"Summer time and the living is easy” (Especially in Scandinavia)

Summertime is finally here! We have waited for it all winter long! The summer started very wet in the DC area, but the last few weeks have been perfect! I am so enjoying the pool and being outside in the sunshine.

The summer is a little longer here in the DC area than in Norway, but I have to say I just love the Norwegian summer. I grew up by the ocean, so right now I just miss going out on the boat to an island in the “fjord” and just relax all day. It is the greatest thing in the world. I will be going to Norway in about two weeks, so I am hoping that the weather will be perfect when I get there. In the south of Norway they had some really hot weather a couple of weeks ago. Almost too hot, especially for my grandparents.

It is strange being here in the US in the summer, because I am so used to people taking summer vacation. And that is really not something that is common here. People go on vacation, but not in the same way. They just take short trips here and there. They don’t take 3 consecutive weeks of vacation like we do in Scandinavia. I searched online to find out how many vacation days you have in Sweden and Denmark, I didn’t know since I have never worked there. I found a list that states minimum vacation time around the world. In Norway we have a 25 working days, in Denmark they have 6 weeks (including 5 days that can be “sold” back to the employer) and in Sweden they have 25-32 working days depending on age. USA was on the list too, and is says: Not required, but 7-21 days is standard for most employers. Typically, 10 working days with 8 national holidays. The only two other countries on the list where minimum vacation time is not required is Australia and China.

I had never really thought about how much vacation time we get in Norway. The first time I realized it wasn’t like that everywhere was when I visited my husband here for the first time before we got married. We talked to a friend of his that had worked for the railroad for 16 years or something like that. He asked me how much vacation time I had a year, and I said 5 weeks. He was just shocked! He asked me how long I had worked at this place and I said about 2 years. He couldn’t believe it! He had worked for the same company for that many years and just got 2 weeks of paid vacation a year. Then it was my turn to be shocked.

I think this is one of the things that I miss the most about living in Norway. My husband has a good job and has more than 2 weeks of vacation a year, but it is still not a lot. So all the vacation time that he has is spent on visiting family. I keep telling family and friends back in Norway to not take their vacation time for granted. We are very lucky. Not as lucky as the French though, they have 7 weeks a year! J

So that’s why I say that in the summer time the living is especially easy in Scandinavia. And in the a few weeks I am lucky to go home to see my family and friends in summer Norway. I can’t wait! I hope everyone is enjoying the summer, wherever you are in the world! God sommer til alle sammen!!