Freelancing in small-town Norway: what I've learned

I have a confession to make. When I first started thinking about leaving my cosy PR job in England and launching a career as a freelancer in small-town Norway, I wasn't totally confident I would succeed. 

I was abandoning the bustling and vibrant city of Brighton for a town with a population of only 24,000 - a daunting prospect. Would there be enough opportunities for me to make it as a freelancer? What if I couldn't find work here?

Kristiansund - a small town with big ambitions.

Sitting here, a month into my new life in the town of Kristiansund, I am extremely glad to say that my fears have been proved wrong.

Even before I arrived here, there were positive signs - the Norwegians I reached out to seemed friendly and enthusiastic, promising to meet me for coffee and a chat once I'd settled into my new home.

There were better things to come. Once I had been here for a few weeks, I began to see that underneath the slightly quiet and reserved exterior of Kristiansund life, there was a buzzing hive of activity. From graphic designers to web developers, magazine producers to photographers, this little town had it all - if you knew where to look.

I caught a break in my first week, being invited to a networking meeting in a local café where I got talking to some designers and other interesting folk.

Not long after this, I found myself attending a larger event with attendees from across the town's cultural industries, organised by the Nordic Light Events company. Everyone spoke about the talent that was present in Kristiansund, and about working together to raise the profile of the town's creative community. I went away from this meeting totally inspired, and reassured that I'd chosen a great place to start out as a freelance writer.

Nordic Light is a photography festival and events company, and a key player in Kristiansund's creative scene. 

In the short time I've been here, I've already learnt a lot. I've learnt not to judge a book by its cover. I've learnt to accept any possibility that opens up for me, because you never know where your next job will come from. And, most importantly, I've learnt the value of simple kindness and compassion in the business world.

I've sent quite a few speculative emails since arriving in Kristiansund, and 99% of these have been met with a warm and encouraging reply, even if there's no work available. People here are prepared to take time out of their busy day to respond to an email from someone they don't know - even one written in English, which is to them a foreign language! They're also quick to accept a LinkedIn request, or agree to meet up for a coffee and a chat.

As someone who is just starting out on a new chapter in their life, this small kindness means an incredible amount. It means that I am no longer daunted and intimidated by my new direction in life. Instead, I am filled with excitement as to what the next days and weeks will bring.

I've also realised that with an attitude like this, a town like Kristiansund can go far - no matter what size it is.