Were you able to connect at work previously, i.e. with a different computer or OS, and NordVPN?
no, today was the first time I went and disconnected, then attempted to reconnect several times. Like I said, no big deal, but curious.
I did switch the connection protocol to TCP as support suggested, and disabled IPv6 as they suggested. It seems to try to connect, but after several minutes it says connection failed.
I also admit it’s more frustrating me not seeing any GUI saying I am, or am not connected, etc. The "what’s my IP? website is the easiest way to see what my IP is, and if it has changed, and where it is. Oh, well, I’ll look into it more tomorrow.
If you set up your various server connections with Network Manager (or any other Linux network client), you should be able to see at a glance if you’re connected or not.
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I’m just not seeing how to do this. When I open the network manager window and click on VPN’s it shows that there are none, and none to add?
Odd. Came in this morning to work and did an OS software update and then tried to connect and it connected OK although it did take about four or five minutes. 
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@amarok may have other instructions, but when I did this with my previous service, I downloaded the server configuration ovpn information from my VPN provider which they furnished in a zip file. I imported many into the Network Manager. (As I recall, NM has a limit. It was one of the reasons I changed services; my VPN offered over a hundred servers and many locations, but I could only use the handful I imported within Linux itself. I wanted real Linux support.)
I wish I could offer more, but I have not used NordVPN. I have a friend who does, but he uses Windows and iOS.
I mentioned the browser extension for Firefox that my service has. It does have a little icon, so I can tell at a glance that I am connected. Unfortunately, I am not a Brave user either, so maybe I should be quiet… 
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I linked the instructions for NordVPN a few comments back:
Basically, download their .zip, right-click on it, and extract it (unzip it). Extracting it to the Home folder is easiest.
Right-click on the Network Manager icon in the corner of your screen, select Edit Connections, click “+” and then choose “OpenVPN”.
Then follow NordVPN’s guide to fill in the fields, navigate to your Home folder, and choose one of the configuration to add it to the “CA Certificate” field.
Add your NordVPN username and password, then “Save.”
Add as many different configurations (i.e. servers) as you want; you’ll have to repeat the above steps for each one.
To connect to one of your saved configs at any time, left-click on the Network Manager icon and select it with the cursor.
Note that I’m using Linux Mint, so things may look slightly different in your PureOS menus, but it should be similar.
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So each file in each folder is a server? One folder is ovpn_tcp, the other is ovpn_udp
I used a file from the udp folder since that is what was in the example 
Yes, that’s correct. Unfortunately, they don’t seem to be labeled in a user-friendly way, in that you can’t tell by looking at the list which server goes to which destination. (Unless the latest download has corrected what I see on their website example.)
UDP vs. TCP
Here’s what AirVPN says about it: https://airvpn.org/faq/software_protocols/
TIP: Name each VPN connection as its location, to make it easy to choose quickly.
It’s a shame NordVPN has no immediate plans for a GUI interface. But I’m sure by next August when this subscription is up, I will have found a replacement VPN to use. And thank you again for all your help!
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Just choose your replacement well! See: https://restoreprivacy.com/vpn-review-websites-owned-by-vpns/ and Librem Tunnel and the acquisition of Private Internet Access
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I’m just beginning to look into the Rob Braxman VPN, and see what I can learn about how that has been received.
I myself don’t know anything about his VPN service, but I think I would go with a tried-and-true company rather than a one-man operation (if that’s an accurate description…I don’t know).
I do respect his Custom ROM service, though!
I normally subscribe to two different VPN providers, just to have options and back-up.
What VPN’s do you use, if I may ask?
AirVPN (for several years now), and until I found out about the PIA/Kape Technologies thing, I had PIA as a backup. (Not anymore.)
I’ll probably add Mullvad or something recommended on restoreprivacy.com.
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I used IPVanish for a while, and I then switched to ExpressVPN. This was after the IPVanish “logging scandal,” but I changed mostly for Linux support.
I admit that ExpressVPN and I got off to a rocky start. I complained of having to do a Google captcha to get to my account, because I try to not allow Google–or Facebook–on my systems. They shortly changed to 2FA instead. (I would like to think it was because I vociferously complained. )
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Do you know anything about the theory/rumor that ExpressVPN was, or is, owned by a company in Hong Kong, and incorporated in British Virgin Islands? (I don’t know if it’s true or not, and I’m not trying to disparage them.)
Edit: I decided to reword this post with more neutral language, precisely because the theory may be way off-base.
Here’s what I found that made me question its origin: https://cooltechzone.com/expressvpn and https://www.tomsguide.com/news/vpns-leave-hong-kong
And lots of companies choose BVI as a place to set up shop; no mystery there.
No, I have not heard or read about this anywhere.
I read the two articles you cite in your edit. While the first implies ExpressVPN was founded in Hong Kong, it offers no source or credible evidence. (I have not found any in my searching either, but I am certain it is not exhaustive. It could be possible.) As for the second, it accepted the “correction” from ExpressVPN that it was not founded in Hong Kong.
I have to say that when I was seeking a new service, I also looked at NordVPN. I encountered much the same “mystery” with it being based in Panama.
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Same here. Could be nothing.
Bottom line, it’s important to research the companies and services one uses. (We all certainly know that here!)
Now, about all those free VPNs out there… 
I did find a Reddit thread where the same allegation was made about ExpressVPN, again without any proof at all. His suspicion seemed to stem from trackers being present when logging into ExpressVPN. I can attest to there being some, e.g. Facebook and Google Analytics, but I have found I do not need to enable any of them with uMatrix to access my account. (I never enable Facebook or Google on my systems, except when I encounter the latter’s very occasional captchas.) I also never enable “chatting,”
As for “free” VPNs, I am always reminded of: “If it is free, YOU are the product.”
I think we have taken this thread off topic, so I’ll close with this post.