For me Finnishness has not always been clear. When on elementary school we were studying English, we went through what does the people often do when they are in the UK or other English-speaking countries. That has made the stereotypes of Finland clearer, and when growing up there are somethings that I have recognized as “Finnishness”.
Talking (or not speaking out loud)
Finns often tend to be comfortable with silence. When we eat, we don’t speak. It is a common rule and it is often quite amusing when you start to think about it in the middle of a dinner with your friends or family. Being comfortable with the silence is a good thing, since then the matter we speak of can be found more valuable than only speaking to make some noise. Also, often silence says more than words.
Wood
Wood is everywhere and it represents the Finnishness for me. It is used in floors, ceilings, chairs, tables, saunas etc. Home decoration is quite important for me, and in Finland there are two types of people: the ones whose home is a “wooden home” or the stereotypical Scandinavian home. Now the wood itself has become a huge trend, which can be seen even in several clothing brands like Wulf&Supply and Woobs & Fellows.
Hiking
Globally, hiking is a topic which separates people in two; the ones who love it and the ones who hate it. But in Finland, hiking is highly in common and people tend to do it even on their summer cottages. The nature of Finns is to love summer cottages, where are the bugs and mud, so how could we not love hiking and the forests.
Winter sports
All Finns stereotypically love winter sports; one does skiing, other skating, someone loves to cross country ski. The matter is to go outside and enjoy the cold.
Appreciation for school
Finns are taught to do their homework since primary school. The appreciation for school and the school system has been taught when we go to the first grade. Appreciation can also be seen on how the system appreciates the teachers: it is highly valuable profession. It is hard to get in to the universities, where one can study to become a teacher.
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