Simon makes a career in his hometown

- "I play on my network down here. It's easier to get new customers when you say hello to the people you meet at the store," says Simon, lifting his son Mikkel (1) onto the slide in the spacious garden at Bringsjordneset in Lyngdal.

Simon and his wife Aurora Sire Stene (28) have found paradise here. A large house and lots of room to play outside. Rural, but within walking distance of the city centre.

- "We've found peace and quiet. There's no traffic to worry about, and we can play music as loud as we like without bothering anyone," smiles Aurora. 

THEY WERE NEVER in doubt that they would move home to Lyngdal. But it happened much faster than they had planned.

- We had planned to live in Stavanger for a few years first. I had just finished a bachelor's degree at BI and had got a job in an investment company. Aurora was about to start her teacher training programme. But then an exciting position opened up in Lyngdal," says Simon.

He applied for the advisor job at the local branch office of Sparebank 1 SR-Bank at the end of 2017, got it and started in January 2018. The next year, he trained to become an authorised financial advisor.

In August 2020, he was appointed assistant bank manager at the Flekkefjord office. That position was made permanent a few months later. In February this year, he moved up another notch and became bank manager for the branches in Lyngdal and Flekkefjord with personnel responsibility for 11 permanent employees plus temporary staff.

- I HAD NEVER dreamed of getting such a management job at such a young age. At the same time, taking responsibility has always come naturally to me. When I played football, I was always captain of the team. And at school I was told by my teachers to set a good example. I'm grateful that the managers at the bank saw potential in me," says Simon.

"Balancing a demanding management job with life as a father of young children is easier in a small place," says Simon. Especially with friends and family nearby.

- The babysitter is never far away and we get help with renovation - and there's a lot of that here," says Simon.

THREE BEDROOMS has already been renovated in this special 1950s villa, which even has its own tower. Now it's the turn of the laundry room.

- "We took over the house from Simon's parents, who bought a smallholding at Drange in Farsund. Now we want to put our own stamp on things," says Aurora, who has been a student for the past five years.

- The plan was to go to school in Stavanger. But then Simon got a job down here, so he decided to do online and group-based teacher training programmes instead. And that's something I can recommend. You don't have to move from Lister to get an education," she says.

THE MASTER TASKS in social studies was handed in this summer - while Simon was on 50 per cent paternity leave. The new lecturer will now stay at home with Mikkel for a year before setting her sights on professional life.

- I don't think it will be that difficult to get a teaching job. Ideally, I'd like to work in one of the primary schools in Lyngdal," says Aurora.

She and Simon both grew up in Lyngdal. When they moved to Stavanger in 2015 as newlyweds, they were determined to return to their hometown at some point.

- IT IS SO There are many advantages to living here. You have more space, you have family and friends, you get more house for your money and you live in a community where people take care of each other. You know many of the people you meet in the shops. That's not necessarily the case in Stavanger or Oslo," says Aurora.

- Don't you miss all the amenities available in a larger city?

- Not really, no. How many times did we go to the cinema in Stavanger? Once? By the way, we also have a cinema in Lyngdal - in addition to a fantastic sports environment and great scenery," replies Aurora, clapping for Mikkel who has just kicked the football into the small goal in the garden.

- "So far, we haven't been very involved in the local community in our spare time. It's mostly children, home improvement and work. But if Mikkel starts playing football at the stadium, which I hope he does, I'll follow him up," says Simon.