This time I would like to introduce you to a few of the Finnish stereotypes and maybe even prove them wrong for you.
• Finns are cold and unhelpful.
Although Finns are not the ones to butt into somebody else's business, they are not actually unhelpful. One of the things I was faced with, as a new student in a foreign country was that I couldn't find some of the places and things that I wanted or needed. Finns tend to keep to themselves, but what surprised me was their helpfulness if you actually politely ask for it. They might not respond in English always, but they most definitely understand you or at least try to. Sometimes they will just point you the direction, but sometimes, what can be discovered, are incredibly friendly and even a little curious people that will go out of their way to try and help you with finding the place you are looking for.
• It's hard to make friends with a Finn.
Perhaps making genuine friends with a Finn can be a little tricky if you come from a nation that has very different society rules regarding personal space or something similar. But, in fact, if you manage to get through the difficulties that might be caused by cultural differences, a Finn can make one of the best and most reliable friend that you will ever find.
• Small talk and Finns.
In some cultures it is fairly common to talk in a group and the conversation often do not have much pauses in them. Especially in dinner parties and similar occasions, to have silence is usually not taken as a good sign. Well, for Finns it tends to be different. For one - Finns are usually not the ones for too much small talk, if they talk, they tend to try to get to the point right away. They are also good listeners, preferring to listen to what you have to say before continuing on with what they would want to contribute to the conversation. Of course, this can cause awkward moments for those used to more active conversations. When the other party is not responding, it can feel like they are not interested or are simply annoyed with the conversation.
• Finns all love sauna.
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| A little bit of reminder of what can happen if you go to sauna with a Finn! :D |
Although not entirely incorrect, as Finns sure seem to be very fond of sauna (even if they have saunas for common use in the apartment buildings where the students live), it's a very large generalization. Just like with any culture, to say that everyone loves something, is just a very bad generalization which shouldn't be referred to as a definite truth with everyone of that nation.
• Finns drink a lot.
I cannot exactly say that they don't drink much, but this stereotype usually extends beyond the quantities and speaks also about the Finns being mean drunks that, most of the time, is actually fairly incorrect (Of course, it depends on the person/company). What one will find out is that when Finns do drink, they actually become very talkative and often the curious side of them shows exactly then. And, most importantly, most Finns that my friends and I have encountered have been very friendly as well!
This list only covers the very few basic points of how the Finns tend to be perceived by the foreigners until actually encountering them, and it's in no way summarizing the whole nation. It's like with any nation out there - people might have assumptions that base on the experiences of others, but you will never know your own truth about these assumptions until you will encounter a Finn yourself.If you happen to have heard of any other Finnish stereotypes, let me know! I will try to let you know of how correct or incorrect they are.
Until next time!
Liliāna
