National character

In recent years there has been a trend of leaving the countryside and moving to the cities. Despite this fact - and despite the large divorce rate - family and roots still mean a lot to most Norwegians.

Foreigners may find Norwegians reserved - at least to begin with. Norwegians may be afraid of being intrusive, and you might need to take the first initiative. However you will find Norwegians friendly, helpful and hospitable as you get to know them better.

You will probably find the social tone less formal than you are used to from home. The Norwegians titulate each other in the unformal "you" even though the language does have a formal "You" as well. The formal titulation is used towards the Royal family, but is very seldom used in other contexts.

Greetings are also done in an unformal way. Norwegians do not kiss each other on the cheak as is common in some other countries. When you meet people for the first time, in business or in more formal contexts it is normal to shake hands. In other contexts it would be normal just to say "Hello" (in Norwegian: "Hei") to each other or when it comes to friends, families or even close collegues: to hug each other.

The term "My home is my castle" applies to a lot of Norwegians - especially those who are established with homes and families. In this chilly climate with long winters and little daylight during wintertime, Norwegians prefer inviting visitors to their home for a meal instead of going out. Dining at restaurants is very expensive in Norway - and so is alcohol. You will therefore seldom see Norwegians buying rounds in a pub or inviting friends to dine at restaurants (and paying the bill). Still recent trends with many new coffeebars which serves small (and cheaper) meals have influenced Norwegians to go out more both on weekdays and in the week-ends.

Norwegians also like spending time outdoor. Popular activities are hiking (spring, summer and autumn), skiing (winter), fishing (all year in the coastal areas and in the lakes inland where some also practises ice-fishing in winter).

For more facts about Norway, look up the official statistics on http://www.ssb.no/english/subjects/00/minifakta_en/en/