Honestly, the hardest part of casual interactions here is the fear of being an 'unwanted burden.' When you chat with someone on the street, the implicit social expectation is often, 'What's the angle or transaction here?' If there isn't an obvious mutual benefit or shared setting, people guard their time very closely.

I used to volunteer at “Language cafes” (språkkafé) at Deichman libraries from 2018 up until 2024. It’s basically a free offer for immigrants and refugees to practice their Norwegian in normal conversations with other immigrants and native speakers. So many incredible people from all over the world come. Where I worked about 40-50 people came each Thursday and throughout the year we had participants from over 70 different countries. One of the biggest questions, or remarks, I got was how to find (Norwegian) friends. And, like you suggest in this video, I always recommend people to join groups and hobby activities within your interests. Norway has a staggering amount of local organizations for activities and hobbies (more than 100k active local teams, groups and subgroups!). These are places where Norwegians tend to be more social to strangers by shared interests.

I also think it’s really good to open the conversation yourself. I think us Norwegians are actually quite talkative once that barrier has been broken. It might take a bit of time, but it’s certainly achievable.

Best of luck to everyone who is searching and finding their footing in Norway. I appreciate and value your incredible effort and will to learn and grow. It’s very inspirational 🫶🏻💙

Even as a Norwegian who dont have many friends, this was a very helpful video!

My biggest tip is to join some kind of associations. That's where I have met most of my new friends in my adult life. 😊 I moved to Oslo to study and made a lot of people who did the same, then a lot of them moved back home to where they were from to have kids and we are still a few left, but suddenly a lot less... Also recommend Steinerskolen where parents are really encouraged to also become friends. 😊

Lived in the U.K. (Scotland) for 3 years, a large international community present but I was fortunate enough to make several Scottish friends giving me a completely different and "local" experience in my time there. I did notice that quite a lot of the internationals did not manage this though and found that strange as I would have expected it to be the opposite with how each nationality is stereotyped to be (extroverted, friendseeking etc.). There is a kind of "birds of a feather" effect that is fascinating to observe, Facebook groups are large still but one wonders if a tinder spin-off for friends in new places would be a market.

😊

Personally, I feel like Janteloven is vastly overblown. While humility is valued, I don't think the supposed social sanctions are any more harsh here than anywhere else, nor do I think most people are running a self-deprecating mental subroutine to play down their own strengths..

There are many reasons for why it is hard to make friends here, but you touched on one of them, the "original friend group". Norway is a small country, and we have kindergartens. It is pretty damned normal for the same exact people to be with you day in day out from the age of 3 through 16, and most of the time after class until you're 19 and move away for university.

The tip about finding the people who are "internal transplants" is great. I would add "find a sport", as others have mentioned, because by god do Norwegians love sports. The Norwegian "idrettslag" are great, they are for all levels and most of them have a wide range of sports if you hate running or team sports. There is one nearby, 100% guaranteed.

So... when do we get a video where you speak Norwegian only? :D
The bloopers would probably be a fun ending? ;)

My main thing I would say is that you (especially as a native english speaker) might find Norwegians very.. direct when talking. This is because some sentences in norwegian when translated gets pretty direct and can be misunderstood as dismissive, hard, rude and so on. USUALLY this is just because we do not think while talking english, and especially (for me at least) when swapping between languages or in the start after swapping my brain is still Norwegian even if the words are english. This changes over the next 5 minutes or so but in the start it can feel a bit hard. Had this discussion with an american I worked with that felt we norwegians were hard and cold :p

Also the phone part: I only talk to my mom or dad on the phone, if someone calls I let it ring, then check the number before calling back if it is important

Janteloven has nothing to do with Norwegians being shy and not talking with strangers.
What so many don't understand is that Janteloven is from a fiction book where all of it got taken to far to prove a point and be dramatic.
When it comes to the more "true" version of Janteloven in the Nordics, then it is not about standing out being wrong or to be better than someone else at something is bad.
It is more about you not thinking that you are of more value as a human being than your neighbour or anyone else.
We don't mind that others are better at running, singing, math, acting or whatever.

