Sunday, December 24, 2017
Merry Christmas!
I would like to wish my readers a very Merry Christmas! Enjoy family, friends and the spirit of the season.
Monday, December 18, 2017
Coloring Inside the Lines
Society tends to function in harmonious fashion when its members
abide by written and unwritten rules be it laws of the land, cultural
code or social behavior. Continuing in the theme of differences in
living and traveling abroad I present observations and experiences
with regards to law, politics and cultural laws. I generally have
more to say about Norway since we lived there longer than we have
lived in France and therefore I have more experiences and greater
familiarity with the Scandinavian nation.
The Big Question
Yes, European countries are more socialized than Canada and the United States. The degree of socialism varies among countries. In order of increasing socialism the countries are the United States, Canada, France and Norway. Most Europeans like this system. From my observations Norwegians feel that the government makes its decisions for the benefit of the people, so they complain very little about the government. This attitude transfers over to the work environment where it is felt that the employer has the employees’ best interest at heart when it comes to decision making. In France the central government is all powerful with municipal, city, etc. governments having little authority. The French love a good political dialogue.
Education
In Norway education is free. University education is paid for and students leaving the country receive some benefits as well. Private schools are scarce (although gaining popularity) and homeschooling is even more rare. I am not familiar with the extent of the funding of post secondary education in France. Private schools receive government funds and are more common than in Norway.
Health Care
When you move to Norway you receive a list in the mail of several physicians in your area from which you must select one as your doctor. You may change doctors up to three times a year after completing the required paperwork. Private medical clinics are available and tend to be more efficient in providing services. A friend injured himself skiing. From the time of the initial doctor visit until receiving the MRI results was a period of two months using the public system. I had a sore back, saw the doctor Monday and had my MRI results Wednesday using a private clinic. Norwegian doctors give prescriptions only if absolutely necessary.
The French have more freedom, as long as you have your social security card go to any doctor or pharmacy and everything is taken care of. I am not aware of private clinics, but we live in a small town. We have been to the emergency room several times for our son; our waits weren't much different than in a North American emergency room. Prescriptions are more freely dispersed in France than in Norway.
Medical costs in Europe are low compared to the US. A doctor visit in France is $30. The MRI I had in Norway cost under $200, less than the insurance deductible in the US. French prescriptions are one third to one quarter the price in the US.
Green
Europeans care about the environment. Recycling is important. Norway has adopted a zero reduction policy of its forests. Any activity that may impact the environment is deeply scrutinized. The town in which we live is in a forest with the only expansion being vertical. The popularity of electric cars is growing exponentially. Electric car companies have difficulty meeting the demand of the Norwegian market. The French and Norwegian governments offer significant incentives for purchasing hybrid and electric cars. Both Paris and Oslo are looking at zero petroleum powered vehicle options. Public transportation helps reduce pollution by reducing vehicle exhaust, is reliable, and time and cost efficient. Purchase price, insurance, fuel and maintenance costs and limited parking make owning and operating a car a costly endeavor. The majority (80%+) of cars are diesel with a standard transmissions.
Taxes
Tax rates vary among countries but a top tax bracket of 40% is common. Norwegian taxes are among the highest in Europe with an average of 45% and an upper limit of 55% and a VAT (similar to sales tax) of 25%. Television is taxed in Europe. In Norway we were charged $250 per year per television while France charges us around $150 per year per household. On several blogs I read that some Scandinavians may end up keeping only 10% to 20% of their salary after all taxes, tolls and “fees” (i.e. money that ends up in the government’s pocket) are paid. Even though taxes are high Europeans do not mind paying them because they feel they get their money’s worth in services. My wife asked a Norwegian taxi driver about fishing licenses (not sure how that came up in conversation); the driver responded that he didn’t think the area required a license but he paid it anyway because the fishing department did so many good things.
Elections
I was able to observe federal elections in Norway and France. The Norwegian election seemed to be run similar to North America. There were next to no billboards, posters, etc. visible in the community. I did not pay attention to the radio or television but was told the election did dominate the air waves. As residents of Norway (but not citizens) we were allowed to vote in local elections but not the federal election.
