Read news from:
Austria
SHARE
COPY LINK
For members

NORWEGIAN HABITS

Five Norwegian rules foreign residents should try not to break

Life in Norway as a foreigner is much easier if you stick to some of the country's most ingrained rules – written or unwritten. 

Published: 13 March 2023 16:01 CET
Updated: 3 June 2023 08:47 CEST
Pictured is Norway on May 17th.
There are a few rules in Norway that you should try your best not to break. Pictured is Norway on May 17th. Photo by Marta Matwiszyn on Unsplash

Question Norwegian’s sense of patriotism or be overly critical of Norway

Generally, Norwegians are very patriotic people. They are proud of the nation they call home and fellow Norwegians that make a splash on the world stage. 

Rightfully, they have plenty to be proud of, given the fact that living conditions in the country contribute to the locals being among the happiest people in the world. 

The largest national outpouring of patriotism and national pride is on May 17th, where flags are hoisted, locals dress in their traditional national costumes and parades are held to celebrate Norway becoming an independent country. 

Such intense displays of patriotism and national pride can seem incredibly strange to outsiders. Culture clashes can also occur when pointing out shortcomings with the country or questioning whether things are actually so great. 

Being critical of Norway, even if you love the country and plan on spending the rest of your life here, can oftentimes upset or offend the locals (particularly if you don’t know them well) due to their deep sense of national pride.

However, this isn’t to say everyone in Norway is sensitive about criticism of the country or being questioned about why they are so patriotic. On the contrary, some will find it amusing or even enlightening to hear an outsider’s perspective. 

Furthermore, while there’s nothing wrong with seeing things with a critical eye – it’s only natural the locals get offended if you have nothing constructive to say about Norway or are overly harsh with your assessment of the local’s national pride.

Upset your neighbours 

Being a good neighbour in Norway comes with a lot of requirements. There are a number of spoken and unspoken rules, as well as the obligation to show up to the seemingly “voluntary” dugnad days. 

When it comes to courteousness surrounding noise, most blocks will have their own noise rules. As a rule of thumb, there should usually be no loud music or DIY past 8pm on weekends and 10pm on Saturdays. On Sundays, some neighbours may react strongly to music, lawnmowing or DIY, while others won’t be too bothered. 

If you plan on hosting a party, you should typically forewarn your neighbours. Most neighbours prefer to keep to themselves, so you may feel as if you are invading their privacy if you constantly try to strike up more than the typical “hei” if you meet them. 

Then you will need to have plenty of etiquettes for the communal laundry room. You must book a time slot before using the washing and drying machines and clean up afterwards. 

This includes wiping out the detergent slot of the washing machine and removing your fluff from the dryer. Your neighbours can see which apartment booked the laundry room, so they’ll know it was you if you overrun or leave the laundry room a mess.

Use dates instead of weeks 

Much like the rest of Scandinavia, people in Norway use week numbers rather than specific dates. This custom began in the 1970s when Monday was made the first day of the week rather than Sunday. 

Such is the mass adoption of the system, the majority of Norwegians know the week number they are in and the week numbers of all their holidays and important dates. 

Using terms like “the second week in July” or “the week commencing Monday, July 18th” will only be met by a question about the week number.

Week one is always the first week in, which Thursday is in January. This means that the number of weeks in a year can vary, because 52 multiplied by 7 is 364. As such, week 53 sometimes appears at the tail end of the Norwegian calendar.

Skip paying fares and generally try and avoid paying for things

The majority of public transport in Norway is open, meaning there aren’t turnstiles or checkpoints to check if users have valid tickets on them. 

Instead, travellers are trusted to purchase a valid ticket before getting on. You can’t buy your ticket onboard, and if the ticket inspectors find you, you can expect a heavy fine. 

Ultimately, not paying a ticket when (in Oslo, at least) there are hardly any inspectors on board may not seem like the worst thing in the world. But, a lot of Norwegian society is built on the mutual trust that everyone wishes to do the right thing. 

Not buying a ticket is therefore seen as a betrayal of this trust. Such is this trust, people selling homemade goods may sometimes leave them outside their homes and rely on people to pay digitally for what they take. 

In general, trying to pull a fast one to save a few kroner will give many a poor impression of yourself. 

Bash the food customs 

Many Norwegians will point to the country having some of the world’s best foods and highest quality ingredients, even if supermarket shelves are full of frozen pizzas and not much else. 

Norway doesn’t have the culinary heritage of France, Italy or Japan, but people will soon get upset if you constantly trash the food. 

Questioning the reverence of liquorice is one example. While the majority of the world may find it disgusting and its appearance in foods ranging from chocolate to ice cream an aberration, Norwegians love it. 

There are also quite a few other food-related mistakes you can make, ranging from needing to take proper care when constructing your sandwich to wielding your cheese slicer like a complete beginner.  

