15th July 2010
We waited over an hour at this police station, only to find that we were in the wrong place! Meanwhile, Annie had fallen in the fountain outside and completely soaked her pants. So we took her with us, only half dressed, to the station in Drammen--well past home in the opposite direction. Another wait. They checked our ID, took our information and photos, then sent us on to the tax office in Drammen...all of this in the process of getting our family registered with the Norwegian goverment! Lucky for us, two of these buildings were adjoining some really nice parks which, aside from Annie soaking herself, made the waiting time a little less tedious.
In the end, it will be worth it. Norwegian taxes are extremely high, but we're looking forward to some of the benefits that will be coming our way. Such as: a monthly credit for each of our kids, and an extra amount for Annie until she's three because I'm staying home with her! "Free" national healthcare. Most Norwegians get over a month of vacation from work! Working moms with new babies get a whole year of maternity leave!
Yep, there are pros and cons to every system.