The French have a very interesting election process. As in the US each party (up to 10) has their primaries and convention where they select their leader. During the first round of the elections the population votes on the full list of presidential candidates with the top two moving on. Two weeks later the public votes again with the winner claiming the position of president. A month thereafter the people vote for their representatives (similar to a congressman or Member of Parliament). The difference in time is to allow the people to vote in response to the presidential election.
Equality
With social governments the population tends to be socially and economically equal compared to non social countries. All Norwegians are considered equal. You will seldom see university diplomas and other accomplishments on display in homes. People will not boast about their education/degrees/etc. Once a year the government makes publicly available the salaries of all employees in the country. The royal family takes a low profile being as “common” as possible. Until 2014/2015 the royal grandchildren attended public school. Since 2014 they started to attend the International school for the sake of English instruction and exposure to international cultures. My wife sat beside the Crown Prince at a school parent information evening with no security in sight. Our friends were telling us about their landlord and the close relation they had with him. After several years they found out that he was the CEO of the third largest company in Norway. As a teacher I would never compliment an individual in front of the class. Complimenting the class as a whole is acceptable.
The French believe in hierarchy. Rank and position are important. During medieval times when the people were suffering they were not upset at the royalty living in luxury because they were royal and as such deserved the accompanying lifestyle. After almost two years my wife’s “subordinates” address her using formal language rather than the casual vernacular North Americans would associate between colleagues.
Citizenship
As part of the process of becoming an American citizen I had to go to an interview where I had a casual conversation and answered a few simple question about US government and history. The interview may be completed in Spanish if you do not speak English. Any child born in the US is an American citizen. Both Norway and France take a stricter approach to becoming a naturalized citizen. Applicants must complete a thorough language exam (equivalent to first year university). In Norway if a child is born it is a Norwegian citizen only if at least one parent is Norwegian.
The Elephant in the Room
At some point in time I get the question about guns. On multiple occasions I have asked my Norwegian and French friends what they thought would happen if Europe adopted American gun laws. The response is always the same, at least initially US gun laws would have no effect on life in Europe. Europeans do not sense the need or have the desire to possess firearms for self protection. Even if the laws changed the values/attitudes would not. Guns are available as hunting is popular in France and Norway with both countries having the same number of firearms per capita as Canada.
Rabbit Trail
There are several duplicate house numbers on our street. The street in front of our house is broken up by a short pedestrian-only portion of the street. We are house number 2 but there is another number 2 on the short extension of our street on the other side of the pedestrian section. To differentiate between the duplicate addresses some of the houses on our portion of the street have titles, our home is “Villa Ste. Odile.” Mail and taxis often end up at the wrong address.
In Norway your photo on the back of your bank debit card is considered valid identification. The photo on the government issued residence card is not considered valid ID.
Conclusion
As with other differences in a different country you must be flexible when it comes to written and unwritten rules. The consequence of not coloring within the lines may mean legal trouble. The best approach is to watch, learn, go with the flow and have a little fun doing it.
The Big Question
Yes, European countries are more socialized than Canada and the United States. The degree of socialism varies among countries. In order of increasing socialism the countries are the United States, Canada, France and Norway. Most Europeans like this system. From my observations Norwegians feel that the government makes its decisions for the benefit of the people, so they complain very little about the government. This attitude transfers over to the work environment where it is felt that the employer has the employees’ best interest at heart when it comes to decision making. In France the central government is all powerful with municipal, city, etc. governments having little authority. The French love a good political dialogue.
Education
In Norway education is free. University education is paid for and students leaving the country receive some benefits as well. Private schools are scarce (although gaining popularity) and homeschooling is even more rare. I am not familiar with the extent of the funding of post secondary education in France. Private schools receive government funds and are more common than in Norway.
Health Care
When you move to Norway you receive a list in the mail of several physicians in your area from which you must select one as your doctor. You may change doctors up to three times a year after completing the required paperwork. Private medical clinics are available and tend to be more efficient in providing services. A friend injured himself skiing. From the time of the initial doctor visit until receiving the MRI results was a period of two months using the public system. I had a sore back, saw the doctor Monday and had my MRI results Wednesday using a private clinic. Norwegian doctors give prescriptions only if absolutely necessary.
The French have more freedom, as long as you have your social security card go to any doctor or pharmacy and everything is taken care of. I am not aware of private clinics, but we live in a small town. We have been to the emergency room several times for our son; our waits weren't much different than in a North American emergency room. Prescriptions are more freely dispersed in France than in Norway.
