The Tall Poppy Syndrome of Norway

Its taking me longer and longer to write something now, since we are settling in... :( Have no fear .. .there is driving and working to come... whenever that does ... not like I'm excited for it) .... but I am still learning about Norwegians and their culture.
One thing that is aparrant is that Norway is a Tall Poppy Syndrome Culture.

Don't expect to see many fabulous houses here. Don't expect to be wowed by a car that has a really cool colour. Don't think that having something that's really cool will be popular.
If its one thing I've realised here is that people do not like to stick out.

Their houses are the same... same as it was from a long time ago. Built with Wood and with a sum total of 2 or 3 different types of roofs.. (yes that was NOT a typo). Concrete is way too expensive and so the concrete houses are usually those of the very wealthy. Don't try to do anything truly amazing with your house, Don't try to bring in the latest colour statements. There are set colours that you find in the paint shop. Anything that deviates from the norm is atrotiously expensive and takes long to get! Anything done with flair and creativity is looked at as either flaunting money, or disturbingly ugly. Hmp! Fancy that. MANY trinidadian houses would be considered to be seriously in need of a beautifying treatment. Heck even I think some of the houses in Trinidad are going way over board! What is up with flourescent houses these day?..peeeople!!... is it to be seen from the planes passing overhead? or just from heaven?

Their cars are the same colour ... you wont find a fancy colour car here often. Nope! And they are usually on advertising cars! White, my dear darling trinis.. is NOT a desired colour! I suppose it could be because of the tar and dirt or something. Silver however, is very popular. And if you were to see a lime green car... know that everyone is laughing at it ... not thinking that its cool. The same thing goes for lasers, lights in "wrong" places etc. This is all against the LAW. Yes... we do have the waywards that break it. But they don't flaunt it like Trinis do.

Although I have to admit, Trinidad perhaps has the highest number of Zooped up cars per capita. I have seen some seriously pimped out cars, especially at Car shows. Do you remember some of those cars? Trinis who still living there .. take a look the next time you out ..and trinis who have not been there in a while... Peeps it getting worse....almost every other car has something "extra"... a "bullet hole" a extra light, some seriously too big rims. In fact, you ever remember seeing a REAL ole car, mash up mash up .. but it have 17" rims on it? Looking like an obzokie monster truck?... and the spinning ones tuh boot. Madness yes. But dat is the male ego. In fact I have a cousin... who's boyfriend pimped out HER new car ... simply because ... it is possible. So I'm POSITIVE its as a direct result of the Caribbean male EGO which is in desperate need to show something of worth (this includes their women!). ..... And there I go ....straying .... tsk tsk tsk ..

Funny thing.... We went to a car shop to look at cars. One that we were looking at, the Sales guy showed us all the different options (I never bought a brand new car so I didn't know you could basically customize your car...country bookie nah!) anyhoos... they had this new thing with stickers that you could put on the car... straight from the factory ... like .. a japanese flag, butterflies etc .. sorry ... there were no bullet holes. And the poor Sales man was simply grossed out by the fact that there was one on a picture in the brochure... "What is that?... are they serious?" he was saying ... No one is into that! ... Well... be that as it may .... everyone wants to have a SERIOUS difficulty picking out your car in the car park .... that's why people try to open someone else's car .. cuz it looks the SAME .... i'm thinking of putting a bullet hole on mine .... just to see all the stares I would get... wouldn't THAT be a great way to stand out in a crowd! ..
The more different and unique something is here... the more frowns and stares you get. You see, unlike what I'm sure everyone thinks of Bergen ...eeehhhhhh .. let me more precise... of Frekhaug .. (i'll leave you to your devises to pronounce that one heh heh heh) it is still very rural, very primitive. I mean if you actually don't have stores open on a Sunday .. then its actually a little worse than Tobago .. not so? .. I mean ... who does that anymore? . Ok ... let me be a good Christian Girl and say .. PRAISE GOD that they are keeping the Sabbath Holy! .... but still .. gimme SOMETHING open nah .. oh gormm!!! ..

So that is something that I think contributes the Tall poppy Syndrome. Its not that they are not exposed. Norwegians, so far ... are the most colour blind people of the Caucasians that I've met. ... AYE! .. if any Norwegian come along and mek meh ha tuh eat meh words .. yuh go see de wrong side ah me today eh! Alllllrightiden!...but there was no slavery here... no indiginous people they had to "get rid of" so there is no ingrained animosity to another colour. In fact, it comes across as simply ignorant ... and ignorance is bliss... This is not the Bad "ignorant" this is the childlike ..they-just-didn't-know. Like I betya ... alot of them would look at me and think my hair is naturally straight and can't tell the difference between natural and naturally processed. God bless them .. dey too tweet!

