Social Norms

Every country has it's own particular set of cultural and social norms, which are most "visible" when you first arrive in-country.  As Rob once said, it's best to take lots of photos when you first get to a place, while things still look exotic.

This is also true in European countries, as I discovered during my short respite from our Big Trip.

In Finland, separate checks at restaurants are the norm.  People like to pull their own weight.

In Finland during the winter, the sun rises after 9 am.

In Finland, no one tips.  When asked, my colleague said there was no need and "it is because we pay people well!"

In Finland, people protect the environment.  They turn the lights off when they leave a room.  This includes meeting rooms and bathrooms at the office.  They also recycle religiously.  Rubbish bins, including little ones in my hotel room, had recycle and rubbish sections.

In Finland, the daily high temperature is sometimes -18 C (equal to 0 F)

In Finland, it's a given that women and men are equal.  It isn't a matter of the father helping out.  It's a matter of how they will divide the labour.  It isn't a matter of whether the parents will get parental leave, but how the mother and father will divide up their 14 months of parental leave.  It isn't a matter of whether close to half of all peacekeepers will be women, but how they can influence other societies to become more gender equal.

I'm looking forward to observing the cultural and social norms of Australia next...

Nadia