What do you think about finnish people? Do you think they are all punch of drunken sweatsuit wearing people? I'm doing a schoolproject on the subject and I would appreciate your answers :) Thanks.
I'M BLACK AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU ARE RACIST! I REPEAT, I DON'T
To all black guys in Finland who obey the law - Please walk tall with your heads up... full of self esteem. You don't have to take shit from no one. It's a free world.
I am a black guy in Finland, have not really gotten any of those racist gestures from any Finn and i try to maintain my self esteem even though i live a simple life. Wherever i go, my personality tend to over-shadow that of the haters so don't even bother giving me that racist attitude because it doesn't faze me and i really care less if you exist or not. It's a free world and i always feel free like the birds in the sky wherever i go, which ever country i reside. I try to obey the law just like i'll do in my own country and I don't care what you think about me and if you mess with me, i'll retaliate with no fear of intimidation whatsoever. I arrived about 2 months ago. Been around Europe just for fun and i must say, Finland is quite strange and isn't the best. Besides, Hungarians are way much beautiful than Finns. If you've never been to Hungary, then you would easily disagree. Nothing really enticing here in Finland so i don't know why there should be so much NOISE!
Emm.. I also think that black, white, yellow or whatever coloured people should walk with their heads up. I value everyone in the same way, no matter what religion or cultural background they might have.
And when it comes to racism, I do hate that. So.. I was thinking that what if you would see your own attitude aswell- it is good that you don't care too much about other people and like you said you haven't gotten any racist gestures while being in Finland- but do you see that you are giving them to finnish people by comparing finnish people to hungarians or saying that in Finland there is nothing enticing..? It can also be hurtful, harmuful and racistic for finns.
You are a person who might like hungarians better- but yes, I do disagree with you when it comes to that- I'm more used to finnish girls and I like them- I've been to Hungary and of course people look beautiful there too- but they don't affect me in the same way as finnish girls.. So, that is definately personal thing, not something that everyone would like about. So I think you should only speak for yourself.
And I'm not finnish- but I find Finland very enticing place. Maybe it's not the same for you, but some people find Finland amazing and exciting country to be. So.. Again- you can only speak for yourself and remember that we people are different and we like different things.
Sorry my Dear bro in Peace ,I meant I agree that Finnish people r not most beautiful.
Still,I don't accept anyone to laugh at Finnish people same time abuisng us and our great social support system.Either U respect us or then stay out of Finland,that simple it SHOULD BE.U told that U follow Finnish laws so follow then these unwritten laws,for example our high moral and ethics,honesty here.And yes,forst of all,where ever U go so keep Ur head up and keep on being proud of Ur roots and background,people use to respect people that respect oneself!
My Dear black Brother in Peace!
Yes,I agree that Finnish people really r most beautiful,but most beautiful Finnish belong to the most ebautiful people int he world,do U get this?I mean,for example I myself look pretty and more Russian than Finnish (even Russian people tend to love my style and even hving a default that I could b one fo them,and I am proud of this juts coz if U look an average Finnish wman or man so he or she looks horrible).Russian women r just one group that r kept to b more beautiful by far than Finnish women,for example Estonian women r kept to b so gorgeous,but in this I lil bit disagree as if we examine spesific characteristics for Estonian women so actually they r not that different from Finnish characteristics,but they just keep much better care of themselves,when it comes to their look.
Finnish women hv no self-confidence,but we r well-educated,smart,independent and generally speaking also men here in Finland get human rights being also women rights.Our education and social support systems r maybe the best in the world,we hv manage in both of the fields of our policy:foreigner and inner policy here in Finland well enough for living peace in our country,no need to escape and let some other state to take care of us,to put in us teh moneys that would actually meant to use first of all for that other state itself!
I am not racist,I hv even dated with only mainly outside of Finland living Asian men last 2,5y,but our foreigner policy is driving me crazy and reflecting to my thoughts in a racist nuance.So I thought me to b the very last one being able to think in a racist way.I will tell later more about our foreigner or immigrant policy but let me tell first one v sad phenomenon that shows clearly how our immigrant policy makes both of the foreigners and us looking victims:
Well,we were drinking and hving party in our capital Helsinki ,and we met many Asian or african people and we tried to talk in akind way to all fo these asking where r they from coz it looks that not Fnnish.Just out of curousity and coz we appreciate people from all around the world as our sisters and brothers and wanted to hear exotic and interesting life stories of them etc.Anyways,the seemed to got us wrong ,not all as also most polite and kind people that we met that night were just those black people or Asian,surprise surprise.But we started to ponder for why r they trying to deny them to b foreigners,why r not they proud of their background,and for why got they angry and almost violent!Then we got that it must be coz obviously in Finland racism is rising and our foreigners hv faced it so much (or just hv their prejudices) that they automatically think all of us to hate them nor b willing to b friends.That is sad,but who is the one to blame?
Not the foreigners,not Finnish people,but our totally unfair and unworking immigrant policy!We get here useless people just to waste our moneys,then many well-educated ,for example iraqi medical doctors,we just send a way,just like our dear Western neighbour Sweden.All in all we give those residence permits too much but for totally wrong people.
For example Somalian people r great problem as their own culture is so different from ours (they hv to be noisy already in childhood,if not so their community and families inforced them to make noise and talk without stop) and so primitive that they certainly cannot get that here they should integrate to our culture,and even though they got it that is v difficult to totally turn change one's manners upside down.This makes not only Finnish but also the other (black) foreigner groups to hate them and being afraid that ignorant people may thinka lso them to b form Somalia just based on the skin colour.Then in some case Somali man hv many wives and as a leader of the family that man lifts social supports form all the bank accounts of that family without using them for the benefit of the family but by sitting in cafeterias chatting with his friends,that is v wrong.And some of them oerder children from Somalia telling lies them to be their adoption children,but more exact examination reveals them actually being child prostitutes for those paedophils,totally disgusting!And many times just this group hv nor education nor they can even read,and all this is v frustrating.
Finland does not hv to take care of all the losers in the world,but we hv right to live in peace in a country that we hv created by our rationality.The rationality that finally carrys longer and higher by far than the beauty.Still Finnish r blamed to b ugly and one of the most underestimated nation in the world and still when other people r in troubles so our help and social support is v welcome.For U "peace" I relly think that if U don't love Finland so get out of here and leave Ur space for smwn that hv brain to appreciate that safe,peaceful Finnish life.
I wanted to say yet smthg in my first message butt eh operator said it to b too long.So I continue now:
I was asking that does not any state hv right to take own state as own state?Is not that just normal?So us Finnish want to keep our languagy,culture race and country.Finnish do not want even other Finnish too close,we hv strong need for space around us.That does not mean that we couldn't care or love,or b willing to help people.Foreigners r most welcome to visit here,and sweet group of foreigner people living here is ncie making Finland juts more vivid,but too much is too much.And especially we should focus on quality not quantiy also when it comes to this subject,also Finland has right to get some benefit back for our support.Friendship is not just taking but giving as well.And the problem is that if we take here endless stream of waste escaping from the countries that hv managed to ruin everything there ,the totally useless people for Finland /of which we don't get any benefit but coz of that phenomenon our people,as well as the foreigner people hv to pay,as all that eats resources in Finland and finally is away from all the people.I know,I should not talk about human waste,but so much I love people no matter from where they are or live so 1st people coming here to abuse us and our great social support when they r in troubles,same time laughing at our ugly people 2nd Finnish immigrant policy makes me,like many other Finnish people,to talk like this/being afraid to death for our country for which also my nation has fought and done so much work for keeping this as Finland and for Finnish 3rd for exaggerating for making people to realize.Fear is a strong feeling and easily takes power over us,preventing us to think in a realistic way.In some cases there is a relevant/real reason for that fear,in other case there is no real reason for that,but many times ignorant people r afraid without better knowledge.All this affect to the attitudes about foreigners of Finnish people that directly affects to the attitudes and behaviour fo the foreigners,and the vicious circle is ready!It is obvious that Finland cannot solve all the problems in this world nor help allt he people,by trying that we cannot soon help even ourselves,and where do we escape then?To Somalia and build there high-quality ,well-working,society for getting then Somalis back there after destroying Finland like they hv now destroyed their country.Ok,to be fair so I want to highlight that I still don't blame even Somalis themselves as they dont' make these decisions but only Finnish government does and is one to blame.
hi... I'm a finnish girl and I can tell you about finnish people:
FInnish people are very traditional, when it comes to (for example) christmas or something like that. Usually at summer, finnish people go to their cottages by the lakeand that kind of stuff. They have SAUNA which almost everyone has in finland. they use it around the year.
Finnish people are very friendly, if someone comes to speak them. they are very kind and friendly. Well, NOT EVERYONE;But MOST of them. I'd say 4/5 of finnish people are very friendly. :)
you can start with those.. there's not much but you can start with it. ;))
Hi, I'm a middle-aged finnish woman in the capital city area, and I don't quite agree with the above mentioned.
Finns are quite traditional, that's true, allthough not very religious, most are nowadays more than anything very materialistic and very skeptic about all kinds of things that can't be seen, touched or hasn't been proved black on white or scientifically.
The black and white proves on everything are enourmously important to finns, don't even imagine of getting a job without a proper CD, or if you tell anybody about anything from your own life, you must have photos and proofs - finns suspect everything that is out of the ordinary. Finns believe that life basicly is mostly about everyday life and that everybody should live quite after the same values.
Many finns in bigger cities don't celebrate christmas in any particular way anymore, especially people who live alone may spend the christmas time among friends or in a restaurant. Same goes with Mayday. Many finns have a very emotional attitude to Midsummer and want to see the bonfires burning, by a lake or sea, preferably - allthough not everybody cares for that matter.
Many finns have their own sauna but many don't. For instance in old apartment buildings in Helsinki you mostly don't have a sauna in your relatively small apartment.
Finns are NOT very friendly towards strangers, especially towards other finns they don't know, it's not common to start a spontaneous conversation at a bus stop or such, they only become friendlier when you get to know them. The attitude to tourists is different, finns are allways flattered when a foreigner asks them something (like now here! :))
It's said that finnish people read a lot. Well, some do. But reading books; novels, poetry and such is actually a hobby of relatively small group of finns; the typical fiinnish middle-aged person reads weekly magazines, tabloid papers, their own local newspapers and a book or two per year that is very very popular and everybody has read, or something very light. Also books that have something to do with their job.
Finns between 20 and 30 read more.
You celebrate Christmas, Easter and all religious ceremonies but yet, you don't even know the true meaning of what you celebrate. Love God and his son, Jesus Christ.
The Finns are quite peculiar, and so is Finland too, so I can say after living here quite a few years. If you want to know more of my opinions check this out: http://monamolsson.bravejournal.com/
I'm not happy to pay taxes so you can surf on Internet and talk so much of shit about Finns.
The more I read about your text, the more I was guessing what comes next. For example 1st: too much work, 2nd: "marijuana, jiihaa". etc.
There was very much good things you said (it's true, we work TOO MUCH!). and what makes so angry, is that still we get paid too low 'coz taxes are so high ->> people who don't want to go work can live for free if they want and so they have too much for sparetime ---like you do--.
Please, go soon. You are coming very expensive for us. Shame on u. Go some another country, where people will pay for your LIVING and nice clothes!
PS. You are a moran. Everyone is a moran, if go so below, that separates people in Helsinki-city and to country people. How ridicilous. ;)Tells something about your development.
Kyllä poika puhu asiaa. Perussuomalaisen on näköään hyvin vaikeaa ymmärtää mitä Suomessa todellakin tapahtuu. Kauheeta ryyppäämistä, ulkomaalaisvihaa, homovihaa ja kateellisuutta. Nyt joku tulee sanomaan, että kyllä muuallakin ryypätään. Niin ryypätääkin, mutta ei ryypätä räkiä poskille, eikä hakata ihmisiä, jos heillä on tummempi ihonväri tai he puhuvat jotain eri kieltä. Olen 100% suomalainen ja rakastan Suomea. Mutta joskus rasistien olisi hyvä katsoa omaa rumaa pärstäänsä peilistä.
Sanot, että Suomessa hakataan ihonvärin perusteella. Kenties tuo on totta, joiden alakulttuurien toimesta, mutta missäpäs niin ei loppujen lopuksi tehtäisi? Mitä vaikka sitäkin kohua joka nousi ulkomailla Tanskalaisen sanomalehden julkaisemasta Muhammed pilasarjakuvasta. Tai mieti vaikka niitä kaikkia kansanmurhia ja heimosotia joita toimitetaan Afrikan maissa. Se, että Suomessa ollaan ulkomaalaisvastaisia on kuitenkin vain erilaisten pienimuotoisten ääripäiden toimintaa, ei mitään systemaattista tai kansallisesti organisoitua väkivaltaa, tuskin.
Mainitset myös homovihan mutta jätät kuitenkin tyystin huomioitta muutamien vuoden takaiset asennetutkimukset, joissa todetaan että valtaosa suomalaisista hyväksyy homoseksuaaliset parisuhteet. Lue vaikka seuraava:
Mietippä sitä jos menisit täräyttämään oman homoseksuaalisuutesi julkisesti esille valtaosasta kehitysmaissa niin voisi olla, että ei kaverit pitäisi sitä kovin hyvänä.
I am a black foreigner, I have a job, I pay my TAXES. I consider myself as a hard working person and I get along with some finns, mostly educated ones who don't suffer from low self esteem.
I have realized that most finns that are racist have very low self esteem and feel big when they put a black person down.They complain that foreigners are here to take their jobs and take money from the state. Well from my experience foreigners especially black want to work and are usually not employed because of the colour of their skin. Give them jobs and you will never see them at KELA or sosu. They will do any job, and most often they get the jobs that finns themselves don't want then they complain that they are taking away jobs. One thing that the average Finn doesn't know is that Finns are scattered all over the world, I was shocked to discover that some Finns actually leave in the country I come from. And the funny thing is that although they look different they are welcome and free.
Finns need to be welcoming and friendly to outsiders.Above all they need to learn other ways of building self esteem, like teaching their children respect,caring for their old parents,caring for their neighbour, not feeling jeolus about what the other person has achieved,being friendlier, spending more time with their children and family not just at joulu or any other holiday, learning more about other cultures.
Don't get me wrong not all Finns are bad and they are some positive things about Finnish people but sometimes they get overshadowed by the bad things.One of these positive things is that they are hard working.
You describe us Finns quite accurately, I think. Many of us, yes, perhaps the more educated ones, and those who have lived elsewhere, have no problem with foreigners, but there is a visible minority who are racist. Like racists everywhere, Finnish racists try to cover their insecurity by bravado and bullying and blaming those who look different.
I feel that there is a section of 'humanity' missing in our society. This is difficult to explain, and I'm not even sure if this is true about the majority or just some people I've met. I've lived in two other countries, and will never return to Finland to live (I hope), and can say I have not met such simpletons anywhere else as so many of us Finns are. It's as if many of us were living some bad farce with few lines and only in a minor role. We are not a fully functioning human being, we are actors not quite familiar with the script, and certainly not able to write the script. Some kind of automatic robots going about our routine actions, saying routine phrases, reacting, not thinking. This is not being human. Being a human is to exprerience life fully, find a connection with others, creating one's life instead of reacting to events like a rag doll.
I respect maky things about the Finnish culture, and admit that we have many good qualities, such as the ability to work hard, and persistence, 'sisu'. I'm glad you are living in Finland. People like you wil eventually bring some light into darkness, even against the will of some of the population. Stay positive, keep smiling.