Medical costs in Europe are low compared to the US. A doctor visit in France is $30. The MRI I had in Norway cost under $200, less than the insurance deductible in the US. French prescriptions are one third to one quarter the price in the US.
Green
Europeans care about the environment. Recycling is important. Norway has adopted a zero reduction policy of its forests. Any activity that may impact the environment is deeply scrutinized. The town in which we live is in a forest with the only expansion being vertical. The popularity of electric cars is growing exponentially. Electric car companies have difficulty meeting the demand of the Norwegian market. The French and Norwegian governments offer significant incentives for purchasing hybrid and electric cars. Both Paris and Oslo are looking at zero petroleum powered vehicle options. Public transportation helps reduce pollution by reducing vehicle exhaust, is reliable, and time and cost efficient. Purchase price, insurance, fuel and maintenance costs and limited parking make owning and operating a car a costly endeavor. The majority (80%+) of cars are diesel with a standard transmissions.
Taxes
Tax rates vary among countries but a top tax bracket of 40% is common. Norwegian taxes are among the highest in Europe with an average of 45% and an upper limit of 55% and a VAT (similar to sales tax) of 25%. Television is taxed in Europe. In Norway we were charged $250 per year per television while France charges us around $150 per year per household. On several blogs I read that some Scandinavians may end up keeping only 10% to 20% of their salary after all taxes, tolls and “fees” (i.e. money that ends up in the government’s pocket) are paid. Even though taxes are high Europeans do not mind paying them because they feel they get their money’s worth in services. My wife asked a Norwegian taxi driver about fishing licenses (not sure how that came up in conversation); the driver responded that he didn’t think the area required a license but he paid it anyway because the fishing department did so many good things.
Elections
I was able to observe federal elections in Norway and France. The Norwegian election seemed to be run similar to North America. There were next to no billboards, posters, etc. visible in the community. I did not pay attention to the radio or television but was told the election did dominate the air waves. As residents of Norway (but not citizens) we were allowed to vote in local elections but not the federal election.
The French have a very interesting election process. As in the US each party (up to 10) has their primaries and convention where they select their leader. During the first round of the elections the population votes on the full list of presidential candidates with the top two moving on. Two weeks later the public votes again with the winner claiming the position of president. A month thereafter the people vote for their representatives (similar to a congressman or Member of Parliament). The difference in time is to allow the people to vote in response to the presidential election.
Equality
With social governments the population tends to be socially and economically equal compared to non social countries. All Norwegians are considered equal. You will seldom see university diplomas and other accomplishments on display in homes. People will not boast about their education/degrees/etc. Once a year the government makes publicly available the salaries of all employees in the country. The royal family takes a low profile being as “common” as possible. Until 2014/2015 the royal grandchildren attended public school. Since 2014 they started to attend the International school for the sake of English instruction and exposure to international cultures. My wife sat beside the Crown Prince at a school parent information evening with no security in sight. Our friends were telling us about their landlord and the close relation they had with him. After several years they found out that he was the CEO of the third largest company in Norway. As a teacher I would never compliment an individual in front of the class. Complimenting the class as a whole is acceptable.
The French believe in hierarchy. Rank and position are important. During medieval times when the people were suffering they were not upset at the royalty living in luxury because they were royal and as such deserved the accompanying lifestyle. After almost two years my wife’s “subordinates” address her using formal language rather than the casual vernacular North Americans would associate between colleagues.
Citizenship
As part of the process of becoming an American citizen I had to go to an interview where I had a casual conversation and answered a few simple question about US government and history. The interview may be completed in Spanish if you do not speak English. Any child born in the US is an American citizen. Both Norway and France take a stricter approach to becoming a naturalized citizen. Applicants must complete a thorough language exam (equivalent to first year university). In Norway if a child is born it is a Norwegian citizen only if at least one parent is Norwegian.
The Elephant in the Room
At some point in time I get the question about guns. On multiple occasions I have asked my Norwegian and French friends what they thought would happen if Europe adopted American gun laws. The response is always the same, at least initially US gun laws would have no effect on life in Europe. Europeans do not sense the need or have the desire to possess firearms for self protection. Even if the laws changed the values/attitudes would not. Guns are available as hunting is popular in France and Norway with both countries having the same number of firearms per capita as Canada.
