When thinking about life in Finland, the darkness is the most prominent thing on my mind at the moment. And the part about Finnish culture that comes in is the perseverance to stay active and find peace even during the darkest days. Finns recognize that we need to stay sane, get out and about, and hopefully get some fresh air during the few short hours of daylight. I see the part of the Finnish experience where we just endure the darkness, try our best to feel happy, and care for ourselves. And the part of Finnish culture that is innovative for having pretty lights and light shows to create beauty in the dark.
The following two things could even have a direct impact on the darkness. The first is hobbies, and the second is fauna. I think many people in Finland have hobbies or groups they associate with. For example, I have many hobbies. I play music, go hiking, visit public saunas, and practice flow art, among many other hobbies, depending on the season. In Finland, we’re more isolated because of the darkness and the cold. We need more reasons to leave our homes and go out and about, so it’s beneficial to have a hobby and people waiting for us. Even if people don’t have many friends, they have a sports team or some sort of club or group with people they share interests and regularly gather with. In Finland, there are many affordable hobbies and activities to take part in.
Sauna is, of course, a huge part of Finnish culture. My father-in-law always tells my international friends, when they ask about saunas, that the first rule in a sauna is that there are no rules. For him, this means that you can talk in the sauna if you want, you can go with or without a swimsuit, you can stay as long as you like, and behave as you wish in the sauna, whether it’s a social gathering or a relaxed setting. I think there are many different social norms and differences between families regarding sauna culture. I have been in many different sauna situations, but one thing is clear: Finnish people are comfortable with saunas; it’s a very familiar thing. No matter how they behave or act in the sauna, it’s a place where people feel at ease and tend to create their own space, needing no guidance or instructions; they simply make themselves at home in the sauna. The sauna is something that I will miss while studying abroad in Portugal. It’s one of those things I probably take for granted, and I’m curious to see how I will feel without it.
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