One memory from my past. I was living in a small town before I emigrated. I found most people difficult to get along, and rather narrow minded. The only one I was able to talk with as a human being talks to another, was a black man. He was working as a doctor. He was wonderful, but I got the impression that many didn't appreciate him.
having a self esteem has been considered to be almost a criminal activity. Basically, you should always at least be able to prove you have a right to show a bit of actual self esteem. You have that right, if and when you have a written certificate stating so. A college degree will prove you are smarter than some, so that'll do, though many will think you're automatically a wuss and prove it by punching you in the face. A prison record will prove that you're tough and most people will respect that, so once again you may occasionally be entitled to a bit of self esteem. Most people will think you're an idiot, though. You can climb the social ladder until everybody is beneath you, so nobody will disagree when you simply take the right to have a self esteem. Everybody will hate you though, you arrogant asshole. You can drive a Formula1 like the devil himself to gain the respect of millions of Finns, but once your career is over, evil tongues will start wagging. You're a once famous has been, who still thinks he is something. Somebody should teach you manners, you yesteryear's double champion. Or you can spit a black guy in the face to be a five minute hero for your drunk mates. Mostly just foreigners will think badly of you. Or you can kill hundreds of Russian infantrymen with a knife and a rock to gain eternal glory that nobody can take away from you. Too bad there's no war. So, which of these do you think is the easiest way to prove you have the right to respect yourself? Come to think of it, the game of self esteem in Finland is one you can't possibly win. Everybody loses, one way or another. Why? My theory is, this has a lot to do with our history. For centuries this was a Swedish soldier-farm, you know. Does good cannon fodder need a self esteem? No. If you feel fundamentally worthless and inadequate, you don't want to live, do you? In battle men who want to live fight like cowards, whereas suicidal maniacs will pull off almost any stunt. So, in order to be respected you just have to be the last man standing or dead in action. This way of thinking is what made Sweden great, at our expense, if you ever wondered. The poor self esteem you see today is largely a remnant of that age. We are supposed to prove ourselves in combat, but there hasn't been a war for over sixty years. Crazy, but the bizarre logic makes sense if you really think about it. Well, did I ever say we're not all insane? There are some pretty good videos on Finnish history on Youtube, if you want to know more. And of course many more that are mainly ultrapatriotic crap.
"Well from my experience foreigners especially black want to work and are usually not employed because of the colour of their skin."
How do you know this to be true? How can you be certain that they are actually being discriminated based on their color of the skin? This is a very bold claim without providing any statistical knowledge or any kind of evidence what so ever.
Finding a job in Finland can be very hard -- for the Finns also. The employers put extremely high demands on your skills and sometimes only the most fittest can land a steady and highly paid job. There are many things to consider, such as your previous work experience, level of education and your suitability for the job (such as, if you can't speak the language natively, it is unlikely that you will get a job in the customer service field). It is extremely easy to point fingers and to say that the color of one's skin is the reason for not landing your dream job just like that.
"One thing that the average Finn doesn't know is that Finns are scattered all over the world, I was shocked to discover that some Finns actually leave in the country I come from."
Why do you say that an average Finn does not know that they are being scattered around the world and then the very next thing you say is that *you* were shocked to find that there are Finns in your country? Are you certain that you are not just merely projecting your own amazement and then taking that as to be the feeling of a general Finn? I for one am not shocked to hear that some Finns have travelled and moved out of this country.
"And the funny thing is that although they look different they are welcome and free."
Really? Are you certain that no Finns will ever experience any kind of racism when walking as a white caucasian in your native country? I feel that I can say with certainty that some blacks will look upon on whites with suspicion and other kinds of negative feelings, due to various reasons in various points of their lives, just like some whites look upon blacks due to different reasons. Racism is an universal phenomenon, not just involving blacks.
"Finns need to be welcoming and friendly to outsiders.Above all they need to learn other ways of building self esteem, like teaching their children respect,caring for their old parents,caring for their neighbour, not feeling jeolus about what the other person has achieved,being friendlier, spending more time with their children and family not just at joulu or any other holiday, learning more about other cultures."
And who are you to say what we should do and why? Who are you to say that we don't care for our parents and children? Who are you to say that we are not learning about other cultures? How much energy have you put on learning our culture and language, since you are the one who lives here, in our homeland?
miksi, miksi helvetissä täällä ollaan puolustamassa ulkomaalaisia ja haukutaan suomalaisia rasistisiksi paskoiksi? ja kaikki nämä ulkomaalaiset sitten ovat oikein kilttejä ja mukavia työssäkäyviä ihmisiä? mitetitäämpä mistä se rasistisuus tulee, ei kuule ehkä ole ihan hatusta vedettyä... omien kokemuksien perusteella saisivat mennä sinne mistä tulivatkin
Otherwise fine, but I think the ubiquitous idea of there being jobs that do not attract Finns is false. I have worked in shitty jobs and there are Finns everywhere doing those jobs. Must be, because the wealthy and racist homeowners will not let foreign janitors into their quarters.
There are also lots of applicants for practical nurses. I was disqualified, when only about 10% of the applicants were accepted to a practical nursing course. It was harder to start practical nursing than some majors in universities.
this is an old post but i want to agree with u 100%,,people here dont get it....funy how u say exaclty what i tired to tell to those who complain about foregnairs steeling their jobs,,,thanks to foreganirs that there arer many jobs that stil exist,,or this country will one day end up with no service,,,already services are extremely bad,,,healt care sucks,,cose not enough docs,.so welcome foreign doctorr and nurses..
When I moved to Finland 12 years ago, people always asked: "Are you accustomed to the Finnish culture?”
Culture - where it is? Is it a man running down a woman at the door of a shop? Is it when the kids trample on the meal table? Is it a young man sitting in a bus and an old woman standing? Is it, as well as the adult does not know the words "Hello" and "Thank you"?
The main word is “V ! “ everywhere!
Feast day is Saturday. Then have to drink to the memory loss. The main streets look like after urinary competitions.
It’s a pity that Finnish nation do not have friends and they do not respect their parents.
Elderly make suicide every other day in Finland. The reason is loneliness and depression.
Kirjoittanut: ...... / 27.4.09 / klo 11:53
”kauheeta yleistämistä! :o hanki elämä kuule.. oikeesti :o” – --------------- Why ” terrible generalization!”? Guest notes what you themselves do not note. Take off your pink glasses! The truth is sometimes painful.
Kirjoittanut: .............................. / 10.5.09 / klo 21:18:
” ->> people who don't want to go work can live for free if they want …” ------------Oh yeah – and is it normal?
finns are the coldest people on the planet and they are selffish and jealosy. They have very little knowlegde about other poleple and cultures and often assume they are superior to other peple. Eg they think an african cannot use anything with a switch, they have to first explain it to them. This way they make fools of themselves and expose their shallowness and lack of the real world outside the sauna. This way they never get to know peolple for what they are instead they either see someone who is pissed of with their behavior (and ll accuse you of not cooperating instead) or they ll see a bootlicker (in the reality someone who is desperate) and they ll take him for sub human.
Never expect a finn to have guilt or show compassion or simple good will eg look at the industries serving old people. They are just there to suck them dry.evn an ordinary finn ll never visit his bedridden father they just wait for the day he dies and claim his belongings.
you met those bastards as well. I'm a local and I don't like them either. There are many nice ones too, but you have to find them first. And if a Finn is sober, don't expect any public show of emotion. That is a no no. Big one. Privately we can be extremely emotional, especially when drunk. Or gay.
He speaks about his feelings all the time and gives hugs like other Finns shed swear words. And he never drinks! I suspect I may have found the only Finn who's like that! And he's not even a young man but middle aged.
my husband is an exception too,,,but he is young,,actually younger then me,,,and he hugs a lot...maybe he learned from me,snce he dont hug even own parents......but its enough he does hug me!!yep finns are jeakous,,ehll yes,,even own husband told me that!!and yes they are not compassionate at all,,,dont give shit of anyone but them selves....only good thing here is better econmy and welfare.....rest....i wonder why im here....im even worried to grow a family in this country,,,,but i dont want hurt my man by saying this...so ive learned to live isolated ,and dont care of the people who would not care about me here....so i just enjoy my honey and the beaufiul landscapes...
Most Finns consider warmth and compassion a weakness, and being attached to your parents after you're 25 means that you never grew up. Most Finnish parents are authoritarian and controlling and just want to exploit their children if they are "sensitive", so the children steer clear of their parents in adulthood.
A "bootlicker" is a person who can't come up with something to provide for themselves and is considered stupid and servile. And for the not co-operating part, if you are not here to get on with the program, the attitude is usually "get the f* out". The Finnish Army is a huge part of Finnish culture, particularly the management style which may be perceived as authoritarian and a "steam roller" type if you know what I mean. Then again the workplace is not a democracy and the boss is the one who takes the risks so it makes sense.
have this strange attitude, it seems, that they cannot change anything in their society and that those in power cannot be influenced. I think there is a passivity in our mentality, unwillingness to cause ripples, complaining only when nobody is listening.
In Finland people obey the laws, obey the government, obey the police, obey all the officials, and have the illusion that all those people have the citizens' best interest in heart. They may vote, but what's the use of that? You only have so many candidates in only so many parties to choose from, and they are all the same. There is little real public debate in Finland. Everything is left for the big brother to look after.
I wonder do you ever read daily newspapers? It's very often one sees headlines about not so honest, educated well-to-do-finncitizens. Involved in frauds with taxation etc criminal business transactions and activities.
where ever you are you have access to finnish newspapers via internet. At least you can catch up on major news. www.iltasanomat.fiwww.iltalehti.fiwww.hs.fi or you can just write the name of the publication in the googles search box and press enter. Good luck! And yes, not all Finnish citizens are honest, don't know if they ever were...?!?
cup of tea, nor am I all that interested in Finnish papers in general. This Suomi24 discussion forum is just about the only place I get 'news' from Finland and practise my language.
"Feast day is Saturday. Then have to drink to the memory loss. The main streets look like after urinary competitions."
This same happening in Uk and more,every weekend!!
I read your entry on Finland, and laughed til I cried. My mom is Finnish with 12 brothers & 1 sister, Elmi---the brothers are Toivo, Oiva, Arvo, Eino, Nilo,Sulo, John, Bill, Kenny, Laurie, Harold, and 1.. I can't remember at this time, ha, ha,
My Grammpa came from Helsinki, where he met my gramma Sel'inaa. They came to the U.S.A. in the late 30's or early 40's-and made a farm in michigan, a cold farming town, I think he worked in the copper mines then. His name was Erick Vuorenmaa, he lived until 95 and worked like a dog all his life. He was funny and drank , and drank, and milked the cows, and there were chickens, and 2 pigs
-and sauna every sunday and wednesday.
We would go there every summer, until I grew up.-we were from the 'city' Chicago, and they thought we were gangsters. Oh the mentality !!!
EVERYBODY drank, and drank and were predjudice, so much.
Especially the 'moosties'.
So much you said is true. My mom (92) is so racist, along with them all.
My gramma, was crabby all the time---I never saw her laugh.-Most of my uncles were nice to us neices & nephews, -but not all.
Every body worked and worked and got drunk all the time.
They thought it was normal.
Did you learn English in school?--
I think my gramma was crabby because she had so many kids., and my grampa would not eat with out Veeleeah, (can't spell it, but you know it.)
They were so set in their ways, not to let any one in their group.
We learned so little finnish, my mom still speaks it and all the brothers.
Did you know it is considered one of the most hardest languages in the world ?
Every thing you said has so much truth.
No, your country is socialist, too many taxes, and the government takes too much of Finns money.-because they let them.
I think our president stinks here and wants to make our country the same.
Buska.
They like to kill dear,there, and eat venison.I hated it, but I had such a good time there as a kid....it was a different world.
Let me know if you get this, and don't write me drunk-I'm old enough to be your "I-Dee'
Bay- va-
Mrs Susan
"Every body worked and worked and got drunk all the time.
They thought it was normal."
It is normal, in many places in the world. Just because drinking more often is abnormal in the fundamentalist hypocrite pilgrim society in the US, doesn't mean that enjoying a drink would be abnormal to the human kind at large (or notable parts thereof). While for you drinking is something that degenerate alcoholists and criminals do, for many others it is a way of relaxing or coping with the surroundings.
Many European cultures include long traditions of drinking - even that of your (or your neighbour's) ancestors from England, Scotland and Ireland. The Spanish enjoy their sangria, Italians and French their wine. The Germans - their evening after work consists of TV soccer and a beer or ten.
Drinking so much as to get drunk is a bit less common in many places, but peoples from countries like Russia, the Baltic countries, Finland and Ireland all enjoy that as well. I bet even Northern Canadians and Alaskans love a drink, too. You see a pattern now: where it's cold, dark and wet nine months a year, alcohol is more or less a normal part of life.
When you say your grandparents thought drinking was normal - well, yes, it was. The fact that all your neighbours in the US are abstinent, God-fearing Calvinists, doesn't mean that for your grandparents it wasn't normal to drink. Indeed, isn't the USA supposed to be all about mixing up races and cultures. So, whatever heritage the immigrants bring with them, it surely is normal.
By the way, if you are condemning the idea that in many countries getting drunk is normal, then you should start off by looking at yourself in the mirror. After all, to many (most?) Americans eating crap for food (what you got, McDonald's, Subway, Pizza Hut and all other places serving plastic and preservatives on a platter), polluting the air with massive cars and inefficient industrial solutions, carrying guns on the streets and not caring too much about anything is the normal way of going about.
We all have our faults, and all of our habits have a downside to them. However, the Finns are not alone with their preference for a drink, and surely it is far from abnormal to get drunk after work.
That was just what I think about Finland and finnish people. I think Finland is so negative and cold place to be in. So much racism, hate, prejudgice and inequality. If you say hello to a random stranger, you will be considered as little weird or a foreigner. And the most common response is a blank amazed gaze and some grumbling. Of course there are some exceptions and thank god to that.
People aren´t well mentally but still it´s very difficult to get proper treatment. Also the healthcare system doesn´t work at the moment, especially in smaller cities. And they say that it´s like winning in the lottory to be born in Finland. It´s far from it. Oh, and the law system. It´s totally off. You can do basically everything and still get away with it. Beat someone up, rape a little kid or kill someone and you´ll probably just get the minimum sentence. Except when you try to avoid taxes or something else that is associated with money. That´s a totally different chapter. Then you´re definately going to jail for a ridiculously long time compared to the action. I would say that Finland´s almost completely rotten. If I would have said this someone in person, I probably would have get beaten up and left on the ground because everyone thinks that it´s not their business. I don´t know if this negativity and things being bad part of finnish character or an epidemic that is all over the world.
In the end I have to say that not everything´s so fucked up. We have a beautiful nature (in some places). There´s enough food and fresh water for everyone.
"Oh, and the law system. It´s totally off. You can do basically everything and still get away with it. Beat someone up, rape a little kid or kill someone and you´ll probably just get the minimum sentence. Except when you try to avoid taxes or something else that is associated with money."
You've been fooled by the scandal media. There's actually nothing wrong with the Finnish justice system. It's just that there are too many assaults and batteries as well as rapings of "minors", and too active a system of law enforcement. Whereas in the US and most of Europe even batteries are settled out-of-court or by civil actions, in Finland the state has to intervene and prosecute publicly. That derives from the Nordic social model whereby the state takes care of (i.e. serves) the people.
As a result, not everyone can be thrown in jail upon their first offence as there are not enough jails. Now, recidivists and serious offenders do go to jail - but the scandal media does well in neglegting that. They just publish news on whenever someone has been let off on a conditional sentence (i.e. sentence without prison time) or has been sentenced otherwise very mildly.
And what comes to child molesters - well, in case of true paedophilism, the offender will be locked up, either in jail or in a high security mental hospital. What you read in the scandal newspapers is not about that, however. According to the law, you can be tried for child molestation if you're 18 and make out with a 15-year-old. That is absurd to many foreigners as it is just normal that kids around that age go out and explore sexuality.
