Some Cultural Observations

So, I figured since most people used to ask about cultural differences that I experienced while I was in China, I figured I would share the cultural differences that I have observed here in Norway.

* Cake, coffee, and tea - after every church service and if you are invited to visit someone's home, there will always be cake, coffee, and tea

* Bread and spread - this concept relates to Norwegians eating bread with spreads such as liver paste, chocolate spread (similar to nutella), cheese, veggies, etc. placed on bread like an open faced sandwich and is eaten for breakfast, lunch, and an evening meal

                - 4 meals a day include: breakfast (between 7-8am), lunch (between 12-1pm), dinner (between 4:30-5:30pm), and evening meal (between 8-9pm)
                - dinner is usually a hot meal

* Take shoes off at the door when entering a house (different reason than China - more or less because of rain and snow and not wanting to track that through the house); also most people wear wool sock booties around the house

* You host your own birthday celebration - you expect most people you know from the community to come visit you on your birthday, so you prepare your own cake for those that will visit, and most do not want presents

* Babies (6 months and older) and toddlers are dressed in warm clothes, swaddled in blankets and placed in their stroller (the European ones lay flat) outside during nap times to get fresh air

* Norwegians are very trusting - you could accidentally leave your wallet somewhere and nothing would be taken and would be returned to you immediately.