Friday, February 26, 2010

Norwegian cultural shocks Now


Norway is a scandavian country, it belongs to sister states like sweden, Denmark and finland. it has a good international relationship with other countries. That is of course good
Now i have fined almost six month in Norway in the southern part of the country called kristiansand. Yeah ! it ia nice city with the population of people equivalent to one of my trading centres in the village . But people seem to be so happy about this countable people who match along the city streets at a rocket speed.
Now it is monday, i do not go to work, i say now let me go the town may be i can see many new interesting things. I have to take a bus, from my apartment. Which is may six minutes drive in the bus. I have to hurry to the bus stop otherwise the bus drivers seem to be having no compassion, have to hurry running from my home to the bus stop otherwise even reaching there two seconds late, you get when the bus has just left, you will see it trailling ahead of you in few metres even the driver will notice that indeed you were going to take the bust but he will not stop at all.
Why is it so !!! ahhhhh me at home gateway, akamba, elgon flyers, taxis, boda boda, they wait for me, i am the boss, but here the bus is the bus, .
In other words, i mean keeping time is so crucial and cruel in Norway. One day i was embarrased, i have been invited on the big ceremony, i have to prepare well, i have sharpaned my apetite, actually i have to have a speech at the ceremony, but later every thing turned into a fiasco as well as a disapointment after the bus had disorganised me.
I was putting on my suit to go and fit in this great ceremony, but as soon as i reached the bus stop, i saw the bus which is take just closing the door setting off. I tried to run and call the bus driver but in vein he only looked at me and shut the door, ehhhh !!! now what do i do ? do miss the ceremony nooooo!!!! i can not miss it. My be i have to wait for another bus, but when is it coming ? may be i have to check on the time table for buses, oh !!!! my God !!! the next bust comes two hours later iihhhh !!!! what a hell the next bus comes when the function is even finished, ok i try a tax, only the price of a taxi it is God who knows.
I had to miss the function !!!!!!

Socialogy in Norway.
Ahhhh !!! this is a real cultural stroke but a shoke, my friend, in Norway people`s lips are glued up, they move with security on guard, they move on gun point, be cause people move straight forward, no one looks behind when moving it is not so common, people do not talk my friend ! i do not know why, in the bus, people prefer lonely seats, why ? This is my experience, in uganda, we prefer to be where people are, we prefer to meet and talk to stranger, and intaract, but here it is up side down people are shy, they are skeptical, they are always and mostly dressed in black jackets along the streets zooming besides one another they are always either texting messages or listening to ipods or talking to phones for a long time.
If your lucky, then you can get a very a cute smile from some one and do not expect more that that. You may be so happy and think this person is so interested in knowing mle and may be i tal to him or sit near him in the bus, waaaaaahhhh!!!! if you go there and sit next to him, he will prestend to be welcoming but inside him self he will be asking him self many question.
Who is this person ? where is he from ? why did he take this bus the same like me ? ahh !! why is he dressed like this ? But why did he come to sit with me ? Any he will extend and create for you a seat to sit with him or her. But should there be a space any where in the bus, this person will leave you and go and sit there iiihhhhhh ! i am i smelling ? did touch him ? i am shabby ? do i look bad ? any way you not know what is the truth.
At first, i thought it happens to internationals but later, i discovered even a Norwegian to a Norwegian they experience the same situation. I do not know if it is a challenge to them be cause, they all almost do it but not every Norwegian.
In norway, when you enter the bus, you rather ask for permission to sit with some one, it is like uganda where you just go and sit any where with any one. Here you may irritate some. Since they are shy, they may not tell you but it worthy to ask inskyul kun jeg sit ved deg ? please can i sit near you ? in other word, and chances are minimal, some one can give you a red card not to sit with him and yetother place are filled up. Please be humble and stand untill there will be space for you after some people have gone out.
i was from Vennesla, i was from work, i enter in the bus while rocking my music from the mp3
i just put my bus card to the squared machine at the entrance of the bus and i entered in the bus, unfortunately, the seats were occupied, eeehhhhh !!! what do i do, where do sit now ? oh i can there is a girl, there sitted but ther is a free seat just next to her. Of course i can take that !!! with happiness hey ! can i sit near you No ! ihhhh ehh may be she did not hear me well excuse me can i sit near you ? please. No i said no oh my God but the sit is free. i wondered why. She just looked at me and did not sympathies with me at all. so i had to stand and i was responding to all gears as i kept on dancing in the bus.

1 comment:

  1. Wow.. Ronald. The culture when it comes to time in Norway, and as you say, compassion... I`m a bit ashamed :S

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