Finnishness is freedom, ‘sisu’ aka perseverance, loyalty, and traditions. In Finland, you are free to make your own choices. You can express yourself freely, live and dress as you like, and have your own opinions without having to explain yourself to everyone. Freedom is also the opportunity to go to a summer cabin or to nature where you can take a distance from the hectic everyday life.
Finnish people may seem shy and cold, but to me, it’s just our way of respecting others’ privacy. Once you get to know a Finn you most likely will have a loyal friend.
Long, dark, and cold winters, history, and a never-give-up mindset guarantee that every Finn has ‘sisu’ inside them. People are determined to achieve their goals and to make society better for everyone. We are proud of the achievements like ice hockey championships, and those achievements also strengthen our society.
Maybe the most visible things for a foreigner to notice are Finnish traditions. Most Finns love sauna, we have our holidays (with holiday traditions) and alcohol makes us easier to approach. However, everyone is different, and especially young people are very open-minded to changing and creating new traditions. It’s easy to live your life as you want in Finland.
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