two?
Speaker 2:um, so cumulatively it's cumulatively, it's kind of bordering on two years. So the first time I came over here was actually during COVID. So I managed to get an exemption to leave Australia, wow, yeah. So I managed to get over here. I was supposed to be here for two months but, you know, as many people are aware, you couldn't get back into Australia and so I ended up being here for four months and then we decided to make a go of the relationship you know properly. So I had to come home for three months and then, you know, I was going to move back over here and that was going to be it. I was going to be here for an you know a period of time I didn't know how long um and I got here and five months later, uh, we were back in Australia because Espen got a job in Australia that's so funny how ironic is that.
Speaker 2:I know, and we went through so much to try and get me back over to Norway and, yeah, we ended up back in Australia, but this last stint we've been here for a year now and we've just moved into our new home, so it's, you know, pretty permanent.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and congratulations on that. That's. That's a fantastic move. Being able to have your own home, that's a great way of kind of feeling that you belong somewhere and having that permanency because you can have all the things, all those familiar things you can create around you so you feel like you're home.
Speaker 2:A hundred percent and I think you know we've been here for a year now and I'm just starting to feel like this is home. Like you said, the first six months are so hard because you're running around, you're trying to set yourself up and people don't realise the emotional toll that it takes on you trying to find your doctor Over here. Before you can do anything, before you can set up bank accounts, phone numbers, before you can see a doctor, you have to get a personal number and the process of getting a personal number is so long winded, Like I think it takes about three or four months before you can even get an appointment to go and see someone. To get your personal number, yeah, Wow.
Speaker 1:So you're kind of like living in limbo. Yes, I've got to say that doesn't help when you can't kind of get access to things because you're waiting for so long. And also I'm going to ask you as well, because the obvious kind of question that I'm going to ask you here is also how is your Norwegian? I mean, I know people in Scandinavia speak very, very good English. So my brother lives in in Copenhagen, um, so the whole family is bilingual. And uh, I've got a very good friend who lives in Aarhus and Denmark. Again, her English is absolutely impeccable. So I kind of know Scandinavians are just amazing at English. But yeah, I mean, it's still good to learn the local language. So how are you getting on, how? What tricks are you doing or how are you learning it or how are you finding it?
Speaker 2:I can speak a little bit of Norwegian, but I can understand more Norwegian.
Speaker 1:Very impressive. I don't know what you just said but very impressive.
Speaker 2:I just said I actually just accidentally mixed Stavanger dialect with Bokmål dialect, which I'll get into in a second. But I just said I can speak a little bit of Norwegian but I can understand more Norwegian. So, like you said, everyone here speaks such good English that it's both great. But it's also like to my detriment, because if I start speaking Norwegian to people and like I can't or I don't understand, then I say oh, and she'll be, I snack on gas, which means, oh, excuse me, I speak English, and then they switch to English and their, their English is perfect. So it kind of it hinders the learning process, because you're not forced to learn the language. Um, yeah, but um, it's also a godsend, because if you can't understand, then they just switch to english, um, so yeah, it's kind of a double-edged sword, um, but yeah, my, my norwegian is still very rudimentary, like, like I don't know much. I know all the important things, like how to order a wine, oh well, there you go, absolutely.
Speaker 2:Most of my Norwegian, like in my understanding and like my grasp of Norwegian, is actually around food and beverage, which is weird.
Speaker 1:But get your priorities right, monique, honestly absolutely Exactly.
Speaker 2:It's that, and all the swearing, obviously, that's the first thing you learn Absolutely, absolutely In any language.
Speaker 1:I think those are the first things, please, thank you. Can I have a beer, can I have a wine? And then, oh, go away, but not necessarily quite as nice as that.
Speaker 2:Exactly, exactly, but not necessarily quite as nice as that. Exactly, exactly. So I'm learning, but I think normally you'd say that the best way to learn a language is to just fully throw yourself into the deep end and immerse yourself, which is hard when they speak such good English. But I did find that going to like. When I first came here, I did some language lessons and those classes. We were doing two, three hour classes a week, which is a big commitment, but the leaps and bounds that I was taking and being able to converse in Norwegian it was quite amazing to see how quickly you learn.
Speaker 1:Um, yeah, but now that I'm not doing that the thing is, though, you've done it, and you know that if you go back and do that, that's going to be the fastest way when you need to learn it, that you can learn it. I think that's always there. That's the thing I lived in France about, oh gosh, 35 years ago now, and I actually live with a family who the father, spoke English and the mum a little bit of English, but the kids didn't speak any English whatsoever, and we actually didn't really speak any English for six months. I didn't hear, apart from other au pairs, I didn't hear much English. Well, after six months, my French was fluent. I was thinking in French. So it really is the way to do. It is just to to try and switch off as much as you can, but I was in the French Alps, where, you know, some people speak English, but most of the time it was kind of like, well, no, you can try, try with your French, but I know how helpful the Scandinavians are, what, and they also want to practice their English as well. Yeah, because they're so good at it. But, um, but at least you know you've got kind of a tactic and you've got a kind of a strategy when you need to kind of learn it.
