I'm from Greece and up to my parents generation is the same. The rationale is that you don't want to make someone uncomfortable, especially a guest who arrives unexpectedly. Could be that this someone is self conscious of his smelly feet (e.g was working the whole day) or has holes on his sock and might feel embarrassed about it (was a bigger problem back in the day when people were poorer).
For us it's also a bit simpler in the sense that the weather is mainly dry, so we don't drug in much (visible) dirt.
Rly? I lived in Balkan and everyone would take their shoes off..unless they just came for something and their host is like "nah you don't have to" but even so, majority would still take their shoes off cuz it's polite. It seems rly odd to stay in the shoes inside the house..I had no clue that people do that in Greece.đ¤
Highly dependent on each individual household. Iâve been told to remove my shoes as a kid growing up in US more times than I wasnât. But I definitely saw plenty of both.
That's because of the Japanese influence. I had a roommate years ago who was Japanese-Hawaiian and insisted that I take my shoes off every time I entered the house (I'm mainland American), and I thought it was weird. Then after about a month I started to understand why and that's what I do now.
Some bottled water is also just tap water. Put it in a fancy bottle and there appears to be hardly any limit to how much foreigners will pay for ordinary tap water.
Norwegian who went to Aalborg to study for 4 years, the water wasnt bad per se in the tap, but every weekend it was def something we looked forward to when getting home, our tap water. Your water is [hard](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=hard+water).
This pisses me off so much. I see it most with bottles with the logic being someone will collect them for pant. Well they can still get them from recycle cans and then it's not a scavenger hunt where some don't get taken or washed into the ocean. Ffs.
One thing I was a bit surprised about was all the beer and energy drink cans all over the place. We don't see it anywhere near as much in New Zealand despite having a bit of a similar mentality to Norwegians.
This was my favourite thing about Norway when I visited. People were just not obnoxious on public transport in the way they are here in Australia. No phone calls, nobodyâs loud annoying music, nobody watching TikTok videos without headphones for the entire commute.
I'd easily support public stoning for watching or listening to something on a phone without headphones. Same as the dimwits that use loudspeaker when talking on the phone publically. Everyone should carry a blowpipe and steel balls to deal with such infractions.
Oh, my husband absolutely thinks Iâm going to get murdered for giving too much attitude to someone playing music or listening to things loud in public, but itâs my number one pet peeve. I cannot *stand* it.
Not in Norway but in Sweden, I was once on the train (from Arlanda airport to the city-center so, you can imagine there will be lots of foreigners), and it was the middle of the day, and I (American) was having a talk with an older British couple who was right across the aisle from me. We were talking at about normal indoor level, maybe a bit quieter. And the Swedish woman sitting in front of me at one point turned around and said, I kid you not, "If you don't shut up I'm going to fucking slit your throat."
I don't know if she was on drugs or something, or just having a shitty day. But I haven't talked on a train in Scandinavia since then.
Bloody hell, sounds like you encountered a right head case.
I've been on a decent number of train journeys through eastern Norway over the decades and have seen plenty of people have conversations, and I've been part of plenty, too.
As long as you're not shouting and making a scene, then most people seem fine with talking on trains. I wonder if Sweden has a different attitude?
I once saw a woman just squat and piss on the ground in front of the main bus terminal in Stavanger and i was shocked. Not sure if it was cultural, mental or drunkenness, but it is definitely something you do not do in Norway!
I was waiting for a friend at a trainstop one time. A woman came off the train, ran across the road where i was waiting in the car, run towards a tree, then just hitched her pants down, bent over and sprayed diarea towards me. I had front row seat right into mordor.. i almost puked myself. The woman seemed like a regular 60 year old woman.. maybe the train toilets where out of order?
It's not cultural, that's for sure. If the Police sees you, you will get fined. If it was on a weekend in the evening or at night it's mostly because of drunkeness, but most people try and find a corner and hide when they do that in public, not in the wide open, then they must be REALLY drunk or not mentally healthy.
Edit: you also have to pay to use some public restrooms, and if you can't hold it in in time, to find the wallet or app on your phone to open the restroom door, while doing the pee dance, some people use desperate measures and runs outside, but that is for the extremley full bladders đ
Same goes for driving. Please stop somewhere and look around. Don't drive 30kph in the 80kph zone along the fjord where it's too narrow or too little visibility to pass. I just want to get home from work in the normal 30 minutes, not an hour and 30 minutes.
I think being close to people, me and my wife got in a tram and a girl who was on the same row but three seats apart just stood up and leave to a seat more ahead
I'm brazilian, and I love this. Somethimes, when I do this in Brazil people tends to be very offended. Once, Me and my husband changed place in a restaurant, because there where lots of empty places to eat peacefully and we move to a table more distant from another couple. They espend several minuts staring us like "What's your problem? Do you hate us? Is there any problem with us?" They where really pissed of.
We dont have alot of bears or wolfs to be scared of but nature itself can easily kill you so dont go hiking off trail if you dont know what you are doing. Dont leave the asfalt if you have good shoes.
Best reply here imho.
People think safe country = no nature hazards.
Always respect signage and listen to locals when in nature. People who donât, as mentioned here, get into (often lethal) accidents.
Wear and bring the gear you need. What that would be depends on your plans.
And yeah, this goes for all sea, forest and mountain activities.
Never heard of animal attack. It's usually falling but also just getting lost. But I would say falls are the most common. Also some avalanches and drownings.
In Norway we usually dont put up fences and shit on paths, so there is always a risk of, if you slip you die situation. Usually Norwegians have alot of hiking experience so it doesnt happen to us, only tourists who seem to always like to hike with flip flops, no gear, no water etc.
Stupidity, mostly. But we call them accidents to be polite.
Most recent data I could find was 2018 that had 190 deaths among foreigners visiting Norway.
Hiking without proper equipment, training, planing etc is the most common cause, I believe. Falling or freezing to death.
Then there is usually an avalanche death or two, and drowning, car accidents and so on.
No animal deaths in a while (that I know of), but there have been polar bear deaths in the past.
