I want to start by saying that we Finns are unique people. Unique country so to say. We are not exactly a Baltic country and i feel like we are only partly a Scandinavian country. I think that’s why we like to be alone and love our personal space. I chose as my three topics: Our love for the nature, Finnish efficiency and sauna culture. Sauna was a bit easy one and obvious, but i love to go to sauna. That is why i have to take this easy choice as a third topic. I think that is what i am going to miss the most during my exchange.
Love for the nature
I really did not think about the nature and how much i appreciate it, before i started my school in TAMK. In TAMK i started to meet a lot of exchange students and foreign degree students. Hanging around with these people opened my eyes. They were all the time glazing for amazing views and seeking awesome view points. Suddenly at Rosendahl’s Jalkasaari (Not sure that the rocks name is correct.. but anyways) i realized how amazing the Finnish nature is. And it is around us everywhere! That must be the sole reason why it took so much to appreciate it. I have traveled to México, Cuba, Italy etc. seen awesome views and big cities, but still there is no better view than our green trees and silent lakes. Clear blue ocean is nice, but real peace of mind for me is still at the lake. Maybe this is the reason why we are calm nation.
Finnish efficiency
What i have learned while working in multi-cultural teams and meeting a lot of foreign people, is that we truly are efficient nation. If in Finland something does not work, it is made to work immediately. Or otherwise people are complaining in social media. In a work environment when task is presented, we may not be the noisiest problem solvers but at the end of the day we make sure things are done. I appreciate the Finnish mentality. We get things done, even though bureaucracy can be on our way sometimes.
Sauna
Oh the final third topic. Sauna. When i lived at my parents place, we went to sauna every day. My step-father owns a farm, so going to sauna is the only way to get the smell of the bulls away. Now i have lived on my own for four years. I don’t have a sauna in my flat, but in my building yes. Every Tuesday i go to buildings sauna with my grandpa and catch up. Every winter i go to public sauna Rauhaniemi with my friends. It is truly something, which is build up on me. Sauna makes me calm, i love the heat and the euphoric feeling after you have finished the sauna session. So, if you are exchange student reading this blog post. Take advantage of sauna while you are here. Try different public saunas for instance! Rauhaniemi, Kaupinoja and Lentävänniemi.
My thought about our culture and what makes us Finns, Finns. Calm, efficient and quiet nation.
–Santeri
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