My Journey Living Alone in Norway as a Software Developer

Context

Where should I begin? It’s currently the 2nd of November 2023, and three months ago, I arrived in Stavanger, the oil capital of Norway, for a Software Developer Internship. This opportunity was part of the National University of Singapore Overseas College program, and I was a member of the pioneer batch to come to Norway.

These past few months have been some of the most incredible in my life. It’s been like living a dream. I don’t mean that every day has been perfect, but I mean it in the sense that I’ve been living the lifestyle I’ve always dreamt of — being on my own in a foreign country, being self-sufficient, and experiencing life my way.

The Opportunity

I cannot overstate how rare and valuable this opportunity is, and I am immensely grateful for it. The chance to live thousands of miles away from home, in my own apartment, and be self-sufficient is something I truly appreciate. I understand that such opportunities may be common in certain parts of the world, but where I come from, Singapore, most people don’t have this experience. Many individuals in Singapore live with their parents until they get married and then with their partners.

So, I deeply cherish this opportunity to travel and live independently, free from the influence of others’ thoughts and actions. It is, and likely will remain, one of the very few instances where I am far away from the familiar, and the voice of my own thoughts is the loudest.

Don’t misunderstand me; I don’t dislike familiarity. In fact, I miss the familiar hustle and bustle of Singapore and its humid weather. It’s just that sometimes, being surrounded by people with similar backgrounds can mould your thoughts and actions in a certain way. Familiarity often encourages a particular mindset and behaviour, preventing you from being your true self. When I travel alone and interact with strangers, I find it easier to be authentic because there are no preconceived expectations between us. Everything feels so fresh and new.

Logging Down

As I mentioned, the past 3 months have been an insightful and enriching journey. I have a lot to share and hope to slowly journal down my thoughts and experiences here. What is it like living alone? Do you feel lonely? But yes, I have to acknowledge my fortunate here. As mentioned in my previous article here, my birth is my biggest jackpot.

And I hope to make the best out of it.

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Thank you for reading, you can find my personal blog here: https://www.ruiyigan.com/

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This post was previously published on medium.com.

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