American Reacts to How to Behave Like a TRUE Norwegian
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 23 ส.ค. 2023
- As an American I am very familiar with American customs and behaviors, but not very familiar with other parts of the world. Today I am very excited to learn about how to behave like a proper Norwegian, and how normal behavior in Norway compares to life in the United States. If you enjoyed the video feel free to leave a comment, like, or subscribe for more!
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One of the signs you're a Norwegian is, if a stranger smiles at you on the street, you assume they are either a) drunk, b) insane, c) American or d) all of the above.
Can confirm...
And you mumble «wtf do I know you? Creep»🤣🤣🤣
I SMILE TO PEOPLE ALL THE TIME IF I CAN , WHEN SOMEBODY PASSES ME BY ON THE SIDEWALK.
I AM NORWEGIAN, NEVER DRUNK OR INSANE. 😅😂😅
I ALSO USUALLY SAY HEI IF THEY SMILE BACK.
TRIES TO BE NICE TO MY FELLOW HUMANS. /NEIGHBOUR.
I LIVE IN A SMALL TOWN.
IN NATURE ON A HIKE OR JUST OUT WALKING PEOPLE USUALLY SAY HELLO OR HI WHEN THEY PASS EACHOTHER.
SOME PEOPLE NEVER SMILE BACK , CAUSE THEY GET SURPRISED AND DONT KNOW WHAT TO DO,
OR ARE SHY.
SOME HAVE A BAD DAY AND SOME ARE ALWAYS GRUMPY. SOME ARE RUDE, NOT MY FAULT. IT DONT BOTHER ME .
I JUST GO ON MY MERRY WAY AND DONT CARE.
A SMILE CAN MAKE YOUR DAY BETTER.
ALWAYS , AND IT S FREE. 😊
SOME MAY JUST NEED IT ,
SO I WILL ALWAYS TRY TO BE NICE, POLITE AND SMILE TO OTHERS.
MOST PEOPLE ARE NICE HERE.
IN A BIG CITY I WOULD OF COURSE NOT JUST SAY HI TO STRANGERS.
JUST MIND MY OWN BUSINESS, BUT IT HAS BEEN A LONG TIME SINCE I HAVE BEEN TO OSLO.
DONT LIKE OSLO, SORRY.
TOO MUCH PEOPLE, TRAFFIC AND STRESSFUL PACE.
@@irenestrmnss4496*Looks at your capital letters*.
Sure about that "not insane" part?
@@kilipaki87oritahiti why are you yelling?
This is very diffrent:
Out in the city:
American: Hi how are you
Norwegian: umm hi, (shades away)
American: did I say somthing wrong?
Out in the woods:
Norwegian: Hi, Nice and fantastic thin air today so nice wind.
American: what do you want from me!? (Runs off)
Norwegian: what is up with them?
a little funny to see this cause yesterday Jakob Ingebrigtsen (a Norwegian middle- and long-distance runner) was beat by Britain's Josh Kerr who had sport glasses on.. Maybe he won because he looked so norwegian...
But that did not work for Henrik today......... 😎
Also, if we travel to another country and happen to meet another Norwegian, we're practically close friends, even if we're living on opposite sides of Norway, and we would never talk to each other in Norway. OHH, Another Norwegian here? HOW NICE TO MEET YOU!! ;)
Very important
It's not necessarily considered rude to talk to others in public, as a stranger. We don't like when you do it, but it's not rude unless you start pushing yourself onto them. We just like to keep to ourselves and we respect that others may like the same.
Exactly. So after the two meter distance during COVID, it was good to go back to the usual five meters.....
You never reach if your arm goes over someones plate.
The Norwegian Arm is so true. Its so Scandinavian to just reach out with your arm instead of interrupting someone's eating. It's also funny if you fail at it and cant reach, it creates bonds when you have to ask for help.
Our neighbor here in Norway verbally said "hi" to me the other day.... Now we need to sell and move to another place ... If only he could have done the normal "customer smile" and nodded we would be safe :p
🤣
Of Course many work on Sunday. The health care takers do their job. But then they have a day off an another day in the week. But they work different times every week.
