Health Care

Health Station
Unless you come from a Nordic country (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark and Iceland) you will have to take a tuberculosis test. The International Office will arrange for the Health Station to come on campus in the fall for students to get tested. Students from outside Europe should bring a valid international certificate of vaccination with them when going to the health station.

Medical Assistance/Doctor
All citizens who are registered with the National Register Office are entitled to have a regular General Practitioner (GP). A GP is a doctor you go to for any kind of general medical problems. If you are in need of a specialist, your GP will find one for you. You are free to choose your GP among any of the ones participating in the GP Scheme. The GP Scheme is voluntary.  If you choose not to join, however, it is your responsibility to find a GP who is able to give you an appointment and you may also have to pay a higher fee. You are entitled to change GPs up to twice a year, provided the new GP that you want has room for you on his list.  If you wish to change GPs, please contact your local social security office.  For information about the national insurance office, visit their website: http://www.trygdeetaten.no.

Hospital
If you need to go to the hospital during your stay in Bodø, it is situated in the centre of Bodø. The hospital is always open.  If you are in need of emergency service: you will find the Bodø legevakt at the Bodø Spektrum.  Even if you live near the campus in Mørkved, this is where you need to go.  For immediate care and emergency, call 113. This is the number to the ambulance service, and is to be used only in emergencies.

Student Health Fund
As a member of the Student Health Fund you are entitled to get some help to cover your medical treatment. You should contact the Student Welfare Organisation (SSiB) to get an application form and an agreement. You will need to pay a minimum of NOK 1500 to get financial help from the Student Health Fund. If your medical treatment costs over NOK 1500, you’ll get 50% of the medical treatment covered by the Student Health Fund. You will have to pay the whole bill yourself, then go to the Student Welfare Organisation with the receipt and fill out a form.  After a couple weeks, you’ll get back 50% of the money that you paid the doctor.  Remember to keep the receipt, because without it, you won’t get your money back.  This fund covers dental treatment and optical treatment.

Norwegian Holidays 

New Years's Day - January 1st, All shops are closed.

Easter - The Easter holiday is sometime in March or April - the dates change. It last from Maundy Thursday to Easter Sunday. Mostly shops  keep closed, except on Saturday from 0900 to 1200. A few gas stations are usually open.

Workers Day - May 1st, All shops are closed.

National Day - May 17th, Norway celebrates its constitution.

Christmas Eve - December 24th, All shops close at 1200.

Christmas Day - December 25th, All shops are closed.

Boxing Day - December 26th, All shops are closed.

New Year’s Eve - December 31st, shops close at 1300.

Obeying Norwegian Laws

Alcohol
The legal age for drinking in Norway is 18[1] years for wine and beer and 20 years for hard liquor. If you are under 18 you are not allowed to enter a café where alcohol is served, a bar or a nightclub, nor can you purchase alcohol. You are likely to be asked to show identification before you enter a bar, café or a nightclub and you must show your passport, driving licence with your photo on it or another identification card. It is against the law to drink or have alcohol in your possession in a public place (e.g. on the streets).

It is illegal to drink and drive in Norway and there are heavy penalties for doing this including instant fines, confiscation of the vehicle, and jail terms. The current legal blood limit for driving is 0,2 % (pro mill). Remember
the other drivers and passengers on the road before drunken driving.

Our police-force regularly monitors the roads for drink-drivers so we urge you not to drink and then drive.

Drugs and Tobacco
In Norway the penalties for importing and/or selling illegal drugs are severe. It is also illegal to be in the possession of or to consume/smoke drugs (cannabis, heroin, LSD, etc). These give some of the highest penalties in Norwegian court system. Don’t bring drugs into Norway, and don’t get involved with drugs. Violators may be deported from the country.

The smoking of cigarettes or tobacco is legal in Norway, but Norway has some of the strictest regulations in the world. After July 1st you cannot smoke in restaurants, cafés, nightclubs and/or bars. Many restrictions exist as to where you can and cannot smoke. Non-smoking areas are usually marked with “no smoking” signs. The legal limit for smoking and purchasing cigarettes is 18 years. You should also ask before smoking in people’s houses because it is normal in Norway to go outside to smoke.

