Marte had to take two buses during rush hour with a twin pram: - We wanted the children to grow up somewhere other than Oslo

Name: Marte Dimmen

Comes from: Bergen

Moved to: Flekkefjord

Dimmen was born and raised in Bergen, studied in Stavanger and then moved to Oslo where she stayed for twelve years before ending up in Flekkefjord.

It was in Oslo that she got to know a nice spotted feather with whom she fell in love. They had twins in 2017, and when the twins arrived the couple quickly discovered that they missed having family closer.

- We wanted the children to grow up somewhere other than Oslo, Marte Dimmen tells Agder.

- I have always liked Flekkefjord, but it was clearly a big step to take, to actually move from everything in Oslo - and here.

They did not have to worry for long that it would be difficult to get a job in the small town. Soon, the man Vidar was offered a permanent position at Kringlatoppen kindergarten, and then the decision was made that they should jump into it.

- I quickly got a job at Grand Hotell and Kaffebørsen. This was a place that was a very nice springboard to get to know the city and new nice people, she thought.

They finally moved to Flekkefjord in March 2020, just days before the closure.

- That was a relief! In Oslo we had been completely isolated, but here in Flekkefjord we had both more space around us, and family we could be a cohort with. We generally experienced much greater freedom. Here we didn't have to think about buses, public transport and crowded places. We could now walk almost straight out of the house and into the forest. So we felt incredibly lucky to move just when we did!

Relaxed

They quickly noticed a change in their lifestyle. Dimmen says that they gain a lot of time every day by living in the small town.

- In Oslo, we spent at least an hour delivering the children to kindergarten and getting to work. It was hectic.

For Dimmen, this meant that she had to take two buses during rush hour with a twin pram - and that she was usually not home from work and kindergarten until between five and six in the evening, just before the children went to bed.

- In Flekkefjord, we have been given a completely new life in terms of time for family and leisure. There are short distances and everything is within reach.

Like spotted springs, they also experience life as less stressful since they moved.

- The people in the small town are generally more relaxed than in the capital, she notes.

Something new

Dimmen finds it fascinating to live in a small town where "everyone knows everything about everyone", in contrast to how it is in Oslo where you almost never meet famous people at the shop. She thinks it's nice to live in a small place.

The family quickly settled in Flekkefjord, and Dimmen got a job at the hospital last spring, which she enjoys immensely. She says that considering that both of them are fond of music and culture, it is obviously a small loss to be able to go to more concerts and events. At the same time, she thinks that a lot has happened in Flekkefjord in recent years. Actors such as Smaabyen, a new cultural center, new restaurants and nightclubs have had a positive impact on the urban landscape.

- I think the whole of Flekkefjord has received a boost since I was first there in 2014. But I also hope that a little more will happen when the pandemic ends, she says.

The future

In Oslo, Dimmen worked at Rockefeller with concert planning. In Flekkefjord, it was therefore natural for her to support Smaabyen in planning various events such as the Street Festival.

- It was a lot of fun, and I am grateful for the opportunity - but after I got a full-time position at the hospital, I have focused on work. If the opportunity presents itself another time, and things in life are right for it, I would be more than happy to contribute with arrangements again! she assures.

Right now, she envisions herself continuing to put down roots in Flekkefjord: being more social whenever possible, and making sure that the children have a safe and pleasant upbringing here.

- When the boys get a little older, and start school and more leisure activities, I expect that they will also quickly get a bigger network here.

It was important for the parents to move before the children started school. They wanted the twins to be able to feel that they belong in the local community, and with the new hall it seems that they will have good opportunities to lead an active and social life in the small town, says the mother.