Finland is known as the country of thousand lakes and as the happiest country of the world. We have quite a safe place to live in, lots of fields and forests and clean air. We are also known for Santa Claus, saunas, ice hockey, licorice, Karelian pies and a great education system. Sometimes it is said that Finns don’t talk too much, but in the end, we are very warm and sincere people.
But what does being a Finn mean to me? One of my favorite things in Finland are the four seasons we have. I think all four have so many beautiful things and I’ve grown to love all of them. In summer I love to visit our summer cottage, go to sauna and swim. Summer holds a special place in my heart since it is when I’m celebrating my birthday. The autumn is my favorite aesthetically when all trees have beautiful colors of brown and yellow. Autumn is also the time when Finns start schools and I really appreciate the free education we get here. In winter we have lots of snow on the ground and there is quite cold outside and (not going to lie) quite dark all the time so I like to cuddle up inside, light up candles, feel cozy and drink some tea. In contrast I also love to go outside and embrace the beauty of the surroundings. Going on a walk in -20 degrees really makes you feel alive. Spring is the start of a new beginning for me: the nature starts to bloom, and it feels like everyone is starting to wake up after the long winter. Finnish nature is quite like no other and I feel like Finns are really enjoying every piece of it. In addition to the four seasons I also really like sunrises and sunsets, even though I rarely wake up so early to even catch a glimpse of the beautiful sunrises. Sunsets, on the other hand, I do see every evening and I think I have pictures of almost every one of them in summer.
For three months I will be living my life in Udine, Italy and I feel like after that I will appreciate Finnishness in a whole other level.
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