Norwegian cold
The second surprise is always that it is not as cold as I had expected. I get used to how a particular temperature feels like from the Netherlands. But in the Netherlands it always feels colder than Norway at the same temperature. Perhaps because of the strong winds, frequent rain and moist. The dutch imagination of Norway, as well as pretty much any foreigner I meet, is that Norway is some sort of ice hell, constantly plagued by a bitter cold. We only have one season and that is winter. Norwegian kids have never seen the ground because it i always covered by snow. Or at least that is what I start imagining that they think.
I always get strange looks from people in Holland when I complain about the cold. The idea is how can I possibly ever feel cold in Holland when I come from Norway?
Of course I used to have the opposite idea about countries farther south. Like they would never be a time were they would be cold. But my lebanese friend assures me that it is indeed quite chilly inside at winter time in Lebanon.
But I think these misconceptions on both sides basically boils down to what you have learned to deal with. Norwegian houses always stay hot, unfortunately also in the summer which can make high temperatures a miserable experience. Likewise houses in hot climates stay quite cool, unfortunately that means they are cold in the winter. Even in the Netherlands which is not particularly hot, I notice that houses get a lot colder inside at winter time than at home. Basically insulation is not as good and their houses have a rather sparse amount of heaters.
Then of course there is the issue of clothes. Its not that we up here in the cold north are actually any more resistant to cold. Rather that people in the south sometimes seem to have know concepts about how to dress for the cold. They complain about how cold it is and yet they have no gloves, hat, scarf or warmer underwear on. Well duh!?
I always get strange looks from people in Holland when I complain about the cold. The idea is how can I possibly ever feel cold in Holland when I come from Norway?
Of course I used to have the opposite idea about countries farther south. Like they would never be a time were they would be cold. But my lebanese friend assures me that it is indeed quite chilly inside at winter time in Lebanon.
But I think these misconceptions on both sides basically boils down to what you have learned to deal with. Norwegian houses always stay hot, unfortunately also in the summer which can make high temperatures a miserable experience. Likewise houses in hot climates stay quite cool, unfortunately that means they are cold in the winter. Even in the Netherlands which is not particularly hot, I notice that houses get a lot colder inside at winter time than at home. Basically insulation is not as good and their houses have a rather sparse amount of heaters.
Then of course there is the issue of clothes. Its not that we up here in the cold north are actually any more resistant to cold. Rather that people in the south sometimes seem to have know concepts about how to dress for the cold. They complain about how cold it is and yet they have no gloves, hat, scarf or warmer underwear on. Well duh!?
posted by Adam Smith at 23:07
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