NORMAL DAY OF A NORWEGIAN FAMILY

Vegan (a colleague sitting besides me) was really kind to invite me to his house so that I can experience what a normal family in Norway actually lives. I agrees immediately. While in his car, we talked and throughout, I am mainly asking questions. So here goes...his normal working weekday.

He wakes at 630am and prepared his kids for school together with his wife. He reached office at 8am and starts his working day. Around 330pm, he will goes off work and pick up his kids from school. Afterwhich, together with his children, they will go to the grocery store to buy what is needed for the night dinner. The wife will usually cooks while he take a shower, and his kids will go outside to play with neighbours. Dinner time will sit around the table follow by desserts. The man of this house will usually wash the dishes so the wife can spend time checking on the children school work if any. Kids usually goes to bed at 730pm and husband/wife will have some quality time to take about the days happening before going to bed at 11pm latest.

As you can see, compares to Singaporean husband (or wife), they usually works until 6pm or 7pm. By the time they got back home, they are too tired to do anything, either cook/wash dishes/talk to the wife. No quality time is spent with the family. Even during weekends, some jobs requires 24-7 because there is always a mobile phone to stay contactable. THIS IS NOT HEALTY SINGAPORE.

In a report I read a few days ago, Norway is the happiest country to live and work in. NOW I TOTOLLY UNDERSTAND. And right, Singapore is the bottom 5th country in the world to be the happiest which IS NOT GOOD. Understandable, because the living standard is so stressful. I don't wanna blame the riches who came investing in my country and I don't blame the technology is so advanced that we always have to stay the latest to keep up the trend. I guess I can only blame human greed.

So yes, below are pictures of his house and kids.

The kids are really lively and chatty. They actually live in Singapore for 4 years before moving back to Norway. Authur (the younger boy) was born in Singapore. And yes, he is 4 years old this year. Both kids knows Chinese language (they have Chinese names as well) since in Singapore international school, they have to learn as one of the subject. So after dinner, the boys actually sing the Chinese new year song (gong xi gong xi) and the national day pop rhythmic song that we usually sing while in school. We played games and draw some pictures.

Vegan's wife drove me back. As they live half way in the mountain, it was a long drive to the city where my apartment is. Vegan wanted to take me to the famous ski location (the long ski road used in winter Olympics) on Saturday night so we could have dinner around that area. It was initially part of my plan when I am here, but when I checked the route to travel to this location, without a car, it is really difficult. So Vegan's offer was attractive when he mentioned. And of course I said yes. HAHA!

Singapore time now: 515am
Oslo time now: 1115pm

Packed and sleep. I am tired.

Cant wait for tomorrow. Because Johnny (another colleague) is taking me on a boat trip in his newly brought sailing boat after work. Johnny was telling me how he wish it will be windy tomorrow so his sailing boat will be able to move faster. Right, while writing this, I must remember to wrap myself warmly for tomorrow exciting event.