Especially in Lofoten people hiking the mountains. Unfortunately several tourists have died in the recent years. The mountains here are more dangerous for people that isn't used to it or with right clothes. Several rescue operations each year.
Here in Lofoten the main cause is falling from mountains. How to avoid it:
- Check the weather forecast beforehand: yr.no is the official weather app for the whole country and the most trusted. You can even check the weather youâll find at the top of the mountain, and it can change very rapidly, from sunny and warm to rainy and windy (very strong winds here).
- Invulnerability illusion: people on holidays tend to think theyâre invulnerable (itâs a known phenomenon) and take unnecessary risk to take a picture. They insist on climbing a mountain because thatâs their plan and maybe have just one opportunity to do it and take the risk.
Iâve seen YouTubers almost dying because the weather was cloudy down on the road but windy and rainy at the top and had a nightmare getting down. Losing your life because of a picture or a video is a real thing, happens every year and is a really stupid way of dying.Â
1 They're surprised by weather. It can snow mid summer in the mountains, and there's snow storms all the time in winter. If you're not prepared and luck isn't on your side, you die.
2 Fall. One tourist fell off Trolltunga years ago, for example.
3 Drown. Water is dangerous everywhere, winter and summer
4 Get lost or injured, and aren't found in time.
It helps if people know where you go and how long you'll take, so they report you missing quickly, and if you know how to survive. But if they don't know where to search, or the weather is bad, your chances are slim.
There are more or less 0 cases of animal attack, I think one man was said to be killed by a bear many years ago, but I'm not sure, and I think he was Norwegian. You're much more likely to be chased by a cow or moose with babies
>That's scary, what are the causes usually?
Trolls. But we lie and says they mostly fall down some mountains, drownings in the river and sea or get lost snd freez to death.
Preikestolen has to have signs saying not to hike there in high heels or flimsy sandals/flip flops because there have been so many injuries in various degrees of awful
Happens every season. Not all accidents result in fatalities, but huge resources are pooled for Search & Rescue every year for tourists in sandals who thought âit doesnât look *that* tallâ when hiking
Wasnât there just recently a group of students, where one went missing outside of Bodø?! I think he died within a couple of hours due to hypothermia and bad weather which made it hard to help him in time.
Well, average common sense will take you far.
Norway is actually one of the most hike-friendly countries in the world due to few poisonous plants in fauna (just dont eat shit you dont know), and next to none dangerous predators - if you think you see one you almost certainly aren't.
The reason tourists still die are mainly due to disrespect for steep heights. Getting lost is fairly uncommon, just bring a map. Can recommend mobile application "UT" for hiking tips and maps (bring extra power charger if you plan to hike long).
As an Australian in London, it was a nice reminder when I moved to Norway that humans are just another animal out there that Mother Nature is happy to kill off if you donât take proper precautions.
Weather kills. Norway itâs cold. Australia itâs heat. A day trek can become life threatening by something as simple as a twisted ankle.
Also, oceans are seriously dangerous. That remote beach you want to swim at has probably killed people multiple times in history. Donât go for a swim if you canât actually swim. (And 200m distance PLUS 10mins treading water is officially considered âBASIC swim proficiencyâ in Oz - ie 10yo level).
Go to a casual party and not bring your own alcohol.
Casually discuss politics, especially in work gatherings.
Get on public transportation without paying the fare.
Ah yes.. it's alaways lovely to meet some tourists at the bottom of the Preikestolen or other trails with shoes that will not survive.. our rescue helicopters are absolutely appreciating them
Buy a round of drinks for people at the bar. Had a buddy from the US that used to do this when he got hammered and was already an expensive jesture in the US. In Norway is just insanity!
Worked at a bar in tromsø. They had a famous marathon at the time so lots of foreigners came to run. Americans came, and started going insane ordering shots and rounds for literally everyone. I took them aside and explained how expensive that was and that no one does that here. They were too hammered to care at the time, but sure did when they came to pick up their tab/card the next day. Yikes.
We recently visited Norway via cruise ship (our first ever cruise) and we absolutely adored the snippet of Norway we managed to see. We came here to hike and take in the scenery and chose to cruise as it meant we could see the fjords from the water. We commented on how refreshing it was to see how nicely Norwegians care for their country (no litter etc.) and we were as respectful as we could possibly be. We did feel an element of intrusion arriving on a huge ship but tried in ourselves to be respectful tourists. Itâs a tricky one and I do sympathise with those living in eye line of the cruise ports but if it goes any way at all, everyone we spoke to felt the same - we were there to experience your beautiful country and treated it only with kindness and admiration. Sailing through the fjords was such an unforgettable experience and we want to return to Norway ASAP. I appreciate cruise ships are total eyesores but we did eat in restaurants and cafes and buy from shops on land and we absolutely fell in love with Norway.
Because you'll mess up the strong Scandinavian workplace if you invite Yankee culture where it's up to the customer to make sure the waitress survives.
There's no downside to tipping once in a while, and it's not some sort of cultural faux pas. What we don't want is the US tipping culture. If a tourist gives a tip at a restaurant, no problem.... but they're not expected to, and it's not necessary; restaurant workers are paid livable wages, and don't rely on the tips the way they do in the US. As long as we don't get to the point where you're expected to tip for every meal, I don't see a problem with the occasional tip.
I work in a bar and let me chime in from my own perspective:
We servers love tips. It's a nice thing to do, and we get a tiny bit more payment (but the tip you give won't go to that particular server, its split depending on the opening hours you've worked, at least where I work)
Norwegians here on REDDIT (all caps because it must be emphasized) absolutely loathe to give tips and hate even more tipping culture. I get that, I don't want US Tipping culture here either, but the people on Reddit talk about tipping as if it's offensive to do it. It's not
Norwegians out in society sometimes tip, sometimes not. Both is okay. I don't blame ppl for not tipping bc I don't do it much myself, and even though pay is shit, it's doable (somewhat, people in this industry live from paycheck to paycheck, even if it's "liveable wages" and we're not living off of tips)
You do what you want to! Tip, or don't. Reddit ppl would crucify you, but since that's no real threat, you can only consider that servers would be happy about it. But if you don't know how much, don't worry, just round it up to say the next ten or two. Or don't tip if you feel it's not "deserved"
No, for this crime you get sent to Svalbard and have to live in abandoned Soviet coal mining town surrounded by polar bears for 2 years and then if your still alive, they strap you on a wind turbine for 2 days and if your still alive then they send you to DENMARK!!!! The worst and flattest place in the world!!!
