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Women smile when you have eye contact with them

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david.t_92

I will make a long stay in Norway because the next semsester, I will start an Erasmus in Bergen.

I'm in Norway since Monday and I see that, when I cross a girl in the street, or in the supermarked and I make eye contact, normally she smiles me, this does not happen in my country of origin Spain, and I want to know if it have any meaning or if I am doing something wrong.

Thank You in advance.

PD: I'm a Boy

kenjee

If you do not feel you are doing something wrong, then you probably are not ;)

Looking at girls and having them smiling back is not a crime for sure

Foster-Ehlé J-Ch

He's spanish ! and way of acting in Italy, Germany, France and Norway aren't the same for sure.
Especially talking about relations between men and women.
And I don't talk about africans or north-africans. Basic culture is different too.
I mean each culture has its proper / specail "codes" and for sure you need to be careful and first learn them, when arriving.
Same thing as for american / english way of saying hello ! - do you shake a woman's hand ? do you kiss her ? do you "hug" her - a few seconds - as in Norway ? (what is "normality" ? with Who ? When ? how ? in which circonstances ? what are social codes usually accepted ? )
This last point surprised me when I was in Norway and Sweden looking at people always hugging warmly during a few seconds. Because the "distance" in social relations is quite different depending on the country you are living in. And it can provide "strange situations", for sure.
i'm not used to hug as they are practising it. In France people are much more "distant", On their "reserve". Same thing as for crossing the look of a woman. Should be "light", not insisting. Same thing for staring at woman's body. Or, for ex. in Italy a wistle in the street, can be accepted if it's really a compliment not only a sexual "appreciation". It's not in France unless in south east, close to Italian culture.
I suppose if you do this in Norway - I never saw somebody who did it, in reality - people will be very surprised and desabrotating this kind of behaviour. I suppose...

norway_guy

They usually smile to be polite, Espacially if this is girls you have run into before, like in the grocery store or something. Also if you walk in the street and are having a good day, and you  are smiling, it is not unusual that norwegian girls smiles at you. Instead of starting a conversation, they sometimes smile, and then they go on with what they were up to. If you see a girl who smiles a lot to you and seems interested, then why not just go over to her and start a normal conversation. Then you will easily find out if she had some intensions or not.
I would say that norwegian girls in general are more shy the spanish girls. I have not met a lot of spanish girls, so I can only speak based on my experience with the girls I have met and talked to.

Foster-Ehlé J-Ch

Yes ! you're right Norwayguy...
And you know what ? I feel it entirely ,... charming - i mean smiling , smooth and quiet, sober, and unobtrusive look - cautious and discreet way of communication.
That's a nice way to break the ice. A very elegant one.
But you are living in Prag - this country is ( was ?) a "must" about some kind of a demonstrative "elegance" that women used to show all day long.  Same mood, you can feel it in France or Italy - a little more expressive, those countries : latin influence.
Natural born nordic beauty is a true advantage for those women , re-enforced by the way they are smiling , softly and for a lot of very simple occasions.
Very nice way of living. Linked to the "no-stress" attitude. and "distant" way of acting.
Might be based on "good manners code" in use during summit / apotheosis of the "elegant century" ( XVIII°c) among noble class at King palaces all over Europe. then, it slowly emerged in "Bourgeoisie" and then it became it reached to bottom classes too as ...."rules of educated people" and politness.
"Savoir-vivre" rules and codes / manuals / books got a true success at that time of regulation of social behaviours; it gave directions which can explain signification of a lot attitudes, nowadays : we are set on this inheritage of these old times, now. Such as so simple one : how to smile, and when.
(see Norbert Elias on this "emergence of social rules" through centuries)

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