So you want to visit Finland. (Really?) You should find out what the people are like. I’ve been here for a little while and I’ll share what I’ve learned so far.
First and foremost, Finns have a reputation for being reserved and serious, and it is true that no one will accuse them of being talkative. But there is a reason for this. In conversation, they tend to think carefully before replying. They also value discretion, so they won’t pry into your business. As a result, they seem rather shy. Compared to many native English speakers, Finns are not proficient at small talk, so communication may be challenging at times. They don’t mind long pauses in a conversation and don’t feel compelled to fill that space with sound unless and until they have something to say. (Makes Americans uncomfortable.) But when they do speak, they tend to say what they mean.
Finns are known for perseverance. The Finnish idiom “läpi harmaan kiven” translates to “through grey rock” and conveys the idea of pushing through difficulties and succeeding against all odds, capturing the Finnish essence of resilience and determination. You need these qualities to get through the long, dark winter.
Finns love self-deprecating humor, for example: “An introverted Finn looks at his shoes when talking to you; an extroverted Finn looks at your shoes.” Their humor is often dry, sometimes dark, and they often joke with a straight face. If you don’t know whether to laugh, you haven’t been here long enough yet.
You may have heard that Finland has been named the happiest country in the world for eight years running. Finns think this is hilarious. Why does a small country of quiet and apparently dour people deserve this distinction? Because the survey is based on factors such as economic parity, life expectancy, and freedom from corruption, which contribute towards contentment. What Finns generally are is content. This is why immigrants from less stable places continue to emigrate to Finland. For more about Finnish happiness, see this recent video but excuse the correspondent’s pronunciation of Finnish names. He was only here for a couple of weeks:
An outstanding aspect of the Finnish character is a close relationship with nature. With a long coastline, thousands of lakes, and millions of hectares of forest, they are never far from nature, even in Helsinki. A Finnish secret to surviving the long dark winter is to get outside as much as possible and walk or ski (cross country) in the cold, crisp air. And every Finn lives for the short but beautiful summer, which is why they usually take their long vacations at that time.
In the final analysis, it’s a good idea. Come visit Finland. Over a century ago, a visitor concluded that “Finland is utterly charming . . . and its people are kind and hospitable.” You will need to be patient, because it takes time to get to know a place. But this is a place worth knowing.
Photos courtesy of Alberto Rodríguez on Unsplash and Georg Fagerlund Photography