Most cases of child molestation are about a 18- to 21-year-old guy and a 14- to 16-year-old girl. When you read the newspapers, you will not know the facts of the case. But I can assure you the facts go something like this: the girl and guy went out or met at a party. They both got a bit too drunk. They went somewhere private and started kissing. The guy made a move and touched the girl intimately or had sex with her. The next morning the girl, sobered up again, got second thoughts and went to the police.
Now, according to the criminal code, regardless of the circumstances, touching intimately a "child" of age of 15 or less can be punishable, and it will have to be tried in court. As these things happen all the time and everywhere (even in other countries), it is no surprise that the prisons would be filled up to the roof if every drunken fool had to be locked up for going on second or third base with a teenage girl. Instead, if they are first-timers, they're let out on a conditional sentence. Then the scandal newspapers write in big capital letters how the Finnish justice system is rotten.
Finally, what comes to the harsh sentences on financial and white-collar crimes: in the last decades there has been a move towards economic freedom (the European Union, globalisation, internet banking and electronic money transfers...), and with that the threat of crimes such as fraud, deceit and e-robberies has been increasing. Some years ago the Finnish Ministry of Justice put on its agenda a plan to give a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated in Finland.
According to criminologist theory, a number of factors render financial crimes severely punishable. The most important ones are that usually (always?) they are highly pre-meditated and planned; they have far-reaching consequences on the welfare of the people; and the offenders often will remain in possession of their hidden criminal gains (millions of euro). In order to tackle high-profile financial crimes, the cost/benefit equilibrium has to be shifted on the cost side: otherwise, committing a 20-million euro fraud is easier if the risk includes just a few months in jail.
This reasoning is not peculiar to Finland. Instead, it's the same pretty much in all Western countries. You should remember that in the US, B. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in a maximum security prison. It is clear that he will never enjoy the criminal gains he was able to hide before getting caught.
I'm sorry to hear you have such bad experiences of living in Finland. I'm a native finnishman and I still must say that I really like my country (I like my friends and family, finnish nature my summerhouses, baltic sea lakes, lapland sauna etc.), though there are many stupid people in Finland. Fortunately Helsinki is such big city and therefore I have a chance to choose my friends :) (We also have lots of nice people in Finland, unfortunately those racist people will be more clearly seen in Finland) Think about a situation in a crowded train carriage, black man comes into a train and some drunk bastard will yel him some impolite things. All the others in the carriage are quiet maybe because they are shy or even afraid of that threateningly behaving person. Even in that case there exactly and only one bastard in a train! Most people in Helsinki are not racists, thats my point. By the way, are you racist against estonians and russians as you mentioned in your text. You should neather make generalizations I have met many nice people from estonia and russia.
Keeping it short and simple,
we appear in various kinds, just as in any country. It's true we don't have that much culture coz' we're relatively quite young and small country. We've been here as a nation for several hundred (ok, you can disagree with that, but most of our DNA is based from those people coming through Karjalan kannas eventhough there are some people/families in Finland that have DNA which still comes from our native ancesters.
In my opinion in Finland there is the thing is about the country ((and it's borders) as in all scandinavian countries). We don't really care about politics or the way our country seems like in an eye of a foreigner. I think that's quite right too.. but not fine as wanting to keep up some political or even any debate.
In Finland we have this kind of an attitude to not to give up... and it can be seen in very numeral ways.
It's just something that we are, what we've been driven to, as a country/nation.
We don't have similar national identity (apart from that to be held from the WWI) 'coz we've lost some parts to our much bigger neighbour for us to put it little bit too cocky on the way. We are really not a nation, we are more like 3 different kinds of those living inside same borders and feeling relatively nice with that :)
Bla-bla-blah, travel and live abroad few years and after that come here to tell about how is it to live in Finland.. This must be written by some frustrated teen girl.
As I read these answers, I can't get anything more than sad. To think that everyone seem to think that everyone in Finland are like that. True, some of us are, but not everyone.
It may be true that we don't have almost any of our original coulture left, but can you blame us? I mean after all we've been trough: being in the center of warzone and being just parts of Sweden AND Russia... How do you think we're supposed to stay as we are after that?! Then add internet, religions...
But, I guess that I'm one of the lucky ones. The ones who have a good place to live, who didn't have to go trough too much bad things and appreciates what they have. I know about the things you have been talking about and I'm not saying that everything you have said wasn't true. But Finland is like one of those optic pictures, which you have to look in a certain way to see a different side of it. I know that I may sound naive, but I think that Finland is a great county, if you can look at it from the right angle. If you can't, that's your loss.
When I said that 'everyone seems to think' I didn't mean everyone. I was just so furious that I kind of ignored and forgot about the good posts. I sicerely apologise about that.
"What do you think about finnish people? Do you think they are all punch of drunken sweatsuit wearing people? I'm doing a schoolproject on the subject and I would appreciate your answers :) "
I would suggest that you would do a little more research on the subject than ask for opinions on suomi24. Most people on here are Finnish and you're asking 'what do you think about Finnish people'. You're likely to get stupid modest answers or racist comments from foreigners.
What if the answer is 'they are better than you gyppos, did your country fight the former Soviet Union in the 2nd world war like the Finns did?' What were you or your parents doing at the time? Which side was your country on in the second world war - the soviets or Finland? - The soviets or the free world?
OK. However some, pretending to be some kind of Finland's Swedes, give a very bad image of themselves. As if they were something better than the rest of the Finns.
finnish people they are fucking stupid and crazy i wish i have never been adobted to this fucking shit country and spending 20 years of my childhood here...believe me it has made serious problems to me.
finns are a cave people,i haven t been able to socialize with them,only i have been able to socialize with people from other cultures.
Finns are very bitter and emotionally invalid people
I am currently living in greece and people here have opinion that finnish people are too shy and it s cold like in siberia in finland.
They also think that people in finland are too hard to abroach socially.
First comment that i heard was that isn t it very cold and quiet there in finland when i first spoke that i have lived in finland
i am originally from greece and it s like day and night the culture and people
....normal-unnormal
and for me it seems that finnish people are even so stupid that they cannot understand these things if you say to them.well what do they understand...nothing....
Have you ever considered why this is so? If you go about telling people how fucking stupid and crazy they are and how you hate at living here, do you think this will inspire friendship among anyone?
putting aside what kind of people finns are, but you were adopted and raised by finns. i think you should be grateful for them instead of cursing and blaming.
It is very upsetting to read these comments from both Finnish and foreign people. I think people are very easy to categorize by their nationality and skin colour etc. It's a fact that different countries have their own culture and habits and that sometimes it's very difficult to adjust to culture different from your own. We have started a new era on this planet. Traveling is a hobby to people, I wish they could take the best out of it. It's easier for all of us to visit and work in different countries. That is a good thing and should be appreciated.
I know lots of Finnish people who don't like Finland. I also know foreign people who've tried to live in Finland and didn't enjoy it. And I do know both Finnish and foreign people who love the country and who love how well things work here. That's mostly why I think it's down to ones personality whether or not they like it here. No matter where you go you face difficulties in your life. You meet people that you don't quite like and you meet people who you love. I hope the world was better place and we could enjoy it no matter what we do. Unfortunately it's not always that way and every single one of us just have to take the best out of it.
We have almost 6 million people here in Finland. I love to meet foreign people and I love to learn from other countries. I envy people who are able to go abroad and work there. I've done it myself but I've now started a family here. There is a difference between jealousy and enviousness. I would encourage anyone I meet to go and search places abroad. I also encourage foreign people to come check Finland.
6 million is not a lot. But it's an amount that can hold lots and lots of different kind of personalities. I, as Finn, am obviously very sad to hear what some other people think of us. But I can understand full well that Finland can be tough for foreign and even Finnish people themselves.
Wish a pleasant life for anyone who arrives here from another country! Hope you can find some lovely things and you meet nice people as well!
and I think it describes our nature so well. It has taken me years of living abroad to even begin to open up to other people and enjoy life, trust others and expect that they are mainly friendly. There is a sadly pessimistic streak in our national culture. We have poor self esteem. We think that others laugh at us because there is basically something wrong with us.
Or that's how things were. I'm 46, and people of my age still mainly belong to the old school of Finns. The younger generation, however, has started to communicate with people around the world - Internet makes it easy for all of us now. I'm certain that our beautiful country will eventually be inhabited by a happy and well adjusted people.
Climate also has an effect on our personality. It's not so easy to socialise when it's cold outside and the last thing you want is to go and visit your neighbours. At summer even us Finns are happier and more talkative.
I hope that kindergartens and schools will do their utmost to help the younger generation to grow into human beings who can adjust living anywhere, with people from any culture - cosmopolitan people, people of the world.
My dearest friends are both Finnish and foreign. So are my enemies. I like to think I take people as individuals.
Myötähäpeää tunnen ku luen joitakin näitä juttuja täältä, suomalaisten suomalaisista kirjottamia... Englanninkielen taito niin hakusalla monella... Punastuin häpeästä ja äkkiä pois. Siis eiköhän tuo avaajan kysymys ollu suunnattu ulkomaalaisille jokatapauksessa?
I'm sorry but I couldn't be bothered to read all of the replies.
My opinion on the Finnish people is that they are very cool, they respect other peoples and they are proud of their independence.
The rest of the world were pretty much on the same side with the soviets while the Finns fought for their independence. Finland was, and is, the frontline between the civilized world and the Evil Empire.
During the 2nd world war, the Americans were high on marijuana and on the same side with the Soviets while Finland was defending the free world.
I was there in finland once upon a time and I dont know where else can be found suitable than that remote place for someone who is completely through with world and living? As if I was sinked very deeply in a grave, while still alive. Not any suicide would be probably that conscious, that resolute, that continuous and intractable.
Before i went there a friend of mine had said that people in finland have calm and deep souls. Who knows.. what lies at the bottom of it? impossible to find out..
The first weeks of my coming there i only spread fear and suspicion around. I dont know if they considered me as an agent or terrorist or something but i saw the fear in their face very clearly. I guess it was my black hair. Later, may be, when it is come to an agreement that neither i am "this" or "that", that i am actually nothing at all, i started to see eyes opened with amazement and lips twisted with sarcasm instead of wrinkled foreheads with being startled. I can't imagine anything more or as bothersome. My most simple, plain, natural movements appeared them as odd as a clown's somersaults and springs in the circus.
When i spoke to them they were gawping at me as if they didnt understand anything. Then, they were murmuring something to one another, and this time i knew that i am understood, but disapproved.
Instructions, manners, good models they are all temporary things and there is no possibility for a human to get changed unless the environment change. Every evening i have been thinking the earth come to an end. And for this reason, every morning, when i opened my eyes, i was disappointed. "one more day?" , and "which day!"
Weariness and monotony were in the air, it simply gets you and you just start to become one of that people. I really used to loose my time sence, there and then, since everyday was exactly the same. Only saturdays you go to a bar, drink as much as you can till you forget who you are, and hardly find the way home.
It is said committing suiside is common in finland, i think they dont need to do anything special because living there is simply a suicide.
You're describing your days in Finland so vividly I almost feel I'm there again; a feeling I do not enjoy.
Deep and calm souls? Well, it's calm, deep at the bottom of a pitch. Trapped down there, no way up and out. Is that what we are? perhaps so. I escaped to another country when I was young. After years abroad, when I returned for a visit, I was stared at as if I was something strange. The only feelings that were expressed were negative. No joy, no delight in meeting again, no curiosity about my years overseas. Their world was that little town, that little country. Anything else was unimaginable.
I loved the weather in Finland. It was the people I ran away from and still feel reluctant to return to.
What a shame you were treated so stupidly. I suppose you stayed in a small town. Larger towns are slightly more civilised, i think.
I don't understand why most of the writers here tell only negative things about Finns. 'Cause I think all the Finns aren't drunks, racists or just all-cold. In our culture it's unusual to talk to a stranger in a buss stop but still there are youngsters who gives their place to an old person and also those doens't have any problem with foreigners.
When I'm in a buss and ask for someone what time is it, I don't have to afraid that that person says "painu vittuun" to me. Those who talks like that just have an attitudeproblem.
I wonder why it is that even us Finns ourselves feel such hostility towards our culture? Are we really so bad? Do we feel so worthless that we cannot stand those who are different (the vast majority of the people in this world)? Finland is only a small country. Why such hostility on both sides? Are we racists, or are those foreigners such who ridicule us?
I was just thinking.. Try to be happy and smily when its 20/24 dark.. about half a year. Sorry if my english isn't right.
U people considerate too much only in negative things. U people frogot there is issues with other countries too?
About being friendly.. Our culture is like that its strange to just start talking to strangers. But if we get to know that stranger really well I think we are pretty loyable friends.
About racism. U see the little amount of people doing it but u don't see bigger group of people thinking its stupid? Then are u really clever?
And don't u people deny that immigrant people don't do criminality too.
And. were not all drunks. And wach how much they drink example in England xD
Well... Im 16 and im not sure if this message is really in somekind of order.. Why did i even bother to write this. Dunno...
As you can see, Finns try to keep their heads together by telling themselves that they are really living in the most wonderful country in the world. They're like: hey, we have quality services and free education, hurray!! But none of that changes the fact that the society is just one maddening megamachine. Nothing matters in Finland nowadays except work and consumption and keeping up appearances for neighbours and relatives. There is nothing easier in this country than becoming a washed up basket case. Anyone who doesn't immediately succeed in life is considered a complete failure and a burden to the rest of society, which is why many young people just give up and get diagnosed with something in order to fit into at least some category.
Finnish people are really nice, I have been there 20 + times and not just to big cities. I find them to be kind, friendly and polite. sure they may be a little reserved at times. that is good, it's nice to find people who are not always shouting and talking crap.
The people who claim that Finland is totally a shit country are often those people, who didn’t succeed at school, didn’t really have friends or did never get a good job. The nimrods and dropouts, you know. People like that often get bitter and it is so very easy to accuse the society for their failed life.
”Straightshit” is probably one, though I don’t really believe that he would be older than 18. His thoughts are incomplete, naïve and just sound exactly like the thoughts of a generic teenage dropout anarchist. No offence, but his English skills also doubt me. Can someone who speaks English that poorly actually pass the primary school? Oh well.
There are a lot of people in Finland who claim to hate their country and keep saying they want to move somewhere else. And who are they actually?
For example Johanna Tukiainen, the mocked erotic dancer and the secret lover of Ilkka Kanerva, the ex-member of the Parliament.
Arto Paasilinna, a writer who got a lot of negative publicity for messing around drunk.
The teenagers who didn’t get to the schools or universities they wanted to get in.
The people (the immigrants AND the Finnish people) who don’t get jobs easily because of their weak linguistic abilities or their lack of studies. And the list goes on…
And why don’t these people move abroad if living in Finland simply sucks? That’s probably because living wouldn’t really be easier for them in any other country…
Yes, violence is quite usual in Finland but it doesn’t mean that people ACCEPT it. Violence usually happens at the homes of people, and that’s why no one isn’t really able to intrude, if the victim won’t reveal the violence herself/himself. Alcoholism is also usual, but mostly in the small, distant cities and among the unschooled underclass.
are a way to belong; people who share prejudices feel they are "us" against "them" they are suspicious about. I'm sad about the Finnish culture and never was happy there. I'm not a teenager, nor a dropout, not stupid. I had work in Finland and am working in my new country, happily. I left because I wasn't happy in Finland. I'm staying put here because this is a good place to be. Returning to Finland would be a step backwards, and I have no reason to return. I look forward. I am a well functioning member of this society. Lonely, perhaps, and still don't feel perfectly at home, but living alone here is a lot better than living in my old familiar circumstances in Finland. I watched the movie "Being There" in which Peter Sellers portrays how an autistic person can be lucky in life. Perhaps Finnish people, in all their autistic tendencies, have been very lucky to make a success of their country, at least in material sense, if not spiritual. We are such oddballs that other peoples think we must be better than them, as nobody can really be as stupid as a Finn appears. And why not? Let's have them keep their illusions.