Speaker 1:But how have you adapted to other cultural differences? Because obviously you've got the language difference. You've got you put the tv on and you're going to listen. Things are in norwegian. Yeah, I mean, obviously these days we have netflix. When I lived in france there was no such thing so I could only watch french tv. Yeah, um, but how, the kind of cultural difference, being an aussie girl, can I go into norway and live in a? You know what are the kind of cultural difference being an Aussie girl, kind of going to Norway and living. You know what are the main things that you found oh, this is different.
Speaker 2:It's funny because you know people think that you know Scandinavia. It's not going to be that culturally different, surely? But again, it's the little things. Like don't you dare say hello to someone when you walk past them on the street, like I'm used to, you know, walking along the coastline, and someone walks past and oh, good morning, how you doing? You go to the shops and you know people are putting your stuff through the checkout and you have a little chat with them and it's just not a done thing. Here.
Speaker 2:People think you're weird for talking to strangers, and as much as it's not the done thing. I also don't want to not do that because I'm Australian and I don't want to, you know, give up my culture just because of that. Um, so that's one of the weird things, um, one of the weird things, um, and I think just this is so trivial, but, um, you know, adapting to the Norwegians kind of love for and appreciation of the outdoors. So you know, they're always outdoors, even if it's raining, even if it's snowing. But if it's snowing, but if it's sunny, god forbid. If you are not outdoors, then you have just committed the biggest crime on earth.
Speaker 1:That is so funny. You say that because I just think of Doug's Norwegian friends and they're always. They're out running up mountains, it doesn't matter what the weather's like, they're running up, literally running up mountains. Yeah, and I'm lazy on a sunday, I'm in bed with a cup of tea in it. You know that I'm quite happy with that biscuit cup of tea. I'll just stay in bed all day. But in norway, I just know, on a sunday morning, half the population are actually in bergen, on the top of I can't remember the name of the actual big hill mountain over big.
Speaker 2:They're all running up that, yeah, and it's like wow yeah, yeah, they're very, very, very outdoorsy and, uh, I guess one of the other things that I'm still struggling with, um, is because they are so outdoorsy. Actually, I think, just in general, one of the things that I struggle with is their practicality. So I'm a heels wearer. Like I wear heels, I love wearing my frilly dresses and they just they're practical. So they wear sneakers and outdoor gear and I'm like, oh yeah, that's not fun.
Speaker 1:Like just everything is dress up when you're at home. But and if you go out? So if you went and I know how expensive it is to go out for a meal in Norway, I just think about it and I'm like, oh so if you went and I know how expensive it is to go out for a meal in Norway, I just think about it and I'm like, oh, so if you, if you were going out for a meal, would you dress up for that? Or even then, do you think this still is quite casual?
Speaker 2:um, they do dress up, but they're like their idea of a, you know, of a nice dress to wear out is still very sensible compared to what even Australians would wear. And I don't know if it has to do with the weather, but, like you know, I have this, like I have this subconscious thing whenever I go out, I always look at people's feet, because I've noticed that about 99% of the time, people are wearing sneakers and even if they're wearing a nice, you know, a pretty summer dress, they're wearing like Nike sneakers with them. And I'm like would it kill you to wear sandals?
Speaker 1:That's so funny.
Speaker 2:That's I now want to come on norway, norway, honestly, if you come to norway, next time, look at what people wearing on their feet in summer, like it's generally always sneakers and that for me, you know I'm I'm italian, mauritian, australian, so I'm like color and sparkles and like all the fun details and, yeah, it's just not the done thing here. So there's very big cultural differences, like that.
Speaker 1:I have to say as well, I think I think that's quite a European or northern European thing. That's kind of I'll temper that a northern European thing that even incorporates the UK where, um, there's just a kind of preponderance of more darker colors. So people will be in the navies and the blacks and dark grays. And I find it really difficult because I because I spent a long time living in southern africa where it was all bright colors and you know just, I guess, because it was a sunny, warm climate, and I remember moving back to the uk and I was like why is everybody just wearing black all the time? Yeah, um, and and that's a nice thing because I live in Queensland so I can wear nice bright things again, which which I really enjoy but I do think that is a kind of northern European. And if you are living in northern Europe somewhere and you're listening to this podcast and you don't agree, then then get in touch and we want to see a picture of you wearing something bright yes, show me your red coats, red coats.
Speaker 2:Show me your red boots, go on.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, we want evidence, because I definitely know. I mean you can add a colourful scarf and have a bit of pop, but I don't think the bright colours and talking about I've got red boots or a bright coloured jacket or something like that. So no, I totally agree with you.