Rabbit Trail
There are several duplicate house numbers on our street. The street in front of our house is broken up by a short pedestrian-only portion of the street. We are house number 2 but there is another number 2 on the short extension of our street on the other side of the pedestrian section. To differentiate between the duplicate addresses some of the houses on our portion of the street have titles, our home is “Villa Ste. Odile.” Mail and taxis often end up at the wrong address.
In Norway your photo on the back of your bank debit card is considered valid identification. The photo on the government issued residence card is not considered valid ID.
Conclusion
As with other differences in a different country you must be flexible when it comes to written and unwritten rules. The consequence of not coloring within the lines may mean legal trouble. The best approach is to watch, learn, go with the flow and have a little fun doing it.
Wednesday, December 6, 2017
You're Still Not in Kansas
With so many interesting differences I require a second post.
School
As a school teacher the Norwegian and French school systems interested me. The Norwegian school year runs from mid August to early June. The school day starts at 8:30 and ends between 12:30 and 3:30, depending on the grade and day of the week. October, February and Spring all have a one week break with a two week break at Christmas. Lunch is half an hour and students bring their lunches from home as no hot meals are available at the school.
French schools run from early September to early July. School days starts at 8:20 and ends between 4:30 and 5:30 with the exception of Wednesdays when all students are done by 12:30. Some high school may have evening classes running as late as 9:30 pm and/or Saturday morning classes. There are four two-week breaks; October, Christmas, February and Spring time. Lunch is an hour and students may go home or have a hot cafeteria meal. It is illegal for students to bring a lunch from home unless the student has special dietary requirements. At our son's school there are no substitute teachers. If a teacher is not present first or last lesson of the day the students may arrive late or leave early. If a teacher is absent in the middle of the day the students go to study hall. Wednesday afternoons are free to allow students to go to sports team practice, have music lessons, drama practice, etc. Both French and Norwegian schools do not have school teams for athletics so any participation is through community clubs and organizations.
The school district I last worked in in Texas teachers taught 30 out of 35 lessons. In Norway full-time teachers are in the classroom 22 out of 35 lessons, and in France 18 out of 39 lessons.
Work
A standard Norwegian work week is 37.5 hours with work days commencing at 8:00 and concluding at 4:00 pm. Lunch is half an hour. Each Norwegian is guaranteed five weeks of holidays. July is the unofficial month of summer vacation. Employers must allow their employees to take three consecutive weeks in July. A friend was stranded when all three doctors at the local clinic took the same vacation times. Maternity leave is nine months and paternity leave is three months, both fully paid. With proper documentation from a doctor fully paid medical leave is up to one year.
The French work week is 35 hours. The work day is between the hours of 8:00 and 5:00 pm and includes a two hour lunch. Five paid weeks of vacation is the minimum. August is the month of vacations with many of the smaller shops closing for the entire month. Maternity leave consists of six weeks prior to birth and eight weeks after.
Travel
Hotel rooms in Europe tend to be smaller than North American hotel rooms. Most European hotels do not provide wash clothes. Beds come with a duvet (similar to a comforter) but no top sheet. The official EU pillow is 50 cm by 50 cm (18" x 18"). Instead of a king size bed you may find two twin beds pushed up against each other, each with its own bedding (saves on fighting for the blanket).
Norwegian Odds-and Ends
Norwegians love the outdoors. There is a saying that goes "there is no bad weather, just bad clothes." Many Norwegians have a cabin or two, one in the mountains and one by the sea. Some cabins are isolated requiring a 10 km hike. Some cabins are modern while others have no electricity or running water, and they are used in the winter as well. Cabins are passed from generation to generation. The cabins you can purchase are very expensive, often more costly than a house. A popular summer activity is to purchase a one-time-use grill and go have a picnic at the park or beach. The grill is roughly 10" x 13" with easy light briquettes included--simply light, use, extinguish and discard.
Children and dogs are very important. If there is no school and no child care is available you may take your child to work. If you need to take your dog to the vet after work just bring it to work and save a trip home. Dogs are welcome in many restaurants and shops.
One unique Christmas tradition is the use of candles. During the Advent season you will see candles lining the road, outline the driveways and parking lots and in front of houses. The heavy duty outdoor candles come as large as half gallon (2 liters) size buckets with wind-proof wicks lasting up to 10 hours.
