Generally, people think that Finns are shy, grumpy and introverted. That’s the way we are described in comedies and sketches. Of course those things are made with humor and they truly are funny, but what’s the real truth? Are Finns grumpy?
My thoughts on what it means to be a part of Finnish culture... or something of sorts
I truly don't believe that there is a clear indication of Finnishness in any particular lifestyle, as it can differ from person to person. I think anyone can define their own Finnishness themselves. There are some values though, that can probably be associated closely with Finns.
For me, a big part about Finnishness is the pride in our country and culture, values, traditions and attitudes. But that doesn’t mean we show that pride. Modesty and humility stand out in our culture enough, so bragging isn’t something that people here think fondly of. And that’s what I’ll be talking about in this blog. How people in Finland are generally humble and avoid bragging or drawing attention to themselves and expecting the same from others.
At a younger age I always saw Finland as this boring "default" country without anything special to do. Every other place had so many new and exciting things to do and places to see while I had lived here my whole life. In media your first time experiencing snow is shown as something magical, but I was just a few months old when that happened to me. I didn't get to travel often but every time I felt it was one of the highest points of my life. Every trip felt too short, but somehow I was always happy when the plane landed and I got to breath the finnish fresh air. I slowly began to realize that even though new places felt special, there was something even more special about a familiar place - this sense of familiarity makes it my home.
The Finnish nature is a key part of our Finnishness.
In this post I share some of my thoughts and experiences about Finnish culture and nature.
