British in Finland.
As an Englishman I have tried to embrace the Finnish culture as much as I can. Granted I am absolutely terrible at speaking the language, but I do see similarities in how I behave and how Finns behave. For me this makes my world go hand in hand in a wonderful little package with Suomi whilst I have been living here.
What Finland means to me.
I got my introduction to the country in ways most foreign visitors do not get to encounter. My girlfriend lived in a little town called Viiala, around 20 minutes by train from Tampere. The City of Akaa was founded in 2007 when the city of Toijala and the town of Viiala merged to become one city. It is new as a city but has a long tradition as a community. Not many tourists would choose or maybe not have heard of coming to a place like that, but I was fortunate enough to have lived there. In Viiala, it is very common that the majority of the inhabitants all know each other, this made me stick out like a sore thumb when I lived there. This was such a stark contrast to my homeland where a lot of the people living there would look out just for themselves. However here in Viiala the people felt friendly, helpful and I felt safe. I once saw a school yard littered with unchained bikes, I was complexed to how none of them had been stolen. The town is clean and beautiful, with a river running through it.
Lakes, beaches, and happiness.
I was surprised to hear how common saunas are here in Finland compared to England. “There is a sauna in the majority of every home!?” I used to shout, but these days I enjoy telling and boasting about these stories to my friends back in England. Nothing beats a Friday evening sauna with beer and perhaps a few sausages. Finland is surrounded by beautiful lakes, also especially the case for Akaa. It’s a great feeling to know you only have to drive (or walk) just down the road to reach the closest beach. Enjoy some sunshine (yes it does get hot during the summer, another stereotype broken) and then jump into the lake. An even better feeling when you’re at a summer cottage, and you can quickly go from hot to cold.
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