There are loads of fine posts about Finnishness and I think they have brought up all the major points of Finnishness so let me share my view of the Finns themselves so that you can have a further understanding of what means to be a Finn.
I remember when I was in Rome for a holiday in February few years back and when we came back I was in a light trench coat and in ballerinas for it had been a spring in there. Anyway when I stepped outside the Helsinki-Vantaa station I noticed it was snowing outside. And in that moment I realized that I was back home. I was freaking freezing standing there in ballerinas but I couldn’t care less for it was snowing. I had to travel in the trunk of our car because we didn’t have enough space and it was so cold because there were no heaters. But the funny thing is I was actually overjoyed. It had been this beautiful and warm spring in Italy but sitting there slowly freezing I was happier than I had been on the trip. That is something so Finnish that I don’t know whether to laugh or cry.
I think our nature has a huge impact in our customs. We have large forests that last as far as eye can see, thousands of lakes and acres after acres of farmland that glows golden in the autumn sun. Yes, the nature is magnificent, yet a bit scary and lonesome. And the people who have grown within these forests are also a bit gruesome, proud even and for sure love their personal space, but they are also warm and caring when it counts.
And we are stubborn. And it is not just that we don’t like to admit that we are wrong. We kind of have this principal to not listen to anyone, especially outsiders, when it comes to choices that regard our own life or any choices now that I think about it… But it also unites us. We stubbornly claimed that we are not Swedes and we will not become Russians so we must become Finns.
Nowadays the nationalism has calmed down a bit and isn’t any more so dramatic that it used to be. These days we cheer for our sport teams and athletes and are joyed if they win, extremely so if our hockey team wins the world championship. We bicker amongst ourselves but defend each other against everyone else if there’s a need. Oh, I almost forgot to mention we also don’t care what others are thinking about us and actually encourage the clichés about us. And in the process we make fun of everyone thinking like that. It raises our spirit.
I think that is enough for now, keep in mind that this is just my opinion of us and maybe it’s just us in Häme who are slow and stubborn. But hopefully this has given you a new aspect of thinking. Personally I don’t trust anyone else’s opinions and prefer to make my own choices, but suit yourself.
Wow, I guess I just proved my point.
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