Common sentences
1. Norwegian language:
Norwegians speak scandinavian language. There are two official written Norwegian languages: Bokmål and Nynorsk. Besides, there are a lot of dialects which one of the ways to identify the Norwegians where their hometown is. The country is a scandinavian country so when you know Norwegian language, you can communicate with Swedes (people from Sweden) and Danes (people from Denmark) because their languages are quite similar. Learning and practicing the Norwegian language is entry to enter into the Norwegian society even most of them can speak english.
2. Important sentences:
I have observed that there are some sentences which you should say to Norwegians when you expect really to be included with them.
When you eat with Norwegians it’s very common for them to sing food blessing song right before you eat. In Madagascar the believers don’t sing but we pray (only one person of all) before eating to thank God who has given daily food.
Then don’t forget to thank for the food after eating to the one who have cooked or prepared the food. Say like this:“Takk for maten” then you will hear “vær så godt”(literally you’re welcome!). If all of you din’t make the food or each has his own food, you just say “Takk for skiftet”! (literally means thank you for sharing together the food and talking). The Malagasy thank for food when they are invited or they come as guests. But at the family it is not common at all to do that.
Before having conversation with Norwegians you should to say your name and shaking hand. Then you will know his or her name reciprocally as well. You can say some words about yourself if you want. What should you ask or talk about? Most Norwegians don’t like talking about religion even though Norway is known as christian country. They don’t like you asking his or her private life or family life. They like talking about music, sport, party events and weather, national and international news, somethings funny.
I don’t agree at all that some people say Norwegians are so quiet because when you know what they like talking about you will discover that your conversation can last for a longtime.
May be the weather makes them more focusing on a personal interest because they aren’t used to chatting with people outdoor all the time. The Norwegian like to flatter what you have done. It’s required that you don’t have to show humility or excuse yourself, it wasn’t so good like that. Thank to those who are flattering you. The malagasy are humble of telling something that they know really. If you admire someone on what he has done you will hear his humility answering “oh I am not so good!”. But in the cities, people thank you for that.
The Norwegians react directly when there is something which they don’t like. So be aware of that.
If you are non Norwegian, you aren’t maybe used to call someone by his name. In Norway everyone likes to be called by his/her name whoever the person is. That means it is ok calling by own name rather than a profession name face to face.
The most of Malagasy don’t like to be called by their name when you call them. It seems like impolite way to us except youth and children. In fact we aren’t used to tell name at the first time to meet apart from some people in the big cities. And we use a lot indirect way of telling thinks.
Man and woman duties:
The gender equality in Norway reigns in all activities, all works. A man can be a cook even his wife is still there. A woman can be in charge of hard physical work. No duty is made for man or women. Many girls practice all sports as the same as the boys do. I saw that woman can be bus driver, pastor (at Lutheran church), organist, dentist etc. Because in my home country those works are specially for the men. It’ s not only for the women who look after the children but the men can do it as well.
It’s not shameful to do some works which are considered as women’s duties according to other countries. That is egalitarian strategy, every one is equal no man no woman, no higher no lower. The Malagasy women are still fighting of gender equality. There are some family tasks for men and for man. In the countrysides women are considered as children, they can’t make serious speech at society event.
Dressing and Shopping
1. Dressing style:
Most of people wear the same style of clothing wherever they go example to the church, shopping and at work. Prejudging a person by his clothing doesn't always give you a possitive result. Because Everybody often wear trousers and coat or rain jacket according the weather. But they like wearing nice and honorable clothes if they are going to attend a special ceremony or to attend christmas cervices at church. The Norwegians have clothes very suitable on their climate (raining and coldness). In Madagascar you can guess who, from where or going where the person is, in general case, especially adult people. It is very important that you won’t feel so different by dressing at the Norwegian society if you analyze well how the local people clothe then following it.
