When I first was introduced to Finland and started trying to learn a few words I quickly took an interest in Finnish curse words, as they were funny to me. I learned quite a few and was proudly saying them out loud. It then since slowed down, as the words became less funny to me, but that was when I started noticing cursing happening all around me. Often, I’d experience old people on the bus bursting out in the classic “Vittu, Saatana perkele”. It has taken some getting used to as I would almost never hear an older person curse in Denmark, but I guess it’s part of the Finnish culture.
The darkness quite surprised me when I first moved to Finland. I expected the winter to be colder and darker than in Denmark, but I was quite taken by surprise. Since then, I found out that the darkness really can affect your health and have recommended all people that I know to be sure to take vitamin-D supplements. Furthermore, maybe the darkness is also a cause for the Finns love for their private space?
Finally, the last thing and one of the more peculiar things I have experienced is the degree of freedom found here in Finland. You are free to be what you want, who you want and look however you want. While I believe this to be a good thing, ultimately it is hard for me to comply as someone who has been very used to looking certain ways at certain occasions. For example, we had a networking event at TAMK and while me and one of my close British friends arrived wearing a blazer and shirt, many Finns were casually walking around in some T-shirt and sweatpants. Something that you would never see in Denmark.
Finland has been an eye-opening in many ways. In some ways Finland and Denmark are so similar but at other points so very different. Finland is a weird, cold and free country
Sincerely a Dane.
Comments