Of course, nature, the cold, and the darkness are important parts of Finnish culture. However, it was only after spending time abroad that I truly understood how important they are to Finnish people. Nature in Finland is clean and easily accessible. Anyone can go into the forest, camp there, pick berries, and enjoy nature. This is something we should not take for granted, as it is not possible in many countries.
For me, nature is very important. I love spending summers at cottages and swimming in the clean lakes that can be found almost everywhere in Finland. I also enjoy the cold, dark winters, winter sports, and the coziness of spending time indoors. I love how easy it is to take a bus and spend a day walking in the forest.
I also love saunas and the fact that they are everywhere. I enjoy the culture surrounding them and how common public saunas are. It feels special that it is perfectly normal to talk to strangers in a sauna, even though Finns are usually quite reserved.
There is a stereotype that Finns are quiet and reserved, and I think it is fairly accurate. However, one thing I appreciate is that once you become friends with a Finnish person, you rarely have to second-guess what they mean. If a Finn says they want to meet again, they usually mean it. We tend to be honest and straightforward, and we generally say what we think.
To me, Finnishness also means Finnish food and, of course, our celebrations and traditions. Midsummer, May Day, and the unique ways we celebrate holidays such as Christmas are all important parts of our culture. Finnishness is also deeply connected to the Finnish language. I believe it is difficult to truly understand finnish language without understanding the traditions, history, and culture behind the language. Finnish is a beautiful language with many unique ways of expressing thing, as well as countless sayings and traditional proverbs.
After spending time abroad, I have also come to appreciate how clean Finland is. I value the fact that we have clean, drinkable water everywhere. I appreciate how things are well organised, carefully planned, and generally safe. I respect our education system and the way healthy lifestyles are encouraged throughout all stages of life. For example, most people know what a healthy lifestyle looks like because health education is emphasised from an early age.
What I am trying to express is that culture is, of course, food, music, religion, language, and saunas. But culture is also present in everyday conversations, in the way we live, and in the way we work. It is a kind of unspoken knowledge that cannot be learned from a book. You have to experience it and live it yourself. Most importantly, sometimes you need to spend time away from home and then return to Finland in order to truly notice and appreciate all the little things that we often take for granted. 
Comments