Some little tips & tricks for Svalbard

Okay here are a few tips and tricks I could think of that are useful to know for your stay at Svalbard.

Student housing

If you like it comfier in terms of your room, choose Sjøskrenten. However, it has a hospital touch and you share the kitchen with 20 to 30 other people, which is a constant mess! Also, hair – hair everywhere (electrostatics are strong there). Make sure to bring some slippers, two pairs are better (one for UNIS). One the upside, you’re two minutes away from university. And you are next to the student equipment handout and the bike workshop. On the other hand, Nybyen is where social life is happening; parties, hikes and other trips. Downside, the barracks are old. You hear everything, the rooms are tiny, and you walk 40 minutes each way.

If you wish to change like I did, go by the Samskipnaden office, opening hours till 11:30 am. Take the staircase by the canteen, 2^nd floor to your left. There you can ask for a new contract in another place.

Student card

Make sure you get your student card as quick as possible. Just go to reception at UNIS and ask for it. With it you get discounts in all sports shops, some bars & restaurants and the ‘Turnhallen’ with reduced gym and swimming membership; if I remember correctly, each membership is 800 NOK per half a year, a pretty decent offer I think. Best discount on clothing you get in Sportscenteret on the main road close to uni: https://www.google.com/maps/place/Sportscenteret+Svalbard/@78.2205509,15.6411465,579m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m5!3m4!1s0x0:0x2120d88d7c1957b3!8m2!3d78.2205509!4d15.6411465

The other local one’s worth supporting for is in the back of Lompencenteret or the one next to 78°. For food, Svalbar has the Studentburger/pizza + a beer offer. The burger is amazing – check it out!

Norwegian ID

If you choose to buy a snow scooter or want to work, you’ll need a Norwegian ID called ‘Fødselsnummer’. My advice to you, get one as soon as possible. It certainly doesn’t hurt to have one. You just go by the tax office (opening hours 10 am – 2 pm) above the post office; 1^st floor to your right. Make sure you bring your passport and after 30 minutes you’re done. This number you use for basically everything here in Norway; from opening a bank account, paying bills online, getting insurance or a working contract. For a bank account it is pretty simple, just go by the bank opposite the post office with your ID number. After you’ve opened an account you can download the Mobilbank and OTP app. The latter you will need for a one-time password each time you want to make any transfer in Norway. Just ask the guys at the bank and they’ll help you setting it up.

Clothing

Depends how well you are equipped already. I spent almost a 1’000£ for clothing up here as I had nothing properly to wear when I arrived.

Right now in summer, you need a rain jacket, a windproof jacket and I can highly recommend the Fjällräven G-1000 trousers (unofficial dress of Svalbard). They’re supercomfy to wear and they’re doing the job of not getting you wet, cold or too warm. And of course, bring your hiking boots.

Make sure you bring loads of woolen stuff. Socks, long johns, shirts, pullovers. Best are merino wool underwear. Sweat evaporates best in this material. Getting sweaty is part of being here and you definitely don’t want wet cotton on your skin, then you will get cold pretty quickly.

For colder times, get some good, warm and windproof shoes. Also go for mittens with laces, to attach to your wrist (important) and an intermediate layer of gloves. And you definitely need a buff neck warmer! Maybe go for the Svalbard one, you can’t miss it. As for jackets, I think down is best. There is also a nice outer layer combo offer from UNIS & Sportscenteret that gets you through winter:
https://www.unis.no/wp-content/uploads/2017/10/HellyHansen_UNIS_outerwear.pdf

In the end I had the combo plus a thinner down jacket for underneath.

If you wear glasses like I do I highly recommend getting snow goggles with corrected lenses. Or bring your contacts. There is nothing as worse as fogging up your own glasses, which happens extremely quickly when you’re wearing a face mask. I tried everything from buying snow goggles for glass wearers to using different face masks. Nothing worked.

And get yourself some spikes, they cost around 300 NOK. They save your life or at least a lot of hassle getting up or down a mountain/glacier.

To recap: Merino wool underwear, warm shoes, mittens, neck warmer, hat (of course), spikes, down jacket or winter jacket, winter pants, windproof and rain jacket.

Oh yeah, mark your shoes somehow! They get taken by mistake quite a lot (or even stolen and replaced by an old pair …). Characterise them visibly on the outside!

