Scandiniavian area in/around Houston? (Pasadena, Sugar Land: neighborhoods, high school, living)

[Normerican]

I will be moving to Houston soon from Norway, and I have lurked on the forums here for a while, reading about various things. I have seen that people have mentioned areas that have higher populations of certain ethnic groups, and I was hoping that, due to the heavy energy sector presence in Houston, there might be an area that Scandinavians gravitate to.

Although having Norwegian things to eat and read would be nice, I am more concerned for my two children, 4 and 6, who may find difficulty adjusting to a new culture and language, and I figure that an area with more Scandinavians is more likely to have schools with Scandinavian children which my kids might be able to socialize with during the integration process.

Thanks in advance for your help!

[Sunderpig2]

It seems like Norway to US (in general) would be a big enough culture adjustment in itself. Then to move to an area like Houston could be even more of severe adjustment. Even just climate alone is one huge difference (think of hot humid tropical rainforest). So, the main question is: why Houston?

[Normerican]

The oil sector in Norway is in quite a hiring freeze, and I had better luck when I applied in the US, and got something in Houston, so... Yeah, that is pretty much why. I dont think the climate change will be too hard, though. Norway, at least where we live, is also quite humid in the summers, just without the high temperatures. Still, though, we dont have air conditioning in our home, so summer is often a bit miserable here as well, lol.

[descovy]

Hmmm... Oil brings people from all over the world. I live in Katy and my kids have Norwegian classmates. Not a ton, but a few. So maybe the West Houston Energy Corridor through Katy.

Or go SE like Pasadena, Clear Lake. The Norwegian Seamans church is over that way,

https://www.sjomannskirken.no/houston/

You might even make contact with them directly. They may have better input than us.

[Meyerland]

The largest concentrations of (expat )Norwegians outside of Norway is in Houston. It numbers around 10,000 people. I believe there is a large group living around Clear Lake.

There is a church near Pasadena that has Norwegian food and other items. I think it's called the Norwegian Seamans Church. The church also has a school. It's reasonably close to Clear Lake.

[baggiegenes]

Walking through Seven Lakes High School in Katy last summer during schedule pick up it was not uncommon to hear Norwegian being spoken. I do not know that there is a "little Norway" area of Houston, with a concentration of restaurants and stores, etc. But there are enough Scandinavians on the west side of Houston with all the oil companies that finding play dates for your kids and other families to hang around with and help with the transition shouldn't be difficult. I might ask the hiring manager of the company you will be working for if there are other Norwegians on staff and if you could get their email address.

[Normerican]

Ok, thank you all for your input. I will look into the Seaman's Church and Katy.

[MAROON79]

we had good friends who lived here for over 10 years that were from Norway. They lived in West U. and their kids thrived there - very popular kids and family.

The only issue was they did not speak Norwegian much and when they went back for High school the boy had troubles with all Norwegian school and eventually went to a boarding school in Switzerland that I think was English language based.

[War Beagle]

You're not going to find a "Norwegian town" (for lack of a better term). The Norwegian expats will be scattered around Houston based on where their jobs are located. That said, Statoil is located along Beltway 8 to the west, so you might look from Katy down to Sugar Land/Greatwood.

[HookTheBrotherUp]

My wife drags me to the Norwegian Festival every November, her dad and aunt are Norwegian, and there are hundreds of families that attend, so I know they are around Houston, they all meet up at the festival.

That said, the area where the Norwegian church is located exists only because of the transient seamen from the ships, the neighborhoods around there are not great. I think West Houston/Katy is where you might consider, there are many working in the Oil and Gas sector who live there. Good luck.