7 things about Finland and Finns that just make sense*

*through an Italian boy’s eyes

1. So many flag days and celebrations. It happens so many times to wake up, open the blinds and see the Finnish flag wave in the yard. In Finland “flag days” are a very common thing: many different cultural aspects are celebrated (such as Day of Equality – 19th March, or Day of Finnish Literature, 10th October); usually these days are linked to the birth or death anniversary of famous Finnish personalities. Although they are not holidays (don’t expect a day off from school or work!), it’s cool to see flags everywhere! One of the biggest celebrations, and an actual holiday too, is Juhannus (Midsummer – 21st June), and Finns usually enjoy a barbecue and a couple beers waiting for the Midnight Sun. Finns also have many non-official celebrations, such as the Sleepy Head day (27th June), and the Day of Failure (13th October), because making mistakes is normal and recognizing it is part of the way to success!

2. Silence and personal space. Don’t get offended or worried if while talking with a Finn you end up in complete silence for a few minutes: it’s completely normal. Finns love to have their personal space and enjoy silence.

Enjoying silence and personal space 101 :)

Although it may look frustrating sometimes (at least for me, who I am used to the warm-hearted and chaotic southern European culture), this shows how much Finns value words and hate small talk. For my culture, silence in a conversation is just a sign of embarrassment; however, I learned that silence is way better than empty and pointless conversations 😊

Also, Finns value personal space a lot: don’t expect to have a conversation with a complete stranger at the bus stop and seat next to somebody on the train! Finns are kinda discreet and reserved*, but they have a heart of gold! [*this does not apply during parties]

3. Finns are crazy for Moomins. Before coming to Finland, I had no idea about what Moomins are. And Finns love them! Moomins are small fictional creatures, they look like cute white hippos (no offense, dear Finns, hard to describe a Moomin!!). Moomins were originally book characters (written between the 40s and the 60s), but because of their popularity comic strips, cartoons, movies, brand shops, cafes and also a theme park have been created. I dare you to meet a Finn who does not owe a Moomin cup!

Moomin socks!

4. Coffee and milk are a must, 24/7. What can you find on a Finn’s lovely Moomin cup? You are most likely to find coffee, and not only for breakfast time. Anytime is good to have some coffee: when you need some energy while working/studying, when you need a quick drink to-go, when you meet a friend or go on a date… It’s not by chance that Finland is the country where more coffee per capita is consumed. Also, many Finns enjoy a glass of milk with their lunch or dinner: this still sounds so weird to me! I always associated milk and lunch as something you see on American TV series, and I was so surprised to see that it’s an actual thing!

5. Finns are so proud ot their country. It’s very hard to find a Finn complaining about their country. And to be honest, there’s almost nothing to complain about: the welfare is one of the best in the world, education is good and looks like everything works smoothly. Also, they value a lot and support their national brands: just as an example, Finns love to buy clothes from Marimekko and love to fly with Finnair. I don’t think that this should be seen as a stereotype, but as strong bond with their home country, which is beautiful! And remember: Finland is not Scandinavia! (Finns may get offended if you say something like that!)

6. Technology is everywhere.

Still taking notes on paper - with a cup of coffee!

I remember that during the first days of school I was taking some notes in a notebook and my classmates were looking at me like “what the hell are you doing?!”. In Finland, techonology is a real big thing: did you know that Angry Birds and Clash of Clans were produced in Finland?

Also, a huge amount of services are offered online, with codes and apps: pretty challenging for and old fashioned person like me 😉 but I’m getting more and more used to that!

7. Finns are crazy for music and festivals. It’s very well known worldwide that Finland is the country of heavy metal. However, there’s not only hevay metal: Finns love music, concerts and festivals: although not many famous singers and bands come to Helsinki (forcing Finns to go, for example, to Stockholm or Copenhagen for big concerts), during the summer there’s a lot of music festivals all over the country: unfortunately, because of Covid, I couldn’t enjoy this experience, but according to my friends’ stories, they sound sooo much fun!