In many cultures, people go around and greet everyone personally when they enter a party or an event.
They do the same when leaving.
It is part of their social norms and an important ritual to follow in order to be perceived as polite.
You go around shaking hands, nodding and sometimes kissing others, including those you haven’t met before.
It may take half an hour.
Norwegians will instead try not to disturb others and will tend to greet people they do not know only if there is a practical reason to do so: if they have something specific to discuss with a person, for example.
If you talk with Norwegians at an event or party, they may leave without coming back to you to say goodbye.
Leaving a party without going around to say goodbye to everyone is usually not intended to be rude in Norway. It is actually quite normal.
Norwegians do not want to disturb you by saying goodbye!
Maybe you were in the middle of a conversation when they were ready to leave, and they did not want to interrupt!
If Norwegians do not look at you, greet you or acknowledge your presence, it does not mean they do not like you or that you are not welcome.
They just want to give you your space; to leave you alone.
Space and being alone are important to Norwegians. --