The fast glasses, "raske briller", it is because normal sunglasses isnt wind protective enough when you skii or speed next to cars on you bicycle
05:39 Never seen it happen at social gatherings or similar scenarios, but it is definitely true while sitting around the family dinner table.
I can't even begin to tell you how often I get interrupted in the middle of eating, some times just as I forked some of my dinner and was about to lift it up to my mouth.
When hiking in Norway you always said Hi or some smal talk where you been and where you are going. The main reason is if you get lost or some thing happens you you, somebody will know "I seen that dude" and can help with a rescue off a lost person.
Exactly. Which is important due to the shifting weather.
I learn you say "Hei!" on a hike so that people remember you. If you go missing, get lost or something like that, that "Hei!" might contribute to find you.
I reach across the table because I don’t want to bother the person sitting next to me 😅 it usually backfires because you end up bothering them even more by doing it.
There is around 450.000 cabins in norway, so one cabin for every ~ 10th person. Around 22% of families own one, and around half have access to one through extended family or friends. The median income of a norwegian cabin owner is only 14% higher than the national median, so it is not an elite thing, although they are more common among higher earners, which makes sense, as they are not free.
Access to a cabin is so important to Norwegians that many with medium or lower incomes choose to live in smaller housing or housing of a lower standard in order to be able to afford a cabin. It is possible to buy a cabin at a fairly low price in many places in the country, at least it was a decade ago. There are also many people who buy a cottage together with their close family, and it is even more common for siblings to inherit a cabin together, and set rules for the use.
@@ahkkariq7406Sad part for me and my family is that my grandparents hytte is about to be sold because they are getting too old and no one lives close enough to be able to take care of it. The whole Norwegian side of the family has moved to Sweden, for some dumb reason... I grew up in that hytte and I'm not in a position where I can move to Norway and inherit it... It feels like losing half my body and mind
@@Frienea I totally understand how you feel. My grandparents' house, which served as a cabin after they died, was sold off by the family because there were some conflicts. I wish I lived closer so I could buy the place. It hurts when you stand in it, but you learn to live with it.
Dugnad once a year in school, twice a year in kindergarten, twice a year in my sons soccerteam. Its very Nice. You meet the other parents and participates to make it Nice for the Kids 😊
dugnad happens about once a year for one thing. maybe two days in a row if it's a big thing. usually autumn. if you fail to show up you'll earn the silent disapproval from your peers for the entire year until next year when you get a chance to redeem yourself. I've skipped out on one this year because i was ill. Then again i'm the kind of guy that people haven't heard or seen around my apartment for weeks even though i've been there all the time.
We have aleays been taught to not reach across the table, because it is rude. Cabins in norway are expensiv but often passed down in familyes.
And about The cabbins, its very few on ground its more up in the mountains and near places you can go skiing.
How did I get here watching this.... I'm just so grateful I'm an American.
Personally, I think the "long arm" is about expected independence. I myself have felt a few times, when kids ask, that those kids need to go to "Summer: "Winter survivor camp"", there is always winter somewhere... As in asking for someone to pass the salt can be viewed as weak. It it is sometimes better to get out of your chair and walk to the other side of the table and get it yourself. It even happens during meetings at work if food is served while the meeting is conducted because of time.
Unless you live in a really small place, you will most likely always be able to find a small shop, kiosk or petrol station somewhere nearby where you can buy the most essential groceries, and some places actually do have supermarkets that are open on sundays, but it's not very common. For the most part we simply do our grocery shopping on saturday or during the week, and on sunday we RELAX... 😴😴😴 If you lived here you would probably get used to it fairly quickly, it's really not a big deal. 😅👍
Same rule as for hiking, applies if Norwegians are in a boat. If we are passing someone else in a boat, always give a nod or a hand wave.
13:45 To add to this particular point in the video, the same thing also goes for if you meet someone in the same condominium/community as yourself, and apartment complexes to a certain degree, too.
I have access to a summer house like old cabin, from 1860 ,no water indoors no electric system. Almost no signal for the phone, i do fish in the small lake and in winter snow fishing. 🙏😍🇳🇴
You should get a cabin in the moutains in Colorado 😉. I think it’s the place in the USA that resemble Norway the most.