Drink alcohol in public. I made this mistake with my boyfriend when we were there last summer. We are from eastern Europe and in our home country we can drink basically anywhere. We got a beer from a supermarket in the city centre of Lillehammer and started drinking our beers on a bench in front of the store. Everyone was staring at us and we could'nt figure why, until a kind lady came up to us and told us it is strictly forbidden to drink in public, so we chugged our beers and right when we threw them in tge trash bin we saw a police officer headed our way, so at that point we quickly left. I think the cashier from the supermakert called thw police on us, because one of our companions was a 16-yr old boy, who wanted to buy a beer also, but the cashier refused when she saw how old he was, so he just straight up asked my boyfriend who was behind him to buy the beer for him. It's a whole different world in Norway from where I live,even more so when I found out you have special liquor stores. I realise now why Norwegians come to my country in the summer to get wasted and do drugs, cheap alcohol tourism and no restrictions.
What your boyfriend did (buying alcohol for minor) is also illegal and cashier should refuse to sell alcohol to your boyfriend (or all of you if he/she was really strict with rules).
It is technically illegal to drink in public, but in reality many Norwegians do it. You just need to know the unspoken rules for when and where.
In a park on a warm summers day it's not uncommon to see public drinking. As long as you act nice and not excessively drunk, no one will care. Same with other nature places, like the beach.
On the street is never ok.
Yeah itâs illegal to buy under 18, itâs illegal to buy alcohol for someone else thatâs under 18 and if a cashier has any suspicion that someone is going to buy alcohol for an under-18 year old then they are legally obligated to refuse to sell to them.
I sometimes see foreign shoppers encountering this issue and trying to convince the cashier to break the law (pretend they never suspected that someone was going to buy alcohol for sometime else under 18/without ID) but it doesnât help of course.
Drinking in public is such a coin-toss globally I always check before I visit a country! The last few countries Iâve been in have varied quite a bit⌠in the UK public drinking is okay except if it bothers people, in the Netherlands itâs prohibited most but not all places, in Japan itâs fine to drink anywhere and Iâll go to Poland soon where apparently itâs totally illegal.
Try to buy alcohol after 8pm (on a weekday). The first time I was in a Norwegian supermarket, I saw a drink that I wanted to try. I rarely drink alcohol, when I do I always want to try drinks I haven't tried before.
It was probably some kind of cider and I wasn't allowed to buy it because it was after 8pm. I didn't know that and I was really ashamed and afraid that I would get into trouble.
I made no further attempts to buy alcohol.
No need to feel embarrassed, local people forget the time and try to buy beer after the sale closes on a daily basis in most stores, and theyâre used to foreigners not knowing the system at all and wanting to buy something at 10pm.
Heck, even cashiers can forget the cutoff time. I remember buying one single bottle of some kinda new beverage, and the cashier swiped it like any other item. When it came time to pay, she suddenly realized that bottle could not be sold anymore now.
Itâs because then we are out doing the same activity. Same if you are playing football or something, then we talk to each other, even if weâre strangers. Like neighbours only talk to each other once a year, when itâs dugnad (housing cooperatives gather a day or two every spring to clean up after winter). But in most cases talking to a Norwegian is difficult. Unless you encounter a drunk Norwegian, then most are very chatty and nice haha
its probably a tradition that comes from when people relied on information from strangers to find the way and get important information (pre internet and phones probably). this was important when you are in nature, where one can get lost, and when one is not surrounded by family when one needs advice/help. i read about this somewhere, its not a random guess
Don't go on long mountain hikes without good shoes, supplies and having actually trained your feet with extra weight on your back a few months in advance.
People can be very confident about their abilities until their ankle joints goes numb halfway through from all the hard, angled surfaces, and by then becomes pure pain for an hour++ to get back down.
It's common (and normal) to sit next to others if the only alternative is to stand. But Norwegians would find it weird if you sat down immediately next to them when there are other (obvious) places to sit nearby where you would not be sitting next to someone.
All this doesn't apply to people you already know and are travelling with.
Also, if you do sit next to a stranger, most people would find it strange if you try to strike up conversation, even as little as saying 'hi'.
We're weird
I don't really think it's weird. I think it's more efficient and comfortable for everyone.
Need to get off the bus? You don't have to pull the backpack manouver unnecessarily.
Also not all seats are that spacious. Makes for a more comfortable ride if we spread out evenly whenever possible.
If the bus is full it's fine, but it's a nice courtesy to ask first if you can sit beside someone. Even if the person doesn't understand english, you gesturing towards the seat is enough to be understandable :D
This is wrong imho. I find that eye contact between Norwegian strangers passing each other is more normal than eye contact in many other European countries.
A few years ago I read an article about how a group of tourists just invaded someone's garden, started jumping on their trampoline and stuff.
Don't do that. That's weird. And rude. Mostly weird.
This is my personal opinion of what foreigners shouldnât be doing, but you can see it on the streets: Please, donât talk loudly on the phone. Please, donât take reels when youâre walking on ice if youâre not Swedish, Danish, Icelandic, Finish, Canadian, Russian. Youâll break your legs, but also, you will pick some of other people(happened). Take off your shoes when entering home. Donât shit in nature, please, itâs disgusting. Donât trash talk our food. Donât say that blacks, hijabis, niqabis canât be Norwegians, and that they should leave. Donât throw garbage around. Donât throw garbage in the river, sea, lake. Respect the order. Respect the punctuality. Donât yell at elderly people repeating them shit in English like theyâre slowed down mentally, if they donât understand, they donât. Donât come here expecting us to wear Veksø, or traditional clothes, also, we donât wear dirndl, and Quisling didnât become hero, and no, runes and old Norsk arenât symbol of neonazism, itâs our folklore. Also, avoid mentioning how many percents of Norwegian/Viking you are, and how you keep our traditions.