*snif snif* all that shit bout finland really hurts me. I love finland but i know that heres many things wrong. But think bout africa: Starving people without clean water. None of africans countries is richer than finland. There is slums in every african country. Asian: only few rich countrys, very bad equality, slums etc. America: 2 rich countries. in other countries theres quite same problems as i said before about asian and africa. Well europe, theres poor and homeless people by mediterranian and alot of troubles in Middle-east. SO Finland is pretty awesome country I LOVE living here.
Cooper Tust is trolling. I hope FinlandWillNeverFall is trolling too, because, oh well, what the fuck am I reading.
There's good and bad things in any country, or can you name me a country without any racists or mean people. I guess you can't. I just don't think Finland is the worst at all.
they all all so 'different' from the rest of the world? Finalnd is such a beautiful country, and in many ways well organised, but people's attitudes make it a hard, if not depressing place to live. And I'm white, and born there. It must be difficult for you, as a black person. On the other hand, you're helping to improve our prejudices just by being here and being an interesting person. Little by little this country will open up to the rest of the humanity, one hopes.
As a native Finn I wish to answer. One note though, I am not a typical Finnish man.
Here's my list of Finnish issues:
- fine-grained racism, being a foreigner in Finland means you are not taken so seriously
- extremely tightass pennysavers, eberybody saving ass and dick off
- alcoholism a big problem
- nobody, I repeat NOBODY cares about Finnish teenagers, see above, home, summer hut and
DVD set more important
- Finns never spend no money (zero, zeeeeeeero) money to clothes (as u can see that easily)
- Finnsih women also only thinks about money and security, but at the same time dreams about
rich foreigners which would not be like Finnish men
I was in Finland(Helsinki) last summer.And so must say it's the best country I have evere seen.As a remembered,finns were so friendly.Actually I haven't seen any drunken finns in the street.On the contrary,they did too much sport,always running,riding and so on))
Once,I was strolling along the park with my father,it was befor football Russia-Finland(and i'm from russia) so one finn came to us,talked and wished good luck.It was great!
Well,in other places they were pleasent too,and I've got only fine memories from your country.)Anyway,when returned to Russia I decieded that I must now finnish and so I'm learning it now and will go for tranning in April.Hope I'll know it soon/
So,thank you Finland for cute holidays,And you're lucky to be finn.:)
When in Rome act like the Romans do... Maassa maan tavalla
Both immigrants and refugees in Finland have largely themselves to blame for any hate they recieve some people come here and pay the better and safer life they get here for free back with being racists themselves and disrespect for their hosts us the Finnish people
I have many friends of many colors I have no problems with people who are respectful towards the culture and ways of the country they visit or move into respect the people and the country and the laws of that country... learn the language yes its hard... too bad nothing good comes easy...
try to integrate you are not here to turn this into a frigin muslim backwaterland this is christian backwaterland
I'm not even religious but its OUR LAND OUR CULTURE OUR RELIGION you ARE IN NO POSITION TO MAKE DEMANDS ON HOW OUR CULTURE OFFENDS YOU YOU ARE HERE COS WE GIVE YOU A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE IN GET IT IN YOUR EFFIN HEADS THAT WHEN WE FINALLY GET ENOUGH OF YOU... WE WILL JUST KICK YOU THE FCK OUT NO MATTER IF YOU GET KILLED WHERE EVERY YOU WILL BE DEPORTED TO...
We want good people here we dont need any frigin parasites if you are a goodhearted person I dont care if you are purple I will like you... but disrespect my country and our ways and I will smack the archaic pagan culture right out of you and that doesnt make me a racist it just makes me a person who takes no crap from people with no rights to give us crap...
I know there are pure racists here too those guys are prettymuch everywhere...
You just need to remember being a racist is not a phenomenon limited to "white" most blacks I meet hate the white people fantasize about taking a white mans wife xD how effed up in the head you have to be to have that kind of poop in your brain? the also have several insulting names for white people whitey, cracka... some that come to mind...
I'd like to see you get off your whiny hypocritical high horse and face reality you want to be treated good? then deserve it... moving to a country and hating its inhabitants isnt gonna cut it anyone with brains would realize this... oops I called you stupid guess what... you are...
I think its time for Finnish people to stop bending over and taking stuff in the rear for these demands for the people we allow to enter out country and start making demands our selves...
lets copy Australia's immigration laws and procedures lets see if we get proper respect then when we demand they learn our language and can support themselves.. and deport any foreign criminals the instant they commit anything more severe than shoplifting... any violence = out...
Then they learn proper respect before they are allowed among general population and we can also add psychological profiling as a part of the entry qualification... we weed out alot of the wackjobs we also put all kinds of fees (copy Australias) on paperwork etc to cover the costs of these things damn if you pay 10k euro to get here you can pay 5k to get in...
and you black man saying we dont want to hire black people here... yes because you are lingually impaired... learn Finnish... stop whining... geez... if you are good at what you do and a nice person I say most wont be bothered by your skin color it is your own lack of required skills and your attitude problem that prevents your employment...
so a checklist for you who want to be a part of this nation and feel at home here
1. Respect towards this country its ways, laws and its inhabitants
2. Will to integrate ofcourse you practice your religions and cultural things in your homes and your own places to do so do not tell us we cant have bibles in hotels or christmas celebrations in schools cos it offends you... you are in NO PLACE to make demands... we have gotten enough of that you need to know your place... this integration also means learning our language... also teaching your children that we are just as good people as the people of your religion and color are that is what our schools and most parents teach... not only to be tolerant but to embrace people of any culture and color ofcourse not everyone sees it this way but I have yet to see a parent that teaches their children racism... even people with racist views themselves teach their children to be better... and thats bloody amazing I wish I'd see this kind of behavior from the other side of the fence...
3. A positive attitude and a drive to take a little crap you hating every Finn cos some give you shit makes you a racist and a hypocrite if I did what so many people who come here from whatever hellhole and hated every race that ever did anything bad I'd hate everyone...
4. If these things seem unreasonable to you ... GTFO or get the fck out as they say thanks if you read this far and baibai.
Ja sille Suomalaiselle vinkujalle jonka mielestä on niin paskaa kansaa ja paska maa kuten eräs ystäväni sanoi mene asumaan ulkomaille pitemmäksi aikaa tulee suurimmalle osalle ikävä kotiin tässä maassa ei oo muuta paskaa ku meidän maan johto jolla ei oo mitään parempaa tekemist ku vetää ihan kohtuutonta palkkaa ja palkankorotuksia samaan aikaan kehottaen kansaa maltillisuuteen palkankorotustoiveissaan... muah tyhmiä me ollaan kun ei olla barrikaadeilla...
I'm a Finn also like some of these people who wrote in here. I have lived many years abroad and I now have moved back to Finland with my "foreign" family. Those years away from Finland shown me a different way of living,opened my eyes. I'm working with people daily and most Finns I have come a cross are so rude,no matters what so ever!! I find it very hard. They don't say excuse me,hello,please,thank you. What are they thinking? Nothing. My husband also thinks Finns are bad mannered when they don't say good morning but look away!! What is that all about? Even my little children were wondering what's the matter with people when they don't say "moi,hei,terve" to them? It is very upsetting. I have noticed that I have change too much to live here for rest of my life. People are very black&white,negative,rasist and not kind to each other. There is another way to live your lives. We only got one life so live it good,notice others,smile(it does not hurt!),treat others like you would like to be treated. Live your life happy. To finish this, all I can say that Finns are weird nation.
Happyheart - I fully agree with you.
I am a Finnish woman, and not at all proud of it. Moved back here and it was a great shock really!
People are very self-centered, and rude. No smiles, no sorry, thank you, kiss my ass. Now, you could say that cold people do not HAVE to smile, but one would expect some sort of politeness, like when opening a door to a mother with a pushpram, no smile and thank you, only rude and strange comments.??
They think of being educated, but educated person is polite, and well mannered, so I would say Finnish people are metsalaiskansaa (from the forest). Peasants.
They have no drinking manners, really a big problem here (but then again the state makes good money from alcohol), you can smoke nowhere soon, not even outside.
There is no freedom (see above).
They are racists, even towards me, as do not possess any more the monotonous Finnish non-existing habits, but have travelled thus educating myself in different cultures. My foreign husband has been beaten and threatened several times (NB. he is NOT black).
Their outlook of world is very small.
WOmen are generally very easy (with opposite sex) and have no self-respect whatsoever.
Spontaneity is a word they do not know, everything runs like a clockwork, too much.
Now I must be off, to pack my suitcase to get far from here.
It would seem that some foreigners think that words are EVERYTHING. Sad, simple truth is: lot of words, lengthy meaningless conversations are MEANINGLESS bullshit. Why do you not try to say something meaningful instead. Or why do you oh, so high and mighty foreigner... why don't you use gestrure language instead of words. You are an imbecill, you are an amoeba mr./mrs. foreigner. We do not care about the discussions like:"the weather is rainy". Look:A beautiful red shirt! If you find us rude. GET THE fuck OUT OF HERE.
razzista di merda!!shitty racist....p.s read the comment aboveis a finns who opened her eyes when living abroad...people sometimes r stuck in here and dont have choise to move back home,,so shut up and accept the critics cose infact thats your nature...metsalaiskansaa!!!!!!
Ha Ha Ha, Finland is shit, there's so many fucking drunks on the streets and they yell and stink of rotten ass of all the crap that comes out of it. Most finns don't play sports, the few who do are terrible at it.
Finns are racist, the country is shit, there are only 2 good things about it the 1st one is that it has free and easy education. The other good thing (and definitely the best of Finland) is the fact that Finnish girls are easier than Finnish schools. Maybe it's because a lot of men have small dicks in this part of the world.
Oh yes, sweetheart, we can handle the truth.
I'm a finnish girl and YES: I LOVE MY COUNTRY! I don't give a damn if you think that Finland is such a shitty country. Okay, that's what you think, but I don't! And I won't let anyone to change my mind.
Let me tell ya, we finns do have manners.
If you're a foreigner and you've unfortunately met only those finnish people who didn't respond to your welcome, does that immediately give you the vision of Finland and finnish people?
Okay, we do have jerks here. We do! I can admit that. But in the other hand, don't you think every country has those jerks, do you? If you've only met the idiots here, well i'm sorry, but try to get to know some other finn. Don't judge the Finns for the "sorry" which wasn't heard from a finn that accidentally pushed you.
If you open your eyes and try to learn a little bit of Finnish culture, you will see a huge difference. We Finns are (most of us) friendly and caring. We love to learn about different cultures and languages.
None of you have said anything about our language skills which I'm very proud of! Generally every Finn can speak english, some of us better and some of us worse. But the main thing is: all of us can!
It indicates that we do respect other languages and we are eager to learn.
Some of you guys said that we never smile! Duh? That sounds hilarious to me. When I started to think about myself, I don't even recognize how do I look and am I smiling when I'm walking alone on the street. I think about a lot when I'm alone and I really don't think about the expression I have on my face. So if I don't smile, come and talk to me and you'll surely see a big smile. Besides, we Finns are mostly shy and reserved. It's just a part of our personalities, we can't change it. And what makes me very angry is that foreign people cannot understand that! If we're acting "coldly" it's not because we are cold for real, it's because we're reserved and that usually is taken by rudeness which I find very sad.
Finnish people love the sauna. We love the nature. We love to spend our summer-days at our cottage, swimming in the cool lake. We love to travel, we love to see the different cultures and places in this world. We love to meet the people from all over the world. At least most of us do.
I do have a lot of friends from other countries and I wouldn't mind to get more!!
If you hate Finland and you think this is the worst place to live, well I hear you, but don't judge all of us about something we haven't done.
And for those of you that are planning to visit Finland: Welcome! I'm very happy to get foreing people over here.
sorry mam,but so is my case,and many other foregnair experiences,,,so dont come and give us the crap...the majority of people here are rude.,never would offer help,never smile to u if u have an eye contact,being invited to dinner is a strange thing for them...do i continue?what makes u think that that man,have just been unlucky,or is it infact that the normal finnish person is as described,and its the good ones that are exception??????ask 100 foregnairs or finns who live abroad and thye will all tell u same!!p.s i have met a very few good friendly finns,,,but surprise is only those who liked to travel abroad,,and appreciate different culture!
ouh by the way im even married to a finn,,,i wonderfull rare one :D
but if i could chose to go back to my country i would,,shitty thing is that the economy is so fucked up there its hard..but the approach with people is so different...(im not saying that in my county they are all nice,,,no no...but the manners,,attitude towards even stranger makes u feel always welcome,,and in finland,,,,ive never been invited by anyone I know...maybe my caracter i dont know...but also because i ended up in wrong working place,...too young,,,and im convinced is because im a foregnair..so i have different view..and i dont speak enough finnish yet.---its always been me,,inviting people over for dinner,,,and we never seamed to have got invitation back!!no,,cannot even compare the difference with my culture and this.......
im living in finland.i think problems r everywere, a bit different but u hve.
i agreed abt dat finnish people r strange n its bcz of dere culture.but most important things is dat dere systems works pretty well n i like dat.
I have live more than 20 years in Finland.I am not finish...thank`s GOD
Finish peolple are scare and they fear : LOVE, FRENDS,NEIGHBOURS JOY, CLOSENESS,FRENDLINESS,SOBERNES
Thay cant see them self,as we see them because thay just dont know haw better person can be.
Thay have no standart of high education,thay just thing that them school are the best..
Thay are hidong rasists,but as people of two faces ..thay try not to show it.
Why in Sweden all the big stores are full of foreigners as a workers.. but do you see.. here you can work as an ingener in Nokia for half pay o a cleaner.. so that better jobs are for finish people who dont even like and know how to speak or have a small talk.
Mans mast be drank for a small talk.. and womens drank for making love. Thay deserving each other.
I like to live in more internasional Finland.. to meet more foreigners ,because only thay can bring the light,love and warmnes to this people heart.
Please dont give up.. THAY NEED AS.. AND WE NEED EACH OTHER
I understand no one will talk in different language in own country with own folks, but hey if there is one foreigner WHY the hell NOT !?!
Finns can have the dinner -lunch of few including one foreigner, and they will still continue talking in finnish!
The worst about it - they don't even realize it is very RUDE! COmes to the point -Finns have no personal ethics, no social ethics and so on...
It happens to me and my friends very often, even though our finnish friends don't dislike us they just simply have no good MANNERS!
Either way - done on purpose or not only well educated middle age, truly international, open minded finns respect minority and they gladly show interest in them trough english conversation- even if it is just basic dinner talk. That's the ethical behavior. AND RARE!
Honestly I think Finnish people need to work hard on some good social mannars and other ethics , and on the other hand -foreigners need to understand they can't expect good manners from Finns cause this is not in Finnish culture.
I think " finnish feminists" need to let go sometimes and act more like real women and show some class. They drink, smoke and curse way too much and no wonder guys treat them like a dude and no wonder they have bad reputation not only in FInland but worldwide as a " easy chicks".
Being easy DUDEtte is faaaaaaaaaaaar from being independent woman.
Independent woman is one who is smart, happy with herself, know what she wants from life, and most of all RESPECTS herself.
Finish girls max max max LACK on that last one.
In the long rune this behavior will bring only separateness in their relationships, marriages and they will blame guys for it.
When the truth is it is they were the only reason why none of the finnish guys becomes nowadays a gentleman and caring husband that shares, cares and has a chance to show how strong he can be for his woman .
It's very sad to look around and see bunch of feminine acting guys who have lost their charm , manners and man strength.
By these bologne finnish feminism and wanting being equal so much WOMEN have lost their IDENTITY!
and here you go...divorces divorces divorces...
why?
because before the marriage finnish ladies want to be dudes, be just like men, they make them used to that, and after marriage they flip out, expecting from poor finnish husbands, to be once LAMB once a WOLF!
Can't you just be content and show some class?
DUMB and backwards!