2. Shopping:
There is no market outdoor in Norway due the weather. Everything are sold at big shop. All things sold are well treated healthily and electronically marked. When you are at the shop you can see the price written nearby each thing sold and you can’t bargain the price to get it at cheaper price. Most of the shops are opened from 9am until 22pm during Monday-Saturday. People usually buy bread, milk, potatoes, somethings used on the bread (butter,cheese...), fruits... for daily food. It is common to buy things by a bank card at the shop. Most of people go shopping once a week to save time. They conserve the food at freezer all days. Madagascar is still a developing country so we don’t use electronic card to buy somethings. At the market we have fresh food (food non conserved in freezer).
Traffic system
Quite all roads in Norway are good and tarred. The lights should be turned on all the time if you are driving. It helps people to know that the car is moving. It is common to wear light reflector clothe or to bring plastic/bracelet light reflector against the darkness or fogging to indicate the driver that there is some one who is walking or cycling along the road in order to avoid unexpected accident.
All the buses are scheduled to pass by the bus stops which is variable an area to another. The is special way for walking or cycling and the cars follow the main roads. The buses follow the main roads also, sometimes they have different way for picking up the local people at the neighboring bus stops. It’s common to have helmet on head when you ride bicycle or motorbike for protection yourself against the serious accident.
In Madagascar, there are busses only in the cities and you take a buss whenever you want if it’s not full. And most of people walk across the street.
Famly life style
The norwegian family has both parents and around 2-4 children in general case. It’s very common to feel happy all the time, smiling, joking, laughing. The children go to school and the parents go at work in the morning. Then they can meet for dinner time (middag) at home at around 4pm. All children 7 years old have to star going to school.
There is traditional way to name children in Norway. The have family name and they inherit the name of their parents or grand parents. In some parts of Norway, naming children is under strict rules; the eldest child must be named after his paternal grandparents’ name. If the eldest child is a boy he will be named by his paternal grandfather’s name and if it is a girl she will be named by her paternal grandmother’s name. And the second child: son will be named after his maternal grandfather’ name, daughter will be named after her maternal grandmother’s name. Traditionally Malagasy follow the "anaram-bitana" (horoscope name) known by Mpanandro (malagasy astrologists). But nowadays most people just name their children whatever they like.
The Norwegians like reading news papers to get more informed about daily circumstances. They make membership to get news papers by post. Most of the Norwegian families are used having nice dinner following some dessert afterwards every Sundays. And every Saturdays they have special Saturday food and some drinks. They like sometimes inviting their family, friends or neighbors for dinner.
Norwegian house
Most of Norwegian houses are made by wooden panels and by slate roofing. House contains lot of rooms inside. One building must have bedrooms for everyone living in, bathrooms ,kitchen, dining-rooms etc. Houses are always painted such as red, yellow, blue, but white is very popular.
It is very common in Norway that one house has air conditioning, radiator, fire place to warm up the rooms during the cold Winters.
It is recommended to have fire alarms or smoke detectors installed in different parts of the house, especially the kitchen and bedrooms to inform if the house risks to be burned.
There are signs installed on the top of the doorways which indiquate the exit if you need to escape quickly when the house is burning or an accident happens.
Some people have nice house on the mountain for staying in some days when they are there for trip, especially during the cold Winters. The Norwegians usually grow grass on the roof of the house on the mountain. Many houses have a patio or balcony on the sun side with desk chairs to tan through the sunshine. The common Malagasy houses are made by mud bricks of cement bricks, roofed over with corrugated iron or tiles. There are several kinds of houses such as wooden house,thatched roofing house etc.
Norwegians and music
I can say that Norwegians are happy people. They like very much music and enjoy playing some instruments in their daily life. Quite all families in Norway have at least on musical instrument in their home.That means many Norwegians can play one musical instrument at least. They have commonly piano, guitars, drums, violins, trumpets and saxophones. Some youths prefer to study music at university. I observed that music is some thing undertaken as important in their life. At school, the students have musical teaching among of their subjects. They like singing as well, specially the christians. The christian children have been singing or playing music since their childhood. Norwegians like the most jazz music and rock.There is no age limit in Norway to play music or appreciate it in different ways such as dancing or watching concert. Children, youths and adults try to get some skills on music life. We like music especially typical malagasy instrument such as valiha, kabosy but it is made only for the artists to play it. Most of people don’t play any instrument.
Thanks for reading!