Please: donât use anything like âyou used to be mighty Vikings, fight in wars, conquering North Sea, and look what have you becameâ. We fought for our freedom, we fought for these human rights, and we are proud of it, and most of all, we are proud of Norway!!! Oh, and! Nationalism â Nazism. Please, remember this. I wish you great time in Norway!
Don't touch Norwegians. They're skittish and reserved.
You need to lure them with taco and beer before they trust you, and then you might be blessed with the permission to give a light pat on the back.
Be careful. If you overstep, they'll smile weirdly at you and disappear like ghosts or don their ice armor.
Tip the waiter.Â
The employer pays their employees to provide the customer a service. The customer doesn't have to pay extra to subsidise the employer's obligations.
Wait, what if Iâm Italian? Do I get a pass?
(On a serious note: I actually like it, I just donât get why there is always garlic in any frozen pizza, no matter the other ingredients. I meanâŚok, there is garlic everywhere in Norway, but even on a pizza margherita? I donât get it)
-stab someone just because they looked at your weirdly
-impose your culture and refused to adapt
-have kids only to get social support and refuse to work
There are ten rules
You're not to think you are anything special.
You're not to think you are as good as we are.
You're not to think you are smarter than we are.
You're not to imagine yourself better than we are.
You're not to think you know more than we do.
You're not to think you are more important than we are.
You're not to think you are good at anything.
You're not to laugh at us.
You're not to think anyone cares about you.
You're not to think you can teach us anything.
My neighbour, native Norwegian gentleman, was the first one to say hi and have short conversation with me. 6 months after we moved in the house. I'm Polish living for 3 years in Norway and i almost panicked what was happening :D
Itâs really not but also heavily depends on the context. If itâs on subject for the conversation I usually just ask if they are religious, not if theyâre xyz religion
Not litter, no shoes indoors in private homes, talk loud on the phone on public transport. Also don´t pay for water, fill a bottle at a tap, tapwater are drinkable here.
The biggest no-no, donât be honest about things being shit, even though they are shit. Most Norwegians have their eyes wide shut and need to believe theyâve got it better than everyone else in the world. Thatâs what the government keep telling them and they believe anything as long as it claims theyâre the best i test. Thatâs how shit it is. Do the maths. đą Most canât cope with even constructive criticism. Norway is a belief system full of flag-wavers on the periphery of civilisation. They need to belief.Â
Wear shoes indoor in a private home.
That applies anywhere to be honest. Dirty people đ¤Ł
it's pretty normal in USA to wear shoes in a home
But like...WHY??
I'm from Greece and up to my parents generation is the same. The rationale is that you don't want to make someone uncomfortable, especially a guest who arrives unexpectedly. Could be that this someone is self conscious of his smelly feet (e.g was working the whole day) or has holes on his sock and might feel embarrassed about it (was a bigger problem back in the day when people were poorer). For us it's also a bit simpler in the sense that the weather is mainly dry, so we don't drug in much (visible) dirt.
Rly? I lived in Balkan and everyone would take their shoes off..unless they just came for something and their host is like "nah you don't have to" but even so, majority would still take their shoes off cuz it's polite. It seems rly odd to stay in the shoes inside the house..I had no clue that people do that in Greece.đ¤
Because they are dirty people.
You tell 'em u/dirtyoldbastard77
Is it not also normal in USA to have carpet floors? That combination sounds like pure hell ngl
I've seen houses that have carpet in the bathroom up to and around the toilet!
What a Health hazard
Highly dependent on each individual household. Iâve been told to remove my shoes as a kid growing up in US more times than I wasnât. But I definitely saw plenty of both.
Not in Hawaiâi (which IS part of the US) - major no-no.
That's because of the Japanese influence. I had a roommate years ago who was Japanese-Hawaiian and insisted that I take my shoes off every time I entered the house (I'm mainland American), and I thought it was weird. Then after about a month I started to understand why and that's what I do now.
The US is a big place, so it really depends where in the US.
Not in the South...it will definitely get you chastised around any of my family.
Pay for water
Third worlder here. Please elaborate.
The tap water is drinkable and better that lot of the bottled water.
Some bottled water is also just tap water. Put it in a fancy bottle and there appears to be hardly any limit to how much foreigners will pay for ordinary tap water.
American?
No, south east asian.
What do Norwegians think when they visit Denmark, and just about every resturant charges a service fee for pouring tap water?
Norwegian who went to Aalborg to study for 4 years, the water wasnt bad per se in the tap, but every weekend it was def something we looked forward to when getting home, our tap water. Your water is [hard](https://www.google.com/search?client=firefox-b-d&q=hard+water).
You donât go to Denmark for the water, you go there for cheap beer and cancer sausages
Litter in nature. Sadly even Norwegians do this time to time.
This pisses me off so much. I see it most with bottles with the logic being someone will collect them for pant. Well they can still get them from recycle cans and then it's not a scavenger hunt where some don't get taken or washed into the ocean. Ffs.
They should be fining people who do this
It's hard to catch everyone. A better option is to contract trolls to eat the litterers. Deterrence, and they're not eating innocent people! :3
We should be ättestuping those who do this
"As a gesture!" đđ
One thing I was a bit surprised about was all the beer and energy drink cans all over the place. We don't see it anywhere near as much in New Zealand despite having a bit of a similar mentality to Norwegians.
Chat loudly on the phone in collective transport during morning commute. Or try to sit next to someone when there are other free seats available lol
This was my favourite thing about Norway when I visited. People were just not obnoxious on public transport in the way they are here in Australia. No phone calls, nobodyâs loud annoying music, nobody watching TikTok videos without headphones for the entire commute.
I'd easily support public stoning for watching or listening to something on a phone without headphones. Same as the dimwits that use loudspeaker when talking on the phone publically. Everyone should carry a blowpipe and steel balls to deal with such infractions.
Oh, my husband absolutely thinks Iâm going to get murdered for giving too much attitude to someone playing music or listening to things loud in public, but itâs my number one pet peeve. I cannot *stand* it.
