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.
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.
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?
Finnishess is a mix of pride yet humble, content yet pessimistic.
Finns are often described as people who value silence and personal space more than many other cultures. But is this really true, and what does it tell us about Finnishness?
For me, Finnishness is peace, silence, and contentment. It’s a long weekend at the cottage, a sauna, morning swims in the misty lake, a cup of Juhla Mokka from a blue-and-white Marimekko mug, a long stare out of the window into the emptiness and the freedom of not having to fill the silence with unnecessary words. It’s also so much more.
What kind of adjectives appear to your mind when is talked about Finnishness? Many of us would probably answer things like introvert and shy, but also trustworthy and persistent. These adjectives actually describe pretty well Finns. But how these qualities make us so special as a nation? What kind of things we can spread out to world when we stay abroad for longer period?
Finns value their personal space and love spending time in nature, often retreating to quiet lakeside cottages for activities like fishing. They prefer simplicity in life and food, embracing natural ingredients and a peaceful lifestyle. This connection to nature and simplicity contributes to Finland's reputation as the happiest country in the world.
In this blog post I ponder Finnishness from the perspective of its social dynamics and the contrast between its modesty and appeal. I address the question of why Finns keep coming back to Finland from travelling or living abroad.
