Obviously the first things that come to my mind when thinking about Finnishness and how it affects my life are the (usually) humorous stereotypes. The intense introversion, two meter distances maintained at bus stops etc. Of course these are things and situations I can relate to, and I am anxious to see how I will adapt to a more outgoing and sociable culture. Practical things too, especially the sauna I will miss. The feeling of utter cleanliness I get afterwards is something I can’t get from a shower.
More abstract ideas such as national identity have never had much weight for me. Finland just so happened to be the place I was born. Practical things come to mind again, for example how well education or healthcare function (for now at least) over here. In those regards there are many worse places to have been born. Maybe I am just a very practically minded individual, or perhaps my own Finnishness is just such a obvious and a given thing that its hard to even put into words, or maybe a bit of both.
I am however very exited to see how my thoughts regarding this subject will change after 6 months of living and studying in a different country 🙂
Comments