Not to hurt someone's feelings, but the world and human nature has it's system set up at least since last ice age!
Type of feminists- dudenists won't make it any better, but worst especially for their family's and their own future. Of course choosing the scandinavian equality beliefs is not the only reason.
Not many young kids are raised with high VALUES and ETHICS -almost no good rules& examples at home ;
no bases at school or decent morals gained trough religion or church (well.. who goes there anyway right ?)
One solid base is enough, whatever works, but at least one thing that will make you people ."
These days in Finland almost nothing is giving youngsters great values and basis for creating their strong personality, independent polite behavior -not some lame ideas copied from the masses.
When kids are raised like that , no wonder they can't make best choices for themselves and respect themselves - be communicative and outgoing but at the same time save some decent propriety...
At the end I would like to add that ISO ROBA and in general HElsinki is a huge center of drug addicts and I am really tired seeing countless JUNKIES around Helsinki.
GOsh FInns , get some hobby instead of drugging and drinking !
Only the spring sun comes out and Finns don't want to come out for next 5 months from their local parks .. being busy getting jammed every day! And they call it happiness!!! PATHETIC!
Happyheart, Smilesmile and zetyka, you're so right! Everything you've said about Finland is so true! Unfortunately, I'm half Finnish myself, so I was unlucky to be born here, but, thank God, only 3 more months and I'll be far away from here, and I'll NEVER come back!!! Over 20 years wasted here, but now I hope I will really start to LIVE!!!
The people, the climate, the style of living - either cold, completely reserved, or mean and aggressive (usually when drunken) behaviour, no politeness or manners, no openness, warmth or empathy.
Hided racism - foreigners either "steal" the jobs (and women), or come here to live at the expense of Finns. Finns hate the both nations that have colonized them - the Swedes and the Russians - but they forget, that without this civilizing help they might still be living like in the Stone Age! :)
As mentioned already many times here, Finnish people have very small world view, they think that they and their country are the best in everything. They consider themselves as "deep souls" (already a cliche), honest and hardworking people, who don't try to lick somebody's ass by using small talk. Still, for some reason, even Finns have a need to express themselves from time to time - usually on weekends - and then they go to Alko to get some courage first.
And the sexes are totally reversed here: women are like emotionless "terminators", who dominate the poor wimps called guys! And you don't even see any handsome men here, most are so ugly that I would like to throw up! The women aren't any better, though, but they, at least, have their make-up, and the AMOUNT of it proves my judgement... I guess it's the inbreed then...which is also the reason of the boring and homogeneous mentality of this nation? Or is it the alcohol?
So, if you like to live in a cold (both mentally and climatically), BORING country, away from the civilization, with rude, indifferent rednecks, welcome to Finland! There will even be one place more here after my leaving! :)
I just want to remind to all those Finns who are complaining how the Finns are racists, drunks, rude, ill-mannered, insecure, workaholics etc. Well, you are all one of them :)
Also it seems that many are _complaining_ how we Finns are shy, reserved and don't show much emotion like it's a bad thing. In whatever country you're living now, would you go tell a shy person (who isn't good with communicating with strangers) that: "You're a failure as a person who has low self-esteem and I want to get as far away from you as possible" like you're saying about the Finns? (talk about a friendly person with high self-esteem and isn't afraid to show how she/he feels
Well, I'm not exactly trying to blame you for complaining about Finland, because it just means that you're part of the minority who aren't like most Finns (and that way don't like it here). I just don't like you having the attitude that somehow those always so bright and talkative people are better people than those who don't like showing too much emotion (but I guess that shows just that us Finns feeling that we are better than others is typical for us, as someone had said here).
I think that many Finns just prefer the idea of having few very good friends than many "okay" friends (including myself) and being open, talkative, unreserved (and all those other things that you want people to have) to those good friends.
And I believe that one of the reasons why we aren't good with handling foreigners (i.e. racism) is that we have a very small population (about 5.5million which is far less than many cities' population) so it's no wonder that we feel threatened when suddenly a large amount of people (immigrants over the last years) who look different, speak different language and have different values in life move here. I think it's going to take little time before we will feel all the foreigners as normal part of society (when I was for example in primary school, there was maybe one (out of 500) foreign student in the whole school so of course they didn't feel like normal part of our society for me). But I do believe we have started this better than the Americans (who treated black people as slaves)!
this is not directed at the original poster but intended more as a general reply to most other people who have replied...
wow... so to make sweeping generalizations, as most here have done, most of the people who have replied are either jaded foreigners living in finland or finns who are ignorant and immature. i'm truly amazed at the words of most who have replied, it suggests to me that a lot of people here are themselves the exact things they so easily blame on other people (racist, ignorant, mean).
i'm a finn who has lived abroad for almost 3 years and i've grown as a person during that time. but for one i think that all those who travel or experience different cultures have a slightly different perspective on things and for another i also believe that those that haven't traveled or experienced different cultures - no matter what country they are from - can be described in those extremely hateful and generalizing ways as has been done here so much. just because someone hasn't experienced other cultures or ways of living doesn't make them bad people. isn't it really the job of the person who HAS had these experiences to HELP those who haven't to see the other side of the coin?? why should we label those people ignorant or racist, whether they're finnish or not, just because they haven't had the experiences some others have had with different cultures (through travel or through being friends with someone who's not of the main population)?
every country has assholes and people who are mean because they're insecure or whatever, but generalizing the entire finnish population as such is just ignorant and foolish... just because some foreigners understand the finnish silence as impoliteness that doesn't mean that's actually true. they are just being ignorant and close-minded themselves when they see cultural features not through the eyes of those INSIDE the culture but through the eyes of those who aren't. granted it's an easy mistake to make, but if the foreigners don't give finns the benefit of the doubt then of COURSE they'll see what they've learned to see the world through what they have learned while living in their (foreign) culture. so, if a foreigner comes from a country that expresses emotion more freely or has different cultural traditions for hellos and good-byes (for example), then it's very very very easy to interpret the behavior of finns as hostile, racist, negative when really for the most part it's far from that...
one more thing... everyone is always blind to the faults in their own culture... this is true of ALL people EVERYWHERE to at least some degree... unless you've been raised in multiple different cultures, you'll always be more familiar with your own and think it's somehow more normal than other cultures. this is what racism is based on - not just in the case of white vs. black, mind you - and everyone is at least a little bit racist, somewhere deep inside (like those foreigners in finland are when they label all finns as rude idiots and as those finns are who see every black person as a thief who gets paid welfare). what is different is strange and quite possibly worse than what you know, right?? and the only way out of this kind of behavior is exposure to different cultures. so, if a foreigner in finland feels like they're hated and discriminated on, then there are two equally valid explanations: a) the country isn't as used to having a homogeneous (varied, not all the same) culture and people and b) the foreigner is him/herself being hateful and discriminating of the country's culture that they happen to live in. in most cases it is a combination of the two.
when living in a culture that is not your own, you cannot expect everyone to bend over backwards to accommodate you, you'll have to accept that the culture you're living in has worked the way it has for centuries and you cannot change it. you'll have to adapt to it and you'll find that the people ARE really loving, caring individuals. on a personal note, i found it incredibly uncomfortable at first to hug at hello and goodbye when i lived outside of finland but now i've gotten quite used to it. similarly, i FULLY expect foreigners who come to finland to be uncomfortable with the silence or the seeming rudeness (which isn't that at all if you look any closer) at first, but if given a chance, finnish culture can be a rewarding experience with our love of solitude and silence. just give it a chance (or else you're being that racist coward you're so eager to point out as the essence of finns).
People often tend to interpret Finnish people being rude and unpolite if they don't adapt instantly same kinds of forms and ways to greet and to get to know new people. I really hope, that people visiting Finland or meeting Finnish people for the first time would realize that even though we don't hug or kiss or act the same way as you do, we don't want to be and we aren't rude towards you. When I meet people from different cultures, I try to adapt your ways of greeting, just to make you feel respected even though it can be uncomfortable for me. I wish that in return you would consider making compromises in the way you act and with your expectations about "the right way" to interact with new people. For some of us hugging and touching is and will be "spared" for only those most closest to us. And that should be respected.
Finns aren't rude people, it's just a culture difference. For example when finns are visiting abroad they don't use word "please" because in Finland we don't have equivalent ford for that. we also use other polite words rarely because in Finland it's not normal to say "thanks", "please" etc on every situation. So culture difference affects a lot I think.
I saw someone saying that finns know nothing about other cultures, well I would say that's bullshit. When compared to Americans or people from other big countries we know really much about other cultures and most of us also speak more languages than they speak.
Finns are shy, yes I can oly agree with that, but we aren't cold, for us it's just not that normal to talk about our feelings so much.
Many finns are depressed, I partly agree with that. Probably every finn seems to be depressed, but thats because they always look so sad, they speak so monotonic, they never smile and they act like they're always sad, but they aren't.
And about racism, maybe things like this http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8435857.stm make us hate some immigrants. As far as I know most finns are only rasist towards somalians, Russia and Irak/Iran and their neighbours. Some situations we have reason to be rasist, but there's also streotypes which cause rasism.
At the weekends we drink alcohol, I don't really understand what's wrong with that since it makes us happier and more social. It's like americans going church every Sunday.. most people including me thin that it's strange habit and it's impossible to imagine me doing something like that.( just noticed how crappy parable that was ^^)
I mostly agree with you. I live in Finland, too, and I don't think that Finnish people are cold. When someone is telling a story or something, it's only polite to listen quietly. I have worked in a department store and everyone was so nice and friendly, both other workers and customers.
I say "hello" to my neighbours (and they say "hello" to me), and I use "thank you" and "please" and so do all the other people I know. I don't see why it's necessary to talk with strangers on the bus stop. I do chat with other dog owners.
It's true that some Finns are racists, but hey, racism is a world wide thing. Calling all Finns rude is also racism! And about the use of alcohol, I don't know anyone who would be drunk every weekend. Or swell in despair and emotional pains.
I would call myself shy, but not reserved. I think there is a slight diffrence between those words. Speaking English can be a bit exciting for Finnish people, that could be one reason why Finns seem so reserved to foreign people. I have travelled around Europe, and I have met quiet and rude people even in oh-so-warm-and-friendly Greece. I still love Greece, though.
I love Finnish nature and climate. Last winter was so amazingly beautiful with lots of snow, and about week ago, Finland was the hottest place in Europe with +28 degrees! Then the rest of Europe got warm too. At least we have all four seasons, and not that kind of Irish whoohoo! rain around the year-climate. All though I have never been in Ireland, so there is a slight chance I'm talking trought my hat.
And about beeing blind to own faults; I just think people in here are generalizing a lot. Everyone has their faults, but Finland is not a frozen, cold hell.
And for rebecca.c; byebye, I'm so sorry that you had live in Finland with cold, emotionless people, but after I read what you wrote, I feel like you're not a little miss sunshine either.
So, hi there everyone! I'm not Finnish nor Scandinavian (yet), but I see Finland, as a foreigner,the most beautiful country (at least in Europe). Beautiful nature, music, berries, and everything sounds tasty xD
Some posts put me to think about what's going on there. I am interested in this country, so I have a little bit of remorse somehow. How can a so beautiful country be damned with so cold ppl? Well, doesn't matter, in fact. Every country has it's good side and bad side. If Finland it's beautiful and drunk, it's ok with me. If it has good music and high taxes, it's ok again. Because everywhere you'll go, you'll find shit ^^. The only thing what most of ppl here were doing, is that they are generalizing (or smth like that). Even if 99% of Finns are racist, they are not all, because there is that 1% of "kind" ppl. So with the others. Not everyone drinks so much, nor everyone isn't caring about their family or children. Not every Finn rapes someone, nor every Finn is jealous. You get what I mean!
A thing which I do not understand it's why are you just thinking about their bad side, because every country has it's bad side. Everything in this world has a bad side (eating chocolate too).
Look just how is the country as a whole, not particular, but without generalizing the ppl in it. And if you are a foreigner going or living there, deal with the life in Finland, you could have chosen from many countries; if u don't like it, then why the hell did u go there? Deal with it and anyway, life can't be so bad there neither. Outside are plenty of countries where ppl are narrow minded also (like Romania, but not all of 'em). And if u live there, u have to find a person with which to talk smth, no? Maybe it's not ur neighbor, or someone from work, maybe will be a gardener, a seller, or whatever.
Well ... Do Finns drink SO MUCH?! I'd like to hear a simple answer. Does Finland have 420 taxes like Romania does?! I rly don't think so (I'm not trying to compare them). And again, I'd need an answer.
In some years, this country will be changed (like all of them), I hope so at least, their coldness and jealousy will disappear with the presence of foreigners (and Internet, as someone said before). Oh, hope that black ppl, muslims and others like this won't eradicate the blond-haired blue-eyed Finns ^^
Sorry for my English :(
Kiitos paljon! (I absolutely love the language <3)
Finland rocks!
I just hope this language will disappear one day.
Finns build a very difficult barrier to give foreigners job. Unlike to the other countries, you should know and speak very well finnish you can do some basic job, something like you dont even communicate with people. That' s very stupid. And why don't Finns try to speak English ??!!
I was live here about 5 years, I can easily memorize unpleasant things than pleasant ones. But one thing I could say without hesitation is they are not friendly. Even Finns tell me that way.
... a different culture? Finns just are different than people in US for example. I hate spanish/italians/french movies, cause I can't stand the yelling and arm's wawing =D Being friendly and being quiet are not the synonyms, you know.
Well if you expect all the Finns should talk English I don't wonder that you don't have lots of good memories. Expesially older people don't know English so everybody here doesn't speak it.
Oh yeah, its a great stereotype of Finns that, Finn goes to shoot students at school; "its OK", Finn goes to rob a shop, "its OK", Finn shoots a guy on the street "its OK"!!!
But when a foreigner does it, he is GUILTY, we should kick all the foreigners out now
Also should include that foreigner did it; "No problem, Finnish culture and nation is still safe, it was just another foreigner, they are already shit"
So good job on your bbc article as you showed everybody here that now we have a veery good reason to think that foreigners are useless unless they come here as tourists, spend a lot of money, and go back where they came from max in a week :D
Not after know you for a long time, many of them ask same questions: Olen vain utelias. Mistä olet kotoisin? Miksi tulit Suomeen? Kuinka kauan asut tällä? Oletko naimisessa? Onko sulla perhettä? Onko sulla lapsia? Yksi vai kaski? Poika vai tytär? Sometimes they ask me even in front of customers. I really hate that.
your english is not bad,,,dont apologize..so is mine,,,anyway,...i understand what u said about the language and people being reserved......but i have experienced and now learn that thats not just it..there is some how a lack in social behaviour....thats nothign to do with finnsih language issue..but example..,..rarely i see people helping anyone who needs it.and thats because finns may think is not their business,or that it owuld be an invstion of privacy,,such a ridiculus explanation,when to me is just sign of lack for compassion in people and politness..so polite words are missing in language and it effects in people acting as well...i dont expect people to hug me or kiss me when they great,and i understand there are differences i must accept.but for god sake,there are behavious that are common in almost all western cultures...sometimes finland seam so far away from it,,,,,like a country on its own,,,like if made of unique species...mah....and im an open minded person,,,but really cannot digest these behaviours...and the drinkin gthing yes is a shame when u do without limit and loose totally control...like girl urinating in street,..or vomiting ,,what a nice sight!!in my country people dont drink much,,,not in south at least,and if they do,,they domt do at this level..getting totally wasted..
I suggest you go reading on this new website about Finland www.forefinn.fi/ i liked it so much its not yet complete though but i found alot of usefull info in it.
The honesty of this foolish land is LEGENDARY. Of course we shall tell you everything. Because he/she asked? Where do these morons get there ideas. Come and see what are we like. The English people are haughty, impolite, judge people by their clothes. LESSON INVALUABLE. PRICELESS. During a friendly gongregational visit your citizens refuse to dance with sober Finnish person. Pox upon your England, curse be upon thee. You have no manners at all for those you call 'poor' people. I advice everyone go to the England and act like a poor person.