Speaker 2:I do agree with you I do agree with you on that do you know what the funny thing is? I could count on one hand the number of black items that I have in my wardrobe. I don't even own a black coat, so when I go out in winter here, everyone's always like, oh your coat, oh my gosh. And I'm like, yeah, thank you, you know, because they just don't say it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, you know how to get their attention. Then walking around with something slightly different. So tell me what is it that you enjoy living in and I'm going to say it wrong, as again, so apologies for any Norwegians listening what is it that you're enjoying about living in that particular part of Norway, or just Norway in general?
Speaker 2:yeah, um, it's funny like I've had to do a massive mindset change because I've learnt that if I sit here and I compare Stavanger to home and I think about all the things that I miss, and you know the differences, then I'm going to resent living here, so like in the last couple of months, you know, after that then I'm going to resent living here, so, like in the last couple of months, you know, after that six month mark, I've really done this about turn. I'm like, no, it's really cool living here. It's, you know, it's so different. Yes, it's, you know, I think it's about nine degrees and raining and it's summer right now. But, like there are so many things for me to be grateful for. Like, I catch the bus just around to the next suburb and we drive through all this farming area and there's deer, just wild deer, you know, walking through the farming area and I'm like, oh my gosh, how cool. Like there's, you know, wild deer just near me and there's so much ocean and water around as well, and I'm such an ocean girl so, to be so close to like it takes us two minutes to walk down to the field just just over there.
Speaker 2:Um, yeah, you know, that's amazing and I've come to understand this. You know the love of sunshine on a good day when the sun's shining. You know the sun in summer the sun's up until 10, 1030. So you've just got these really long sunny days and you know when people get home from work everyone's out and enjoying it and you can have a barbecue and you can sit out for hours and you know the little things like that. It's just so nice and I think you know it's all still very much an adventure for me now too, because I'm still learning and discovering and it's kind of novel to still be know an Australian living overseas and, um, that's enjoyable in itself, um, but yeah, I think this part of the world is just so, so visually beautiful as well, like we've got in Stavanger.
Speaker 2:Here we've got a really long sandy beach which, if you ignore the ruins of the World War II bunkers and just kind of blinker to that, and ignore the fact that it could only be 12 degrees, the beach actually kind of looks like some of the beaches that you'd find in Western Australia, and I think that always shocks people when they realise that there's beaches in Norway. Yeah, yeah. So you know, we've got beaches, we've got fields, we've got mountains, we've got beautiful grassy meadows, and I think you know it's just such a change from my life in Perth where we lived in the city and multiple times a week, you know, because of my job, I'd be going out to this restaurant opening and this new musical, and you know catching the bus here and you know trotting down the street in my high heels, whereas here it's like, oh, do you want to just pop down to the fjord and go for a walk? Or, you know, like it's a very different lifestyle but it's very, very nature driven. Like it's a very different lifestyle but it's very, very nature-driven.
Speaker 1:And it's quite beautiful, it sounds amazing, it sounds like you're kind of really enjoying it and kind of relaxing into it. I think that's something, when you travel and when you've moved somewhere new, I think that you're kind of high stress for quite a few months, and then it's that you kind of, yeah, relax into it and actually go. Oh, this is different. But this is different in a cool way. This is something that I've not experienced before and it builds on all those experiences that you have and that are amazing. And being a little bit older than you and having, I guess, done a few moves myself, and I look back now and when I was in my 20s and early and I think, oh, my goodness, that was just so amazing that I did that and and how it, how much it has enriched my life. So it's fantastic, I mean, yeah, that you're just immersing yourself into it and enjoying it, and that's absolutely the best way to do it, monique, and it's great that you can kind of come on and kind of talk about it, especially because Norway isn't the first destination.
Speaker 1:When people think about, um, aussies actually going abroad, they usually think, oh, they're going to go to London or they're going to do something, maybe. Maybe go to America, but generally go to Europe, somewhere in Europe, but not Norway. Norway is not the place that comes up. So let's kind of let's talk about Norway, because I love Norway. I've been a couple of times. I was there when I was 11 and never forgot it because I remembered it was so beautiful. So when Doug went over there to do his nursing, he did a Erasmus project, so it was over there and did a swap and went to do some nursing and and I couldn't wait to visit and it didn't disappoint because it was so beautiful.
Speaker 1:But I guess, like everybody, the first thing that comes to my mind when I think about Norway is the fjords, yes, but so that's that makes it kind of a must visit destination. But there are so much more to Norway than that. Oh. So if you were going to say to somebody, if I said to you, give me the reasons why somebody should visit Norway, what would you say? And to find out the answer to that question, tune into our next episode, 26, where Monique shares travel inspiration and tips for visiting what is undoubtedly one of the most beautiful countries in the world, norway. Thank you for joining us on this episode of the Global Travel Planning Podcast. For more details and links to everything we discussed today, check out the show notes at globaltravelplanningcom. Remember, if you enjoyed the show, please consider leaving us a review on your favorite podcast app, because your feedback helps us reach more travel enthusiasts, just like you. Anyway, that leaves me to say, as always happy global travel planning.