Ok so the "fast glasses" thing, it's... well it's ridiculous lol. These are sports glasses with a specific function, like when skiing on sunny days or bicycling. That's why they have excellent UV protection and a tight, earodynamic design. Then some influencers used them and somehow they became a fashion accessory. Mostly with gen Z people from what I've seen, and they often seem to think that what they do is the norm. I'm 34 and I don't think I know many people my age who use them for fashion. It's not really a typical norwegian thing and I wouldn't be surprised if the trend died out soon, but I'll let the fashionistas have the final say on that.
Sunglasses like these are most often used on the slopes or while skiing. You don't often see people wear them outside of that =) It's to prevent us going snow-blind while spending hours in the sun with the show reflecting off of it ;) That happens =)
know people from Indiana that have a cabin in Alaska. And also from California and South-East states too.
01:34 I believe they are most common among the bicyclists and/or land-skiers. As for why, I can only speculate, I'm guessing the design of the glasses might make it so less wind hits their eyes, meaning they can ride at much higher speeds without getting teary eyed or difficulty keeping their eyes open. But that's honestly just me guessing.
Probably polaroid lenses too.
I haven’t seen someone reaching over the plates. We usually put e.g. the salt back where everyone can reach it. If someone forget it and have the salt close to them, many would skip the salt even if they need it. The most standard comment is: “Are you married with the salt?”
But yes, we do have long arms as well 😂
If you are a tourist you can avoid the random "Hi" in most places that are not hiking, but you have questions about something. You can be direct and people will respond. People just associate a "Hi" with someone they know. However if someone ask them a direct question like: "Hi, where is this.", they will view such as normal and respond. If it makes sense for you to ask. People will understand and be very accommodating. Just dont waste peoples time and when you ask. Do not be too polite because that might be seen as pandering or patronizing.
09:46 This is either an outdated video, or simply one that does not take into account the small - I do mean small, like small 7/11 type convenience stores - Sunday open stores spread here and there. There is a certain size that Sunday open stores are not allowed to exceed to remain in operation, and as long as they don't exceed that size, and they don't have their workers constantly going in and out from the main store (assuming they have a main store, and that the Sunday open store is connected to the main store) for the customers to get things from the main store that the Sunday open store does not have available.
sporty but also used by military (black with extra eye protection)
10:55 I've mentioned this in a previous video I commented on, but yeah. Religion has anywhere from a small sway to large sway on various laws and rules in Norway, also in Politics.
About reaching out for the salt - we do it all the time, and it is not seen as rude in Norway. I have heard it told that if Norwegians do it while sharing a meal with people from other cultures, the other react, before they realize what's happening and just say "Ah, Norwegian arms" before continuing their meal.
I wonder if this is a regional thing in Norway or maybe just different from family to family? Because I was told that reaching over the table is very rude (at least if you have to reach over someones dinner plate.)
@@Lilly._- According to formal etiquette, it is impolite to reach out and take things on the table. I'm sure there are many proper (fine) families, and some who would like to be proper, who don't. Maybe "families from the best part of the city" see it as impolite. I have a normal, good Norwegian upbringing, and in both mine and my husband's family it is okay to reach for things as long as what you need is within reasonable reach, and we are from separate parts of the country. Of course, you don't lie over the food of the person sitting next to you, or over the table in general, but there is nothing wrong with stretching your arm to reach what you want.
For me, it would feel very strange, artificial and downright rude to say to the person sitting next to me "can you pass me the salt" if I can reach it myself just fine.
In my family we proclaim "Norwegian arms" ourselves whilst doing it, just to show were self conscious 😂
@@ahkkariq7406
Yeah that I can agree with. If the salt, pålegg or whatever I need is within reach, I tend to just reach for it myself. However I am also more used to family members asking anyone directly from across the table "Do you need me to send anything?"
I kinda like the dugnad thing. You get to talk to your neighbors, someone allways bakes cakes and serve drinks and you get to tidy up your neighborhood and feel proud for doing it yourself. If an american came over and started talking to a norwegian, the norwegian would know its a cultural thing and talk back and have a conversation. Most norwegians in the largest cities/towns use public transport to and from work and want to read a book, list’n to music or something and be in our own bubble. When we are not working we tend to ve easier to talk to .