Driving in Norway
We recommend that you purchase a copy of the Norwegian traffic laws which details all the driving rules and laws. If you have any question, contact The Directorate of Traffic.

Licences
To drive in Norway you must:

• Hold a Norwegian driver’s licence
•  Hold an International driver’s licence or a full driver’s licence from you own country (this is only valid for a year, and you must contact the driver’s authority during your first year in Norway to convert your International driver’s licence to a Norwegian. If you don't you have to take the entire driving course before you are able to drive in Norway).

You must carry that licence or permit with you whenever you are driving. If you forget you driver’s licence, you’ll get an instant fine of NOK 500.

If you do not have a legal driving licence you are not permitted to drive in Norway.

Driving on the right hand side of the road
If you are used to driving on the left-hand side of the road it may take some time to adjust to the Norwegian system. Driving to intersections and roundabouts can be dangerous for foreign drivers. Norwegians blink when they are on their way out of a roundabout, whereas in Australia they blink on their way into a roundabout. Another thing is where you place yourself in a roundabout with more than one file. Please make sure you know how to drive in these areas before start driving.

Seatbelts
You must wear you seatbelt at all times while driving or sitting in a car. The drivers are responsible for making sure that all passengers under 18 are wearing one as well (and children under 4 must be in safety approved child seats). You or your passenger will be fined if caught not wearing a seatbelt. 

Speed limits
Norwegian speed limits are low compared to many other countries; this is because the weather conditions and types of countryside can make roads treacherous. The open road speed is a maximum of 80 kilometres per hour (kph), with the lower speed of 30 kph in the cities/towns and built-up areas.

Please keep to the speed limit and drive to the conditions. Speed and alcohol are the greatest killers on Norwegian roads.

Car Insurance
You need to insure your car, and we recommend you to insure yourself as well. For further information about driving in Norway, contact the nearest Directorate of Traffic.

Discrimination & Harassment
In Norway it is unlawful to discriminate against people, or treat them differently. Discrimination means conduct that results or is likely to result in less favourable treatment, or creates or is likely to create a less favourable environment, for a person or group of people on any prohibited grounds set out in section 21 of the Human rights Act of 1993. The grounds on which discrimination is prohibited under section 21 of the Human Rights Act of 1993 are many, but includes things like; sex, religious beliefs, colour, race, disability, etc.

Harrassment means serious or persistent interference in the pursuit of work or study of another person, by behaviour that is unwelcome, uninvited and unwarranted.

Sexual harassment means verbal or physical behaviour of a sexual nature that is unwelcome, uninvited and unwarranted.

Racial harassment means the use of language (whether written or spoken), or visual material, or physical behaviour that expresses hostility towards, or brings into contempt or ridicule, any other person on the grounds of the colour, race or national origin of that person, is hurtful or offensive to that other person, or is either repeated, or of such significant nature that it has a detrimental effect on that other person.

Contact the International Office if you have questions or are being subjected to this kind of crime.

Assault
Assault carries harsh penalties. It is not acceptable in Norway to physically assault anyone. This is true of verbal assault as well. Be careful even with supposedly “innocent” touching or suggestions.

Please be careful and courteous.  Realize that many things that may be acceptable in your home country are not acceptable in Norway.

Safety
Norway is not known to the world for being a dangerous place to live. Even though, like any other place, you have to be cautious. Some of the more general advice includes:

• Always be aware of your surroundings. When walking in the streets at night, always try to walk with a friend or a group in a lighted area.
• Never leave your bag or your wallet unattended. Carry them with you at all time.
• Keep your passport in a safe place.
• Don’t share personal or private information, credit card numbers or bank account information with people or firms you don’t know or trust.
• Always keep you apartment, dorm room, or house door and your car doors locked. If you live on the ground floor, never leave your windows open at night or when you are gone.
• If you are on campus and someone is following you or threatens you in any way, step into any of the campus buildings, call one of the emergency numbers, or go to the closest business.
• It is illegal for anyone to force someone to have sex with him or her, no matter what the situation. This is considered rape. If you or someone you know is the victim of rape, call the crises centre (Bodø crises centre; +47 75 52 04 20)
• You might face racial discrimination. Someone might try to hurt you or harass you for no other reason than they do not like the way you look. The best way to deal with this is to ignore negative comments and contact the International Office or the counselling office for help.

