20+ facts about daily life in Norway that may intrigue foreigners

Norway is considered one of the most developed countries on the planet, and is known for its breathtaking Nordic landscapes and high cost of living. In fact, there products cost about 55% more than in other European countries, but even so, the minimum wage is capable of providing a decent standard of living. Apart from that, the productivity of the population is high, even with a shorter working day than in many other countries. No wonder Norwegians can boast that they can work, rest and enjoy life. Amazing, isn’t it?

O awesome.club analyzed videos and posts from Norwegian internet users or those who moved to Norway, and gathered the main curiosities about everyday life in this beautiful Nordic country. Check out!

Society works based on the principle of collective trust. It is possible to “rent” a house for free for the weekend, you are only expected to return the key to the owner of the property at the end of your stay.

Co-buying furniture is an important step in developing relationships. The Norwegians’ concept of intimacy differs a little from ours. There, a trip to a furniture store is seen as a big step in the intimacy of a couple.

It is considered an offense to pay someone else. This goes for women as well as men – in the country everyone values ​​independence very much, so offering to pay someone something could end up offending a local.

Norwegians place a high value on personal space. They are generally introverted and don’t really like to talk about personal topics. Occupying 2 seats on the bus is even a common practice — that typical image of a person sitting facing the window and listening to music, lost in their own world. It’s best never to sit too close to a Norwegian on the bus, as he’s sure to think you’re not quite right in the head. The only exception to breaking this rule: when all other seats on the transport are occupied.

Locals tend not to show their feelings openly. As Norwegians place a high value on personal space, it may seem to us, used to expressing our feelings, that they are quite “cold”. A cultural way for them to express their feelings to a friend, for example, is to pat them on the back. For them, it’s enough.

A typical situation on Norwegian public transport — people would rather be cramped and crammed in the aisles than sit close to each other in the seats.

Medical care is very expensive. Before going to Norway, whether for tourism or work, it is good to see your dentist for a routine checkup. Dental consultation costs a lot in the country, better prevent.

Going to the pharmacy and buying a specific remedy for your problem may not be that easy. You can buy simple over-the-counter pain relievers in the country, and that’s all you’ll need. Most Scandinavians, including doctors, are certain that 90% of health problems can be treated in three ways: with physical exercise, omega 3 and acetaminophen/ibuprofen.

Calling the ambulance is not such a simple task. Even if you are sick, you will not necessarily be seen by the doctor on the same day. It is mandatory to schedule an appointment with a doctor, and sometimes dates are only available after 2 or 3 weeks. Call the ambulance only in really serious cases where life is at risk.

There are private streets and avenues within cities. For example, it is possible that if you are going to do the fair in another neighborhood, you will need to pay a toll for the use of an avenue. The price is not high, but for those who need to use these streets frequently, it ends up being quite a cost.

Norwegians care about the environment. In Oslo it is already common to see electric cars — the population is increasingly switching from conventional models to modern electric ones. And since most electricity comes from hydroelectric stations, electric transport is a good way to help the environment.

The working day in Norway is shorter. It generally lasts from 8 am to 3 pm, or from 9 am to 4:30 pm, not exceeding 7.5 hours a day, or 37.5 hours a week. Vacations, on average, last 5 weeks.

The expression in the photo attached to the resume must be animated. It is advised that the candidate is smiling in the photo, as this may make the employer more inclined to invite you for an interview. In the country, it is not normal to have serious photos on your CV, as in documents, for example.

Holidays are paid exclusively in June. It does not matter in which month a person decided to take a vacation, or whether he divided it into parts, they can only be paid in June. In the other months of the year the employee receives only his normal salary.

Manual work is highly valued. Everything done by hand is paid handsomely. And you can include in this various forms of handicrafts and work for the provision of services, such as mechanics, bricklayers, and so on.

