I’m as Finnish as I can be – at least when you think about the stereotypes. Finns are considered people who love their personal space and mind their own business. And the worst part for foreigners? We are horrible at small talk. As if it isn’t hard enough to get a Finn to talk to you anyway. I’m guilty of everything mentioned, but as a person who’s social battery barely lasts through the day the quiet suddenly isn’t so bad.
It’s lovely to know that even when we barely manage to chat about the weather with mere strangers, when you are in actual need of help you will most likely receive it. The care and affections Finns show is quiet, shown mostly through small actions. It’s not loud, but there’s a saying where actions speak louder than words. We Finns have taken that saying to our heart for some reason.
Though, our quiet nature is nothing to be scared of. Finns behind all of those isolated layers are polite, modest and kind. And if you befriend one of us? Well, that’s a whole different story. It might seem hard, especially with Finns who fit the stereotypical type, but it is more than worth it.
This blog turned out to be rather personal view, but maybe it helps some understand the beauty in the quiet of Finns.
Pinja Nummela
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