School Life

School life is very different in Norway than here in the US. First off, they go to kindergarten before age 6 and have no classes, they just play all day, then they go to elementary school for grades 1-7, then to a junior high school from 8-10 grade. After that they go to high school for grades 11-13.

High school is very different for them than us. When they go to high school, they must think about what they want to do for the rest of their lives. High school for them is kind of like college for us. There are separate high schools for people who want to be a cook, a secretary, a teacher, etc. There is an entirely different high school for careers that require more education, like that of a doctor or a lawyer. This is also where people who are undecided in what they want to do, where they can take more in depth generals.

All classes are divided into sections: A, B, and C, and depending on the number of people, sometimes D and E. This is just a random classification to keep class sizes down.
In Norway, there are no school colors or sports. They don’t have yearbooks like we do, they are just books with pictures of each class, no extra things or candids like what we have in the US.

The teachers don’t really show an interest in the students. In the US, we often form something of a bond with some teachers, talking to them about random things and teasing each other. In Norway, the teachers don’t do this. They don’t even do anything if people use their phones during class. Students often text throughout class in plain view of the teacher, and some even take or make phone calls when they’re supposed to be working on work.

One last thing that’s different is lunch. In Norway, they don’t actually serve the students lunch. They can buy things from the cafeteria, so most students bring their own lunch or bought food from the mall near the school.

~My source is my Norwegian friend Becca

Religion

In the United States, religion is a big thing. We are a really religious country, in general. Of course, there are a lot of people who aren’t religious or don’t believe in God, but a majority of the country is involved in some kind of religion. No matter where you go, you can usually find a church within five miles, and oftentimes you can find numerous churches.

Norway, however, is more of an atheist country. They do have people that practice religion, of course. Some religions practiced are Catholicism, Christianity, and others like we have here in the US, along with Islam, practiced by Muslim immigrants, and there are other religions there that don’t translate in the English language. Also, in Norway, they don’t say anything like the Pledge of Allegiance. In fact, when my friend Becca was here as a foreign exchange student, she at first felt like the Pledge was a sort of cult thing! So in Norway, the majority of the country is atheist, and very few people actually do believe.

~My source is my Norwegian friend, Rebecca

Dating

The culture I am interested in researching is the Norwegian culture. I have a friend from Norway, and I’ve asked her questions about how it’s different from American ways, and I am fascinated by some things. Since she went to school here for a year, she has experienced both Norwegian and American ways of life.

Just recently, I was talking to her about how relationships are different in Norway than in the United States. She was telling me about this guy she really liked. One night they spent a lot of time talking and they kissed. I asked her if she was dating him, and she told me, "Kind of, but not really." I didn’t understand what she meant so she elaborated.

Apparently, in Norway, when you find a person you like, you usually don’t start dating right away. You casually date several people until you figure out which one you like most. Sure, we do that in America, but most people don’t like that way of doing it and commit to a relationship when they like someone. According to my friend, that’s very rare in Norway. She said it’s kind of like a test that they have to pass in order to become exclusive with the person they like. Once they begin dating officially, that’s when they commit themselves to each other.

I just found it interesting how much laid back Norwegians are when it comes to dating. It’s just a small fact, but I wanted to share it.

~My source is my Norwegian friend, Rebecca