Gun – Certificate of good conduct

You’ll need the certificate of good conduct to carry a gun from UNIS or anybody else. Here’s the link for it: https://www.mygov.scot/basic-disclosure/apply-for-basic-disclosure/

There is a student rifle lottery every week. You have to apply latest by Tuesday and the handout is normally Wednesday 12:00 – 12:30 pm. You’ll get to know the procedure and information over the UNIS facebook page. If you won’t get a rifle through the student rifle lottery, you can also rent them at the Sportcenteret for a 100 – 200 NOK/day. But for that, you need clearance from the Sysselmannen. Just go up to their office with your certificate of good conduct, fill out the “Application for permit to hire a rifle, for protection against polar bears on Svalbard” and you’ll get your clearance within a week or so by email. Print it and have it in your wallet. Also good to have here: a Norwegian ID! https://www.google.com/maps/place/Governor+of+Svalbard/@78.2195735,15.6309639,1069m/data=!3m1!1e3!4m12!1m6!3m5!1s0x0:0x2120d88d7c1957b3!2sSportscenteret+Svalbard!8m2!3d78.2205509!4d15.6411465!3m4!1s0x0:0x1df856ba90e067e7!8m2!3d78.2227898!4d15.6257558

Snow scooters

Please don’t make the same mistake as I did. Get the feeling of how it should feel like on a new scooter or one you know for sure that is working properly. Prices for used ones can range up to 15’000 NOK (or even more). To become the owner set up a «Contract of Purchase of Used Snowmobile between Private Persons” and get the paperwork “Melding om kjøretøy som skifter eier” done at Sysselmannen.

Afterwards you’ve got to get insured and pay road tax. I recommend https://www.gjensidige.no/. Just call them up to get an offer. They’ll invoice you for both the insurance and road tax which adds up to roughly 1’000 NOK/year. If you want to get rid of a scooter, just hand them over to the Afvallsanlaget next to Sjøskrenten and bring the number plate to Sysselmannen. Scrapping is for free.

Bicycle

Why not getting yourself a bike? There is the “UNIS Resykkelerings Workshop” where you can fix up your own bike for a donation of 300 NOK.

https://www.facebook.com/UNISResykkeleringWorkshop/?fref=gc&dti=553913358291408&hc_location=ufi

Basic costs

Hard to tell, honestly. You’ll find out soon enough how expensive everything is here… Some are capable of getting over a week with 500 NOK in food, I spent about 1’000 NOK/week normally just for food.

Alcohol

Alcohol is expensive too, not for Norwegian standards no, but in UK terms yes. You’ll get an alcohol card that needs to be issued by UNIS first and then you can collect it at the alcohol shop within the supermarket. Before that, you’re allowed to buy unlimited alcohol with your plane ticket, so don’t throw that one away!

Another nice thing about this card is that you count as a “local”, so you’ll get discounts on the Aurora Explorer for trips to Barentsburg or Pyramiden. If they ask you why you haven’t anything signed off on your card just tell them you like to drink wine. ;-)

Work

If you’ve got time for that, go for it. It is fairly well paid. I got 170 NOK/hour waiting tables at the Restaurant Polfareren. They’re always looking for one or two students that are able to help out with a shift or two per week. It’s a super nice team with great characters, you learn a lot about wines and you’ll be able to experience the best food there is on Svalbard! If you’re interested, send my boss Kristine an email to kristine@svalbardhotell.com or just pop in at the Svalbard Hotell and ask. Another nice thing about this job is that you’re employed by the Svalbard Adventure Group. You have a 30% discount at their locations Huset, Restaurant Polfareren, Svalbar etc. plus you can go on tourist trips for free! (Oh, if I only knew earlier!!!)
https://www.tripadvisor.co.uk/Restaurant_Review-g503715-d10620574-Reviews-Polfareren_Restaurant-Longyearbyen_Spitsbergen_Svalbard.html

Miscellaneous

If you smoke hand-rolled cigarettes make sure to bring loads of filters. They aren't sold here.

Don't forget your drivers licence.

Almost no shop is sending parcels up here. If you're getting a package by friends and/or relatives, it takes a long time to arrive! Remember your address Postboks 394, 9171 Longyearbyen. This way you'll get a notification from UNIS reception when it arrived.


Useful sites to sign up to

Sysselmannen:

https://www.facebook.com/SysselmannenSvalbard/

Longyearbyen’s gum tree:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/261561222442/

Second hand shop:

https://www.facebook.com/bruktikken/

Mammals sighting:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/966626870120103/