Shyness
The first thing you hear about Finnish people is that we are shy and of few words. Historically, there is definitely a stereotype of a Finnish man who lives in the forest and barely speaks to anyone, and when he does, you should listen. This might have been the case in the past, but it is not as prevalent as you would except in the modern world – at least not when speaking in Finnish. However, speaking another language might make some overly self-conscious and give the impression that they are shyer than they would normally be.
This is something to keep in mind when venturing abroad or travelling in Finland. Our language changes us and speaking another language might turn into a different person, especially when your language skills are lacking and you can’t express yourself in a way that you are used to in mother tongue. So does being Finnish mean that you are automatically shy? Most definitely not. Being of few words is a part of our culture and it does not automatically mean that the person is particularly shy. It might also be that they are simply unable to express all they want in a language that is not inherently theirs.
Honesty
Finns can be brutally honest from a foreigners point of view, and our straightforwardness can often be viewed as rudeness. Perhaps it is the union of our cold weather and our need to communicate as efficiently as possible to save energy, but this honesty can cause a world of pain and multiple misunderstandings when venturing abroad. Finnish is a language based on inflections and our politeness does not translate well, for instance, into English. We do not have a word for please nor are we raised to small talk, so if you ask a Finn how their day was, you will likely get an answer that is far more than what you expected – either that, or you get a simple yes or no in case they cannot express themselves beyond that.
Love for nature
Finland is a big country when you consider our population density, so nature is never too far away from us. When you grow up next to a forest and spend your summers next to a lake, it is what you become accustomed to and you might even find comfort in all the greenery and natural sceneries. Because of this, a Finn might not be too comfortable with a desert or the busy streets of Tokyo. Changing sceneries for a short period can be a nice change, but going on an exchange in a completely foreign environment can have its negative affects when you lack the sanctuary of a forest and the soft sounds a lake makes during a slighty windy day. So if you are a Finn who’s lacking peace of mind during your time in broad, finding a serene garden might just clear your mind.
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