“I'm doing a schoolproject on the subject and I would appreciate your answers”………….This is what the original question was….is it not obvious that this person is a “School kid” …..many of the replies were gross, but I guess that is the Finn in you................. Prejudice……. Finns do have I have seen it first hand also your favorite thing is “if you live here learn Finnish” ….well I do speak Finnish but you do not accept it because I speak with a accent and when I learned Finnish, it was years ago and I do not have ALL the new words in my Finnish vocabulary you are more un kind towards me ……it is very hard to make friends with you as you do not have a open mind and with your “tunnel” vision you want to have the last word……not open to any discussion……..so case closed.
Well-- with your ending sentences, so you mean that you don't want anyone to reply to this or do you mean that people don't want to have discussion..? Because if it's the first- then you are not open- if the second- then I'm sorry you felt that way. Finns are not that open, but once you get to know them- they are friends forever. I can only speak what I think and who I am- and I can say that I LOVE GETTING TO KNOW NEW PEOPLE FROM DIFFERENT CULTURES AND NATIONS.. So, if you wanna have friend- then come to me.
yeah yeah foreever my asdd...ive seen freind ship of 10 years ending for stuoid fight...and in my case, finnish friedn who considered me so close and nice person...when they lived in italy ,suddelty they turned back on me when i moved to finand....the anser to my wuestion whats was happening'+i was told..they felt we had different interest..friednship is a bulshit..and dont last.
I would like to thank Finland and some special Finnish people for the part of my life spent in this country, I hope everything will be all right with all of us, thank you.
finns know how to bully people, most of the people, even adults, need someone to bully to feel better in their shitty lives, no wonder suicide rate is high and mass murders happen.
Now let's get real. The original question was about opinions of Finns, in general. Then we get a girl writing about how she smiles every day etc etc.
This is an open forum and everyone is entitled to their opinions, whether negative or positive.
Apparently the Finns do not like when others critizise them, that is a fact.
Being a barefoot Finn myself, and having lived widely abroad, also discussed this matter with friends, both foreigners and natives, the conclusion is that there are good and bad persons, and influences everywhere.
But a prototype Finn - not too many smiles, keep everything to yourself, do not care of their neighbours, others (one could lie unconscious on the street and people just walk by), always counting everything in terms of money, spending. Tight (crabs in their pockets).
The women have a worldwide reputation of being easy.
No sense of dresscode, whatsoever.
Their honesty boarders stupidity.
Of course there is the beautiful climate, that is the snow in the parks, winter. But the darkness takes its toll, eventually.
They can be very polite, when want to, but racism... I do not venture to this subject.
What the fuck. Really? Compare Finland to USA. joo siis haistakaa ny paska, usassa vähintää 10 ihmistä ammutaa vittu joka päivä, ja nää haukkuu suomee joidenki kahen kouluammuskelun takia. MITÄ vittua :D ja itsemurhamäärä? jenkeissä joka päivä tehään itsemurhia. ja lukekaa ny vittu edes uutisia. amerikassa tukehdutettiin 2-vuotias vauva ja heitettiin mettään eikä se äiti edes joutunu vankilaa, amerikassa ammuttiin haulikolla lapsi joka leikki kotipihallansa, amerikassa 17-vuotias ampu 14-vuotiasta 2 kertaa päähän KOULUTUNNILLA. siis vittu näitä riittää iha liikaa. Joo eihän suomi mikää täydellinen maa ookkaa, mutta helvetti, haukkukaa jenkkejä ja tulkaa sitte haukkuun suomee.
At first I have to recommend a book CULTURE SHOCK - FINLAND for you all (in Helsinki you can find it at least some librarys and akateeminen kirjakauppa). A very good book for understanding finnish culture!!! For both: finns and foreigners.
REMEMBER: Finnish culture differentiates a lot to many other cultures in some parts for example manners and values of life.
There are idiots and people with low self-esteem ewerywhere! So do not generalizize, please.
This is my story in nutshell: I'm finnish guy. I used to be very shy and have low self-esteem before. Still I wanted a lot to have more friends (though I had some very good ones). With very shy approach I didn't succeeded. I was trying to find out the reason for that... The finnish media (these forums, magazines, tv programs; I will tell more about this later) offered me one: The quilty is the finns and their uncivilizized manners...
I went to travel. Abroad I was thinking just positive things about the country [which is actually good ;)] and thought people are so great and civilizized when they talk loud with hand-wawing (someone used that previusly :) ), say "polite" phrases and so on. Well, the people were still threating me the same way.
I was thinking Finland sucks and I don't belong here.
I built up as a person A LOT, started to study psicology (on my own) and getting better self-esteem and having new friends. The feeling about Finland really changed. I started to understand the phenomenon of my own culture! It was great!! Now my self-esteem is great by the way ;) and I have turned to really love my culture!! I found my homecountry at last!
Now I have a new quest in my life: I moved in to another country (here called B) with a quite diferent culture about half a year ago. Many manners, normal for B, would be extremely impolite in Finland and cause me bad feelings. I'm thinking just like many paople here: These people suck and I "hate" this new culture... Anyway I know it is just the culture shock and I just have to accept that diference. I had to choose either to come back or to stay another 6 months... I decided to stay. All the time I understand more about this culture and maybe someday I feel like it as part of mine like finnish culture :)
So, I have experience to be 1) A finn who doesn't like his culture, 2) a finn who is very proud of his culture and 3) a person who is learning a totally new culture
Finns really know about and tolerate extremely lot other cultures (not all of them, African cultures for example). If for example when Italian tourists come to F and are very loudy we think: That is their nature, it's not because they are impolite. Many other countrys people really piss of because of diferent manners of their own...
Somebody said that it's hard to get a job without finnish language skills and the finns should speak more english. COME ON! Think about your country... does that happen there and if it's an english-speaking country it would be just the same if I spoke just finnish and insisted that for the others.
I don't know why you came here. But I wouldn't move to a new country without a job or language skills.
I really think the Finns are very deep people!! At least we are NOT superficial at all! Status things, money, showing-off etc things exist very little! Generally people do not show their richness. Everybody wants to be igual with others.
Finns love the silence (not allways!!), going to nature to relax and falling to their own thoughs. It is actually some kind of meditacion (not sure thought :) ) I just learned the reason for this while living in a city with more than 10 million habitants. Here I can't do that anywhere! I can't think and get energy to do allmost anything! My brains are going to explode. We just love to think and need to do that too!
We are not religious but spiritual!
Finns care other people even more than theirselves: Sometimes we do not want someone to help us because we don't want him/her to be bothered (not the best word here, but you got the idea i think)
This kind of behaviour was impolite in my new "homecountry".
Finns doesn't drink that often but when we drink, yes, we drink quite a lot :)
And I think it is normal :D
Finns have GREAT HUMOUR!! Really great! Features of finnish humour are for example: Jokes of one's self;
Alcohol ;D, complexity (Sometimes it really has that!), secularity...
Things with finnish humour does NOT have: simplicity, showing-off, "funny" faces and movements ("Jim Carrey" or "ahcmed the dead terrorist" - I can't watch them :S (youtube))
Finns also laugh more than in any other place where a have been travelling (Italy, Latin America, Sweden, Lithuania, Germany etc.) for my opinion. [Please comment]
If call all the finns racists etc. you really are a racist yourself.
Finns really don't like small talk depending on what is it meaning. We say something humorous or necessary or then we don't say anything! If there is not anything to say -> silence. In speech the quality wins the quantity!!
Finns in the cities seldom start a conversation to a person they don't know but hey, where does it happen? :D
A had a lot more on mind but don't remember anymore...
Please comment and especially for foreigners in Finland: I know it's hard to live in different culture. You just have to find good things of the culture and learn the language witch is very important everywhere! Also think why people behave like that and learn the history too!!
I've lived in Finland for about 2.5 years now. Half of it in the countryside and the other half in Helsinki. It has been a very different experience. In the countryside, all my friends were Finns and they proved to be very welcoming and friendly.
Helsinki has been a very different experience: all my friends here are foreign except one.
So what do I think about Finland? It has been a "mixed bag" which honestly has also been the case in other countries I have lived in. One thing you will all have heard before: it is bloody difficult to meet people in Helsinki and I start to wonder how one should go about it :)?
I find it also difficult to cope with the black and white approach to things Finns have, but not to an extent where life here is unbearable. Overall, living here has been a positive experience.
In some posts above, I can read things I have read while living in other countries. Same frustrations from local people, same frustrations from expats side. This is just to say that often when talking about the country once has emigrated to judgements are not objective anymore and might reflect more frustration when comparing the host country to the home country.... anyway, that is just a thought, having been an expat in 3 different countries for 20 years :)
All in all, some pattern/topics when talking about Finland and foreigners are the same then those I heard when I lived in Ireland or my parents might have talked about some 50 years ago.... this is just to say that emmigration or whatever you call it is just new to Finland...and you will get a mixed bag of reactions: enthusiasm ... and quite the opposite at times
I've just spent about 30 mns reading everything here and I have to say I'm very sad of what I see...
I'm not French and never lived or even visited Finland. But I do have a huge interest for this country and it's people which, from the outside I do not see at all as bad people.
I've lived in Norway for a year a long time ago. I went there without knowing any Norwegian language and only a little English. It was my very first trip alone, I was just 20 and I went straight up to a farm in a village called Hattfjelldal. I arrived in this Norwegian familly and thought I was on another planet.
I met peole who were "descreet" and "mistrustfull". I think it is more conveniant than shy or reserved (in my opinion). On their side, they must have had ambiguous feelings too because being French I can seem a little "in your face" even though I'm not of an exuberant nature. But simply I've never been affraid to talk naturaly to whoever I have in front of me.
I'm telling the story because I believe that the Finnish state of mind must not be very far off the Norwegian one. I don't think it's a Finnish issue, but more a Scandinavian one actualy (but i can be wrong).
So basicaly, it took us quite a while to get used to each other and it wasn't that easy, expecialy because we had to live together (I also had to take care of four children raised in the Norwegian fashion which is very different from the French one) but progressively, we learned to understand and tame each other, I believe it takes a lot of patience, tolerance and most importantly dialogue.
I had to make the effort and to take the risk of speaking my heart in order to get them to oepn up to me. In the start it wasn't easy and I got a few bad looks, but after a while a true relation took place and they opened up as well to the point where I became almost part of the familly. I went to church with them (even though I'm not a believer) they presented me all their friends and I even got to spend long nights talking to the father's couple issues! which I thought was quite a miracle!
All of this to says that, I believe that the best way to get inside someone's closed off world is to "stand beside him/her" listen, wait and let it come. Eventualy it will hapen.
To the strangers living in finland, and who find finnish people harsh, let me just remind you of one thing: When you go to another country, no matter which one it is, the first thing you have to do is to adapt yourself and your behaviour to it and to it's people. Do not wait for them to adapt to you, because it will not happen and it shouldn't happen. When someone comes into your house, into your intimity, you expect from him to respect you and your way of life and if he goes and get himself a beer in your fridge you'll look at him like he's an arshole, and you'd be right. Well it's the same when you get in someone's country, a country is a house, with it's rules and it's own identity, and it is important that it keeps it. how would you feel if someone tried to change your identity?...
I'm saying this because as a traveler, I often see strangers not adapting to where they go and expecti ng others to change everything around them because THEY are here now. I'm not making a generality, there is allways exceptions, but most of the time it's working that way and I don't think it's correct.
Concerning the racism issues... Unfortunatly, It's the same in all countries in this mad world. And that comes from the lake of respect I talked about I think. People not wanting to adapt to where they are. it's been going on for ages all over the world. We all go along on this planet trying to apropriate ourselves everything because we just think it's normal. We forget that nothing on here is ours, and nothing will ever be. We are just people who have illusions of owning things and each other. But that's illusion.
Anyway... I'll end this saying, that, personaly, I have issues against no one, I do love people, no matter where they are from. We all have something to bring to each other no matter how many differences we have, and it makes me deeply sad to see how trivial issues can come and compromise the "true" richess that we could have if we were trying one second to put our egos apart and not be affraid to open up and take some emotional risks.
I'm still in touch with my Norwegian familly today, and I'm not affraid to tell them that I love them. They don't say it back, but I know thatit touches them deep inside and that's exactly what i want. I don't need any return. I just want them to know I'm here and how I feel because there is nothing more important in the world than knowing that you are loved and not alone in this world.
Take kare of yourselves, and enjoy your lives.
Isa
It's great to read that someone can think so openly like you do.Finnish are little bit like Norwegian.First,we not talking so mutch ouer own business and that is ouer own adituted and culture.But if you want to talk with someone example wheatre in bus station,you need say "hi" and i think you get back "hi" and maybe more.
If someone come to other country and say to me "hi", i say to back to "hi" and want to know where he/she coming and what he/he thinking about Finland and finnish people.
Finnish people are honest and helpful,like we are saying"kaveria ei jätetä" which meen that we do not leave ouer own friends,not even war.
Finns have no sense of humor, you make a joke and they frown all the fucking time. They even frown if you use official terms like African American, Mexican American, Hispanic American... and they love to go camping to their shit forests with the Confederate flag for tent. Racists!
when I read these very very negative comments about finland, I really wan't to cry.....
I am a very proud finnish 17 guy, I freaking love finland, i'm very patriotic, and yes, because of that, I will admit, I probably a bit naive, but in general, finland is great, nice people, compared to.......russians, and yes, i know, i'm a patriotic finn who doesn't like russians, a freaking shocker right? but i actually do know, i have lived in russia for a year, wen't to school there, and so on.
Finnish people have their own culture, and our nature is actually very original, we have a shit load of trees, and our nature is pretty pure, there is so very much water, and the åland area, you know ahvenanmaa, i really don't know how to write that in english, but ahvenanmaa is very very different compared to other places, its unique.
we have some foods, that other places don't have, we are kinda healthy, kinda XD
in general everything we do, is very good quality.
people are quite close to being equal, women men, and all that.
and there is probably some racism, like there is everywhere, and there might be more of it in finland because we haven't been indebendent for that long, you know free, so there might be some racism because of that, of course it's not good, it's unacceptable, but that might be the reason.
in general we are pretty good, so, if you don't like it, we are free, so you are free to go, and yes there is all ways room for improvement, but still camoon!!
I dont really have nothing against black people(As long as they don't do that kinda shit anymore like abowe), and i think most of us finns are friendly, if you are friendly to them.
Finland has many different regions and types of people and it's impossible to place them all in the same category as it would be for any nation. There is no such thing as a typical French or Finn. People in the South Western part of France are different than in Bretagne, Alsace or Haute Savoie. The same is true for Finland.
People in the Eastern part of Finland tend to be more extrovert, talkative, inviting and always willing to help. People on the countryside tend to drink less.
Many Finnish share many common values though: honesty, punctuality and sisu just to name a few. Very admirable qualities.
If you are interested about intercultural differences (and similarities!) I recommend that you read Fons Trompenaar's book "Riding the Waves of Culture" for a start and then move on to Geert Hofstede.
I just have to say that we finnish people arent ''cold'' cuz we dont talk to strangers but thats only cuz alot of us have been told since we were kids that ''dont talk to strangers!''
And also u cant completely blame finnish people cuz i've realized that alot of finnish people arent 100% finnish! almost everyone is a mix of something! mostly russian or swedish and of course there r a lot more! And almost all the drunk people in finland r teenagers! but believe me that they will calm down when they grow up and realize more about life! Sure there r drunkards in finland too but what counrty hasnt!?
