h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

hi just come back from norway and it all makes perfect sense now! i have millions of the cards as well!

andy

That's great! I hope you had a nice trip.

Thanks Tilly. My new wife and I took our honeymoon in Norway in May and we know exactly what you are on about.
These kids were everywhere dressed in red (mostly) dungeries and berrets and seemed to have the run not just of Oslo but all of Norway.(We toured all over) I saw one girl with the string with 2 knots, a plastic spoon and a toy car. Now I know roughley what they mean!! I think there was also a prize for asking for change for a phone from a stranger then giving them a kiss? (or it could have been my magnetic personality!!) Your guide is very informative and I wish I could post a picture if these Russ students to help anyone who hasn't seen them.

Apparently it is also a tradition for some students to club together and buy a wreck of a car or van, write graffiti on it (i.e "Russ 2002) and drive it around Norway until it breaks down or gets wrecked. We were told to avoid these vehicles at all costs!

Again many thanks and if anybody can help maybe we could get some pictures of these kids?

I'm a Norwegian (graduated from High School, and was a russ in 1996), and might be able to answer some of the questions

I found the article very good: It is a good sum-up of the Norwegian Russ tradition.

The tradition started off as celebrations _after_ the graduating exams from High School (Vidaregåande/Gymnas), in connection with the Norwwegian national Day, May 17th. The tradition is quite old, and it seems like the connection with May 17th and Labour Day have been very strong: 20 years ago the exam period was moved till a few weeks after May 17th, but the Russ celebrations still go on before the national day. This means that most of the students in High School are out partying and having a marvellous time while they really should have been preparing for the final leave.

Being a Russ is a lot of fun: You are not tied down by social limits, you can behave like a fool and it is all very well organized with "party buses", vans, the knot rules and parades. Being a russ is a part of growing up in this country!

Erik

I'm a Norwegian (graduated from High School, and was a russ in 1996), and might be able to answer some of the questions

I found the article very good: It is a good sum-up of the Norwegian Russ tradition.

The tradition started off as celebrations _after_ the graduating exams from High School (Vidaregåande/Gymnas), in connection with the Norwwegian national Day, May 17th. The tradition is quite old, and it seems like the connection with May 17th and Labour Day have been very strong: 20 years ago the exam period was moved till a few weeks after May 17th, but the Russ celebrations still go on before the national day. This means that most of the students in High School are out partying and having a marvellous time while they really should have been preparing for the final leave.

Being a Russ is a lot of fun: You are not tied down by social limits, you can behave like a fool and it is all very well organized with "party buses", vans, the knot rules and parades. Being a russ is a part of growing up in this country!

Erik.

You'll find some pictures here: http://rasmus.uib.nst03379/imagepages/bjorn.htm
Translations from Dano-Norwegian to English:
Neste = next
Forrige = back
Siste = last
Tilbake til fotogalleri = back to gallery frontpage

Or do a search at Google:
http://www.google.com/search?q=russ+bilde&ie=UTF-8&oe=UTF-8&hl=nn

Or have a look at the Russ website:
http://www.russ.no/