Norway is one of the safest countries in the world. We lived across the street from an elementary school end every morning you would see masses of young children (ages 5-8) walking to school in their reflector vests (one observer stated that they looked like Minions). Other than public transportation there are no school buses so students may walk/scooter/bike to school for distances as far as over a mile. It is normal and accepted that children under the age of 12 may find themselves at home during the day if they are ill and the parents are at work.
French Odds-and-Ends
When arriving at work in France you must greet every colleague, often with the kissing of cheeks. When departing it is equally important to wish each colleague farewell.
Growing up my geography books had photos of the French wearing a beret and riding a bike with a baguette in one hand. Other than the beret the photos still hold true. The French love their baguettes and pastries. My favorite bakery has a line out the door every time I go by. The making of baguettes is strictly regulated by law but well worth it as the baked goods are phenomenal! On many occasions I have emulated the photo from the geography text.
Food, wine and language are not a part of French culture, they define it. To be authentic and considered the genuine article strict guidelines must be followed, think of patents/copyrights on food and wine. For hundreds of years there has been a department of the government that made sure that the French language maintained its authenticity and integrity. A secondary function of this department was to ensure that no words from other languages, especially English, entered the vernacular.
To me it appears that a lot of the French smoke. Smoking is not as taboo in France as in North America. I am not sure if the percentages of smokers is higher in France than North America or just that they are more visible. In the US if an employee wanted to smoke during a break they would go "out back" whereas in France they might have their cigarette outside the front door. Living across the street from the high school entrance you see students smoking every day during their class breaks.
Eggs in France are found in the regular isle in the grocery store, not in the refrigerated section. Ninety percent of milk is also on the shelves. My understanding is the eggs are safe because of the diet of the chickens, and the milk is safe because it has been radiated. The radiated milk has a two to three month best before date, but must be refrigerated after opening.
Differences make life interesting. What is different to us is normal to others. Observe, learn, enjoy.
School
As a school teacher the Norwegian and French school systems interested me. The Norwegian school year runs from mid August to early June. The school day starts at 8:30 and ends between 12:30 and 3:30, depending on the grade and day of the week. October, February and Spring all have a one week break with a two week break at Christmas. Lunch is half an hour and students bring their lunches from home as no hot meals are available at the school.
French schools run from early September to early July. School days starts at 8:20 and ends between 4:30 and 5:30 with the exception of Wednesdays when all students are done by 12:30. Some high school may have evening classes running as late as 9:30 pm and/or Saturday morning classes. There are four two-week breaks; October, Christmas, February and Spring time. Lunch is an hour and students may go home or have a hot cafeteria meal. It is illegal for students to bring a lunch from home unless the student has special dietary requirements. At our son's school there are no substitute teachers. If a teacher is not present first or last lesson of the day the students may arrive late or leave early. If a teacher is absent in the middle of the day the students go to study hall. Wednesday afternoons are free to allow students to go to sports team practice, have music lessons, drama practice, etc. Both French and Norwegian schools do not have school teams for athletics so any participation is through community clubs and organizations.
The school district I last worked in in Texas teachers taught 30 out of 35 lessons. In Norway full-time teachers are in the classroom 22 out of 35 lessons, and in France 18 out of 39 lessons.
Work
A standard Norwegian work week is 37.5 hours with work days commencing at 8:00 and concluding at 4:00 pm. Lunch is half an hour. Each Norwegian is guaranteed five weeks of holidays. July is the unofficial month of summer vacation. Employers must allow their employees to take three consecutive weeks in July. A friend was stranded when all three doctors at the local clinic took the same vacation times. Maternity leave is nine months and paternity leave is three months, both fully paid. With proper documentation from a doctor fully paid medical leave is up to one year.
The French work week is 35 hours. The work day is between the hours of 8:00 and 5:00 pm and includes a two hour lunch. Five paid weeks of vacation is the minimum. August is the month of vacations with many of the smaller shops closing for the entire month. Maternity leave consists of six weeks prior to birth and eight weeks after.
Travel
Hotel rooms in Europe tend to be smaller than North American hotel rooms. Most European hotels do not provide wash clothes. Beds come with a duvet (similar to a comforter) but no top sheet. The official EU pillow is 50 cm by 50 cm (18" x 18"). Instead of a king size bed you may find two twin beds pushed up against each other, each with its own bedding (saves on fighting for the blanket).
