They. Wont. Stop. Touching. Me!

Not inappropriately, but when you are born and raised in Sweden, where the simplest “Hello” has to be pressed forward and every hug turns out awkward, then random, complete strangers putting their arms around your shoulders and pulling you forward to kiss your cheeks is beyond your comfort zone.

Hugs and kissed from people you don't know isn't something strange and unfamiliar, I am from Iran after all (although, their hugs are TORTURE. I swear, I've heard my ribs crack more times that I can count). But it's the fact that it's so unexpected. Second week I was here, my friend was getting his dreads fixed at a place called “Dreads i Oslo” (Dreads in Oslo) yeah, they had about as much imagination as I did. Anyway when there, the owner shakes my friend's hand and I raise my hand when, then all of a sudden he grabs it and pulls me close and kiss both my cheeks.

He could have punched me and I would have been less surprised. Afterwards I wave it away as him being a foreigner (I'm guessing Barcelona by the I  Barcelona t-shirt and the dubbed spanish daytime TV blaring in the background). But nooo. I have seriously had people walking up to me on the street clapping me on the shoulder and running their hand down my arm.

What the fuck Norway? What the fuck?