A few years back
I asked a Norwegian man what a good friend was
He was silent for a while
And said
"A good friend is someone I can sit alone in a room with in silence and feel comfortable"
From a foreign eye
Norwegian Friendships may feel a little distant
Norwegian friendships are in balance
No friend shall owe to the other
While in many cultures you build friendships by giving and receiving
In Norway you build friendships by doing activities together and keep things equal
You maintain the balance
Norwegian friends are something special
They may not pay for your coffee
And feel uncomfortable if you pay for theirs
They want things to be equal
They may not take contact without a reason
And rather wait that you meet through an activity
They are polite and do not want to disturb you
They may feel a little distant
And it may be challenging to realise when you have made a Norwegian friend
And what is to be expected in a Norwegian friendship
Norwegian Friendships & Relationships
