I came to Stavanger because a friend of mine lived here. It made the move feel safer. I was a bit tired of my fast-paced surroundings in China and wanted to change my way of life.

– I wanted to change my way of life

Jie Gao (35) has been in Norway for almost three years working in the battery cell industry at the company Beyonder. The company is seen as the creator of a breakthrough in battery technology, turning Norwegian sawdust into battery cell technology. The batteries are safe and can be fully charged in a few minutes and recharged several times more than current lithium-ion batteries.

– My former colleague from China, Yong Li, was already working at Beyonder. He introduced me to everybody, and I decided to come. I love to travel, and I wanted to see what Norway was like.

Jie Gao has several reasons for coming to Norway. He wanted to see his friend who already lived here, but he also wanted to change his life, understanding Western culture and really feel the difference compared to Asia. He was excited about promoting the use of green energy in the world, and to improve the global environment.

– It isn’t easy for a Chinese person to understand the Western world. My friend told me that Norway was a good place to live. It wasn´t cold, discrimination wasn’t a thing and he told me not to worry.

Jie is 35 years old and has a Bachelor of Electronic Information Engineering Technology. His field of expertise in China was also the battery cell industry.

– I have some skills in this industry. I can manufacture lithium batteries, repair electric vehicles, solar cells, and energy storage systems. I used to work for an electric car company and dealt with a lot of battery problems daily.

Outside of work, Jie spends his time learning Norwegian, playing badminton, fishing, and climbing. He has both Norwegian and Asian friends.

– The Norwegians I have met are nice, hardworking, responsible, humble, and friendly. The work in Norway is much more relaxed than it is in China. In China, the work atmosphere is very strict and harsh. In addition, China's division of labor is more transparent and efficient than Norway's. There’s more of a hierarchy in China and greater decision-making authority for managers.