And im pretty sure that whatever country we would be here talkin' about there WILL ALLWAYS be something bad to say about EVERY country! None country is perfect! And if u couldn't care less about what i wrote, it's fine really cuz i said what i had to!
oh! and also the reason why we maybe be a little 'confused' i guess about the foreigners is that they r quite a new thing in finland. like my mom told me like a year ago that the first black people here in the middle finland came at the 80's and people were like O_o cuz it was new! but now there's more of them and i am friends with a lot of them and other foreigners and they r mad funny seriously!
so of course im defendin' my own country yes! but i get also what ur all others tryin' to say too and i get that! but it also matters that in where exactly in finland u r visiting/living or whatever, that how people r. and i'm sure it's the same in other countries too that in some places people dont like as much foreigners then maybe in some other places or whatever.
but life is life! no matter how much u talk about how u dont like somebody, it wont change, finnish people will be always finnish people and u will always be whatever u r!
so peace out! i'm about to go to sleep! and also that was only how I SEE this whole thing, people see things differently...
Finland sucks so please dont move here. Im moving out in few years because they are planning great laws for the future finland that is going to rape people. Its hard enough for finns to live here let alone a foreigner. You can describe living in finland like dying a very slow death, with aids and cancer while a fat guy rapes you in your anus and another one is choking you in his penis while a latex lady takes a dump on your back.
Although I have to add that finns themself are not bad people. I love the finns. Finns are the best people on eath. Finns rock! They are the most calculative people and when they try to be good at something they usually end up being the best. Finland has the best drunks, doctors and religious lunatics. At least the people here try the best to be what they are. I have lived here for 22 years and I love the finns, even the bald racist ones and the idiots in general ( I love to go friday night out to watch these crazy finns doing their stuff, its so hilarious ). The finnish people are perhaps one of the best people in the world. They are actualy very warm and helpful people. They are very good people also. Its just the actual sheer number of the population and the location of this place that is enough to drive people away.
Finnish people are pathetic losers who have to put down each others because they suck so much. Every foreigner that has visited finland laughs at them because finns are not only dumb but their girls are all bunch of sluts and men are all idiots, racists or just braindead. The only good finns I have met are the older generation workers but thats it.
What a silly site this is and what a ridicilous question. (Then again I'm silly for commenting!) The ignorance is unbearable! I HATE generalizations and where you are saying Finns are racists and bla bla bla, criticizing us then aren't you being racist and ignorant towards us? How do you think WE feel when you write that we are drunk racists with no feelings? Pah! Ridiculous.
The Finns are basically forest people, as I call them, not much of cultural good behaviour and good manners, some of them rude, when saying GoodMorning they do not even reply in a same building in a lift !
They are racist, yes, I repeat they are all racist, one cannot even find an accommodation if you have a foreign name.
their main interest is drinking, and for women, chasing men for sex.
Mostly for foreign men.
now you go fuck foreigners thinking that it would raise your self-esteem ...haha suomi tytöt aivan hukassa. Be proud of your country.............. Finland is one of the most advanced countries in terms of human and technological development.
Näin.Mikään maa ei ole täydellinen.Suomalaisten vika on se,että he luulevat että Suomi on huono maa ja mikää vain muu maa on parempi.Suomalaisten pitäisi olla ylpeitä.Meillä on rikas kulttuuri ja olemme hyvinvointimaa.Olemme erillaisia.Kielellisesti ja geenisesti.Ymmärrän kyllä miksi se on vaikeaa olla ylpeä kun ruotsalaiset ja venäläiset ovat hallinneet suomalaisia vuosisatoja ja valehdelleet suomalaisten historiasta.
Meillä on kaunis luonto.Kaunis raikas talvi ja kuuma kesä.Paljon järviä.Meillä on paljon hyviä bändejä myös.Teimme Nokian.Sanoimme ei Neuvostoliitolle ja puolustimme maatamme.Pieni maa esti suuren Neuvostoliiton.Maksoimme ensimmäiseksi sotavelkamme.Vanha kunnon suomalainen sisu on pitänyt meidät tällä pohjolassa elossa,vahvana.
The amount of negative, self absorbed, unhappy people in this thread makes me sad. Maybe you could take a look in the mirror, and think for a second, why is it, that you see everything as so bleak and miserable? Happiness comes from within. :)
Somewhere higher in this topic i noticed comment: "Otherwise fine, but I think the ubiquitous idea of there being jobs that do not attract Finns is false. I have worked in shitty jobs and there are Finns everywhere doing those jobs" Well, in my opinion, theres lots of people in finland that says they're taking our jobs an so on... but still, lots of those finnish people who keeps saying that, doesn't really work at all, but still they are hanging at sossu and pickin up money, that they drink later... or sooner! Im 19 yr finnish guy, and i know what im talking about, 'cause i know "lots", of those bums...
I think Finns really aren't rasistic but we just hate lazy people whom exploit the goverment and most of those lazy people come from countries where their culture is different, (not so hard work favoring). For example:
"Romaneilla on aina ollut suuria vaikeuksia työnsaannissa. Yhtenä syynä tähän on ollut romanien tapakulttuuri. Romaninainen ei voi käyttää muuta asua kuin kansallispukuaan, ellei varmisteta, ettei kukaan toinen romani voi nähdä häntä.
In english: "The Finnish Romani people have always had great difficulties in obtaining work. One reason for this has been the way of their culture. Romani woman cannot use any other clothe than her national costume or she has to make sure that no other Romani sees her.
And what makes people really mad is that some immigrant communities wont even intend to blend to our culture and demand for, example seperate swimming schedules for men and women at public swimming pools. It doesn't sound very big, but if you think it in our perspective it just looks like that people come here and tell us what to do. And I DO HAVE many foreign friends that study hard and blend excellent to our culture.
- They have no social manners to speak of
- they think themselves some sort of Aryans
- politeness is unknown word for them
- fobia for foreigners, of all kind
- humanity + 0. A person might be dying on metro station, no one moves a finger (this is a country where everyone carries a mobile phone!)
- their life goes past, while sorting out rubbish, paper, bottles, sardine tins, tunafish tins, milk cartons....
- bureaucracy blooms.
This all in general, ofcourse there are polite people everywhere in the world, but above is Finnish people in a nutshell. You get the picture ?
I have returned back to my roots, and boy, am I sorry to be here again.
so, the conclusion is ; us finns as a nation are from the bottom of the barrel and oh how shitty our little country is...!! :(
it makes me feel sad and not proud of my country to realise that this is how people from other countries see it....
let me ask though : why is there so much people coming here anyway? and staying, they're not leaving although they're apparently hovering on verge of suicide ALL THE TIME, because of , because of the way we're treating them. Year after year.
Why do they want to waste their lives here?
hmm... my experiences about foreigners in Helsinki :
- Romanian beggers on the streets... I have nothing against them, but I wish they would get everything in order in their lives so they wouldn't need to beg.. it gets so cold at the winter :( I've bought them warm food to eat whenever I can and can spare few minutes to get it..giving money is no use, because those ladies don't get to keep the money anyway.
- Dark skinned guys from usually African countries in the clubs, or tram/bus stops etc. ... look, I've seen these guys for decades (I'm 27) and I know what they're after... ; )
usually asking girls phonenumbers right away, or asking place to stay for a night .. I'm sorry if that makes me cold-hearted bitch but I don't accomodate people I don't know (unless they're in danger and need help) ,and I also don't give my number away just like that, after 2 minutes conversation at tram stop when I'm in a hurry..(I'm in relationship as well, so I'm not interested in anyone in romantical sense right now... I tell that to people hitting on me very politely and friendly...but oddly enough, even that don't usually make them stop.....! ).
.that way to approach is just all wrong... I don't know about other countries, (because I've never tried to talk to strangers when they're rushing somewhere) but in Finland that is too aggressive way to try when you want to get to know new people. Give people their personal space... please.
The key to any communication is respect. If the other person's attitude is all along like I own him/her something, and I kind of ' have to' talk to them, that's not gonna lead anywhere. I choose my company among all skin colors and nationalities.. jerkface is a jerkface in every country.
- English exchange students (4 girls) at my school, who always look bored and somewhat..hostile? I've tried to talk to them and I always smile and say good morning etc. like I naturally do to all of my schoolmates...but there's no response, just blank stare... odd.
then the positive : )
+ my wonderful, incredibly kind, warmhearted pen pals, Twitter/ Facebook friends, my friends' boyfriends/girlfriends, school friends and other friends from all around the world, who I love very dearly... who are similar people to me and who I really want to keep in touch with. I would never dream of not becoming friends with someone I like because that person is from another country or lives in another country..that would be very strange and sort of absurd from my part to do so, right? : )
Just remember your manners and give people some space (which they valuate high, being finns) and you'll do fine. Be active and connect with some finns through exchange student etc. activities first, then they'll probably host some parties and introduce you to their friends..that's the best and quickest way to get
bunch of finnish friends.
Good luck and don't give up - it will be worth it because after making some friends with us locals, we're your friends for life : )
that's one of our GOOD qualities : )
<3
WHAT THE ACTUAL fuck ? Finns don't know anything about other cultures ? AMERICANS don't know anything about other cultures :D like seriously, Finland isn't that bad ? " finns are shy and blablablabla " not everyone.. " finns are always drunk " yeah right... :D
Some things that people have said in this chat are correct. Some Finnish people are addicted to alchohol but not everyone. Seriously, you people should ask a Finnish person to give you good answers, not read the comments on suomi24. I am Finnish and I think Finland is a beautiful place. To the people who have said us being racist and cold people: "what are you then?" I don't mean that in a bad way, I just want to bring up the fact that Finland is a good country. I have all my family there and many good and NICE friends who hate alchohol. Unfortunately, I know a person who is dying of drinking too much alchohol, which is a sad fact. So people, please leave this chat and get better things to do.
Not exactly...
....all! At least I'm not drunk .... at the moment!Then you must be....
hungover...?Another
WRONG: "Then you must be hungover...?CORRECT: Then you must HAVE A hAngover...?
Urban dictionary
http://www.urbandictionary.com/define.php?term=hungroverI'M BLACK AND I DON'T CARE IF YOU ARE RACIST! I REPEAT, I DON'T
To all black guys in Finland who obey the law - Please walk tall with your heads up... full of self esteem. You don't have to take shit from no one. It's a free world.I am a black guy in Finland, have not really gotten any of those racist gestures from any Finn and i try to maintain my self esteem even though i live a simple life. Wherever i go, my personality tend to over-shadow that of the haters so don't even bother giving me that racist attitude because it doesn't faze me and i really care less if you exist or not. It's a free world and i always feel free like the birds in the sky wherever i go, which ever country i reside. I try to obey the law just like i'll do in my own country and I don't care what you think about me and if you mess with me, i'll retaliate with no fear of intimidation whatsoever. I arrived about 2 months ago. Been around Europe just for fun and i must say, Finland is quite strange and isn't the best. Besides, Hungarians are way much beautiful than Finns. If you've never been to Hungary, then you would easily disagree. Nothing really enticing here in Finland so i don't know why there should be so much NOISE!
Peace!
And when it comes to racism, I do hate that. So.. I was thinking that what if you would see your own attitude aswell- it is good that you don't care too much about other people and like you said you haven't gotten any racist gestures while being in Finland- but do you see that you are giving them to finnish people by comparing finnish people to hungarians or saying that in Finland there is nothing enticing..? It can also be hurtful, harmuful and racistic for finns.
You are a person who might like hungarians better- but yes, I do disagree with you when it comes to that- I'm more used to finnish girls and I like them- I've been to Hungary and of course people look beautiful there too- but they don't affect me in the same way as finnish girls.. So, that is definately personal thing, not something that everyone would like about. So I think you should only speak for yourself.
And I'm not finnish- but I find Finland very enticing place. Maybe it's not the same for you, but some people find Finland amazing and exciting country to be. So.. Again- you can only speak for yourself and remember that we people are different and we like different things.
Still,I don't accept anyone to laugh at Finnish people same time abuisng us and our great social support system.Either U respect us or then stay out of Finland,that simple it SHOULD BE.U told that U follow Finnish laws so follow then these unwritten laws,for example our high moral and ethics,honesty here.And yes,forst of all,where ever U go so keep Ur head up and keep on being proud of Ur roots and background,people use to respect people that respect oneself!
Yes,I agree that Finnish people really r most beautiful,but most beautiful Finnish belong to the most ebautiful people int he world,do U get this?I mean,for example I myself look pretty and more Russian than Finnish (even Russian people tend to love my style and even hving a default that I could b one fo them,and I am proud of this juts coz if U look an average Finnish wman or man so he or she looks horrible).Russian women r just one group that r kept to b more beautiful by far than Finnish women,for example Estonian women r kept to b so gorgeous,but in this I lil bit disagree as if we examine spesific characteristics for Estonian women so actually they r not that different from Finnish characteristics,but they just keep much better care of themselves,when it comes to their look.
Finnish women hv no self-confidence,but we r well-educated,smart,independent and generally speaking also men here in Finland get human rights being also women rights.Our education and social support systems r maybe the best in the world,we hv manage in both of the fields of our policy:foreigner and inner policy here in Finland well enough for living peace in our country,no need to escape and let some other state to take care of us,to put in us teh moneys that would actually meant to use first of all for that other state itself!
I am not racist,I hv even dated with only mainly outside of Finland living Asian men last 2,5y,but our foreigner policy is driving me crazy and reflecting to my thoughts in a racist nuance.So I thought me to b the very last one being able to think in a racist way.I will tell later more about our foreigner or immigrant policy but let me tell first one v sad phenomenon that shows clearly how our immigrant policy makes both of the foreigners and us looking victims:
Well,we were drinking and hving party in our capital Helsinki ,and we met many Asian or african people and we tried to talk in akind way to all fo these asking where r they from coz it looks that not Fnnish.Just out of curousity and coz we appreciate people from all around the world as our sisters and brothers and wanted to hear exotic and interesting life stories of them etc.Anyways,the seemed to got us wrong ,not all as also most polite and kind people that we met that night were just those black people or Asian,surprise surprise.But we started to ponder for why r they trying to deny them to b foreigners,why r not they proud of their background,and for why got they angry and almost violent!Then we got that it must be coz obviously in Finland racism is rising and our foreigners hv faced it so much (or just hv their prejudices) that they automatically think all of us to hate them nor b willing to b friends.That is sad,but who is the one to blame?
Not the foreigners,not Finnish people,but our totally unfair and unworking immigrant policy!We get here useless people just to waste our moneys,then many well-educated ,for example iraqi medical doctors,we just send a way,just like our dear Western neighbour Sweden.All in all we give those residence permits too much but for totally wrong people.
For example Somalian people r great problem as their own culture is so different from ours (they hv to be noisy already in childhood,if not so their community and families inforced them to make noise and talk without stop) and so primitive that they certainly cannot get that here they should integrate to our culture,and even though they got it that is v difficult to totally turn change one's manners upside down.This makes not only Finnish but also the other (black) foreigner groups to hate them and being afraid that ignorant people may thinka lso them to b form Somalia just based on the skin colour.Then in some case Somali man hv many wives and as a leader of the family that man lifts social supports form all the bank accounts of that family without using them for the benefit of the family but by sitting in cafeterias chatting with his friends,that is v wrong.And some of them oerder children from Somalia telling lies them to be their adoption children,but more exact examination reveals them actually being child prostitutes for those paedophils,totally disgusting!And many times just this group hv nor education nor they can even read,and all this is v frustrating.
Finland does not hv to take care of all the losers in the world,but we hv right to live in peace in a country that we hv created by our rationality.The rationality that finally carrys longer and higher by far than the beauty.Still Finnish r blamed to b ugly and one of the most underestimated nation in the world and still when other people r in troubles so our help and social support is v welcome.For U "peace" I relly think that if U don't love Finland so get out of here and leave Ur space for smwn that hv brain to appreciate that safe,peaceful Finnish life.
