Culture shock (what is normal?)

Okay so here is my second blog. Going to start with saying thank you to everyone who mentioned they read my first one and that you enjoyed reading it. Regardless of its massive length.

Going to start by saying that I've recently been to norway this month and as always really enjoyed my time there. Infact it is my visit to other countries and cultures which has inspired this blog.

So the question is simple. What is normal? I ask this as it is a commonly used phrase and way of describing someone. The example being one I hear a lot 'your not normal'. To be honest I can't think of what normal actually is and so many people strive to be normal as oppose to being themselves. I'm sure we have all had those bizarre moments of doing something out of character and being shunned for it. Better yet when we lose control from acting on emotion usually ends up freaking people out. If a girl really went bonkers and started throwing stones at my window I would adore that because what people don't really see is that this person is saying 'I love you so much I've completely lost my own dignity!' and that is the true romance which still exists in us all.

Another thing which is now considered normal which before would possibly count as being creeping. When we get into a relationship we want the entire world to know about it and we tell all our freaks and make a massive announcement about it. I am of course talking about Facebook and this thing so massive that it is 'normal' to have one. I avoided myspace and facebook for as long as possible and I just wasn't invited to anything, no one told me anything either. The world of gossip died because all you need to do to find out something is to pop on their Facebook and you know everything about that persons week. Also wondering into the unknown is no longer possible. You cant just meet someone and take them for who they are. You get their Facebook and look at their pictures, you find out what they looked like years ago. That they have a new hairstyle. You get to see if they have fit friends and see who she knows who you know. you can judge from her status updates what kind of person she is and you can even see who talks to her the most. Can you imagine knowing that information before Facebook?

One of the biggest difference's I notice while in Norway is that people really don't care that much. If you need to get from your seat in a bar to the toilet, you stand up and walk the shortest route and move anyone that is in your way, out of the way. This is done via nudges or simple barges. Doing this in England would start a fight. Its normal to say 'excuse me' and have someone move out of the way. In fact general manners don't apply in Norway, you can go to the bar in Norway and ask for a 'fucking' drink. That just doesn't happen in England. In Holland for while I enjoyed my stay there for many reasons nothing makes me laugh at the country more so than when I think about the sexual tolerance. You can have sex on a pool table in the bar during a night out, if your playing pool you wait until they have finished. Yeah it can get that bad. Something that just wouldn't happen in England. With all that in mind they're 2 different cultures that look at the term normal to us.

In order to discover happiness, the first step you need to take is to be yourself. Do the things you enjoy and find people who are the same as you. Understand that pretending to be someone else or just hiding certain interests from people can create false friends and partners that might fall in love with this fake or half you. People need to see the full you in order to truly like and accept you, don't do this in one go let it out gently.  I absolutely adore it when people just say things that they like or want to say with out any being worried about social set backs. I love it when people talk to me about things that really don't interest me because I like to see someone talk about something they like. The day you become yourself once more and stop hiding in the shell that you made to make people look at is the day you have made your first step to happiness.

In conclusion I guess what I'm trying to say is it is impossible to be purely normal. You have to be yourself and not be afraid to let yourself out. You will be surprised with just how much people appreciate it. On top of that you will discover who your friends are and where you belong. Its good to be an individual and the more different you are the better. Fuck popular culture and to what the fuck it is you want to do!

I don't think this one is as good as my first as I did it in two parts and completely forgot something else I wanted to bring up. Still I would like to hear you comments and to know what you think. Going to be doing this much more in the future. I hope you all enjoyed reading this.