6 Features of Life in Norway That Allow Us to Recognize Scandinavians from afar

Approximately two-thirds of Norwegian territory is covered by mountains, with only about 2% of the area arable, i.e. that can be used for cultivation. Despite the scarcity of natural resources, Norway is considered one of the best countries to live in. And the level of happiness, calculated by several studies, is quite high there.

We, from awesome.club, we ask ourselves the following: is so much success due to the way of life or to the mentality? Thus, we discover some of the most distinctive characteristics of this people and what the daily life of Norwegians is like. In the bonus, we’ll share some stories that might help you understand this Nordic culture a little better. Follow!

Personal space is highly respected in the country. On the other hand, this is also one of the reasons why many people consider Norwegians to be cold and unsympathetic. It’s not quite like that: they just don’t have the habit of opening up to anyone, even strangers.

It is not common, for example, to take the seat next to someone on the bus if there are other empty seats. To start a dialogue with a stranger, it is important to have a good reason. Conversations often start with a question about the weather, especially away from the capital, Oslo.

Because of the implied rule of etiquette, shy people can experience certain setbacks. In some cases, they feel very alone and find it difficult to find someone to talk to.

He was hitchhiking, and a woman stopped. She was tall with long blonde braids and looked like a “Viking”. I told her where I needed to go, she nodded, showing that she agreed, but didn’t say anything. After a while, she stopped the car, asked me to get out and offered me food. She ate too, in silence. We got back in the car and drove on, still in silence. We noticed that a storm was about to break out. We stopped the car beside a house near the road and went inside. She started taking food out of her bag, and I asked if that house was hers, but the answer I got was: “Okay”. We spent the night together, and the next day, she drove me into town where she needed to be, took my purse out of the suitcase, and left without a word. To say that I was in shock does not define it. © Francis Xavier / quora

Norwegians have a great relationship with nature. Many people enjoy outdoor recreational activities such as skiing, camping and fishing.

Sometimes you even have to explain to neighbors, work colleagues or friends why you didn’t spend your days off in the forest or mountains. This mentality is common in both provincial regions and larger cities.

Postcards also often show beautiful scenery rather than cultural tourist attractions.

Norwegians with better financial conditions generally have a country house away from the big cities. Most are made of wood and there isn’t much paving in the nearby areas (a few kilometers or more have to be covered on foot to get there). Inside, there are few comfort elements such as plumbing and electronics (toasters, microwaves). Some still don’t even have electricity. To drink water, you often have to walk to the nearest source or bring it from the city.

Some Norwegians advise foreigners not to worry about chivalry. For some it may seem strange, but there is no significant distinction between men and women: both are people. Therefore, courtesy gestures – such as opening the door for a woman or paying her compliments – can be misunderstood or cause some discomfort.

At the same time, according to the testimonies of some inhabitants of the country, a curious situation is observed: many men prefer, if possible, to establish relationships with foreign women. One of the reasons for this would be the prouder and more demanding mentality of most Norwegian women.

Also, some people share the opinion that many women secretly want men not to share the restaurant bill but to offer to pay for it. At least on the first date, afterwards the expenses can be divided equally.

The dynamics in the lives of married people generally follow the same pattern. It is perfectly common, for example, for the man to take care of the house and the children while the woman contributes financially, and the opposite is also true. However, expectations will also be more leveled: if the man is able to change the baby’s diaper, why shouldn’t the woman change the car’s tire? It all depends, of course, on each individual.

Because of the freedom and possibilities offered to women, many see the choice of “housekeeping” as a missed opportunity. A widespread mentality is that work comes first, which is why most Norwegian women choose to invest in their careers instead of spending their days taking care of the house and children. The government also reaffirms this system: if you become pregnant while employed, you will be offered a one-year maternity leave with full pay. If you are unemployed, you will receive a smaller amount only once for each child.

Having a professional occupation is part of the Norwegian mentality. Usually, you start looking for a job right after graduation in the country. There is the option of choosing companies or starting your own business. It is not very common to find adults who do not do any activity and depend exclusively on their parents to support themselves.

Relationships at work are also quite peculiar. Bosses’ initial expectations are that employees will perform the tasks in the best way, so they usually do not control or excessively monitor their subordinates. If someone makes mistakes frequently, however, they are unlikely to be notified multiple times—they will simply fire them after a certain amount of time.

In addition, most of the time Norwegians do not work just to earn money, they try to pursue something that they are really interested in. Therefore, talking about work can be an excellent topic to start a conversation.

The social hierarchy in the country is also not very evident. That is, interaction between people from different social levels is common. In companies, for example, bosses do not usually shout at their subordinates or address them with an “air of superiority”. Authoritarian leadership is generally highly criticized, regardless of the area of ​​expertise.

It’s not enough just to find a job, you have to keep it. Companies are interested in competent specialists in the area in which they work and hardly anyone will be hired just for reasons unrelated to the profession. Among the areas in high demand in the country are those related to oil and gas engineering and the petrochemical industry.

Trust is one of the core values ​​of Norwegian society. For this reason, you can talk, for example, about your skills and professional achievements without having to prove them with documents and certificates of qualifications.

I did seasonal work in Norway. I love the local culture as it is very similar to my way of thinking. But I have to warn you: it will be difficult to keep up here if you, like me, are not a petroleum engineer, IT specialist or something similar. The local market is limited. To live in the country, one must be someone who makes a significant contribution to society. © Silvia Branco / quora

There is a widespread opinion that there is no such thing as poverty in Norway, but everything is relative. Below we can see some examples of what can be considered “being without money” in the country:

Classes will start in August, and some children won’t be able to tell their friends about their holidays in France or Spain, as their parents don’t have the money for such trips.

Classmates may “tease” a child who has an iPhone 5. Adults may also feel uncomfortable having an outdated $130 device instead of a newer $1,200 model.

People who cannot work for some reason receive social benefits from the government. Some of them may struggle to buy food or Christmas gifts at one time or another, others may only be able to travel a few times a year.

In general, poverty in Norway indicates much more an impossibility to satisfy certain whims and wishes than a lack of basic needs for survival. Therefore, there are few people who are really hungry, cold and do not have access to public health.

I grew up in a very poor family, and my parents split up when I was three. My father had a relatively good life, but with my mother it was a different story. She had health issues, so I lived with my grandparents for a while. At school, she was teased for the clothes she wore (they were normal, but not like everyone else’s). Sometimes, we might not have food on the table. As a general rule, unemployed people in Norway are entitled to receive government assistance, but because of my mother’s psychological problems, she did not seek help. And since I was little, I had no one to turn to. Once we even had to camp in a tent in the woods for the whole summer. © unknown author / quora

My childhood was during the 60’s. I grew up on a farm and we didn’t have as much money as people in urban areas, but we never considered ourselves poor. We had food and clothes at home and everyone worked hard: milking the goats, planting, picking fruits and food. We actually had more food than we needed and, therefore, we offered it to those in need in exchange for some clothes, for example. Our toys were either pieces of wood or used batteries. We valued the few store toys we had. At Christmas, we got nice gifts: oranges, nuts, and even a few coconuts. © Magnus Itland / quora

Ever since I moved here, I’ve never ceased to be amazed: life flows more slowly, as if no one was in a hurry. I remember…