Member comments

Log in here to leave a comment.
Become a Member to leave a comment.
For members

NORWAY EXPLAINED

The things you won’t see in Norway that are common elsewhere

When you move to (or visit) a new country, you almost inevitably encounter a bit of culture shock - or, at the very least, some surprising social norms and experiences.

Published: 22 April 2024 15:50 CEST
The things you won't see in Norway that are common elsewhere

Moving to Norway – or just visiting it as a tourist – offers no shortage of incredible sights and experiences that you’ll struggle to find anywhere else.

However, among these features lie several elements of European urban life that are conspicuously absent from life in Norway, drawing curious glances from visitors accustomed to their presence elsewhere.

With that in mind, The Local has compiled a list of things you might find noticeably – and somewhat oddly – missing from day-to-day life in Norway.

A (mostly) cashless society

In a world where cash is king, many newcomers to Norway remain baffled by the apparent absence of cash in everyday transactions.

In most Norwegian cities, it’s not uncommon for people to see entire months pass without a single physical coin or banknote changing hands.

Instead, most people use electronic payment methods such as the widespread Vipps e-payment app, mobile payments, and contactless cards, effectively rendering cash obsolete in many scenarios.

Ordering takeout? There’s Vipps.

Going shopping? You pay via card.

Paying the mortgage rate? Online banking.

Donating at church? Vipps again.

As Håkon Fyhn, an associate professor at NTNU who researches robotisation, digitisation, and automation, told The Local in a recent interview, Norwegian society is characterised by a high level of trust in government and banks, so people don’t use cash because they trust digital money.

EXPLAINED: The pros and cons of Norway going cashless

“The short answer is that for most people in Norway, there are now digital alternatives that are more convenient to use and readily available – notably credit cards (on plastic or phone) and Vipps (a Norwegian phone-based money transfer service) for small and medium exchanges,” he said.

Homeless people in Norway

Wandering the streets of most of Norway’s cities, you’ll likely notice the absence of a demographic that tends to be, unfortunately, quite present in urban landscapes in Europe – homeless people.

Homelessness has significantly declined in Norway since 2012, with numbers halving, according to recent data.

This reduction can be attributed to a concerted strategy that emphasises the development of housing and support services, alongside the cultivation of expertise in addressing homelessness, as reported in a 2022 article by Husbanken Norway.

Efforts have been particularly targeted at vulnerable groups within the housing market, with a specific focus on families with children and people grappling with substance abuse and mental health issues.

According to a national survey on homelessness in Norway conducted in 2020, the total number of homeless people was 3,325.

Considering the country’s population of approximately 5,400,000 inhabitants, this is a rate of 0.62 homeless persons per 1,000 inhabitants, which is considered relatively low.

No piles of trash on the street (for the most part)

While bustling tourist hubs – such as the Lofoten Islands in the north of Norway or the Trolltunga rock formation in Vestland Country – can become full of trash in peak tourism season, generally speaking, Norway’s streets tend to be very clean compared to some other European countries.

With a deeply ingrained culture of personal responsibility for waste management, many Norwegians maintain their urban environments to a very high standard, making ugly piles of trash a rare sight.

READ MORE: What you need to know about rubbish and recycling in Norway

The widespread adage is to leave every place cleaner than how you found it. Therefore, don’t be surprised when you see picking up others’ litter in the woods, on hikes, or on walks through their neighbourhoods.

That being said, there is a very intense debate on the over-tourism of Norway’s top attractions – and the negative impacts of this phenomenon – going on in the country at the moment. The Local has covered this issue in more detail in this article.

Few skyscrapers

Norway’s skyline starkly contrasts the towering cityscapes synonymous with many other Western countries.

Even in Oslo, the country’s capital, strict building limits curtail the construction of skyscrapers. Instead, the cityscape is usually dominated by low to mid-rise buildings.

The situation is more or less the same in other major Norwegian cities, such as Bergen, Stavanger, and Trondheim.

Furthermore, as Norway is spread across vast stretches of land, its population is thinly scattered across the expansive terrain.

Therefore, historically, the necessity for towering skyscrapers to make use of urban real estate hasn’t been pressing, given the abundance of space available (outside major urban centres).

READ MORE: Property prices in Norway to surge over the next few years

Factors such as population pressure, limited supply, and growing demand in the real estate market in the country’s major cities are raising questions about whether this should continue.

Where are the curtains?

Another curious absence that might go unnoticed until pointed out is the absence of curtains on the windows of Norwegian homes.

Unlike in many other countries, where curtains are a common decoration for privacy, Norway’s residents often forego this conventional window dressing, preferring unrestricted views of the surrounding landscapes and prioritising more natural light during the day.

Interestingly, the prevalence of curtains varies across different districts and neighbourhoods, with areas with higher populations of international residents at times featuring a higher concentration of curtain-clad windows.

This may stem from a desire to cater to the preferences of those accustomed to the conventional use of curtains for privacy.

SHOW COMMENTS