As an example do we love our artists and athletes that do very well, and we are proud of them as long as they still stay humble and don't think they are God's gift to mankind.
Haaland, Klæbo and Aurora are good examples of this.
Way to often are people blaming Janteloven for why they don't have success in life, when the reality is that there are other reasons for why, and it might be to hard to reflect on yourself and your actions, making Janteloven a great scapegoat to use instead.

I think the main reason for why most Norwegians do not initiate a conversation with a stranger, is that most are rather private and we very much respect the other person and don't want to bother them and maybe waste their time.
At least is that my impression being a Norwegian that is rather different from most and tend to bother people I don't know all the time.
Often making my kids or others I know a bit or maybe a lot embarrassed over me😂

My number one tip when it comes to finding friends in Norway, is to take part in activities that you enjoy and don't expect that you will find friends on a night out or on the bus.
Join a group, club or whatever that organize an activity you like and meet people with the same interest as you.
Maybe it will only be a friend or two that you only do that activity with, but it is a start and the start will make it easier for you to cast a larger net where you might meet a person that can be a very close friend for you.
And maybe you will meet the love of your life if you don't have such a person in your life already❤🥰

I always see so much about this

You really come across as truly down to earth, smart and charming, Emma. (And bloody cute as well, must be said) But it is true that Norwegians aren't the easiest to befriend, and that actually goes beyond any language barrier. I mean, to make NEW friends here as an adult? It's not all too easy, atleast in my opinion. Of course, doesn't really help being rather introverted. :D A really GOOD quality here though, is that friendsships, once established, are real and true, and not just a shallow facade. I mean, go to the U.S, and you hear people go "I love you guys!" pretty much in no time. We are a more difficult code to break, but we're genuine. The superficial, super-outgoing and über-friendly American-style, is not us. But what you get is real. It's not acting/faking.

Put it this way, it's Erling Haaland...it's not Elliot Anderson on a certain corner in Miami in July. ;D

That's a good point, if you meet someone new to any place they're just as likely to be as awkard as you are. New to Oslo? Find some random Norwegian who just moved there as well :)

As a person that works in retail. I kinda like that their is tourists in my small city (town) the only thing I find hard.

Is to figure out what language they speak. So I’ll casually speak Norwegian.

Cause some people don’t say hi. You say something more than they suddenly speak English. I’m then more confused 🤔 cause like it’s my brain just being focused on speaking Norwegian, idk if this makes sense any sense lol.

I also feel that I’m average in my English speaking skills too. At least I can think and feel in the language lol

Nordic people tend to be reserved. 'Muricans tend to label that as being rude (slow partaking in meaningless small talk) and, surprisingly, many other English-speakers like the British tend to lean that  way.
I'm Icelandic, and when I was in an international setting, flying for the International Red Cross in war zones in Africa in the 1990s I instantly clicked with every Finn I got to know, as well as Canadians and even many 'Muricans, if only because the types that went to work in wartime Angola or Mozambique were not regular, superficial 'Muricans.  
Anyone that is gushing is received with wariness in the Nordic countries. We are not equipped to cope with people like that.
If you want to connect with Nordic people, slow down and be genuine. Do not try to cover up for any deficiencies you think you might have, just be yourself. Humility is the key, and despite all the hype, Janteloven is only a late interpretations of what the Nordics actually have been for centuries. Have you ever seen a Norwegian top athlete brag about his/her accomplishments? The answer is NO!

Great video.

I'm Norwegian. And I have barely any friends (at least that can/want to meet up more than 2-3 times a year).
It is a rather introverted country.

I'm a norwegian introvert, the country suits me fine.

It is not difficult to make friends in Norway. But you have to open up and invite for a coffee visit.

Almost no one who live in Oslo are from Oslo 😊 I am Norwegian and I also find a lot of these things hard.

Have you, or are you planning on, making some videos in Norwegian? Would be good practice? Honestly, I’m just being selfish as I love your accent when speaking Norsk ;)