Banking and Currency
Norway’s national currency is called the krone, or crown, and is usually signified by the abbreviation NOK. To figure out what the prices are like in comparison to your country, a good currency calculator to use is www.xe.com/ucc.

If you are staying for a long period or intend to get work in Norway, we advise you to open a bank account.  There are several banks in the local area, including Nordlandsbanken and Sparebank1. You cannot open a bank account without an ID number from the National Register. It is also worth getting a photo bankcard as it is a lot more convenient and will act your identification in Norway.  In order to open a bank account you will need your passport, money (they will accept travellers cheques), your student card and passport-sized photographs (they might take pictures of you at the bank).  Banks are closed during weekends, and close earlier than most offices.

Most banks offer similar services, but there are differences in the fees they charge and the minimum balance they require in each account. For the best price ask several banks for details about their services, and choose the bank that offers you the best service.

Work & Volunteering
As a student, you can work 20 hours per week during the semester, and full time during the holidays. You must apply for a permit through the Police Station with a statement from the International Office. But the International Office is not eligible to give a statement to all students. You pay taxes, and you will need an ID-number. The National Registrar provides you with one. This might take some time, especially in the beginning of the semester. The International Office will be able to help you with that process.  The Job Centre (Aetat, visit www.aetat.no) has lists of jobs that are available.  You can also search for jobs by asking around in shops and places in Bodø, looking at the job section in the local newspapers or enquiring at the Høgskolen i Bodø (look at the different information boards located in the halls). You can also contact SSiB. They offer some extra shifts here and there, and if you register, they will call you if they have work for you.

You will not be able to work your first semester, since you are going to focus on school. We want to see academic profession before letting you go look for work. You must have an average of better than C to be approved by the International Office to get a job. You are here mainly to study, so keep this in mind when you come to Norway.

Volunteering can be done both on campus and off campus. Some of the volunteer work gives extra credits. There are a lot of organizations where you can work as a volunteer. Many of the students will stay over Christmas, a time of the year where family is often gathered. Some Norwegians have no family, or can’t afford to celebrate Christmas. Some organisations provide food for theses people along with Christmas gifts. You can either join the celebration of Christmas together with these people, or help give others a beautiful Christmas.

Playing it Safe – Sexual Advice

Sexual Violation
Rape, sexual assault and sexual abuse is when a person has, or tries to have, some form of sexual contact with another person who does not want it, that is, a person who does not give consent. This also includes when a person is not capable of consenting – for example, someone who is under the influence of drugs or alcohol. Please watch your drinks when at nightclubs and bars, sometimes people “spike” them by slipping drugs in your drink to try and take advantage of you. Sexual violation is viewed very seriously in Norway and there are harsh penalties for those found guilty. If you do not want someone to touch you, or if you do not want to have sex, it is your right to say “No” and if this is not respected, you also have the right to report the incident to the police.

Sexually Transmitted Diseases (STD's)
Sexually Transmitted Diseases are spread by all types of sex. They include diseases and infections such as; Chlamydia; genital warts; genital herpes; gonorrhoea; hepatitis A, B & C; HIV (AIDS) and many more. Infections are not only uncomfortable, but they can have serious long term effects like infertility or sterility. Part of the problem is that for something like Chlamydia, you may not know you have it because of the lack of symptoms. Sexually Transmitted Diseases are rising rapidly in Norway, especially Chlamydia. The best way to avoid STDs is to not have sex. If you choose to engage in sexual activity, you should always use a condom.

If you like some more information about STDs, or think you have one, a useful website is: http://www.cdc.gov/nchstp/dstd/disease_info.htm#GenInfo. You can also contact your Norwegian doctor.

