If your girlfriend is norwegian let her try to get her hands on a viasat or canaldigital satalite card. I combined my gramar book and tapes with watching norwegian soap tv (hotel cesar atc) with norwegian subtitles on. the key is to listen to it as much as posible. another way is to go to Oslo Uni. they have a 6 weeks summer course. it took me a bit over a year but another problem is that norwegian company's are not keen on hiring people that dont live in the country. it took me six years to get a job. 5.5 years living abroad and 6 moths when i moved to norway. I learned btw. more Norwegian in those six months than in 5.5 years on courses and TV.
p.s. what do you fly, maybe i can help.
PD