Ina når nye høyder på Nye Bodø Flyplass

Nye Bodø lufthavn er et samarbeid mellom Avinor, Bodø kommune og Forsvaret om å bygge Norges mest moderne flyplass innen 2029. Den nye flyplassen skal styrke videre by- og regionutvikling i Nord-Norge.  

Hos COWI jobber vi hardt for å trygge og styrke unge talenter som Ina til å ta på seg nye utfordringer, gå ut av komfortsonen og trives både personlig og profesjonelt. Du kan lese hele intervjuet med Ina her.

Foto: Anita Sjåvik

This portrait was published December 27th, in Avisa Nordland. You find the original story here in Norwegian, and below an English translation for international readers. 
Photo: Anita Sjåvik

A fierce wind blows through the streets of Bodø, Norway. Just a few months ago, Ina Lindmark moved from Oslo to Bodø with her partner, her dog and her belongings.  "I was a bit anxious about the move. But I feel like it's been a swift transition because it didn't take me many weeks to feel at home here," says Lindmark, smiling. 

Even before she graduated as a civil engineer specialized in hydraulic and environmental engineering, she had a desk at COWI, an international consultancy group. Lindmark puts it down to coincidence, but whatever the case, after just a few years with COWI, she is now Discipline Lead on projects for the Norwegian Armed Forces and Assistant Discipline Lead on the storm water, water and sewage facilities on the New Bodø Airport project. 

"I was offered to be part of the project about a year ago, in a role that I've never held on a project of this magnitude. My initial thought was "Can I do this?"
"Initially, I was based at the Oslo office, but when a lot of parties work together on the same project, it's very useful to be co-located. This summer, I commuted here to work from the project office. But I never got to know the town – once work was over, I just went back to the hotel. 

Out of her comfort zone
To Lindmark, it was a big change in itself to be given such a vast responsibility on a project as big as the New Bodø Airport project. Previously, she has worked on projects such as Evenes Air Station and Gardermoen Airport. 
"I was offered to be part of the project about a year ago, in a role that I've never held on a project of this magnitude. My initial thought was "Can I do this?", "Shouldn't somebody more experienced, more senior get the job?", "Do I deserve this opportunity?" I did a lot of thinking, pondering on whether they had made the right choice to ask me to take on the role. Finally, I told myself to stop it and accept the job," admits Lindmark.                 
"There is a lot to learn," she adds. 

In addition to taking on this new responsibility, she ended up moving from Oslo to a part of Norway that she had no connection to, other than in a work context, and this became yet another major transition in a short time. With the support of her partner and her colleagues at the project office, 29-year-old Lindmark has settled nicely into her new life. 

To her, this past year has been a trial and a test of her own comfort zone. She talks about lacking self-confidence in her own ability. Over the years, Lindmark has learned a few things: 
"Don't be afraid to take risks because, most of the time, things work out. There is a lot of the ‘who-do-you-think-you-are’ mentality, but don’t ever let the negative voice take root."
She believes that major construction projects, like the New Bodø Airport project, will appeal to those coming to Bodø to work – they might just be tempted to settle down there, too. 

"They are motivating and don't let me shy away from difficult situations. They give me the space to learn and figure it out myself”.

Found peace
There is a big difference between living in western Oslo and moving to the modest neighbourhood of Nordsia in Bodø, but she and her dog, a Stabyhoun, have fallen in love with the local nature. 
"He'd struggle if he were to return to Oslo – he's become a Bodø boy at heart," laughs Lindmark. 
"Just being able to run free. You can't do that in Oslo.  Here, he can run on the beach every single days," she adds. 

She is not fazed by the local winter weather or the fact that it is darker up north than in Oslo. 
"Well, it's just a matter of dressing for the weather. Actually, I dread the midnight sun more – it might mess up my circadian rhythm. I like the beach at Løp where you can get away from the town lights, and it's a great place to watch northern lights. There's a wealth of places to visit, and the local nature is just gorgeous." 

It can be hard for newcomers, and Lindmark has a few tips for those who, like her, relocate because of a job. 
"Don't be afraid to take risks because, most of the time, things work out”.
"When you relocate to a new town, and you are not a student and don't have any kids, you have to make an effort to be integrated. In my experience, signing up for courses and training works wonders. I've attended obedience training with my dog, so I've met people outside a work context," says Lindmark. 

She has spent the first few months getting to know Bodø better, and she has visited all the museums to learn as much as possible about the town's history. What made the biggest impression on her was when she was hiking in Litjting a few days after moving there. 
"I'd been stressing for weeks about the move. So, when I finally made it to the mountain and saw the view from the summit, I could feel myself starting to relax. That's when I knew I had made the right decision," says Lindmark.