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NORWAY AND NORWEGIANS
When I’m travelling myself, I always find it useful to bring a travel guide. These books are packed with information about attractions, restaurants, shopping streets etc. Something I miss, however, is information about the people who live in the country or the city I’m visiting. Is there a large class distinction in this country, for how long do the children go to school, how much does an industrial worker earn, how much does an apartment cost, what’s the unemployment rate, does this country have any specific customs that I should be aware of? For those who share my curiosity, I will give some general information about Norway and Norwegians.
Norway has one of the highest salaries in Europe. Only Switzerland has a higher average salary level than Norway. The high salary level is why prices in Norway are higher than average, and since the Norwegian government wants to stimulate a lower consumption of tobacco and alcohol, these products are particularly pricey in Norway. The average price level of all goods and services are 30 percent higher in Norway than in 25 other European countries. (Source: Eurostat) |
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Norway is a small country with few class distinctions. Most children in Norway go to public primary and secondary schools and everyone have the same access to medical care. Although there are wage disparities between people, you rarely find segregated residential areas in Norway. The only place in Norway where you’ll fi nd a distinct “Westside” and “Eastside” is in the capital of Oslo. The fairly small class distinction is also why there is usually a very informal tone between people at school and in the working life. A lack of subservience must, however, not be misinterpreted as a lack of respect and courtesy. In Norway, most people settle for a light nod when meeting someone they know. When greeting someone in a more formal manner, you hold out your right hand for a quick handshake. Hugs and kisses are not customary for most Norwegians, and is reserved for close relations.
As a tourist you are welcome to the Haugesund district 365 days a year, but should you happen
to be here on the 17th of May, you will have an experience not easily forgotten.
Norwegian food habits are a bit different from many other countries. Norwegians eat a lot of bread, mainly wholemeal bread. Bread is eaten for breakfast, lunch and supper. One peculiar Norwegian characteristic is the matpakke, or packed lunch. Most school children, students and workers bring sandwiches for lunch. The sandwiches are wrapped in paper, and this is why the lunch is called a matpakke. Over the past few years, large work places with their own cafeteria have introduced more continental eating habits, but few Norwegians have hot lunches, and most Norwegians have their dinner in the early afternoon, between 3 p.m. and 5 p.m.
Normal working hours in Norway are 37.5 hours a week, or 7.5 hours a day. Norwegian employees have a right to fi ve weeks paid holiday a year. In 2006, the average Norwegian earned just below NOK 30 000 a month. According to Statistics Norway (www.ssb.no), a Norwegian craftsman earns NOK 27 200 a month, while a primary/secondary school teacher earns NOK 29 300 a month.
The Norwegian government offers several fi nancial subsidy schemes to stimulate the Norwegian population to have more children. Mothers have the right to one year paid maternity leave. (Limited upwards to NOK 377 000) After the child turns one year old, the mother/parents can receive up to NOK 40 000 a year if one of the parents chooses to stay home with the children. This sum is a sort of compensation for not occupying a place in a kindergarten. From the child is born and till it turns 18, the mother/parents receive a family allowance, which amounts to NOK 970 a month and is meant to cover some of the child’s needs for shoes and clothing. If a family has more children, the allowance increases with NOK 970 per month. The family allowance is not means-tested and is paid out to all mothers/parents. A little over one million Norwegian children under the age of 18 receive a total of NOK 14 billion in family allowance every year.
Norway has many kindergartens, but not nearly enough to cover the demand, and there is probably an under-coverage of around 20 per cent. In Norway, all children start school the year they turn six. The compulsory education lasts ten years. A school year starts in the middle of August and ends in the middle of June. After the compulsory education is completed, most students choose to continue with an upper secondary education. This is a school system that has replaced what was previously called gymnasium and vocational school. After three years of general studies at upper secondary school, you are eligible to apply to universities and colleges. Those who wish to become skilled workers need to take two years of upper secondary education plus a one-year apprenticeship.
Normal pensionable age in Norway is 67 years. Retirement pension given by the National Insurance Scheme amounts to approximately 55 per cent of previous income for people with a medium income. You need to have worked for 40 years to receive full retirement pension. The average of the 20 years with the highest income defi nes the size of the pension. People with no or little income are nevertheless secured a minimum pension, which amounts to NOK 113 000 a year (2007). 60 per cent of all Norwegian employees have the right to an earlyretirement pension from the day they turn 62.
You are automatically a member of the Norwegian National Insurance Scheme from the day you are born. This is a compulsory social security and pensions system giving you the right to sickness benefi t, medical care, unemployment benefit, maternity benefi t, rehabilitation money, disability pension, survivor pension or retirement pension. In rough terms, the National Insurance Scheme is based on a system where each individual pay as much as they can and receive as much as they need.
Around 85 per cent of all Norwegians are members of the state church of Norway. The Norwegian state church is an Evangelical Lutheran denomination. Both in the city of Haugesund, but particularly in the districts, Christian values have traditionally held a strong position. Few other places in Norway can you fi nd so many meeting houses in such a small area than in the rural areas around Haugesund. In that context, we should add that it was strictly forbidden to sell beer in Haugesund up until 1960, and the town only got its fi rst Vinmonopol (state-run shops with wine and spirits monopoly) in 1978. The neighbouring municipalities were voluntarily “on the wagon” until the beginning of the 1990s, but today, the majority of the population has a more liberal view of the sale of alcohol.
After two referendums (1972 and 1994), Norway has chosen to stand on the outside of the European Union, but Norway has been a signatory to the European Economic Area (EEA) since 1994. Since Norway is not a member of the EU, we have been called “the Different Country”. Another area where Norway is different from many other countries is the way we celebrate our National Day. The 17th of May 1814, Norway signed its own constitution, and this is why the 17th of May is Norway’s national day. Contrary to many other countries, where the national day is passed over in silence or celebrated with massive military parades, the Norwegian national day is the children’s day. The Norwegian Constitution is celebrated from early morning to late at night, and the absolute highlight of the many events is the children’s parade. In most cities the children’s parade starts at 10 a.m. All school children participate and walk in procession through the city streets. Each school has its own marching band leading the way and playing national songs and marches. The children follow class by class, singing local and national songs.
Most of the children are wearing their best clothes on the 17th of May. Many of the girls wear the Norwegian national costume, the bunad. The most common variations of the bunad in the Haugesund district are the Hardangerbunad and the Rogalandsbunad. The national day is not only celebrated with a children’s parade in the cities. The national day is celebrated in every town and village all over the country.
As a tourist you are welcome to the Haugesund district 365 days a year, but should you happen to be here on the 17th of May, you will have an experience not easily forgotten.
I wish you a pleasant stay in Norway and the Haugesund district.
Tor Inge Vormedal
vormedal@vormedalforlag.no
vormedal@vormedalforlag.no