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My Experiences of Finnishness

Thoughts on Finnishness by TAMK Students

My Finnishness

When people think of Finland, they usually think of cold weather, heavy metal, or ice hockey. But growing up here, you realize that Finnishness is actually found in the quiet, everyday moments. Here is my take on what our culture looks like from the inside—and why we act the way we do.

Culture Shock and Snowflakes: A Pakistani’s View of Finnishness from Afar

Moving from Pakistan to Finland isn’t just a change in time zones. It feels like stepping onto a completely different social planet. I traded a world where personal space is a myth and life is lived at full volume for a country where silence is golden and a two-meter distance at a bus stop is sacred. Here is my "view from afar", how leaving a vibrant and chaotic society helped me decode the quiet, deeply resilient soul of Finland.

My experience of Finnishness

I have two nationalities: Finnish and English. I have lived in Finland for almost two decades, which is most of my life, yet I still feel like my sense of Finnishness has somehow been warped. What makes me feel Finnish? Is it the language, my understanding of the culture? Or is it simply the luck of being born half Finnish from the get-go? What is Finnishness?

Sauna and Finland

Some thoughts about the most Finnish thing I could think of - The Sauna

Nature is the heart of Finland

The bond between Finland and nature is very special. It is something every child in Finland will understand and will continue to appreciate it through their lifetime.