They aren’t hesitant, this young couple that has settled into the “top floor” on the sunny side of Røn, a village in Valdres. Here are Anneleen and Oscar Roos enthusiastically underway with the total restoration of an old two-story storehouse on the Solheim farm. In time they wish to start a cheese making operation and build up the farm in the fashion of olden days.

They came as four from the Netherlands to Valdres in April 2006; Annaleen and Oscar and their two children Kyan, five years old, and Anne, only a few months old. As tourists they had fallen in love with Norway and had imagined living here.
- I think there is too little free space in the Netherlands. In Norway there’s lots of room; it’s more peaceful and not so many people, says Oscar. It was he who was most eager to move. Annaleen wanted a trial year to see how things went.
-But already after three or four months I made up my mind to live in Norway. I felt at home.

In the Netherlands the two had worked in a plumbing firm that Oscar’s father had established. Oscar is trained as a plumber; Annaleen had administrative responsibilities. With help from Placement, the recruiting firm, Oscar found a job in Valdres.
After having rented a house in Slidre, the Dutch couple had the opportunity to buy the Solheim farm in 2007. Here they decided to invest. But life in Norway hasn’t all gone smoothly. Much was put on hold when Anneleen got breast cancer and had to go through necessary treatments.

Do they long for the Netherlands? No. But then they have many visitors.
- I see my mother more often here than when we lived in the Netherlands, says Oscar. He thinks it probably was hardest for the older generation that the family should move, especially because the grandchildren would be so far away. Therefore they’re determined that the children should learn to speak good Dutch, and hope that they can be in the Netherlands three weeks during the summer.
- The children will become more international and get a broader perspective. And it’s good to know many languages, say Anneleen and Oscar.
At first they were careful about making contact with “all” the Netherlanders in Valdres. They wanted to prioritize coming to know Norwegians and didn’t want to be in a Dutch “club.” But gathering to celebrate one or another Dutch holiday is fun!