Overdoing it...

Remember I told about this weird little calculator I got from my Norwegian bank? During the weekend, I dared to test "netbanking" for the first time. My rent is due for quite a while already... But netbanking in Norway has turned out to be too complicated for the simple mind of mine.

First, you need an entry code. Then you need another code, which you type into your little calculator to get a third code, which in turn opens up a window asking for code number 4. I got so confused with all these codes that I used the wrong codes - 3 times - and all my netbanking was blocked.

Today, I visited my bank (which closes its doors already at 3 pm! Monday-Friday. That's too early even for me) and they kindly unlocked the netbanking for me. Immediately, I wrote down all of these codes, which I am sure is not what the bank encourages you to, but what else can you do with so many codes...?

Satisfied with being in control of all these codes again, I started to transfer the rent to my landlord - and failed yet again. Because in addition to these codes, you need to verify your transfer with your phone, and my bank didn't yet have my Norwegian number. So I had to register my number, received a text message from my bank with yet another secret code that I had to use to verify my phone number. Then I was able to go back to my transfer on hold, had to ask for a confirmation SMS send to my registered phone number, had to reply with an SMS stating "JA!" I want to do this transfer, which then resulted in a confirmatory confirmation SMS that my transaction could now be processed further - and then I still had to type in all of my 4 codes all over again.

And then the netbank crashed. 

So I am not actually sure my transaction is on its way to my landlord's account... 

It's amazing how the very same bank can be so very different in 2 Nordic countries! Finnish Nordea used to speak English to me even when I withdrew money or used my card for payment. The Norwegian Nordea doesn't even enable English netbanking services. So it's a good thing, that Norwegian is so close to German, otherwise I would know even less what I am doing... ;-)

Funnily, I also received my first payslip today; sent by my employer to my work e-mail address. And in order to be able to open the document, I had to type in a secret code as well. :-D
What's with the code obsession, Norway? ;-)