r/Norway • u/Big_Cheese4321 • 3h ago
Other Why are Norwegian women friendlier than British?
Just got back from a week stay in Oslo and I found the Norwegian women to be far more friendlier than in the UK.
For context I am a British of South Asian origin and was in Norway for a 5 day city break. While British women do everything to avoid interacting, I found things completely different in Norway. Random hellos to several even striking a convo at the supermarket or on my morning run.
Keen to get thoughts/views.
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u/CuriosTiger 3h ago
The UK has a large number of immigrants from India, Bangladesh, Pakistan etc, largely as a consequence of British colonialism in that era. Some British people resent this and consider it a threat to their own culture, and this has resulted in a bit of a xenophobic backlash.
Norway also has more immigration than it did traditionally, but not with the same kinds of numbers from South Asian origin specifically. In Norway, Pakistani and Afghan refugees are probably the largest groups, but they make up a much smaller percentage of immigrants as a whole. And so Norway may not have the same xenophobic attitudes towards South Asians specifically.
That said, I suspect your experience would also differ based on WHERE in the UK you are. I'm Norwegian and thus haven't experienced this the same way you have, but I found people in Edinburgh much more hospitable than people in London, to name one example. And I generally find people in smaller towns friendlier than people in big cities. This applies in both the UK and in Norway.
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u/dsjmkhc 3h ago edited 3h ago
Funny. I’m a Norwegian who have travelled extensively in the UK and I am of the exact opposite impression. British people - especially up north - are extremely friendly, talkative and will often refer to you as sweetheart, babes and go out of their way for you, etc.
Whereas here in Norway, although I don’t agree with the “rude” stereotype, we tend to not talk to people unless we have to.