Norwegians work from 8am-3pm. So what the hell do they do after that?
In the summer the BF would play golf. In the hunting season he would hunt. Now there are no activities after work that make sense and it gets dark at about 4:30.
Norwegians don't go to the bar for Happy Hour. They don't know what it is in fact. Most bars aren't even open until 7pm. I tried to go to the bar at 6:15 after a hard days work of layin on the couch and playing on the internet and it was closed. Not open, lights off, door locked, no one inside type of closed. At 6. Where the hell was everyone?
I live a little outside of Oslo so maybe it's that my town is quiet and the larger cities actually have heard of Happy Hour. Then again Norwegians everywhere don't need HH the way New Yorkers do. In NYC we work 10 hour days that consist of yelling and fighting via email, phone and in person, no food and no fresh air. After this well spent time in the office, all the hopes and dreams we had for post work are shot and we just go to the bar. Of which I have heard there are 3,000 good ones in Manhattan. I only hit up about 200.
It seems Norwegians don't need Happy Hour because they have no worries. Americans have unsolvable issues that we choose to band-aid with the bar under our apartment, the bar next to work, the bar next to the subway, the bar on top of this hotel or that hotel or this restaurant bar or that one. 'I can't have children because I don't have health insurance and my maternity leave sucks.' 'I can't go on vacation because I only have 5 days of PTO this year.' 'I can't pay my student loan because I can't get a better paying job.' Norwegians don't have the same woes. 'I have 6 weeks PTO.' 'I have 10 months paid maternity leave.' 'I have no student loans and I get paid $70,000 a year.'
Really they should be drinking and it should be for joy.
That all sound pretty nice. I know it's a more quite and subdued culture, but am sure they know how to have fun as well.
ReplyDeletehehe... I think it's just your BF which is working to 3pm, the rest of us is working to 4 pm :P
ReplyDeleteAnd I can tell that the government has forbidden Happy Hour! :(((
K-town is a sleeping town - unfortunately. But you can go to Drammen and it's lively everyday.
BTW: Yout BF is on a low payment! :P
BTW2: I need more PTO!!! hehe
Norway is a country most Americans are dreaming they which they lived in! Right, Rachel? ;)
I'd suggest Grünerløkka in Oslo as the place to go to witness people going out for drinks in the afternoon.
ReplyDeleteTwo good things:
1) there is actually people there
2) pretty much any day
oh, and it's nice there.
one bad thing: still expensive 'caus of the government-thing..
hope you are enjoying yourself despite all these weird customs of ours!
oh, and I'm Stine, the cousin btw, didn't realize my name wouldn't appear.
ReplyDelete8-4 correction made here- sorry rolf ;) regardless of the happy hour customs you guys have what seems to be a good system for work and pay and stuff which is really nice. it seems like the gov't is looking out for you with the drinking laws anyway right? so you cant be mad at them. thx for the thoughtful comments
ReplyDeletehuge fan of day drinking, happy hour drinking, but if you go to any of these cities that are not close to you, you will be trouble of drinking and driving. And 10 months maternity leave, no student loans, and 6 weeks paid vacation sounds great to any American! We are jealous of course.
ReplyDeleteHi Rachel, I don´t know if you remember me, but I meet you girls in a bar together with Espen and the guys some time ago.... I love you straight-up, twisted look at the many differences we face here in Norway vs US! A lot of good reading. Cheers!
ReplyDelete