Notice when they gave the example of hiking and shyness they said: hi hi, have a good trip.
We have a funny habit of saying hey twice, then answer hey back twice... no clue how that started, but it is a thing.
Because Hei once sounds too formal, so by saying it twice it sounds more casual, and positive. I should know. I do this myself and used to work retail.
Si de ikke det i Sverige da?
Not in western parts of Norway, we only say it once.
So much better than "hallais(en)"....
@@peacefulminimalist2028 Here in Stavanger, we only say "javel".....
Only a special breed that use those "Fast Glasses" 🤣
FAST glasses are the same as doing a sport where it is necessary, such as skiing, cycling or sailing.
Many Norwegians use an all-weather jacket on a daily basis, as you never know what kind of weather you may encounter throughout the day, so you will very rarely see a Norwegian man with an umbrella. NO, there is no Norwegian arm, it's just something young people without upbringing think it should be like that. Yep, heard it before that Norwegian men are extremely polite to foreigners.
Yep, Norwegian men love their cabins, which is why there are around half a million of them in the country.
NO, this about ALL shops being closed on Sundays is NOT correct, you can buy the most important things in small shops. And why should people who do NOT know each other greet each other in the street. Of course we greet those we know, are not so rude ! But why do people greet each other when you're out hiking? I DONT NOW !!
The "Norwegian arm" thing is not exactly correct.
I've always been taught to ask if I need something across the table, not just reach for it.
Even within the family.
I guess this varies a lot from person to person/family to family, but to say that this is more common in Norway than other places..? Nah, not really buying that.
I mean, you don't have to bother somone that's right in the middle of gulping down anyway, you usually do that while people are passing the different foods around BEFORE the eating starts.
And even then, usually the table is small enough for everyone to reach what they need from their seat.
If it's a large gathering with a bigger table, you usually have two of each thing to place on both ends of the table so that again, everyone can reach it.
Exactly. Just commons sense and table manners. As a Norwegian I have never heard of this term: “Norwegian crossing arms”. And my parents wouldn’t react unless I did it unnecessarily and was trying to crab something from way across the table. Especially if eating out or visiting family, it wouldn’t be considered proper table manners. As with everything in Norwegian culture. as long as you don’t bother others.
@@kilipaki87oritahiti Yup😊👍
It´s Oakley man!😎
Normally we Ask about The salt or The bug if its too far away from us so we cannot reach it by ourself
Such glasses are good when skiing. In the city they look silly.
In America it's called "boarding house reach".
When are you going to travel to norway?
I think those glasses are sarcastic
To get a grasp of what Norwegians like to listen to of music, you should check out the most liked songs at the moment.
There are no lakes in the U.S.? 😂
i do recomend making sure you acknowledge and are acknowledged by everyone you meet when out in the wilderness. because if you get lost or caught in a landslide or avalanche, the larger your pool of people that know where you are supposed to be the better. the sooner you were last seen by a living person before whatever incapacitated you the easier it is to find you. it is very much worth getting assaulted over. also if you do get stabbed you do need to have the non knife murdering non rapist you met 10 minutes ago as a witness so your murderer can be brought to justice. the shorter time between the last time you were seen alive and unmolested and your murder the better.
Are you Norwegian?
@@peacefulminimalist2028 yes.
@@Markcrazeer when did you last hear of a knife murderer in the forest?
@@peacefulminimalist2028 i dont know, but that is a worry when deciding not to talk to anyone. anyone could be a murderer. anyone could be a rapist anyone could human traffic me. knife murderer is the go to example. but yes your right gun murderer is more likely in america.
also yes my point exactly. talk to people you meet in the wilderness (that did not stalk you.) they could be key to finding you if for some reason you or your corpse need to be found. the less time between the last time anyone saw you and you meeting with a unfortunate situation the higher chance they find you and not a corpse.
@@Markcrazeer idk I highly doubt criminals would bother to go hiking, especially here in Norway 😂 but I get your point.
06:12 I don't understand why you keep saying that it doesn't exist in America. It does exist, it just isn't called Dugnad, in the States, it is called Spring Cleaning or Fall Cleaning.
06:54 It happens twice a year, usually, during spring and fall.
VOLENTARY WORK ?
