Misunderstandings

A little ditty often quoted when heading out the door for a walk in Norway is “Ut på tur, aldri sur.” It rhymes in Norwegian but translates as “Out on a trip, never sour,” meaning one is always in a good mood when they are going for a walk.  Rain or shine, Norwegians love to go for walks and their culture caters to it with very wide sidewalks weaving in and out of every community.

The phrase “ut på tur” is used when describing a casual walk around the block or a strenuous hike up into the mountains.

One very rainy morning in Norway, I got a text message from my friend, Kristin, asking if I was free to go “på tur.”  I wasn’t sure if she meant a nice walk in the rain around the neighborhood, or if she really wanted to go climb the nearest mountain in the pouring rain, but I was up for whatever adventure she was offering, so I responded accordingly.

Everyone has full raingear in Norway – rain pants, boots and jacket with a hood.  The weather is never a deal breaker, so I purchased all the necessary clothing soon after we moved there.  I was ready for this moment.

Kristin walks faster than I do so I knew I’d be getting a work out trying to keep up with her, even if the walk was just around the block.  I put on some shorts and a short sleeved shirt under my rain gear, just so I wouldn’t overheat. 

When I arrived at Kristin’s house, I could clearly see she wasn’t dressed to go for a hike in the rain, and neither were the other women there.  In fact, Kristin’s coffee table was set, candles were lit, and fancy foods were on display.  I had to ask for clarification, as I was sure the text she sent me meant we were going for a walk.  It was then that I learned Norwegians use the exact same phrase to also invite someone over to their house for a visit. 

And there I sat around the coffee table, with the other guests dressed in their finest attire, and me in my wrinkled, baggy Hawaiian t-shirt and shorts, exposing my bare unshaven legs.  I couldn’t have been more embarrassed.  I’m no slave to fashion and when in America, could care less what I look like, but in Norway, I try to cater a little more to their fairly formal cultural norms and expectations.

Fortunately, everyone was very forgiving of my misunderstanding the invitation, and for the way I looked.  We all had a good laugh so I can still say that when one is “ut på tur, aldri sur.”