Nórsko

Norway – The Land of the midnight sun

Norway is the land of the midnight sun, the land of elks and rain deer, the land of «lusekofter»... - these are beautiful, warm woolen cardigans, knitted in beautiful traditional designs. The «lusekofter» and the equally beautiful thick sweaters are much appreciated here, since much of the country of Norway is situated north of the Arctic Circle. The word Norway itself means «the way to the north». To the east, Norway shares a border with Russia, Finland and Sweden, while to the west, the country faces the Atlantic Ocean. Norway is a country of extremes. Ranging from the rugged mountains to the solemn beauty of the fjords, from the emptiness of North Cape to the beaches of the south, from the midnight sun in June to 24 hours of darkness in December. Temperatures vary from -50 in the north to +35 in the south. Mountains and sea dominate this country on the western edge of the Scandinavian peninsula. The coast is punctuated by fjords, which can be as deep as 3700 feet (1000 metres), and dotted with islands.

Norwegian High School
Norwegians start school at the age of six. Everybody has to complete 13 years of elementary school. High school consists of three years, and this is a preparation for higher education. The students have a certain number of compulsory subjects, but they can also choose between a range of subjects depending on their interests. The school year is divided in to two semesters, that go from August to January and from January to June. The relation between teachers and pupils is usually friendly and informal. Students in their final year of high school go under the name of «russ». These graduates tend to make themselves heard and seen around in towns and communities throughout the year, and especially in the spring. Dressed in red or blue, the «russ» have their special cars, clothes, whistles etc. They participate in a number of activities such as trips, parties, shows, parades etc. It's a fun year although hard studying is necessary for the final exams.

Norwegian Free Time Activities
Norwegians in general like to think of themselves as lovers of sports and out door activities. Soccer is a big sport among girls as well as boys. Handball is another very popular sport in many communities. If you like other sports such as tennis, golf, basketball, volleyball, aerobics or ice hockey, just to mention some, you will have no problems keeping fit. Skiing is a very popular weekend-activity in the winter, while boating and swimming take up a lot of people's time in the summer. In addition to sport clubs, there are many organisations and clubs for children or adults involved with music, singing, dancing, drama, and arts and crafts. Norwegians enjoy getting together for celebrations both in public and privately. In the towns young people go to youth clubs and discotheques as well as to the cinema and to concerts. In the summer there are all sorts of music festivals, some of them internationally known.

Norwegian Family Life
The average Norwegian family consists of a mother, father and two children. In the past decade divorce has become a feature of life, and society today accepts that a mother or father lives alone with his or her children. It is also acceptable for a woman to have children without being married and for couples to live together without being married. In their everyday life people are busy with work, school and activities. Most families have dinner together every day, and parents try to spend as much time as possible with their children. Most Norwegian children are taught to be independent and participate in making decisions from an early age. In the upbringing of the children, little emphasis is placed on obedience and discipline, whereas more emphasis is placed on being active, independent and creative.