Let’s start by introducing a few funny Finnish competitions..
Paskanluonti (“shoveling the shit”)
Saappaanheitto (“throwing the boot”)
Suojalkapallo/Suopotkupallo (swamp football)
Eukonkanto (wife carrying)
And yes, there’s a World Championship which exists in all these fine sports!
There’s various stereotypes about different countries and nationalities. However, many of those stereotypes have at least a grain of truth in them. Most Finns are shyish, rather calm and quiet and used to a big personal space, small talk is rather unknown and the language is complex with its multiple declinations and oh, the word “please” doesn’t exist. This doesn’t mean though that Finns would be rude, most of us are just… modest. And we can make a polite request other ways than using this exact word.
What all these more or less accurate stereotypes tell of Finnish people then? Finnish people appreciate talking when there’s something important to be said and words are taken seriously. We have also a lot of well describing and very exact words to make the point quickly, long explanations aren’t needed. Calm talk is often preferred over intense discussion or debate. I once heard that Finnish is a language that can be spoken without interruptions as it’s possible to speak also when inhaling but ironically Finns aren’t that talkative.
Maybe as the population of whole Finland is only a part of the number of inhabitants in some major European cities for example, we have had the possibility to get used to a larger space around each person. Maybe being modest has over the time been considered better than being too proud of yourself. And our language has surely developed around the things that have been important such as describing the snow – there’s tens of different words for that topic! Speaking of snow, the weather with its dark and long winter time must have also had its effect on the nature of Finnish people. I was once told as an honest observation that “the spring has come, Finns smile again”.
But what things make Finland what it is? Sauna, lakes, bright summer nights, calmness, quietness and cleanliness, sisu, foods such as mämmi, liquorice (salmiakki), rye bread, karelian pies and Fazer chocolate..
For now, I’ve lived abroad twice, once longer. When coming back to Finland after two years spent in France I noticed something peculiar, I was being far too polite. And the people didn’t really know how to react to that so they mostly just ignored my courtesies. I also remember the moment of receiving my very first cheek kiss from a Greek friend, she just hopped up from the bench and mooched my cheeks. I was horrified as it was something completely unexpected for me.
Comments