When I think about Finland the first things that come to my mind are the things that people from abroad know us from: sauna, northern lights, santa claus village and the typical antisocialness of a Finn. But when I think about how I see Finnishness in my everyday life I would describe it like this:
Always-surprising weather
In Finland you can experience all the seasons of the year; winter, summer, fall and spring. But most importantly, you can experience the seasons in-between. During those in-between seasons there will be lots of ”loska” (half-melted snow), random downpours (especially when the weather is supposed to be clear) and also the seasons reluctance to shift for example a hot summer day during fall or snowing in the end of spring.
The weather in Finland is like a continuing gag for Finnish people. It just seems that it’s never good enough. During summer it’s too hot and during winter it’s too cold. And the reoccuring phenomena of when you think winter is over and spring has finally begun, Finland hits you with “takatalvi” where snow starts falling in the middle of April. The weather is also a very common small-talk -subject, used usually when you can’t think of anything else to say.
Sauna
The first thing that some people think relating to Finland would most definitely be the sauna. Most houses in Finland have a sauna, and even most of the apartment buildings have a reservable sauna available for all the residents. Whether it’s hot or cold a Finn would never turn down an offer to go to a sauna especially when it is paired up with a beer which is so common that a Finnish alcohol brand Karhu has it’s own “Saunaolut” sauna-beer.
Nature
Finnish nature with the pristine forests and countless lakes runs in our veins to provide an escape from the everyday life and offer a moment of peace. When enjoying the nature you should always remember the ”Every-mans Right” that allows people to for example hike and berry-pick.
Finnish nature is most know for it’s natural phenomena of Northern lights or Aurora. These beautiful light swirls are what Lappi (upper part of Finland) is known for. They are most commonly seen in Lappi but that doesn’t mean that they can’t be seen in the south as well, although it is less common.
Being a Finn
For me being a Finn has seemed normal like the stamp that is on an envelope, it’s just there. Getting older I’ve started to appreciate being a Finn and the perks that it has bestowed upon me without me even being aware of it. I’ve had free education all my life. When I was younger I obviously wasn’t even aware that it was a privilege. Also free healthcare, that was something that I was even annoyed with when I was younger. All the dentist appointments and vaccines that everyone had. The fact that no matter where you moved there would always be a forest or a nature trail nearby.
Now that I’m older I’ve realised how much it’s all actually worth. And also how amazing it is to be a Finn.
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