Sauna has always been my safe place. As a kid, my family used to go to sauna quite often and we always connected there the most. After moving to my own apartment with no own sauna, I have been forced to rely on public sauna’s but I’ve learned I enjoy if way more than I though I would. In a public sauna I somehow feel connection with other people without really interacting with them. I love how we can all enjoy this rather weird activity alone and individually while sharing the same small room. There’s no forced conversation, everyone respects each other and a term “bikini body” is absolutely not known in sauna. Everybody can come as they are and nobody expects nothing from them.
I think sauna culture resembles the Finnish social culture quite well. There’s no need to small talk or show off anything. If you have something to say, you are more than welcome to say it but you don’t have to talk for the sake of talking. Most of us are shy but kind and honest. You can easily leave your drink outside of sauna while you go in: you know nobody’s going to do anything to it or take it. You just trust entire strangers. Same way people leave their babies to sleep outside without supervision, there’s absolutely no way someone’s going to take your child. Trust among people builds the feeling of safety and unity.
Then something unusual happens, good or bad: maybe a train full of people gets stuck or the Finnish ice hockey team wins the world title, suddenly people act like they know each other. The people quietly living side by side can start to act like a community while figuring out a shared problem or celebrating a common win. And that’s what I love about my nation. No need to be performative socially, respect and honesty towards each other is right enough and you know that people will have your back if shit hits the fan.
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