With awesome scenery, rich heritage and brilliant culture, Scandinavia is an ideal location for an adventure. Whatever your interests, there will be something that appeals to every kind of traveller! If you are visiting any of the Scandinavian nations for the first time, there might be a number of cultural differences that come as a surprise to even the most well-travelled European. Therefore, here are a few things to help develop your understanding of Nordic culture.
The Happiest Place on Earth
There are so many things that make this beautiful part of the world special. None of them is quite as uplifting as the fact that Nordic countries have consistently been among the top ten happiest countries in the world for the last seven years. In fact, taking the top three spots every year since 2017! There are plenty of reasons for this. These include their egalitarian approach to working life, levels of safety, high levels of social cohesion and a successful welfare system. If you’re interested in digging further into why Nordic countries are consistently among the happiest in the world, take a look here at the World Happiness Report.
Stay Away from Arguments
Perhaps one of the reasons people in Scandinavia are so happy is that they will do anything to avoid confrontation at all costs! Unlike Europeans on the south of the continent, or Americans, who will think nothing of a lively, passionate debate, Scandis will rarely, if ever, have blazing rows, especially in public. They may also feel uncomfortable picking sides in a heated conversation.
Swap Smoking for ‘Snusing’
Especially in Norway and Sweden, you may notice that instead of heading outside for a smoke, plenty of people will opt to use snus. Snus is essentially tobacco that you place under your upper lip in order to get a nicotine fix. It first appeared in 19thcentury Sweden as a more elegant alternative to spitting dipping tobacco. Today it is considerably more popular than smoking in many Scandi countries. It is possible to have a go at this yourself in the UK. You can buy yours here. There’s a lot to be said for snus. The main point is it’s less intrusive for the user. Especially when it comes to smell, and those surrounding them than smoking.
A Safer Society
Not only is Scandinavia one of the happiest places on earth, but it is also one of the safest. As such, visitors may find by the seemingly relaxed standards and lack of paranoia at leaving belongings lying around surprising. Take a look here for more information on just how safe Nordic countries are. For example, it is completely common for parents to leave prams and baby strollers outside a shop, or similar, unattended. Not only is this down to the relative safety of the community but there is also a strong belief that the cold climate is great for building up little ones’ immune systems.
So, there we have just a handful of the key cultural differences that travellers to Scandinavia should take note of or might find surprising during their visit. They will also help you develop a better understanding of Nordic culture. With such high levels of happiness and safety alongside scenery, history, cuisine and architecture, it’s no wonder that Scandinavia is such a popular destination
No Comments