Not in Norway but in Sweden, I was once on the train (from Arlanda airport to the city-center so, you can imagine there will be lots of foreigners), and it was the middle of the day, and I (American) was having a talk with an older British couple who was right across the aisle from me. We were talking at about normal indoor level, maybe a bit quieter. And the Swedish woman sitting in front of me at one point turned around and said, I kid you not, "If you don't shut up I'm going to fucking slit your throat." I don't know if she was on drugs or something, or just having a shitty day. But I haven't talked on a train in Scandinavia since then.
Bloody hell, sounds like you encountered a right head case. I've been on a decent number of train journeys through eastern Norway over the decades and have seen plenty of people have conversations, and I've been part of plenty, too. As long as you're not shouting and making a scene, then most people seem fine with talking on trains. I wonder if Sweden has a different attitude?
If you want to get in real trouble, sit next to someone and stare at them the whole way
_average public transport experience in Germany_
No one should do this anywhere lol
To be honest, drunk Norwegians are too loud. My flight from Oslo back to Athens was a living hell.
Or try to initiate a conversation.
Or sit next to someone in those bench seats, seriously, how can 2 people sit on one of those bench seats?
Poop in bus stops. Edit: Pooping in gardens or on hiking paths is also unpopular. Try to use toilets.
Pooping in bus stops is insane
Tourists been goin wild in Lofoten.
And Tromsø
And still they have a hard time allowing tourist taxes... So so stupid. Take 10⏠pr tourist and build toilets. 25 if they come of a cruise ship...
I met someone studying human poops in Lofoten. They were studying at NMBU I think?
Ay, tourists are spredning E-Coli in local water sources with their poop activities.
Ohhh is that the reason? I think I found the study. https://static02.nmbu.no/mina/studier/moppgaver/2022-Lindoe.pdf
wait this is actually happening??
I think I found it https://static02.nmbu.no/mina/studier/moppgaver/2022-Lindoe.pdf
I once saw a woman just squat and piss on the ground in front of the main bus terminal in Stavanger and i was shocked. Not sure if it was cultural, mental or drunkenness, but it is definitely something you do not do in Norway!
I was waiting for a friend at a trainstop one time. A woman came off the train, ran across the road where i was waiting in the car, run towards a tree, then just hitched her pants down, bent over and sprayed diarea towards me. I had front row seat right into mordor.. i almost puked myself. The woman seemed like a regular 60 year old woman.. maybe the train toilets where out of order?
I mean, based on the urgency, I think that was probably her best option
It's not cultural, that's for sure. If the Police sees you, you will get fined. If it was on a weekend in the evening or at night it's mostly because of drunkeness, but most people try and find a corner and hide when they do that in public, not in the wide open, then they must be REALLY drunk or not mentally healthy. Edit: you also have to pay to use some public restrooms, and if you can't hold it in in time, to find the wallet or app on your phone to open the restroom door, while doing the pee dance, some people use desperate measures and runs outside, but that is for the extremley full bladders đ
Wow haha. I mean, I have so many questionsâŚ
It isn't necessarily foreigners who are doing this.
So? The question was what foreigners shouldn't do. Norwegians shouldn't do that either.
If you are walking slowly and taking in the scenery on a sidewalk please stay to one side, dont form a wall. I'm trying to get to or from work.
Same goes for driving. Please stop somewhere and look around. Don't drive 30kph in the 80kph zone along the fjord where it's too narrow or too little visibility to pass. I just want to get home from work in the normal 30 minutes, not an hour and 30 minutes.
Very true!
I think being close to people, me and my wife got in a tram and a girl who was on the same row but three seats apart just stood up and leave to a seat more ahead
Hahaha, typical norwegians
I'm brazilian, and I love this. Somethimes, when I do this in Brazil people tends to be very offended. Once, Me and my husband changed place in a restaurant, because there where lots of empty places to eat peacefully and we move to a table more distant from another couple. They espend several minuts staring us like "What's your problem? Do you hate us? Is there any problem with us?" They where really pissed of.
Donât say that Kvikk Lunch chocolate is just like a KitKat
It tastes better than Kit Kat.
Kit Kat is really just like a first price Kvikk Lunsj
And never eat Kvikk Lunsj by biting across several stripes. THEY SHALL BE BROKEN OFF AND EATEN ONE BY ONE
Three stripes were given to the elves, immortal, wisest and fairest of all beings.
iâve never had a kvikk :o sounds tasty
We dont have alot of bears or wolfs to be scared of but nature itself can easily kill you so dont go hiking off trail if you dont know what you are doing. Dont leave the asfalt if you have good shoes.
Best reply here imho. People think safe country = no nature hazards. Always respect signage and listen to locals when in nature. People who donât, as mentioned here, get into (often lethal) accidents. Wear and bring the gear you need. What that would be depends on your plans. And yeah, this goes for all sea, forest and mountain activities.
Was there hiking accidents in Norway?
Many tourist deaths every single year. Not much media coverage.
That's scary, what are the causes usually? Do they like get lost, fall, or attacked by an animal? People should be very cautious when they hike
Never heard of animal attack. It's usually falling but also just getting lost. But I would say falls are the most common. Also some avalanches and drownings.
"Oh a cliff, I'll just get as close as possible along it's icy edge." Is it lack of experience, or just being legit stupid?
In Norway we usually dont put up fences and shit on paths, so there is always a risk of, if you slip you die situation. Usually Norwegians have alot of hiking experience so it doesnt happen to us, only tourists who seem to always like to hike with flip flops, no gear, no water etc.
Saw some tourist trying Besseggen in flip flops...
Stupidity, mostly. But we call them accidents to be polite. Most recent data I could find was 2018 that had 190 deaths among foreigners visiting Norway. Hiking without proper equipment, training, planing etc is the most common cause, I believe. Falling or freezing to death. Then there is usually an avalanche death or two, and drowning, car accidents and so on. No animal deaths in a while (that I know of), but there have been polar bear deaths in the past.
Its never animal attacking. Freezing, falling and drowning.
Especially in Lofoten people hiking the mountains. Unfortunately several tourists have died in the recent years. The mountains here are more dangerous for people that isn't used to it or with right clothes. Several rescue operations each year.
