9 Weeks In The Faroe Islands

October 5, 2012

     Everyday I learn something new about this mysterious country. Like yesterday I learned that going to the doctor in the Faroe Islands is actually pretty useless. How so? Going to the doctor might help if you have a cold but that is about it. If you have a physical injury....your screwed.

    There are so many differences here compared to back home.

• People don't smile or acknowledge someone walking down the street for one. This would be considered rude back home. I always smile at someone or at least acknowledge them but here they will look at you like you have 3 heads. This is one habit I will not pick up or take back with me.
• When at the dinner table you don't ask for someone to pass you something if it is out of reach. Oh no, you simply reach across for it, even if you are reaching in front of someone. I just imagine my grandmother slapping my hand or getting onto me about it.
• You don't greet someone with a hug or a handshake, a simple "hey" is sufficient. 
• People here really are not big on touching, unless they are friends and even then it is very little.
• No one calls anyone by "Mr. or Mrs." and I mean anyone.  
• Most people have 2 last names. The child will typically take the mothers maiden name as a middle name. This might be why no one says "Mr. or Mrs."
• People here are typically shy and very quiet.
• No one talks on the bus, unless those people are friends but even then it has only happened a few times since I've been here. 
• Table manners don't really exist. Seriously. I can't stand it! 
• 15 minutes late is on time. I'm a punctual person so this is hard for me to get used to.
• Dates are not set in stone because the weather can get nasty.
• Staring is socially accepted. Faroese people stare a lot. And I mean a lot.
• I would say 99% of the whole country is related to everyone by blood, no matter how small. 
• Many people who are married are cousins... 
• Everyone know who everyone is. If not by face then by name.
• I'm pretty sure everyone in my city knows who the exchange students are.
• Girls here wear leggings all the time as pants.
• Almost everyone has blue eyes and if you don't then one of your ancestors were raped by Pirates. This is seriously what they say.
• There are sheep EVERYWHERE!
• It is acceptable to curse like a grown man anywhere, including in school. Even little children curse like sailors. I'm still not used to this. At all.
• Teens don't have a curfew.
• You never wear your shoes in the house at any point.
• People drive like freaking maniacs!
• Quite a lot of people smoke here.
• There is WiFi in my school.

Those are just the differences off the top of my head.

    The topic of food is something I get asked a lot. Overall the food in the Faroes is not very good. Most food here is bland and very simple. I can't believe how much bread is eaten here... I mean really, all they eat is bread and potatoes! They will put anything (and I mean anything) on bread, however it is typically something with fish in it.
Breakfast: Bread with something on it.
Lunch: 2 pieces of bread with something on them and a big carrot or a cucumber.
Dinner: Some kind of meat (usually sheep) with potatoes and sauce
    As you can see, there isn't a whole lot eaten. Exchange students lose weight in the Faroes and it's not hard to  see why. I literally lived off of bread,potatoes and milk.
    Yes I have tried whale. No, it isn't good and I have tried it dried, baked, boiled, and cooked like a steak but the worst by far was dried. Faroese people have the strongest stomachs I swear.
Traditional Faroese food typically includes:
Whale (cooked different ways)
Dried sheep
Parts of sheep
Sheep head
Dried fish
And whale blubber

    Food is not something the Faroe Islands are the best at. But the Faroese people are typically very nice. Though they are shy. As an American, we are described as loud, straight forward, and "in your face". I can see where that would be true with living in such a modest country. However with people being so shy and not wanting to speak English, I almost HAVE to be like that but no on such a blunt scale. Getting the people in my class to open up has been difficult that is for sure!
    Once you do get people to open up, they may surprise you. Faroese people are social butterflies! Always going to parties or something of that nature. Now when I say they go to parties I mean they go to parties that last until the early hours of the morning! It is not uncommon  for a get-together to last until 2 or 3 in the morning and even adults go these affairs that last so long. In America a party or a get-together will last (at the latest) 10-11pm on a weekend! Here, it doesn't matter if its the weekend or a weekday. Teenagers are usually always with friends all day and night. It scares my host family that I am not with people 24/7. Drinking is also a major part of the society. A majority of parents here don't care if  teens drink here or if they are out all hours of the night.
    Being in the Faroes has made me realize how strict America is, especially coming from the South.