Norwegians love comfort🇧🇷 They don’t miss the opportunity to make everything as comfortable as possible. And this is not just limited to the decoration of houses, but also to public spaces. On weekends, it is common for some families to go to the mountains and stay there in country houses to enjoy the comfort of nature and the calm. It is also common in the country to decorate bus stops for Christmas, as shown in the photo below.

Food is expensive in the country. The average salary in the country is around 18,000 reais. Overall, a waiter earns around 9,000 reais, a plumber 15,700 reais, and an accountant 25,000 reais. However, food expenses for a family of 3 can reach up to 800 reais per week.

Norwegians have unusual methods of saving. A Norwegian has no problem asking for a discount on the purchase of an apartment, however, he is always ready to travel hundreds of kilometers to neighboring Sweden to buy wine, which costs around 20-25 reais cheaper.

It is possible to return empty plastic bottles for cash. It is possible to return empty PET bottles using vending machines in supermarkets. They calculate and indicate the amount of money to be paid for the number of bottles returned, printing a receipt with that amount. Usually, this money is converted into discounts on future purchases at the supermarket. You can also donate this money to charitable organizations. Second UN data, 97% of plastic bottles are recycled in the country. This experience in Norway has proved to be one of the most effective in the world.

Women prefer to give birth on certain specific dates. “When planning to have a baby, Norwegians don’t look at the horoscope, but at the calendar. They try their best to calculate for the child to be born before September 1st, so they have no problem finding a place at the daycare. My colleague even underwent some acupuncture procedures so that the child was born a little early,” Froginthefjord wrote on his blog.

Children are treated very carefully in the country. Maternity leave in the country lasts about 9 months, extending to a maximum of one year. After that, the child is in the care of a daycare. In the first week, one or both parents go with the child to day care and leave for a short period, which gradually increases over time until the child spends the whole day in day care. The adaptation of the little one takes place smoothly, and the institution’s teachers teach parents how to properly say goodbye to the child so that he or she is not stressed and afraid in their absence. Apart from that, in all daycare centers the floor is heated to provide greater comfort.

In daycare centers, meals with hot dishes are not so frequent. In Scandinavian day care, full meals with hot dishes are usually served only once a week on a specific day, as in Fridays, for example. For foreigners who come to live in the country, this turns out to be a very strange custom.

“Meals at our daycare. Every day, the kitchen worker (whose name is Eva) prepares this long and delicious table, where the children choose what they want to eat. These, bottom left, are sandwiches. But don’t be alarmed, we serve hot dishes once a week. Here all the children are healthy, well fed and it’s not that scary the fact that they are not served a starter, hot dish and dessert 3 times a day and 5 days a week for them”.

Regardless of the weather, children walk a lot on the street. A mother, owner of the channel Tachplanet YouTube channel, said: “It is normal to see a child sitting in a puddle or splashing water in another on the street, as they both have waterproof coats and clothes, which makes everyone happy”. Imagine if this fashion catches on around here?

It’s almost a norm for kids to eat fast food🇧🇷 According to a woman who moved to Norway and has lived in the country for 10 years, many mothers end up refusing to continue breastfeeding the child after a year. And McDonald’s ends up becoming a great alternative for them to feed their children.

The children sleep outside in the cold. Scandinavians have a somewhat controversial custom: leaving their children in strollers so they can sleep on the street. They do this even when the temperature is below zero. Local moms claim that this practice makes children get used to the cold and makes their body better deal with viruses and bacteria. However, there is no scientific research that proves the benefits of this practice.
A woman named Sarah, who recently moved to Norway, shared her reaction when she first encountered this custom at a meeting for young mothers: “I asked where our children were, and one of the women pointed to the door and said, ‘They’re all sleeping outside.’ It was −5ºC and snowing. I was completely shocked, after all, who in the world would let a baby sleep in the cold?! But here, apparently, this is a fairly common practice. They wrap the babies in a thick wool blanket and leave them out in the cold. I haven’t tried this with my daughter yet. It would be hard for my husband to approve of such an experiment when he saw his daughter with frostbite dripping from her nose.”

Traditionally, children are put to sleep until…