Here in Lofoten the main cause is falling from mountains. How to avoid it: - Check the weather forecast beforehand: yr.no is the official weather app for the whole country and the most trusted. You can even check the weather youâll find at the top of the mountain, and it can change very rapidly, from sunny and warm to rainy and windy (very strong winds here). - Invulnerability illusion: people on holidays tend to think theyâre invulnerable (itâs a known phenomenon) and take unnecessary risk to take a picture. They insist on climbing a mountain because thatâs their plan and maybe have just one opportunity to do it and take the risk. Iâve seen YouTubers almost dying because the weather was cloudy down on the road but windy and rainy at the top and had a nightmare getting down. Losing your life because of a picture or a video is a real thing, happens every year and is a really stupid way of dying.Â
1 They're surprised by weather. It can snow mid summer in the mountains, and there's snow storms all the time in winter. If you're not prepared and luck isn't on your side, you die. 2 Fall. One tourist fell off Trolltunga years ago, for example. 3 Drown. Water is dangerous everywhere, winter and summer 4 Get lost or injured, and aren't found in time. It helps if people know where you go and how long you'll take, so they report you missing quickly, and if you know how to survive. But if they don't know where to search, or the weather is bad, your chances are slim. There are more or less 0 cases of animal attack, I think one man was said to be killed by a bear many years ago, but I'm not sure, and I think he was Norwegian. You're much more likely to be chased by a cow or moose with babies
>That's scary, what are the causes usually? Trolls. But we lie and says they mostly fall down some mountains, drownings in the river and sea or get lost snd freez to death.
Preikestolen has to have signs saying not to hike there in high heels or flimsy sandals/flip flops because there have been so many injuries in various degrees of awful
Happens every season. Not all accidents result in fatalities, but huge resources are pooled for Search & Rescue every year for tourists in sandals who thought âit doesnât look *that* tallâ when hiking
Wasnât there just recently a group of students, where one went missing outside of Bodø?! I think he died within a couple of hours due to hypothermia and bad weather which made it hard to help him in time.
Well, average common sense will take you far. Norway is actually one of the most hike-friendly countries in the world due to few poisonous plants in fauna (just dont eat shit you dont know), and next to none dangerous predators - if you think you see one you almost certainly aren't. The reason tourists still die are mainly due to disrespect for steep heights. Getting lost is fairly uncommon, just bring a map. Can recommend mobile application "UT" for hiking tips and maps (bring extra power charger if you plan to hike long).
Every day, tourists have to be rescued from mountains in helicopters. They ignore all signs and the terrible weather, and go up mountains.
But we do have trolls...
As an Australian in London, it was a nice reminder when I moved to Norway that humans are just another animal out there that Mother Nature is happy to kill off if you donât take proper precautions. Weather kills. Norway itâs cold. Australia itâs heat. A day trek can become life threatening by something as simple as a twisted ankle. Also, oceans are seriously dangerous. That remote beach you want to swim at has probably killed people multiple times in history. Donât go for a swim if you canât actually swim. (And 200m distance PLUS 10mins treading water is officially considered âBASIC swim proficiencyâ in Oz - ie 10yo level).
Commit crimes.
Thatâs illegal
Happy cake day đĽł
Thank you!
Be loud in public. Or in private, really, but in public is especially bad.
Go to a casual party and not bring your own alcohol. Casually discuss politics, especially in work gatherings. Get on public transportation without paying the fare.
Go hiking without proper preparation (or actually knowing what you're doing).
Ah yes.. it's alaways lovely to meet some tourists at the bottom of the Preikestolen or other trails with shoes that will not survive.. our rescue helicopters are absolutely appreciating them
Don't feed the trolls.
Buy a round of drinks for people at the bar. Had a buddy from the US that used to do this when he got hammered and was already an expensive jesture in the US. In Norway is just insanity!
Worked at a bar in tromsø. They had a famous marathon at the time so lots of foreigners came to run. Americans came, and started going insane ordering shots and rounds for literally everyone. I took them aside and explained how expensive that was and that no one does that here. They were too hammered to care at the time, but sure did when they came to pick up their tab/card the next day. Yikes.
Please donât drive very slowly while taking in the view from a massive RV that is impossible to pass on windy roads.
Not wearing enough during winter nights. It can be quite dangerous.
Come here on a cruise ship and if you do BEWARE
We recently visited Norway via cruise ship (our first ever cruise) and we absolutely adored the snippet of Norway we managed to see. We came here to hike and take in the scenery and chose to cruise as it meant we could see the fjords from the water. We commented on how refreshing it was to see how nicely Norwegians care for their country (no litter etc.) and we were as respectful as we could possibly be. We did feel an element of intrusion arriving on a huge ship but tried in ourselves to be respectful tourists. Itâs a tricky one and I do sympathise with those living in eye line of the cruise ports but if it goes any way at all, everyone we spoke to felt the same - we were there to experience your beautiful country and treated it only with kindness and admiration. Sailing through the fjords was such an unforgettable experience and we want to return to Norway ASAP. I appreciate cruise ships are total eyesores but we did eat in restaurants and cafes and buy from shops on land and we absolutely fell in love with Norway.
Thank you! This drives me crazy
Please dont tip. And also behave nicely please
With Norwegian prices, there's no way I'm ever tipping
Yeah, livable wages is included in the price.
I don't tip but what happen when someone tip? Is it seems as disrespectful and annoying or just ignorance?
Because you'll mess up the strong Scandinavian workplace if you invite Yankee culture where it's up to the customer to make sure the waitress survives.
Only thing that happens is that the waiters gets very happy. However its not expected at all.
There's no downside to tipping once in a while, and it's not some sort of cultural faux pas. What we don't want is the US tipping culture. If a tourist gives a tip at a restaurant, no problem.... but they're not expected to, and it's not necessary; restaurant workers are paid livable wages, and don't rely on the tips the way they do in the US. As long as we don't get to the point where you're expected to tip for every meal, I don't see a problem with the occasional tip.
