Volunteer for Europe in Haugesund
Part 2 - Some diferencies betweem the Czech republic and Norway
There are some differences but they aren't so many as I expected after all
warnings. My situaction isn't so hard as a situaction of refugees who
I meet at school. Some of them are quite old (50 - 60 years ). They are in very difficult
situaction.
At this page I wrote some which I recognize. Maybe I'll get to know more
when I'll be home in the Czech republic at Christmas :
- Behaviour of drivers at pedestrian crossing :
This is a very nice change but I can't become used it. The drivers stop in front
of the crossing so pedestrians can go over. I still behave like in the Czech
republic : I stop in front of the crossing and look carefully to right and left.
This is good because I want to return back to the Czech republic and there
mann must be carefull.
- The main meal of day :
The main meal is dinner which is round 4 pm (in the Czech republic it is lunch - round 12 am).
I think it is more ceremonial but it maybe just my feeling. It consist from
the main meal and desert, soup isn't (unlike of the Czech republic). Lunch
(again unlike of the Czech republic) is cold - sandwidches.
I must assimilate. :)
Some meals are of course differnet from the Czech republic. But I haven't eaten much true Norwegian
meals. Maybe only risgrøt (ris gruell). Even when I was at dinner in some
families, we often ate some international meal like spageti or kebab. I haven't
eaten much fish too. Many Norwegian dodn't like fish.
- Cafe :
Norwegians drink much cafe but unlike of the Czech republic they used
cafe machine.
- Sweets :
Norwegians have different tast of Czech people. They eat often salt sweets.
- Candles :
Norwegians love candles. In every family which I visited, candles burnt during
dinner. Also at YMCA at meetings and in the cafe too.
- Christianity :
Lutheran church is the state church. Christianity is more present in everyday
life. Even in the newspaper there are sometimes articles about churach or
some religion questions.
- Imigrants :
In Oslo, but also here, in more smaller place, there live a lot of imigrants.
There is a system for care about them. I visit school where go 140 people from
40 nations. Of course so big amount of imigrants also brings many problems.
- Language :
There are spoken Norwegian in Norway.
Norwegian has a special chapter.
- Reserve ??? :
I don't think that Norwegians are more reserved than Czech ( I mean me :).
Maybe the envirnoment at Ymca is little different. Everybody is friendly
to me. But I think that majority except iniciative from my side ( which I didn't do).
I remember in which way we behaved to Gro and Marit
when they were volunteers in Krabcice so I dodn't want to critise. I also know
how big I am social ( better unsocial) mann. There is a cafe at YMCA. I'm there
very often. There I can meet some people who I know fra TenSing.
Someone can think that I've found up too few differences. I have some explanation
for it :
- Here in Haugesund I live first time totaly without my family for so long time.
Before my staying here I always returned home at least at the weeekends. My mother washed and ironed my
clothes. I didn't cook because I ate lunch at resturants. But now I must wash,
iron and cook.
- I left my job where I was 6 years. Only this is a big change (I still often work
with computer).
- I live alone with my own flat. I live in the way which I would probably live
in the Czech republic. Thank this I haven't recognize many small differences
in every daylife.
- My nature is also important factor. Maybe I adapt easy or I have little
abillity of observation.
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