Differences between Norway and Poland.

I’ve wanted to write this for a long time, but since this is quite a large topic and needs a lot of time, I kept putting it on the side for later. Here it is.

Lifestyle

Before I start, on maybe the biggest difference, let me clarify: I’m not comparing Oslo-type of Norway with Poland: I’m using the part of Norway that I had got to experience (I haven’t lived in the capitol, I only have been there couple of times and that’s not enough to make solid opinion about it). Which part of Norway I know the most? Well for that you have to check my post: living in small village in Norway.

Norway is very big on outdoor living, experiencing the wild side of the country, skiing, running and just being outside, on the fresh air. In one word it’s called friluftsliv which means outdoor living (in my translation). In Poland, on the other hand… well, I will say there’re people that like that. Usually if you like sport you will like outdoor , but that’s not always the case. Many people are into running, but mostly people do sports to loose weight, or to just look good. When we look into geography of Poland and Norway, it’s much easier for a Norwegian to be into outdoor lifestyle. I mean, fjords, mountains, forests, lakes, rivers it’s everything here, and there’re not many people around.

Don’t get me wrong – Norwegians aren’t perfect when it comes to lifestyle. Of course, there’re many more people who are into healthy stuff and you see many out, even in bad weather. But in Norway it’s also big problem with obesity. It’s not so known, so many people don’t even know it’s a issue here, but look at the statistics, around 60-70% people here are above the healthy weight. That’s a lot. What about numbers from Poland? Well it’s around 59% if you also count those who have little bit over the limit (38% have very big problem with weight). It’s similar amount, but in Poland there’re above 40 millions citizens and in Norway… above 5 millions. A big difference.

Food

In Poland I would say food is more specific than in Norway. In Norway they have a lot of dishes that you wouldn’t necessary connect with this country, if you wouldn’t know beforehand where do they eat it. Like for example pølse med brød eller lompe which is the famous sausage in bread or in a circular shaped pancake made of potato (ok, that’s very Norwegian). It’s more or less like a hot-dog, besides that it’s eaten for every occasion. They love to eat them in the nature, by the campfire, on a tur (trip, or just hiking). Of course they have their national dishes, like pinnekjøtt for Easter and Christmas, they love lammekjøtt (meat from sheep), fish with potatoes, carrots and some delicious sauce is also quite normal meal here. Let’s not forget about kjøttkaker! (yes, in Norway kjøttkaker and in Sweden kjøttboller. Meatcakes, meatballs… of course they eat them both, but usually if you find kjøttboller in Norway they are often called svenske kjøttboller or something similar).

And then we have: tacofredag, where Norwegian serve to their families amazingy well prepared Mexican buffet, so they can fill up tortillas or tacos with what they prefer. Usually it’s fried minced meat with seasoning, paprika, corn, taco chips, cucumber, sour cream.

In Poland we don’t have this tradition. However, we have many lovely dishes, like dumplings (my absolute favorite), and if I was to compare those two cuisines I would say I prefer the Polish one more, but that’s just because I know it better. However, you can often find me eating pølse med lompe on the evenings.

People

I will start by saying that although both of the countries have their pros and cons when it comes to people, the vast majority of cons, in my opinion, is for the Norwegians. I often find myself not liking certain behaviors of Polish people, and because I’m from Poland myself I’m guilty of some of them (that’s hopefully better already). Be aware: I’m writing now very generalized opinions, and just because I see things how they’re, doesn’t mean you will have same perception. (Just saying). Polish people tend to act very obnoxious, they like to swear, they drink too much, they are not so rarely xenophobic, racists and chauvinists. They’re loud, when they’re abroad they treat you as competition. Pros? They’re good, loyal friends if you find one, they are easy to contact and easy to engage with. They’re out there, they like to party, they organize events.

Cons about Norwegians? They’re inside their own bubble, they are very hard to engage with, they aren’t friendly with everyone, they can be aggressive if misunderstood (old people), it’s hard to be accepted by them. Pros: they are very calm, very down-to-earth people. They love nature, they do a lot of sports, they don’t compete with each other, they don’t compare people, then don’t judge anyone. They like small and simple life, no extravaganza, no obnoxiously rich and expensive things.

If I will remember something more I will add or just do a part two. I know it’s already too much text, so probably a part two will be a better idea. I hope this post didn’t hurt anyone’s feelings – that’s just what I think! Anyway, I hope you guys had a lovely week so far and see you soon with something new!