Norwegian Odds-and Ends
Norwegians love the outdoors. There is a saying that goes "there is no bad weather, just bad clothes." Many Norwegians have a cabin or two, one in the mountains and one by the sea. Some cabins are isolated requiring a 10 km hike. Some cabins are modern while others have no electricity or running water, and they are used in the winter as well. Cabins are passed from generation to generation. The cabins you can purchase are very expensive, often more costly than a house. A popular summer activity is to purchase a one-time-use grill and go have a picnic at the park or beach. The grill is roughly 10" x 13" with easy light briquettes included--simply light, use, extinguish and discard.
Children and dogs are very important. If there is no school and no child care is available you may take your child to work. If you need to take your dog to the vet after work just bring it to work and save a trip home. Dogs are welcome in many restaurants and shops.
One unique Christmas tradition is the use of candles. During the Advent season you will see candles lining the road, outline the driveways and parking lots and in front of houses. The heavy duty outdoor candles come as large as half gallon (2 liters) size buckets with wind-proof wicks lasting up to 10 hours.
Norway is one of the safest countries in the world. We lived across the street from an elementary school end every morning you would see masses of young children (ages 5-8) walking to school in their reflector vests (one observer stated that they looked like Minions). Other than public transportation there are no school buses so students may walk/scooter/bike to school for distances as far as over a mile. It is normal and accepted that children under the age of 12 may find themselves at home during the day if they are ill and the parents are at work.
French Odds-and-Ends
When arriving at work in France you must greet every colleague, often with the kissing of cheeks. When departing it is equally important to wish each colleague farewell.
Growing up my geography books had photos of the French wearing a beret and riding a bike with a baguette in one hand. Other than the beret the photos still hold true. The French love their baguettes and pastries. My favorite bakery has a line out the door every time I go by. The making of baguettes is strictly regulated by law but well worth it as the baked goods are phenomenal! On many occasions I have emulated the photo from the geography text.
Food, wine and language are not a part of French culture, they define it. To be authentic and considered the genuine article strict guidelines must be followed, think of patents/copyrights on food and wine. For hundreds of years there has been a department of the government that made sure that the French language maintained its authenticity and integrity. A secondary function of this department was to ensure that no words from other languages, especially English, entered the vernacular.
To me it appears that a lot of the French smoke. Smoking is not as taboo in France as in North America. I am not sure if the percentages of smokers is higher in France than North America or just that they are more visible. In the US if an employee wanted to smoke during a break they would go "out back" whereas in France they might have their cigarette outside the front door. Living across the street from the high school entrance you see students smoking every day during their class breaks.
Eggs in France are found in the regular isle in the grocery store, not in the refrigerated section. Ninety percent of milk is also on the shelves. My understanding is the eggs are safe because of the diet of the chickens, and the milk is safe because it has been radiated. The radiated milk has a two to three month best before date, but must be refrigerated after opening.
Differences make life interesting. What is different to us is normal to others. Observe, learn, enjoy.
Friday, December 1, 2017
"You're Not in Kansas Anymore"
When you visit or live in a different country things will be different. A lesson I learned is that regardless of what you think of where you are at they are not going to change, so take it as it is and enjoy the ride. As the saying goes, "When in Rome do as the Romans do." With that being said differences can be annoying, funny and interesting.
Food and Eating
Eating is a huge part of every culture. Norwegians will have a half hour lunch to eat open face sandwiches, and/or some cheese, caviar or liver pate from a tube. Dinner is around 5:00 pm. Eating out is expensive so it is not as common as in other parts of Europe. Many restaurants are closed from December 23 until January 3.
In France a full hot lunch may be up to two hours. Dinner may be as early as 7:00 pm but could start as late as 9:00 and still last two hours--food is to be enjoyed along with the company of family and friends. Food and wine are not a part of the French culture, rather they defines it. The French food pyramid includes two glasses of wine. After lunch a restaurant may close completely, or the kitchen may close while drinks may be served. Reservations are recommended, often saving your table for the entire evening not just an hour. Don't ask to take home the food you didn't finish. No need to tip as it is in the price of the meal.