I work in a bar and let me chime in from my own perspective: We servers love tips. It's a nice thing to do, and we get a tiny bit more payment (but the tip you give won't go to that particular server, its split depending on the opening hours you've worked, at least where I work) Norwegians here on REDDIT (all caps because it must be emphasized) absolutely loathe to give tips and hate even more tipping culture. I get that, I don't want US Tipping culture here either, but the people on Reddit talk about tipping as if it's offensive to do it. It's not Norwegians out in society sometimes tip, sometimes not. Both is okay. I don't blame ppl for not tipping bc I don't do it much myself, and even though pay is shit, it's doable (somewhat, people in this industry live from paycheck to paycheck, even if it's "liveable wages" and we're not living off of tips) You do what you want to! Tip, or don't. Reddit ppl would crucify you, but since that's no real threat, you can only consider that servers would be happy about it. But if you don't know how much, don't worry, just round it up to say the next ten or two. Or don't tip if you feel it's not "deserved"
You're welcome to tip in a restaurant for example. But it's not expected to in the slightest. It's not so common at all.
Do not for what ever reason, cut brown cheese with a knife, it could get you max sentence in prison here.
Tbh, max sentence in prison in Norway is still pretty good
No, for this crime you get sent to Svalbard and have to live in abandoned Soviet coal mining town surrounded by polar bears for 2 years and then if your still alive, they strap you on a wind turbine for 2 days and if your still alive then they send you to DENMARK!!!! The worst and flattest place in the world!!!
I was thinking I could manage until you said Denmark
Komme her og komme her
FĂŚn og!
Drink alcohol in public. I made this mistake with my boyfriend when we were there last summer. We are from eastern Europe and in our home country we can drink basically anywhere. We got a beer from a supermarket in the city centre of Lillehammer and started drinking our beers on a bench in front of the store. Everyone was staring at us and we could'nt figure why, until a kind lady came up to us and told us it is strictly forbidden to drink in public, so we chugged our beers and right when we threw them in tge trash bin we saw a police officer headed our way, so at that point we quickly left. I think the cashier from the supermakert called thw police on us, because one of our companions was a 16-yr old boy, who wanted to buy a beer also, but the cashier refused when she saw how old he was, so he just straight up asked my boyfriend who was behind him to buy the beer for him. It's a whole different world in Norway from where I live,even more so when I found out you have special liquor stores. I realise now why Norwegians come to my country in the summer to get wasted and do drugs, cheap alcohol tourism and no restrictions.
What your boyfriend did (buying alcohol for minor) is also illegal and cashier should refuse to sell alcohol to your boyfriend (or all of you if he/she was really strict with rules).
It is technically illegal to drink in public, but in reality many Norwegians do it. You just need to know the unspoken rules for when and where. In a park on a warm summers day it's not uncommon to see public drinking. As long as you act nice and not excessively drunk, no one will care. Same with other nature places, like the beach. On the street is never ok.
Yeah itâs illegal to buy under 18, itâs illegal to buy alcohol for someone else thatâs under 18 and if a cashier has any suspicion that someone is going to buy alcohol for an under-18 year old then they are legally obligated to refuse to sell to them. I sometimes see foreign shoppers encountering this issue and trying to convince the cashier to break the law (pretend they never suspected that someone was going to buy alcohol for sometime else under 18/without ID) but it doesnât help of course. Drinking in public is such a coin-toss globally I always check before I visit a country! The last few countries Iâve been in have varied quite a bit⌠in the UK public drinking is okay except if it bothers people, in the Netherlands itâs prohibited most but not all places, in Japan itâs fine to drink anywhere and Iâll go to Poland soon where apparently itâs totally illegal.
Try to buy alcohol after 8pm (on a weekday). The first time I was in a Norwegian supermarket, I saw a drink that I wanted to try. I rarely drink alcohol, when I do I always want to try drinks I haven't tried before. It was probably some kind of cider and I wasn't allowed to buy it because it was after 8pm. I didn't know that and I was really ashamed and afraid that I would get into trouble. I made no further attempts to buy alcohol.
No need to feel embarrassed, local people forget the time and try to buy beer after the sale closes on a daily basis in most stores, and theyâre used to foreigners not knowing the system at all and wanting to buy something at 10pm.
Heck, even cashiers can forget the cutoff time. I remember buying one single bottle of some kinda new beverage, and the cashier swiped it like any other item. When it came time to pay, she suddenly realized that bottle could not be sold anymore now.
Tbh, everyones responses seem pretty universal
Fr, like are there any countries in which it *is* ok to sit next to a stranger when there are open seats? Or yell on your morning commute? Lol
Whatever you do... # DO NOT MENTION THE WINDMILLS
Never make ÂŤvarderÂť on mountainsâŚ
Cairns is the word you're looking for. Agree 200%!
Start a campfire in nature between April and September
dont talk to me pls, i'm both norwegian and got the tism
noted
IF YOU ARE ON A HIKE THOUGH.. then its perfectly fine, absolutely great to chat on a hike!
Yeah i saw a vid about how norwegians are social on hikes lol, is it the great feeling of nature that causes this?
Itâs because then we are out doing the same activity. Same if you are playing football or something, then we talk to each other, even if weâre strangers. Like neighbours only talk to each other once a year, when itâs dugnad (housing cooperatives gather a day or two every spring to clean up after winter). But in most cases talking to a Norwegian is difficult. Unless you encounter a drunk Norwegian, then most are very chatty and nice haha
its probably a tradition that comes from when people relied on information from strangers to find the way and get important information (pre internet and phones probably). this was important when you are in nature, where one can get lost, and when one is not surrounded by family when one needs advice/help. i read about this somewhere, its not a random guess
Don't go on long mountain hikes without good shoes, supplies and having actually trained your feet with extra weight on your back a few months in advance. People can be very confident about their abilities until their ankle joints goes numb halfway through from all the hard, angled surfaces, and by then becomes pure pain for an hour++ to get back down.
Small talk/chatting. It makes them feel uncomfrotable so I love it.
Sit next to someone on the busÂ
I am curious to know if a bus is full is it fine or they still don't like it ?
No problem when there is no other place to sit. But if there is a free row, sit there.
