When I think about Finnishness or Finland, I think about peace, nature and modesty.
I appreciate that in Finland people respect privacy and everyone has their own space and peace. For some people from other countries and cultures, it may seem that Finnish people are rude and quiet, even distant. For me personally (and possibly for other Finns), it’s more of a courtesy that you don’t shove yourself into other’s spaces. Many know that even though Finns come off a bit quiet and rude, once you get to know us, we o
ffer the most reliant and durable friendships you can get.
Nature is one of the key points of Finnish peace. Finland is a country of thousands of lakes and forests. Many Finns, including me, find strength in quiet forest paths, vast lake landscapes and the seasons, even if the dark winter can sometimes be exhausting. It surely is easier to be calm and peaceful when your surroundings are that too. We also learn from a young age to spend time in nature and from my experience that habit carries a long time with us.
Sometimes Finnishness feels a bit contradictory to me: we are proud of our country, but we don’t really dare to say it out loud. Modesty is a really big part of our culture, and it is seen in not bragging about achievements unnecessarily – although sometimes I wish a Finn would brag about himself more boldly. Perhaps that is what makes us unique – quiet people who nevertheless deeply appreciate and respect their own culture, nature, and each other.
Comments