I'm remembering the time when I was in Australia, and I took my landlord's dog to be dogsat by a neighbour while she was gone... and the little ole lady exclaimed when she opened her door! .."Oh My! .. you're so EXOTIC looking!" .. hmm ... it took me a little while to figure out if that was a good thing or a bad thing. In my mind I was thinking ... "Lady ... if you only know .. there are about 1 million of us where I come from" .. Exotic for Trinis is Hawaii, Bali, Thailand, Peru... oddly enough its never Canada, the US .. or England ... too bad ... you guys will NEVER be exotic... .. but yet again ... that is a bit of a stray .. NORWAY ... Jaemie Norway.

You won't find really amazing crazy clothes, shoes, etc. Oh GORM doh get meh started on de shoes .... Lordy have mercy pun meh!... I am craving a shoe store with some hot shoes. Everyone is so practical. Not like in New York or even London where the weather may be a little more similar. No way hosay! ... People wear the same boring shoes... closed, practical, good for the back and feet shoes. Not pretty pointy toes shoes, or strappy lappy low shoes.... Beauty is NOT painful here.... its just dumb when it comes to your feet. I'm still loving my painful new Tan boots.... I'd lick them if I could... but the rain guard thing doesn't taste so good.

I'm pretty sure that any celebrity could come to Bergen ... and walk around in complete peace. Sure you may get a few stares and ting .. but dat would be all.... Hmm . I can't wait to become a celebrity! .. Although I exhibited a little Tall Poppy Syndrome the other day. It was the last day we were in Trinidad. We were in the Airport and I was tantalizing my eyes with the new sushi kiosk. (YES!! people there is a sushi kiosk in the Airport.... I loooooveee sushiiiii.....) ... sttrrraaayyyiinggg) ..
Anyhoos, I'm standing there and there is a gentleman looking at the options... and the sushi, Kimono-clad young man behind the kiosk was just waaayy to jolly and jovial for a local service provider... Trinis yuh know I eh lying... A good sales clerk will catch your eye. The only thing is this guy was like on 1 too many coffee breaks... he was like " Hello Sir, Welcome to (i forget the sushi place name)" ... With his eyes OPEN as big as they could go and one gynormous smile... another guy came up and he turned to him and said the same thing" Good day Sir, Welcome to Sushi whatever" .. and I am no longer staring at the sushi .. now I'm staring at the boy and thinking ... is he fuh real? ..Same time the gentle man who was bending down looking at the options decides what he wants ... and requests his plates.... I'm now as close as ever .. trying to maco his take... wondering if I would dare to take already plated out Sushi (i prefer it freshly rolled) ... and the guy is like " Great option Sir... It has .. blah blah blah ...in it. ) So of course now I'm wondering ... if this guy from here? ... Doesn't he know that the service he is providing will waste on a trinidadian?? ... As the guy is packing away the gentleman's take away .. the gentleman turns to me for the first time and looks at me in the same disbelief at this young man ... Its Brian Lara... My heart jumps and I'm already so close to him (after Macoing and peering over his purchase) that in a desperate attempt to be "Cool about it" I slap him with the back of my hand on his arm .. and say " AYe MAN! .. how you going? You good??Yea???Ok!!" With a I know-you-so-long attitude. And then I'm immediately slowing trying to get away to hide my shame and embarrassment... That my friends is A Tall poppy Attitude... Unlike my mom.. who immediately gets star struck going " HUH!! that's Brian Lara .. That's Brian Lara!! . Can I get your autograph sir??? " and I'm just trying to get away to hide my sheer fortification of what I've just done ... Slapping Brian Lara like I know him ... oh lors .. why isn't the flight leaving now? .. oh yes!!! I think I hear it calling .. Come along mum...

But it will be interesting to see how much I can "Stand out" yet Fit in ... Because the last thing I want to be is someone who just melts into the place.. No way! . My calling is to be different. To dare to stand above the crowd... to be an amazing example of what the Caribbean woman can accomplish dispite all odds. This is my dream for here.... That I can be an inspirational woman no matter what my background.

Tink I would be able to stick out? Defy this Tall Poppy Syndrome? Defy all Cultural Odds? Tink I would be an example of an awesome woman of God? One who is not afraid to bless people, pull people up, show women a way when they thought there was no way?
Tink that dream can come true in a Tall Poppy Syndrome Culture? I tink so..
Whey yuh say?