One of the first things that immediately (and obviously) comes to mind is nature and finns’ connection to forests. It feels like it’s part of their everyday life. You have beautiful parks and smaller forests in the middle of the city, where people can hang out all year round with their friends and loved ones, or go alone if you need some space or fresh air. I, for example, love going on hacks with horses through forest paths, surrounded by casual conversation with my friends.
That beings said, I don’t think that most people here make a plan and “go to the forest”, it feels more like they just end up there. Over the years of riding in Finnish nature, I’ve seen many people picking mushrooms not far from the small road where they left their bike. And they never look like they woke up in the morning and decided that “today is mushroom-picking day”. A lot of them seem like they were just casually passing by, noticed some good-looking mushrooms, and decided that these are going to come home with them. That’s something I’ve never felt before, and I want to try to keep this “ending up in the forest unplanned” feeling with me, to not let stress or overplanning separate me from nature.
Another very Finnish thing for me is the teacher-student relationship. Here, students call teachers by their first name. No one is using the titles, and none of the teachers is getting upset about it. I think this helps to build trust and equality, and it’s something I really appreciate.
And since I’m already talking about everyday life, I have to mention bikes. I really like how finns are taught from an early age to use bikes as a way of transportation all year round (even in winter). Seeing people bike to school or work just feels very practical and down-to-earth, and it also teaches the youngsters independence. I admire it and honestly wish it was more common back in my home country as well.
I wasn’t sure what to write about Finnishness at first. But now I see it’s the small, quiet things, like the forests, the silence, the trust, and the simple ways people live that really make it feel Finnish. I want to keep these little experiences with me wherever I go.
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