The Norwegian arm is real. Americans often call the phenomenon border house rule.. 😅
God rested on day seven and rhat was Sunday, so do we, even if not many are religious anymore
Dugnad is not something that happens a ton, it just depends. If it's a group that often volunteer then they might arrange it or if some people in a community get the idea they could arrange it to improve something in their area like cleaning up a beach for example, they could get the rest of the community involved since it's a project that benefits everyone who wants to use the beach. Never heard of anyone being shamed for not taking part though, the ones who take part usually do it because they think it's nice or enjoys the community and social aspect of it, no pressure at least not in the dugnads I know of.
As a parent there are a ton of dugnad, and if you don't attend you will be shamed for it.
@@MsRolse Might depend on the area/community. But I am not a parent, might be more pressure when it's school or sport team related?
We use to be closed in uk on a Sunday but now it open till 4 pm from 10am if I pay my ticket I'm sitting on it. I'm in uk and just by getting the same bus every day I ended up making friends with this guy called Jason 😂😂 yes I know his name now
@Tyler me and my husbond welcome to stay with us for free and we will love to show you our part of the country❤
I would like you to look into the sami people in norway and theyre culture its interessting and you should check it out 😁
He did, but the video was very poorly done and not the best in terms of facts and information…
i only know two people who have a cabin
This video is a little humoristic in how they describe things, like with reaching because of extreme politeness. It's more like something we just do for reasons unknown.
But if you go to your cabin for the week-end you do not need or want to shop on Sunday !
Restaurants, gas stations (some are like a a store in itself) and smaller convenience stores are all open. It's just the larger supermarkets that are closed. But we usually shop for the whole weekend before going.
Quite sure the Amish practice a form of dugnad in the US -)
And Jehova's Witnesses, but not very common in general....
Silence on Sundays is NOT a cristian thing, it's the law. Nobody anywhere are allowed to make noise on Sundays. You can't even chop wood at your cabin unless you're 100% sure that nobody can hear you.
Not having dugnad, Cabins and shops closed on sundays is the works of capitalism, and a sprinkle of culture.
not all they say is true baut to be norwegian. we do ask to send salt ore pepper, we allso have sunday open store some places
No bad person would hike😂
I am from Norway and I never heard about raske briller
det er umulig.....
Hva skal man si? Det er en greie😅
The norwegian arm is more rude!! ...but norwegians dont get it lol!
According to formal etiquette it is rude, but most Norwegians find formal etiquette artificial. I guess many Norwegians consider it worse to ask for the salt if you can reach it yourself without problems.
Then, some actually come from furnished homes....
Or as we say in Stavanger. Forrektigt hjem. Med piano.....
Most of the cabins in norway Are rentals not manny do own cabins annymore
So untrue.
Eh wrong..
When have *you* ever seen a Norwegian movie?
Really, what do you know what he watches???
@@sivosav når har Tyler noen gang svart på kommentarer ? Aldri.
@@irenestrmnss4496 hva har det med saken å si? Liker ikke at folk antar noe som helst om andre, for vi vet ikke hva andre gjør/hvordan de har det. Det var mitt poeng.
@@sivosav sier bare som info at han aldri svarer eller kommenterer på chatten. Som andre YT gjør.
@@irenestrmnss4496 jeg forventet ikke noe svar fra han. Jeg syns bare det var en skikkelig teit kommentar/antagelse fra personen som skrev kommentaren.
well not to brag ... but yeah my family have 3 cabins ... so if there is a cabin ... every km in norway .... i got no problems in beliving it xD
you should do a vid about how to behave like a TRUE American
MOST OF US NORWEGIANS KNOW HOW AMERICANS BEHAVE.
SOME ARE NICE, POLITE, OUTGOING AND FRIENDLY.
OTHERS ARE LOUD, RUDE, NOISY, TALK ALOT , SHALLOW, IGNORANT, SELF FOCUSED AND ARGUE ALL THE TIME. LOTS OF KARENS AND KENS.
BUT NOT ALL OF COURSE.
WE SEE THEM ALL THE TIME ON TV, YT, MOVIES , COMMERCIALS , CRUISE SHIPS AND AS TOURISTS HERE 😂😂😂