Saturday, 25. March 2006, 11:18:19
It's almost an year since I moved to Opera (well probably I should say to Norway).
Several people asked why I did this choice, why on the earth I moved from a sunny, fashionable country such Italy to the cold Norway...
Well, I must admit that before accepting the job offered to me by Opera, I had lots of thoughts....
After University I had lots of fun in London where I worked for about 2 years and later I could experience a couple of cold winters in Finland....
Neverthless the fun and the challenges, I felt I needed my country back...
I felt like I missed all the nice things foreigners dream about Italy.
Unfortunatly when I came back to Italy (for about 2 years), I found my contry quite changed:
- I was matured abroad and became a different person so that it was difficult to be recognized (I mean as the "previous Chiara" not phisically!) and fully accepted by some of my friends....
- I felt that my home city (Bologna) was too "narrow".... People not always had a very open mind, thinking more about tomorrow than a broader plan for the future
- Prices were highly increased! It was not Euro fault (since I was leaving in Finlad at the Euro time, I knew about it!)
- Jobs were not very interesting or challenging
- Winters seemed to be more colder in Bologna than in Finland! (they say it's due to humidity, but in Finland it was -27, in Bologna +0)
Tired of this and other things I did a crazy thing for that time!
I decided to challenge me again and try again the "Grande Nord" (Big North) and to move to Norway.
My destination would have been Oslo and the job was at Opera.
At that time I did not know much about Opera.
I used it for not a very long time since I could really appreciate the power of tabbed browser!!
I did not know how flexible it could be!
So basically I was moving to a cold country in April, without a friend and with very few supporters (almost everyone thought I was crazy) to a company quite new for me...
But I have to admit: I started to be amazed from the very first minute!!!
Oslo is the most expensive city in the world, but in some way you've to pay for what is nice!
ehehe
Yes, because Oslo is a pretty city, fantastic with sunshine and/or lots of snow.
People in summer time smile at you even they do not know you! (I thought they were fantasticly friendly, only later I discovered that they are not smiling at you, but at the sun eheeh)
The days are very long during summer, and you feel iper active, full of energy and pretty happy.
The small harbur in Aker Brygge is full of young people, someone is usuually playing the guitar and/or singing, the sea is more blue than the sky and you can see stars (hem sea star) inside the water.
I've always been trapped by a magic sensation over there....
There are few cars down town and you can almost walk wherether you like.
A big park full of interesting statues is located on the north side of downtown.
Being a capital, international city there are several ways to be amuzed and you always feel in an international context!
Not as much in Opera (I mean the company where I work, not the singing Opera hehe) of course!
Here in Oslo we are about 150 I guess...
There are people coming from 34 nationalities so that you never feel the lonly foreigner!
Lots of activities are organized inside the company to build the team spirit and for the enjoyment of the employees!
Recently a couple of ping-pong tables have been added inside the office (but I really prefer the golf box...)and you can have drinks (not alchoolic of course) and fruit all over the day!
Of course you've to do also somre REAL job, but most of the time is fun as well.
Opera is a young company becoming bigger and bigger, but where values as open mind, being friendly and wealther are pretty important.
You can say what you think/feel without being scared of your boss. Of course not all of your ideas and thoughts will be accepted, but at least they'll listen to you.
Also is a very flexible company, where flexible does not mean that you've to work over time, but that your position can change in a short time if you value and you have in your mind a good carreer plan...
At Opera is often not just a matter of brain, but also of heart.
People working here are often very passionate of the product because everyone use it!
And consequently everyone has its own "vision" of the browser concept.
Internally there are several discussions about it....
When I try to follow them (I must say try because sometimes discussions are built by hundreds of emails and it's not always possible for me to read all of them...) I feel in Italy.
Why? Because the passion put in the discussion looks pretty similar to football talks from team supporter in Italy.
So I guess norwegians can be passionate as well ehhehe
Especially of working at Opera!
I'm having a great time in Norway and I hope to have it for long.
WIDGETIZE