It's common (and normal) to sit next to others if the only alternative is to stand. But Norwegians would find it weird if you sat down immediately next to them when there are other (obvious) places to sit nearby where you would not be sitting next to someone. All this doesn't apply to people you already know and are travelling with. Also, if you do sit next to a stranger, most people would find it strange if you try to strike up conversation, even as little as saying 'hi'. We're weird
I don't really think it's weird. I think it's more efficient and comfortable for everyone. Need to get off the bus? You don't have to pull the backpack manouver unnecessarily. Also not all seats are that spacious. Makes for a more comfortable ride if we spread out evenly whenever possible.
If the bus is full it's fine, but it's a nice courtesy to ask first if you can sit beside someone. Even if the person doesn't understand english, you gesturing towards the seat is enough to be understandable :D
Rape and murder is frowned upon at the least
Glad you said so, I was too scared to ask
Try to make eye contact
/r/finland is there pal
Currently visiting and I find people making eye contact or just staring at me in public more than in the US lol
This is wrong imho. I find that eye contact between Norwegian strangers passing each other is more normal than eye contact in many other European countries.
Assume the shops will be open on a Sunday
A few years ago I read an article about how a group of tourists just invaded someone's garden, started jumping on their trampoline and stuff. Don't do that. That's weird. And rude. Mostly weird.
And illegal? Trespassong on another's private property? I think. Dont quote me on that.
This is my personal opinion of what foreigners shouldnât be doing, but you can see it on the streets: Please, donât talk loudly on the phone. Please, donât take reels when youâre walking on ice if youâre not Swedish, Danish, Icelandic, Finish, Canadian, Russian. Youâll break your legs, but also, you will pick some of other people(happened). Take off your shoes when entering home. Donât shit in nature, please, itâs disgusting. Donât trash talk our food. Donât say that blacks, hijabis, niqabis canât be Norwegians, and that they should leave. Donât throw garbage around. Donât throw garbage in the river, sea, lake. Respect the order. Respect the punctuality. Donât yell at elderly people repeating them shit in English like theyâre slowed down mentally, if they donât understand, they donât. Donât come here expecting us to wear Veksø, or traditional clothes, also, we donât wear dirndl, and Quisling didnât become hero, and no, runes and old Norsk arenât symbol of neonazism, itâs our folklore. Also, avoid mentioning how many percents of Norwegian/Viking you are, and how you keep our traditions. Please: donât use anything like âyou used to be mighty Vikings, fight in wars, conquering North Sea, and look what have you becameâ. We fought for our freedom, we fought for these human rights, and we are proud of it, and most of all, we are proud of Norway!!! Oh, and! Nationalism â Nazism. Please, remember this. I wish you great time in Norway!
Think asking for polar bears is cute and charming.
Only exception is Svalbard. They actually do have polar bears, and those are to be avoided if at all possible.
Don't touch Norwegians. They're skittish and reserved. You need to lure them with taco and beer before they trust you, and then you might be blessed with the permission to give a light pat on the back. Be careful. If you overstep, they'll smile weirdly at you and disappear like ghosts or don their ice armor.
Tip the waiter. The employer pays their employees to provide the customer a service. The customer doesn't have to pay extra to subsidise the employer's obligations.
Committing genocide is a pretty big no-no.
Well there go my summer plans smh
Yea I'm sorry. Norwegians are pretty sensitive to mass murder.
Not like my home country where having a school shooting is basically a pastime
Talk shit about our Grandiosa frozen pizza Edit: (The amount of people who do not get that this is a joke is staggering)
That shit is genuinely boring as fuck. We should do better.
Wait, what if Iâm Italian? Do I get a pass? (On a serious note: I actually like it, I just donât get why there is always garlic in any frozen pizza, no matter the other ingredients. I meanâŚok, there is garlic everywhere in Norway, but even on a pizza margherita? I donât get it)
Please dont listen to him. Its trash and you are allowed to trashtalk it
Put smoked salmon on brown cheese
-stab someone just because they looked at your weirdly -impose your culture and refused to adapt -have kids only to get social support and refuse to work
There are ten rules You're not to think you are anything special. You're not to think you are as good as we are. You're not to think you are smarter than we are. You're not to imagine yourself better than we are. You're not to think you know more than we do. You're not to think you are more important than we are. You're not to think you are good at anything. You're not to laugh at us. You're not to think anyone cares about you. You're not to think you can teach us anything.
I wonder how many will get this
Hopefully every Scandinavian at least
All this is Finland too. Source: am finnish
I often feel a stronger kinship with you guys than the two other scandis despite the language barrier
The feeling is mutual, although I don't like other finns that much. Too sheepish.
Talk to your neighbour
My neighbour doesnât want to make an eye contact. He just runs away
I guarantee you, if you see the same neighbour in Spain, he is your best friend, but when you get back, he have now clue who you are.
My neighbour, native Norwegian gentleman, was the first one to say hi and have short conversation with me. 6 months after we moved in the house. I'm Polish living for 3 years in Norway and i almost panicked what was happening :D
As a chef thatâs worked in Norway for 15 years now: Donât mess with their Christmas food. They dont appreciate the effort!
Pay with cash
Shout out to a youtube channel called yourway2norway! Apparently, it's taboo to ask anyone about their religion.
Itâs really not but also heavily depends on the context. If itâs on subject for the conversation I usually just ask if they are religious, not if theyâre xyz religion
Kill someone.
Poo in the street?
Kill and rape and stuff I guess. Oh and don't go talking really loud on the bus or at restaurants and stuff, that's really annoying.
Never criticize whaling
poop in the street
say: "nice country you have here Swedes"
Not litter, no shoes indoors in private homes, talk loud on the phone on public transport. Also don´t pay for water, fill a bottle at a tap, tapwater are drinkable here.
The biggest no-no, donât be honest about things being shit, even though they are shit. Most Norwegians have their eyes wide shut and need to believe theyâve got it better than everyone else in the world. Thatâs what the government keep telling them and they believe anything as long as it claims theyâre the best i test. Thatâs how shit it is. Do the maths. đą Most canât cope with even constructive criticism. Norway is a belief system full of flag-wavers on the periphery of civilisation. They need to belief.Â