It was my 19th year living in this green oasis of Earth when I decided to move to a place so far north called Finland from my home Japan. Finland in Japan is surprisingly well known from Moomin, and Marimekko to Scandinavian designs. Well, the last one is not necessarily a finished trade but it gives how a Japanese perceives the most northern country in Europe.
We fast forward to 2024. I am well-integrated? or at least have the right to claim the title of “that immigrant who knows the culture and the customer but failed to speak the local language”. The culture in Finland is strange. The values of how they pass time are completely out of this world. Let me explain.
Exhibit 1.
The city I live called Tampere. The photo above is the main street; you can see how clean it may be too clean. These characteristics are often detached from other countries. There are only 2 roads in each direction. You only need this since most of its land is designated for pedestrians and cyclists. You can immediately tell that the city is designed for people and there is no space for a rectangular metal box with four wheels dominating the streets. There is nothing grand or eye caching. But a present place is a place to belong.
Exhibit 2.
SAUNA
Ever since I was born sauna has been a part of my life almost too close that I thought it was a Japanese invention. I was soon corrected and was brought to a sauna by the lake. Ever since I could never be fulfilled with a sauna where they don’t have any lake. Sauna is a core part of “Finnishness” it’s a place where people from all sorts of life come together. When you look at the parking lot of most saunas you can see a wide range of cars from Toyotas to Teslas. It’s part of everyday life to hit the sauna and relax.
Finnishness to me is the simple life and the lack of excessive will of people to be on top of one another. Some outsiders will feel that it may feel cold but you start to enjoy when others are minding their own business. This way of how people will just let you be as long as you are quiet is one of the biggest things I miss about Finland and I believe that is why this country manages to be the “Happiest” country in this world.
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