Finland is a small country and we always seem to be overshadowed by our better-known neighbour Sweden. Finns are proud of their culture and country and they would like people to know us better, but at the same time our humble and shy personalities prevent us from making such a big deal of ourselves.
It is not common very to hear a Finn telling a foreigner how great everything is in Finland, how we have an excellent quality of life and lots of beautiful nature. Instead, if a foreigner would ask a Finn to tell something about their country, it would be more common to hear some funny but not so useful trivia about wife-carrying competitions or rolling around naked in the snow after spending some time in 100 Degrees temperature and whipping each other with whisks made of birch twigs.
It’s easier for Finnish people to speak about things like this instead of starting to brag with the good things we actually have. I think that Finnish people also like to embrace their weirdness and craziness. We think that this is something that sets us apart from the other Nordic Countries. If you think about what Finland is known for, this really makes sense. When I meet people abroad, they usually know our rally drivers, sauna, extremely cold temperature (even though this is only partially true) and The Dudesons. And that’s pretty much what it is like to be a Finn: you’re a bit crazy but you are secretly proud of it.
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