Skal! -- Drinking in Norway

Exclaiming "Skal", the Norwegian equivalent of "Cheers", is a hearty way to kick off a round of drinking in Norway. There are some interesting differences between drinking in Norway and in the U.S. Here are some of the key variations:

• In Norway, the times are more restrictive about when you can buy alcohol at the store. Specifically, you can buy your "hooch" Monday - Friday: Before 8 p.m. / Saturday: Before 3 p.m. / Sunday: not at all.
• Norway has a zero-tolerance policy about drinking and driving. In the states, the legal limit varies, say from 0.08% to 0.10% or so, but in Norway it's practically zip, zero, nada. If you are out at dinner, for example, and you have a glass of wine with your meal — it is clearly understood that you are not driving at all for the rest of that night. And, the police do not need probable cause to check drivers as they do in some places in the states. So, they can set up a checkpoint and run a breathalizer on every driver. One Norwegian told me that if you "test positive" for alcohol, you can expect to lose your license for at least two years and to spend 30 days in jail. And the culture seems to agree with this. It would be a social taboo of the first order to say, "I only had one glass of wine with dinner, I'm OK to drive."
• To my best understanding, there aren't open container laws in Norway. The designated driver can have nary a drop anyway and the penalties are severe if they do. So, the designated passengers are free to pop open a cold one while they enjoy the scenery.
• The only alcohol you can buy in grocery and convenience stores is beer that has no more than 4.5% alcohol. If you want stronger beer, liquor, or wine, you must go to one of the state-owned and sanctioned liquor stores. There are two of these stores in Bodø, each about a 20-25 minute walk from my dorms.

That said, it is safe to say that Norwegians, in general, are fans of—and not shy about—drinking socially. In my experience so far, knocking back a few, cutting loose, and challenging the Americans to try and keep up is not unusual. The drinking here is simply more planned for than spontaneous.. That is, buy the liquor you will need, make sure you buy enough, know how you're getting home (or be at peace with knowing that this is where you will be for the night), and have fun.

Skal everyone,

T--