In the last weeks of 2015, I saw my Norwegian friends and colleagues happier than usual. Did a Norwegian skier just win a competition? Is the price of the Christmas ribbe cheaper this year? Almost better: the United Nations had just published its yearly report, showing that, once again, Norway is the best country to live in. For the 7th year in a row. Can you … Continue reading Norway is the best country to live in. Really?
You have been living in Norway for a while, or have been reading this blog. In any case, now is time to get your knowledge of this society tested on these 30 questions. Do not use the internet to find the answers, but you can use your Norwegian partner or friends. I thought at first this would be easy for Norwegians but it turns out it … Continue reading Quiz: How Well Do You Know The Norwegians?
Norwegians, as you’ve understood through this blog, have many traditions and cultural norms they follow on regular days of the year. B during what they call “høytider”: Easter, 17th of May etc. there are even more traditions and rules. So this is not an article to give the keys to foreigners on how to offend Norwegians (although it might do that too I admit). It … Continue reading How to offend Norwegians during Christmas time
Like my articles? Check out my new book One Year in Norway. Disclaimer: “Weird” does not mean “negative”, some of these strange things are very positive and should be exported to the rest of the world 🙂 You are telling a great story to your Norwegian friend/colleague. He or she will start making strange sounds: aspirations with the mouth as if they have the beginning … Continue reading Weird things Norwegians do
After my previous blogpost Annoying things (some) Norwegians do, I was expecting many reactions of people saying that what I wrote is unbelievably wrong and how dare you say bad things about a country hosting you etc.. Forseeing such reactions, I had prepared a counter blogpost to reassure the crowd on my intentions: despite sometimes poking where it hurt, I am conscious of all the … Continue reading Wonderful things (most) Norwegians do
As Autumn is coming, with its beautiful red-orange-yellow colours and its new seasonal vegetables, here is a recipe for all of those who want to start, already, to make things warm and koselig. Not only are pumpkins a seasonal vegetable coming back in your shops, the ginger will spice it all up and keep you safe from infections as the change of seasons is … Continue reading Høstsuppe: Butternut squash, Sweet Potato & Ginger Soup
There is an important concept one needs to understand and embrace when living in Norway: being “koselig”. Most English speakers translate it by “cosy” but that term doesn’t even begin to cover everything that “koselig” can express. This concept is difficult to translate to those who do not live here, but basically anything can (and should) be koselig: a house, a conversation, a dinner, a … Continue reading The Norwegian Obsession with “Koselig”