Shopping
Shopping requires some planning in Europe. Norwegian stores follow North American hours Monday to Saturday. Stores are closed on Sunday with the exception being plant stores and any shop that is less than 1000 square feet. Some grocery stores open "Sunday-Only" shops, and in my experience if they do not have what you need just ask and they will go get the item from in the regular store. France also has Sunday closings although some of the larger stores are open. In France most shops are closed on Mondays, and week days from around 12:00 until 2:00 pm to allow customers and employees to enjoy their lunch. Every French town has a market at least one day a week where you may buy produce, meat, bread, cheese, clothing and even mattresses.
Driving
Driving is a mix bag. Getting a driving license in Europe can be expensive and laborious even if you happen to live in a place where a license exchange is allowed (such as between France and Texas). Until several months ago a driving license in Norway was good until the day before your hundredth birthday. We have not received our permanent French driver's license yet, our temporary license is the size of an A4 sheet of paper with our photo riveted on.
| Priority Road and Leaving City Limits |
| French Village Road, One Way |
| Two-Way Street (as wide as one car) |
Stop lights in France are at the stop line. An additional small light is located on the light pole at eye level. After you enter the intersection you have no idea what color the light is which makes clearing an intersection on yellow a challenge.
| Stop Light on the Stop Line (notice small light next to passenger) |
| Short Term Stopping Only (with time limit given) |
Technology and Communication
Europeans are ahead of North America when it comes to commercial and communication conveniences. Debit/credit card transactions in Europe require a PIN, not a signature, adding to security. Norway does not have checks but money may be transferred electronically using the recipient's bank account number (name of bank is insignificant). France uses cheques but funds may also be transferred by RIB number (bank, routing and account number in one).
Internet fees are low and speeds high. Our Internet fee includes Internet, an Internet based land line, and basic television channels (over 100) at a price of $45 USD. My son and I use our Internet provider as our mobile phone provider giving us unlimited calls, SMS, virtually limitless data (at a limit the speed reduces, but no extra cost) and calls to Europe and North America are at no additional charge, all for a price of $20 USD a month.
Much of Norwegian bureaucracy can be taken care of online. Turnaround on documentation is quick. The French are the antithesis with mounds of paperwork, redundancy and long turnaround time. Our visa paperwork was all done manually with the final product being laminated in front of us. On the plus side you can take official drivers and passport photos at a photo booth for 5€.
Fashion
Fashion is interesting. In Norway people dress up more to go out than they do for work. Jeans and sandals are not out of place in the work place while "going to church" clothes are worn for going out on the town. The French dress well with men in shirts and ties and women with dresses and skirts. Many European beaches have a "lack of fashion" with women having the freedom to go topless and young children (under age 5) running around naked. Saunas may be co-ed and clothing optional (i.e. sans clothing preferred).
People
The most interesting thing about wherever you go are the people. Upon first impression Norwegians may seem rude and unfriendly. It is out of the norm to say "hi" to someone you pass on the street or greet colleagues at work in the morning. A gentleman holding a door open for a lady could be interpreted as the man thinking the woman is weak or unable to open the door herself. Norwegians are reserved and self sufficient. Once you get past the facade Norwegians will be the best friends you ever had and will go out of their way for you. One day my son and I were looking for an item in the grocery store. When I asked the lady next to us, who had been ignoring us for help she went out of her way to help us--super helpful. The one exception to the rule in Norway is when you meet someone on the hiking or cross-country trail as a conversation may break out resembling long lost high school friends reuniting.
The French may appear to be "snobs" until you are familiar with proper etiquette. It is common to greet passers by on the sidewalk. In the past shop owners lived behind or above their shop so when you entered their establishment you were literally entering their home so a "hello" and "good bye" were in order, a practice that is still in use today. Friends may greet each other with a kiss on each cheek (often just an air kiss). Taking time for coffee, tea, drinks with friends is a large part of the French culture (i.e. aperitif time is in the late afternoon, restaurant kitchens closed but bar open). When we moved to France we met more of our neighbors in two days than we did in four plus years in Norway.
Conclusion
If you do not want to learn and experience something different you may as well stay at home. Enjoy the differences places have to offer, you aren't going to change them anyway. There have been things I hated at first but have come to learn and appreciate. At times when differences were annoying but by far the greatest asset to living and traveling abroad has been experiencing what is new and different to us.
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