From Oz to Oslo

Ups and Downs
However, there are many pluses to living in a small capital. You get all the advantages of being in a capital city – with big-name acts like Madonna doing concerts, the palace and national parliament part of your regular scenery, embassies close to hand, the headquarters of major companies and national broadcasters all nearby – but with little crime, pollution, tourists, or hustle and bustle. The only time I don’t get a seat on the subway or bus is during workday rush hour (and even then I still get a seat most of the time).
I became very conscious of these differences when my boyfriend and I visited friends in London over Easter. Although I previously lived in London for two months, during that weekend I felt very much out of my comfort zone. There were so many people everywhere: queuing, pushing and shoving to get onto the subway, stepping out in front of you... never before had I had such a feeling of pedestrian rage! I found myself feeling stressed, clearing my throat loudly at people I felt had been rude, and muttering angrily at people under my breath. My boyfriend must have also felt hemmed in, as by the second day he pulled me aside and said, “Right, this is what I’ll do if someone grabs your handbag…” And – to put it as delicately as possible – let’s just say the amount of pollution in London was evident in a tissue if you blew your nose at the end of the day. I loved the London sites and seeing my friends, but was relieved to back in Oslo at the end of the weekend.

One downside about living in a small capital is a distinct lack of visitors. When I hear a friend from Australia will trek to this side of the world for a European adventure, I am always excited at first – but later disappointed when I am told they don’t have time for Oslo in their busy itinerary. London, Paris and Rome almost always take priority, usually followed by Berlin or one of the cities in Spain.
I suppose it is not just the size of the Oslo that’s a disincentive, but the fact that many people do not know much about it. Maybe we just need to woo some filmmakers to produce a few movies here, with scenes at key landmarks, delightfully humorous situations involving local food or customs, perhaps about an Australian girl who meets a Norwegian guy... Actually if any big-name Hollywood producers are reading this and want to make a romantic comedy about my life, just let me know.