10 Differences Between Filipino and Norwegian Cultures

Being a Filipino living abroad is an awesome experience. But of course, it was never an easy start, precisely because I´m from the Southeast, then all of a sudden I moved up all the way to the Scandinavian region. Having been living here for a little over a year now, I think it´s time to write about my observations as to how Philippine and Norwegian cultures differ. My observations and points of view are then based on the fact that I both study and work in the countryside and at the same time I am married to a Norwegian guy.

Difference #1: The language

It´s obvious that Norway speaks their own Norwegian language, while Filipinos speak their own. Both cultures would have dialects within their languages. But the difference I point out here is that Norwegians understand each other no matter how different each of them speak (with a few exceptions, like most people don´t really understand Samists). On the other hand, Filipinos who speak their own dialects wouldn´t really understand each other.

Another thing is that the Norwegian language is understood by Danish and Swedish people, and vice-versa. While Filipinos don´t really understand their neighboring countries, and vice-versa.

Difference #2: The dates

Filipinos follow the North American standard of writing their dates, which means MM/DD/YYYY. While Norwegians follow the European style, which means DD/MM/YYYY. So for those of you who are planning a trip to Norway, you might want to remember this, as it´s quite important. Just think of receiving a bill, and you misunderstood the date. You would be in big trouble.

Difference #3: Bills, purchases, and debts

While in the Philippines one can escape from paying some of her bills and debts, in Norway you definitely can´t. They have a system where a person who fails to pay bills and debts would be charged extra fees, and in worst cases your bills and debts are transferred to a creditor called inkasso. When it happens, you will just end up having a bigger amount of debt until you pay it down.

Difference #4: The environment

Norwegian culture is very particular with garbage segregation and recycling. Here you would find garbage cans everywhere, labeled with paper, carton, cans and glass, plastic, food waste, and unclassified. People are aware that they should recycle milk cartons and drinking bottles. In grocery stores, one would find an automatic machine that receives drinking bottles, and one would get money for every bottle returned. Every bottle of mineral water, soda or juice has a corresponding pant, which is either 1 or 2.5 krones.

In the Philippines, we usually sell bottles and papers to junk shops, or to a "magbobote" who knocks on our doors. Garbage segregation is also just limited to biodegradable and non-biodegradable.

Another big difference when it comes to environment is that Norwegians get their drinking water for free, while Filipinos have to buy their drinking water. The reason is self-explanatory.

Difference #5: The paper size

While in the Philippines there are many sizes for printing papers, in Norway there is only one most commonly used: the A4 size. Copier and printer machines are programmed to usually just print out a standard A4 size. Even legal documents are printed on a regular A4, and stamped with a regular stamp, while in the Philippines it´s common to have them printed on long-sized papers, stamped and dry-sealed.

Difference #6: The work ethics

While Filipinos are known for "Filipino time" (being so late), Norwegians are very particular with punctuality. They usually don´t talk about their colleagues as well, but rather, they talk about work-related topics. On breaks they talk about their families or the activities they did over the weekend. Both cultures are hard-working, but Norwegian culture stresses the importance of rest for workers. That means you are entitled to breaks (for every shift) and holidays (winter, summer, holy week).

Sick employees are also entitled to a lot of benefits in Norway, and their boss even calls to ask how they are. In the Philippines, one would probably not get paid for being sick, since if you don´t work, you don´t get paid (unless you are a regular employee).

Difference #7: Communication and how people are raised

In the Philippines, it is quite common to be careful of what you say. Respect is a word that´s misused by authorities and the elders. People say, "sir" and "maám" all the time to show respect to customers or the bosses. Here in Norway, bosses are called by their first names, and one can express herself to elders without fear of being judged.

Topics for discussion in Norway include the weather, daily activities, plans for the weekend, and current events. While Filipinos love to joke around about almost anything, and bullying is just part of our culture (even brothers and sisters bully each other, or uncles bully their nieces and nephews). I have never heard a Norwegian say to a person that she or he is ugly, but in Philippine culture, that´s just quite common.

Norwegians are very straightforward, and they are raised to make it on their own. It´s not common to punish your child in a physical manner, as the government can take away children from their parents if they receive reports that a child is being hit. Parents don´t baby-talk their kids, and this I have noticed from a few persons I know.

In the Philippines, it is still accepted that some parents hit their child as a punishment for a mistake.
It´s a part of the Philippine culture that you think much of your family´s situation, and familial ties are very tight--so tight that Christmas gatherings are so big. Parents baby-talk their kids, may be too much that a four-year old child still feeds on a bottle of milk.

Difference #8: Juices and food packages

In the Philippines it is common to buy fruit juices  and milk in powdered forms, and food packages are usually small. This is to accommodate the budget of a regular worker. But in Norway, fruit juices are usually in concentrates, and pasteurized milk is usually packaged in cartons. It is also common to find meat products which are already cut and packed, unlike in the Philippines where they are displayed uncovered in markets.

Difference #9: Guards

The Norwegian society is generally an honest society. That is why most stores and banks don´t have visible security guards. In the Philippines, a company doesn´t feel secure without a guard.

Although I have heard and read of bicycles being popularly stolen in Norway, there are no major crimes here (probably with the exception of big cities, where there are robberies).

Difference #10: Equality

The Norwegian society always aims to have equal opportunities between men and women, heterosexuals and homosexuals, the rich and the poor, and between Norwegian citizens and foreigners. In getting hired, for example, everyone goes through the same recruitment process. There is no "padrino system" like in the Philippines. It is legal for homosexuals to get married here, while the Philippines maintains its Roman Catholic principles.

Equality can also be seen in Norway in the form of their welfare and education systems. An employee who loses his job gets financial support from the government while he is looking for a new job, no matter how much money that person has on his bank account. Norwegians are also entitled to free education (communal schools, universities, and colleges). It doesn´t matter whether their parents can afford to send them to school or not.

In the Philippines, we don´t have a welfare system that supports us when we don´t have jobs. We also have to pay extremely high tuition fees in private schools, and state universities also require tuition fees.


I´ve notices a lot more differences between two cultures, but that´s it for now.