Contraception - Preventing Pregnancy and Diseases
The best way to prevent pregnancy and STDs is to not engage in sexual activities. If you do engage in sexual activity, you should use some form of contraception. Some contraception only prevents pregnancy, whereas others also prevent some diseases. Search the Internet for contraception or contact your Norwegian doctor, if you have questions regarding this matter.

Communication

Telephones
There are phone boxes located at several places around the campus.  Most of them take pre –paid phone- and credit cards, and some take coins. Pre-paid phone cards can be bought from Pensum.  The international dialling code for calling to Norway is +47 before the number. If you want to call from Norway, you have to dial 00, before the code and number for your country. If you want to have a mobile phone, the cheapest way is to bring your cellular phone with you, and buy a subscription in Norway. There are also a lot of good offers on cellular phones here, but you can’t always depend on these. Buying a cash card for use for international calls is very expensive, and not recommended, but for use in Norway this is probably cheapest. There are also special international pre-paid phone cards offered, that you can buy in some shops in the centre of Bodø.  Most Norwegians have cellular phones, and text messaging/SMS is very popular, and comparatively inexpensive.

If you need to do an emergency call to your family or friends, contact the International office, and you can make a call from the office.

Post
Always notify the post office, the university, the National Register’s Office, and the Student Welfare Organization. If you don’t want to receive junk mail you have to notify the post office, and they will send you a sticker you have to put on your mail box.

An example of how to write the address here in Norway:

Name
Address
Postcode    City
Norway

E-Mail
If you don’t already have an e-mail account, we recommend you to get one. This is the cheapest way of staying in touch with your friends and family. You can also use the schools computers 24 hours 7 days a week. You cannot use chat rooms (like msn messenger) on the school computers. As a student of Bodø University College you’ll get a student e-mail account, but we recommend you to get a Hotmail (www.hotmail.com) or a yahoo (www.yahoo.com) account, or any other free e-mail accounts, which you can open on any computer.  However, do make sure to check the school’s email account, as a lot of important information is sent to this account and it is your responsibility to stay updated.

Fax
The school has some fax machines to be used by the students, located on the fourth floor of the student union building. You can send faxes by using a copy card. You purchase this in the library copy room. You can receive faxes through the international office.

The fax number is: +47 75 51 75 51.

Directory 

Emergency Numbers:                      
110                  Fire                   
112                  Police                         
113                  Ambulance
755 860 00      Casualty Clinic Norway

International Office:
International Office
Bodø University College
8049 Bodø

Telephone: +47 75 51 78 03 / +47 75 51 78 18
Fax: +47 75 51 75 51
E-mail: international@hibo.no
www.english.hibo.no

Priest and Counsellor:                      The student bookstore (Pensum):
Priest: 75 51 72 70                              Phone:  (+47) 755 172 22
Counsellor: 75 51 72 44                      E-mail: bokhandel@hibo.no

Friskhuset fitness centre:                The student organisation:
By phone:(+47) 75 51 66 44               Telephone: 75 51 79 10
By e-mail: friskstudent@friskhuset.no   E-mail: stb@stud.hibo.no        
Or visit: www.friskhuset.no                  www.sob.no

Bodø International:                          Hospital:
Telephone: +47 755 17 903                Prinsens g 164
E-Mail: bodointernational@hotmail.com  8005 Bodø, 
                                                           Telephone: 75 53 40 00

Emergency Service                           National Office for social Insurance:
Rønvik Legesenter                               Bodø Trygdekontor
Fjellv. 1                                               Sjøgata 38/42,
8012 Bodø                                         8006 Bodø
+47 75 58 60 10                                 Telephone: +47 81 58 10 18, Fax: +47 75 55 95 01
                                                           Opening hours: daily from 09:00 – 15:0
                                                            http://www.trygdeetaten.no/

Yellow Pages:                                    The Welcoming committee:
www.gulesider.no (select English)        Telephone: +47 75 51 74 00
                                                           Email: velkomsten@hibo.no