Welcome to Norway and the AIS Community
Welcome to the Arendal International School! We hope that the following pages will be helpful in finding your way around Arendal and getting adjusted to your life in Norway. If you have any questions that you can not find answers to in this booklet please ask! You can contact your class representative for example.
Most of us come from different countries, so we know what you are going through.
Kind regards,
The Parents Committee
Personal number (Fødselsnummer)
Everyone who lives in Norway needs this number!
Refer to your ‘New in Norway’ book, it tells you all about it.
You will find the Police station in Arendal in the centre of town, above the Post office, across the street from the big church (Trefoldighetskirken).
The taxation department (Skattetaten) is in a building behind the big church in town across the street from the movie theatre (Kino).
Healthcare
You will find detailed information about the Norwegian health system and how to get access to doctors, dentists and the hospital in your ‘New in Norway’ book.
The Hospital in Arendal has an Emergency Room (Legevakt) which you can contact if you need a doctor outside of opening hours. You must call the Legevakt before showing up otherwise you might end up waiting for hours! They speak English. Legevakt number: 8153 2999
For emergencies, ring: 113
Emergency Numbers
Fire department (Brannstasjon): 110
Police (Politi): 112
Ambulance (Ambulanse): 113
Poison Control (gift control): 2259 1300
Doctors
You choose which primary doctor (Fastlege) you go to. You can change your doctor once a year if you are not happy. www.helfo.no
Childcare
Application deadline is the 1st of March every year, but if you missed the deadline, apply anyway. Go to your nearest Barnehage (Child Care Centre) in your area and ask!
On the following website you will find all Child Care Centres in the Arendal Kommune.
If you cannot translate the page, you can always ring one of the contact people listed.
https://www.arendal.kommune.no/Innbygger/Tjenester/Skole-og-barnehage/Barnehage/
On the following website you will find all Child Care Centres in the Grimstad Kommune.
If you can not translate the page you can always ring one of the contact people listed.
http://www.grimstad.kommune.no/Tjenester/Barn-og-familie/Barnehageplass/
Baby Sitting
You may want to ask some of the 9th or 10th graders from the AIS if they are interested.
House
To rent or buy a house/flat www.finn.no
You can also go to the real estate agent offices (Eindomsmeglene), they are all in the centre of Arendal.
On Saturdays, the newspaper 'Agderposten', also has advertisements of houses/flats. If you are looking to rent, you could place an advertisement in the newspaper yourself.
Car
You can find new and used cars for sale in the many car dealerships around Arendal.
Try also the car's guide on www.finn.no
Drivers license
Make sure you check to see if you have to have your license transferred. The timelines for this are very strict! You can ask at the police station.
Shopping
Opening hours in the centre of town:
10-17 weekdays, 10-19 Thursdays, 10-15 Saturdays
Shopping centres
- Amfi Arena – in town (9-20 weekdays/9-18 Saturday)
www.amfi.no/arena
Clothing stores, Pharmacy, Food store, Gift shops, Hardware shops, Knitting shop, Household shops, Pet shop, Newsagencies, Flower shop, Helsestasjon (Health Centre on the 3rd floor)
- Harebakken – just of the E18 in Arendal (10-20 weekdays/10-18 Saturdays)
www.harebakken.no
Clothing stores, Pharmacy, Food store, Lighting shop, Knitting shop, Gift stores, Flower shop, Newsagency, Household stores.
- Maxis Centre – on Vesterveien between Arendal and Hisøy (9-20 weekdays /Saturdays)
Supermarkets, Pharmacy, Clothing shops, Hair dresser, Bakery, Flower shop, Health food shop.
- Stoa – big industrial area behind Myrene (10-20 weekdays/10-16 Saturdays)
www.stoa.no
Furniture stores, Childrens clothing/toy shops, Co-op supermarket (9-22 weekdays/9-20 Saturday), Sport stores, Household appliance stores, Office stores, Hardware stores, Material stores
- Sørlandsparken – just of the E18 on the way to Kristiansand
http://www.sorlandsparken.no
Too many to list, but you will find everything you need in the many shops there.
- Food stores open on Sundays:
Joker on Hisøy (10-23)
Kiwi in Nedenes (10-22)
Kiwi in Saltrød (10-22)
Second hand furniture and clothing
Gjenbruksbutikken, Vesterveien762, Nedenes
Red Cross, Langbryggen 15, Arendal
Heftingsdalen, Dalenveien 347, Arendal
Specialty shops
Harald Slakter – best butcher in town. Next to Kiwi and Petrol station just before
the tunnel from Myrene to Barbu/Tromøy
Fish – Fiskegrygge, in town by the sea (Pollen)
Asian supermarkets – there is one on Vestre Gate and one in Torvgate
Health food shops - in Amfi Arena, Maxis centre, Harebakken centre and on P. Thomassonsgate opposite Husfliden (the Norwegian shop)
Craft shops – Veskehus in town has a crafts section downstairs, Søster Greene in Harebakken centre, Stromo in Myrene
Material/Sewing/knitting shops – 'Sy' on P. Thomassonsgate, 'Master og Sting' Amfi Arena and in ' Blå Tråd' Harebakken centre
Sportwear shops
Gmax in Stoa and Amfi
Intersport in Amfi
Brekke sport in Stoa
Co-op in Stoa
Public Transportation
- Busses are quite expensive but you can get a bus card which makes it a little bit cheaper. Ask your friendly bus driver J www.nettsør.no
Children can get a free bus card if they live further than 4 km away from school and use the bus to go to school, ask the school office staff.
- Train, www.nsb.no
- Long distance busses, for example to Oslo or Kristiansand, they all leave opposite the Harebakken centre.
www.lavekspressen.no, www.konkurrenten.no, www.nettbus.no
Airports
Kjevik – approx. 40 min drive along the E18 towards Kristiansand.
There are also shuttle busses that can take you to the airport
www.flyekspress.no, www.flybussen.no
Oslo Torp – approx. 2,5 hours drive along the E18 towards Oslo
All the Oslo busses stop at Fokserød (approx. 5 min drive from airport), you then have to catch a taxi. Ask the driver if he can order you a taxi!
Activities
- Swimming pools – Stinta, Frolandia
- Ice skating – in Myra, next to the Videregående skole and sports grounds. Bring your own ice skates if you have. It is open air, so not good for rainy winter days.
- Bicycle circuit for kids in Myra, right by the Myra school.
- Cross country ski - øyneheia
- Downhill ski -Vegarshei, Gautefall, Vradal, Hovden.
- Zoo – Dyreparken, opposite IKEA on the E18 towards Kristiansand. It is not cheap but very big and really nice. Some banks or electricity companies have a free day for their members.
- Playgrounds – There are many playgrounds in the different suburbs, just have a look around your neighbourhood.
- Beaches – Stolsvika on Hisøy, Hove in Tromøy, Storesand in Fevik
- Kilden – activity centre for teenagers in town. Next to the police station.
- Sport clubs – Hisøy IL, Trauma on Tromøy, Sørfjell in Saltrød, IlExpress in Fevik
- Music schools – Kulturskolen -you can apply online; www.kulturskole.no
- Dance schools - www.arendalballettcenter.no they offer ballett, hiphop, jazzdance for boys and girls or Bølgen Dansestudio in Arendal; www.bolgendansestudio.no they offer ballett, jazz, modern dance for boys and girls.
Tourist information
Inside the Kulturhuset in the town centre
AIS website:
Check out the AIS school website for more useful information; www.aischool.no
Go on the 'Admission' tab and click on 'New in Norway'.
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