The Power of Google Maps
Google Maps is essential to my life. I was not sure how I would survive my first day in a new city without data on my phone. It seemed impossible that I would be able to make it to a SiO office straight from the airport to pick up my apartment keys, go leave my bags at my dorm, and then rush to make it on time to my orientation which was on the same day I arrived.
I did a lot of research on travel blogs in order to find a way of buying a SIM card with data in the airport. It was a failed attempt. Thus, I left my fate up to luck and had the taxi take me to the SiO office where I picked up my keys after about an hour. A taxi from the airport to the city center is incredibly expensive, about $120 for a forty-minute ride. I now know there are free airport shuttles that take you to the subway (if you have Google Maps and know the route). Since I knew my apartment was a long walk from the subway station in Kringsjä, I did not want to arrive to the building complex without having a way to guide myself from the station to my dorm. I decided to desperately ask for help to other students in the SiO office. Two of them helped me with my bags and took me to the subway to a huge mall in Downtown Oslo to buy a SIM card.
Norway’s biggest mobile company is Telenor and it was my first visit. After waiting a long time in line I learned that I could not get a monthly plan with data if I am not a citizen of Norway. I was recommended Telia which had the same mobile plans but open to tourists. After another round of asking for directions, I managed to get from the Telenor office to the Telia office while hauling over 100lbs worth of weight. I needed a lot of data for my phone because there is no Wi-Fi at my dorm building, only an exit for an Ethernet cable that connects directly to my computer. I bought a SIM card with a 6GB monthly plan for about $55, which can be recharged at any convenience store. My iPhone was already unlocked when I bought it, since I needed it to work in both Venezuela and Boston. If not, it costs around $150 to unlock it in Oslo (I advice you do it in any cell shop in Boston for a cheaper price).
Every dorm from SiO has an Ethernet connection instead of Wi-Fi. You need to buy an Ethernet cable plus an adaptor for your computer if you have a Mac. This will provide your computer with internet, but not for your other appliances, unless you turn your computer into a hotspot (which consumes a lot of battery). I recommend buying a router instead, to connect to the Ethernet cable. There are also no printers in Kringsjä, I have to print at school. There are printers at every corner and it works similar to Northeastern’s printing system. You send the document to print from your computer and then use your student ID to print. It is about $3 for 50 pages!
