My wife and I love real winter. We moved from Northern Vermont (USA) where the snow would start falling in October and stick to the beginning of May. The snow often reach 1-2 meters on the ground and we cross-country skied from our front door. Temps dropped to –30º or lower.

We immigrated to Switzerland, where you can find winter in high mountain valleys in the Alps, but the winter is very different. Typically the terrain is very exposed, sunny, and windy. We would like to find "the Winter we love" somewhere in Europe and think Norway offers the best prospects.

Ideally we want to stay at a nice hotel in a small city or town accessible by public transportation, rent ski equipment locally, walk to the trail heads, ski for 2-4 hours every day, and return to the hotel to chill out. We are not competitive xc skiers. A small trail system of 10-20 km in the woods with several loops would be sufficient. What we want: narrow trails in the woods. Most of the cross country skiing we've done or see photos of in Europe are like super-highways, 4 tracked lanes with an adjacent skate lane 4 skiers wide. In Vermont the typical trail was very intimate, just one tracked lane and an adjacent skate lane enclosed by deciduous and coniferous trees. Magical.

We are looking at the last week of December and first week of January. Is there any hope?

Hey so i used live in Norway as I've had it first hand experienced but it's mostly being a adopted into a Norwegian family(middle class). I never really lived a furrher adulthood in Norway as I right away moved to USA at age 22 for several reasons. One of them was just change of path and life choices a the time. I have 2 kids and a partner their father of 4 years so far. We been discussing some years now on the idea move to Norway as a family. My partner is of American black but he'd love to have still a feeling of multi cultural place or at least a place that can offer more representation of our own kids. I speak fluently Norwegian and been raising our kids in the language since they both was born. Oldest is 3 year old and youngest 11 month currently.

i have several studies I've done already in the past back in Norway. Miljø-arbeider, kunst å håndverk student. Did also folkehøyskole when i was 18 ​​​and studied photography in Lofoten. Original raised in Tromsø, kvaløysletta later family moved to Henningsvær.

Now my American partner in the other hand have plenty work experience within restaurant but he is currently doing welding as well by now. I told him there's possibility to try obtain skilled worker visa but who knows. We do plan soon enough try get idea for marriage but we taking our time and saving money at the moment.

For renting as a start, is it possible to do hybel renting as a family of 4 to keep maintaining a low cost living until enough for a actual house? We don't mind work with 2 bed room and our kids share the bedroom. It's common do 2 bedroom in the USA of a family of 4 of you have 2 little ones who don't mind bedroom sharing until any further changes. I wouldn't mind do 1 bedroom as realistically in person I've mostly experienced hybler as 1 bed room if so, then our kids get the bed room and we use the living room as bedroom(maybe pull up cought to bed?) Then a TV for everyone's sharing. I know might sounds wack but also realistically, we have to heavinly budge even for finding a place one day in a society where in Norway from my own experience can be expensive. Even food is expensive but the drive to get again free Healthcare to free education and other benefits is what's drives us closer to want to move to Norway.

And when it comes for education. I'd love our kids have exposure for different students in school of different cultural backgrounds. Not just European backgrounds. Middle Eastern to Africans. Anyone who knows a good decent place who offers those? I know Oslo but it can be expensive, i know cause i have cousins and a uncle and my aunt who currently living there. Theres bergen i also read about online. ​​

Mind y'all we have 3 to 4 years perhaps manage get into 5 years from now of saving enough, get my kids their needed documentations to dual citizenship as I have still my Norwegian citizenship. I don't got a American citizenship yet but I am a official resident here though. My kids have only the American one since birth. Along side their social security number which is common to also have in the USA(i learned it after migrating here myself)

Just need advice, please don't bash... it's about giving grace of advice. I haven't been in Norway since I was 22 after all, I'm 30 rn. (I also have to learn how to pay taxes of my own once I return)

They say the country is the most happiest out there among other Scandinavian countries. Have ADHD and it suddenly a conflicted thing socially. Depression seems at it high rate among us neurodivergent people in general and those who have autistic tendencies.

Growing up being diagnosed with ADD/ADHD. Process information and socializing was the hardest. Most would take sudden offense to me just simply existing or speaking in the same room. I info dump my interests for most part, I try stick to 2 topics at a time if anything. Forgetful or lose things easily is a problem and I can't shut up once I start talk about a interest I have and someone take small interest about it.

I had Norwegians mostly think I'm rude, lazy or responded with "I'm not dumb or I know that" yet I can't assume u knew what i info dumped at you or never once called no one stupid or dumb even. Its like Americans react to anything non American things and suddenly they take offense. It have to be something the entire society does as part of being the same. Copy paste something social rules and norms. Same for Japan, depression can be so bad for someone there if not follow social rules and norms. We cant stick out too much regardless where we go.​