I was asking that does not any state hv right to take own state as own state?Is not that just normal?So us Finnish want to keep our languagy,culture race and country.Finnish do not want even other Finnish too close,we hv strong need for space around us.That does not mean that we couldn't care or love,or b willing to help people.Foreigners r most welcome to visit here,and sweet group of foreigner people living here is ncie making Finland juts more vivid,but too much is too much.And especially we should focus on quality not quantiy also when it comes to this subject,also Finland has right to get some benefit back for our support.Friendship is not just taking but giving as well.And the problem is that if we take here endless stream of waste escaping from the countries that hv managed to ruin everything there ,the totally useless people for Finland /of which we don't get any benefit but coz of that phenomenon our people,as well as the foreigner people hv to pay,as all that eats resources in Finland and finally is away from all the people.I know,I should not talk about human waste,but so much I love people no matter from where they are or live so 1st people coming here to abuse us and our great social support when they r in troubles,same time laughing at our ugly people 2nd Finnish immigrant policy makes me,like many other Finnish people,to talk like this/being afraid to death for our country for which also my nation has fought and done so much work for keeping this as Finland and for Finnish 3rd for exaggerating for making people to realize.Fear is a strong feeling and easily takes power over us,preventing us to think in a realistic way.In some cases there is a relevant/real reason for that fear,in other case there is no real reason for that,but many times ignorant people r afraid without better knowledge.All this affect to the attitudes about foreigners of Finnish people that directly affects to the attitudes and behaviour fo the foreigners,and the vicious circle is ready!It is obvious that Finland cannot solve all the problems in this world nor help allt he people,by trying that we cannot soon help even ourselves,and where do we escape then?To Somalia and build there high-quality ,well-working,society for getting then Somalis back there after destroying Finland like they hv now destroyed their country.Ok,to be fair so I want to highlight that I still don't blame even Somalis themselves as they dont' make these decisions but only Finnish government does and is one to blame.
Well, some of them try
to portray as English speaking. Like "wwerty".Laughable.
Ihmisbooli?
"Punch of people" on lähinnä ihmisbooli. Why don't you just go away - to Grade 1.pläääh
Nobody's perfect, especially not you. ;)mai
i fink finnish pipl a veli veli nais pipli fink they luk laik elvs
alsou i fink finnish pipl a tender, shy and handsome pipl
finnish people..?
hi... I'm a finnish girl and I can tell you about finnish people:FInnish people are very traditional, when it comes to (for example) christmas or something like that. Usually at summer, finnish people go to their cottages by the lakeand that kind of stuff. They have SAUNA which almost everyone has in finland. they use it around the year.
Finnish people are very friendly, if someone comes to speak them. they are very kind and friendly. Well, NOT EVERYONE;But MOST of them. I'd say 4/5 of finnish people are very friendly. :)
you can start with those.. there's not much but you can start with it. ;))
I don't quite agree
Hi, I'm a middle-aged finnish woman in the capital city area, and I don't quite agree with the above mentioned.Finns are quite traditional, that's true, allthough not very religious, most are nowadays more than anything very materialistic and very skeptic about all kinds of things that can't be seen, touched or hasn't been proved black on white or scientifically.
The black and white proves on everything are enourmously important to finns, don't even imagine of getting a job without a proper CD, or if you tell anybody about anything from your own life, you must have photos and proofs - finns suspect everything that is out of the ordinary. Finns believe that life basicly is mostly about everyday life and that everybody should live quite after the same values.
Many finns in bigger cities don't celebrate christmas in any particular way anymore, especially people who live alone may spend the christmas time among friends or in a restaurant. Same goes with Mayday. Many finns have a very emotional attitude to Midsummer and want to see the bonfires burning, by a lake or sea, preferably - allthough not everybody cares for that matter.
Many finns have their own sauna but many don't. For instance in old apartment buildings in Helsinki you mostly don't have a sauna in your relatively small apartment.
Finns are NOT very friendly towards strangers, especially towards other finns they don't know, it's not common to start a spontaneous conversation at a bus stop or such, they only become friendlier when you get to know them. The attitude to tourists is different, finns are allways flattered when a foreigner asks them something (like now here! :))
It's said that finnish people read a lot. Well, some do. But reading books; novels, poetry and such is actually a hobby of relatively small group of finns; the typical fiinnish middle-aged person reads weekly magazines, tabloid papers, their own local newspapers and a book or two per year that is very very popular and everybody has read, or something very light. Also books that have something to do with their job.
Finns between 20 and 30 read more.
Finnish people friendly?
Are you joking?Compared to the people of many other countries. Finnish people are very simple, shy, like to be drunk every weekend, and so on.
Í would say, Finnish people are very far from friendly, compared to most other countries people. But it always matter, what are you comparing to.
FINNISH PEOPLE NEEDS JESUS!
You celebrate Christmas, Easter and all religious ceremonies but yet, you don't even know the true meaning of what you celebrate. Love God and his son, Jesus Christ.Too many people with no religion isn't helping!
Finns are strange
The Finns are quite peculiar, and so is Finland too, so I can say after living here quite a few years. If you want to know more of my opinions check this out:http://monamolsson.bravejournal.com/
Moving my blog!
I have decided to move my Blog here's the new site for those who are interested:http://monamolsson.blogspot.com/
just..
kauheeta yleistämistä! :o hanki elämä kuule.. oikeesti :othe truth 2
WHAT DO YOU DO IN FINLAND? still??I'm not happy to pay taxes so you can surf on Internet and talk so much of shit about Finns.
The more I read about your text, the more I was guessing what comes next. For example 1st: too much work, 2nd: "marijuana, jiihaa". etc.
There was very much good things you said (it's true, we work TOO MUCH!). and what makes so angry, is that still we get paid too low 'coz taxes are so high ->> people who don't want to go work can live for free if they want and so they have too much for sparetime ---like you do--.
Please, go soon. You are coming very expensive for us. Shame on u. Go some another country, where people will pay for your LIVING and nice clothes!
PS. You are a moran. Everyone is a moran, if go so below, that separates people in Helsinki-city and to country people. How ridicilous. ;)Tells something about your development.
the truth 3
Kyllä poika puhu asiaa. Perussuomalaisen on näköään hyvin vaikeaa ymmärtää mitä Suomessa todellakin tapahtuu. Kauheeta ryyppäämistä, ulkomaalaisvihaa, homovihaa ja kateellisuutta. Nyt joku tulee sanomaan, että kyllä muuallakin ryypätään. Niin ryypätääkin, mutta ei ryypätä räkiä poskille, eikä hakata ihmisiä, jos heillä on tummempi ihonväri tai he puhuvat jotain eri kieltä. Olen 100% suomalainen ja rakastan Suomea. Mutta joskus rasistien olisi hyvä katsoa omaa rumaa pärstäänsä peilistä.vasta-argumentointia
Sanot, että Suomessa hakataan ihonvärin perusteella. Kenties tuo on totta, joiden alakulttuurien toimesta, mutta missäpäs niin ei loppujen lopuksi tehtäisi? Mitä vaikka sitäkin kohua joka nousi ulkomailla Tanskalaisen sanomalehden julkaisemasta Muhammed pilasarjakuvasta. Tai mieti vaikka niitä kaikkia kansanmurhia ja heimosotia joita toimitetaan Afrikan maissa. Se, että Suomessa ollaan ulkomaalaisvastaisia on kuitenkin vain erilaisten pienimuotoisten ääripäiden toimintaa, ei mitään systemaattista tai kansallisesti organisoitua väkivaltaa, tuskin.Mainitset myös homovihan mutta jätät kuitenkin tyystin huomioitta muutamien vuoden takaiset asennetutkimukset, joissa todetaan että valtaosa suomalaisista hyväksyy homoseksuaaliset parisuhteet. Lue vaikka seuraava:
http://evl.fi/evlfi.nsf/Documents/53410900BD6F3E94C22573A1002ED8CC?openDocument&lang=FI
Mietippä sitä jos menisit täräyttämään oman homoseksuaalisuutesi julkisesti esille valtaosasta kehitysmaissa niin voisi olla, että ei kaverit pitäisi sitä kovin hyvänä.
totta
(nimimerk. suomi:lle) mitä sanot! It's true what u said!finnish society
I am a black foreigner, I have a job, I pay my TAXES. I consider myself as a hard working person and I get along with some finns, mostly educated ones who don't suffer from low self esteem.I have realized that most finns that are racist have very low self esteem and feel big when they put a black person down.They complain that foreigners are here to take their jobs and take money from the state. Well from my experience foreigners especially black want to work and are usually not employed because of the colour of their skin. Give them jobs and you will never see them at KELA or sosu. They will do any job, and most often they get the jobs that finns themselves don't want then they complain that they are taking away jobs. One thing that the average Finn doesn't know is that Finns are scattered all over the world, I was shocked to discover that some Finns actually leave in the country I come from. And the funny thing is that although they look different they are welcome and free.
Finns need to be welcoming and friendly to outsiders.Above all they need to learn other ways of building self esteem, like teaching their children respect,caring for their old parents,caring for their neighbour, not feeling jeolus about what the other person has achieved,being friendlier, spending more time with their children and family not just at joulu or any other holiday, learning more about other cultures.
Don't get me wrong not all Finns are bad and they are some positive things about Finnish people but sometimes they get overshadowed by the bad things.One of these positive things is that they are hard working.
Good, sensible advice
You describe us Finns quite accurately, I think. Many of us, yes, perhaps the more educated ones, and those who have lived elsewhere, have no problem with foreigners, but there is a visible minority who are racist. Like racists everywhere, Finnish racists try to cover their insecurity by bravado and bullying and blaming those who look different.I feel that there is a section of 'humanity' missing in our society. This is difficult to explain, and I'm not even sure if this is true about the majority or just some people I've met. I've lived in two other countries, and will never return to Finland to live (I hope), and can say I have not met such simpletons anywhere else as so many of us Finns are. It's as if many of us were living some bad farce with few lines and only in a minor role. We are not a fully functioning human being, we are actors not quite familiar with the script, and certainly not able to write the script. Some kind of automatic robots going about our routine actions, saying routine phrases, reacting, not thinking. This is not being human. Being a human is to exprerience life fully, find a connection with others, creating one's life instead of reacting to events like a rag doll.
I respect maky things about the Finnish culture, and admit that we have many good qualities, such as the ability to work hard, and persistence, 'sisu'. I'm glad you are living in Finland. People like you wil eventually bring some light into darkness, even against the will of some of the population. Stay positive, keep smiling.
One memory from my past. I was living in a small town before I emigrated. I found most people difficult to get along, and rather narrow minded. The only one I was able to talk with as a human being talks to another, was a black man. He was working as a doctor. He was wonderful, but I got the impression that many didn't appreciate him.
Traditionally,
having a self esteem has been considered to be almost a criminal activity. Basically, you should always at least be able to prove you have a right to show a bit of actual self esteem. You have that right, if and when you have a written certificate stating so. A college degree will prove you are smarter than some, so that'll do, though many will think you're automatically a wuss and prove it by punching you in the face. A prison record will prove that you're tough and most people will respect that, so once again you may occasionally be entitled to a bit of self esteem. Most people will think you're an idiot, though. You can climb the social ladder until everybody is beneath you, so nobody will disagree when you simply take the right to have a self esteem. Everybody will hate you though, you arrogant asshole. You can drive a Formula1 like the devil himself to gain the respect of millions of Finns, but once your career is over, evil tongues will start wagging. You're a once famous has been, who still thinks he is something. Somebody should teach you manners, you yesteryear's double champion. Or you can spit a black guy in the face to be a five minute hero for your drunk mates. Mostly just foreigners will think badly of you. Or you can kill hundreds of Russian infantrymen with a knife and a rock to gain eternal glory that nobody can take away from you. Too bad there's no war. So, which of these do you think is the easiest way to prove you have the right to respect yourself? Come to think of it, the game of self esteem in Finland is one you can't possibly win. Everybody loses, one way or another. Why? My theory is, this has a lot to do with our history. For centuries this was a Swedish soldier-farm, you know. Does good cannon fodder need a self esteem? No. If you feel fundamentally worthless and inadequate, you don't want to live, do you? In battle men who want to live fight like cowards, whereas suicidal maniacs will pull off almost any stunt. So, in order to be respected you just have to be the last man standing or dead in action. This way of thinking is what made Sweden great, at our expense, if you ever wondered. The poor self esteem you see today is largely a remnant of that age. We are supposed to prove ourselves in combat, but there hasn't been a war for over sixty years. Crazy, but the bizarre logic makes sense if you really think about it. Well, did I ever say we're not all insane? There are some pretty good videos on Finnish history on Youtube, if you want to know more. And of course many more that are mainly ultrapatriotic crap.counter-arguments against your case
Some thoughts to think about:"Well from my experience foreigners especially black want to work and are usually not employed because of the colour of their skin."
How do you know this to be true? How can you be certain that they are actually being discriminated based on their color of the skin? This is a very bold claim without providing any statistical knowledge or any kind of evidence what so ever.
Finding a job in Finland can be very hard -- for the Finns also. The employers put extremely high demands on your skills and sometimes only the most fittest can land a steady and highly paid job. There are many things to consider, such as your previous work experience, level of education and your suitability for the job (such as, if you can't speak the language natively, it is unlikely that you will get a job in the customer service field). It is extremely easy to point fingers and to say that the color of one's skin is the reason for not landing your dream job just like that.
"One thing that the average Finn doesn't know is that Finns are scattered all over the world, I was shocked to discover that some Finns actually leave in the country I come from."
Why do you say that an average Finn does not know that they are being scattered around the world and then the very next thing you say is that *you* were shocked to find that there are Finns in your country? Are you certain that you are not just merely projecting your own amazement and then taking that as to be the feeling of a general Finn? I for one am not shocked to hear that some Finns have travelled and moved out of this country.
"And the funny thing is that although they look different they are welcome and free."
Really? Are you certain that no Finns will ever experience any kind of racism when walking as a white caucasian in your native country? I feel that I can say with certainty that some blacks will look upon on whites with suspicion and other kinds of negative feelings, due to various reasons in various points of their lives, just like some whites look upon blacks due to different reasons. Racism is an universal phenomenon, not just involving blacks.
"Finns need to be welcoming and friendly to outsiders.Above all they need to learn other ways of building self esteem, like teaching their children respect,caring for their old parents,caring for their neighbour, not feeling jeolus about what the other person has achieved,being friendlier, spending more time with their children and family not just at joulu or any other holiday, learning more about other cultures."
And who are you to say what we should do and why? Who are you to say that we don't care for our parents and children? Who are you to say that we are not learning about other cultures? How much energy have you put on learning our culture and language, since you are the one who lives here, in our homeland?
If you dont look like Finnish and totally milk white then you are foreigner and not wellcome.
Lets dont fool anybody here :D
If Finns look weird at suntanned ppl then a black has no bloody chance :D
yeap.
JJ, all what I have to say to you is thank you for making this comment. Interesting to see my own thoughts written.There are also lots of applicants for practical nurses. I was disqualified, when only about 10% of the applicants were accepted to a practical nursing course. It was harder to start practical nursing than some majors in universities.
I am not happy to pay taxes so that drunks can buy booze or sit in front of computer all day while I have to do night shift on a Xmas eve!
So we should all shut the hell up and be more open and friendly towards each other and foreigners.
Once this wealth goes away we are gonna be poor potato nosed bastards like in the 90s crisis.
Facetious but correct.
’ straightshit’ – I have the same view.When I moved to Finland 12 years ago, people always asked: "Are you accustomed to the Finnish culture?”
Culture - where it is? Is it a man running down a woman at the door of a shop? Is it when the kids trample on the meal table? Is it a young man sitting in a bus and an old woman standing? Is it, as well as the adult does not know the words "Hello" and "Thank you"?
The main word is “V ! “ everywhere!
Feast day is Saturday. Then have to drink to the memory loss. The main streets look like after urinary competitions.
It’s a pity that Finnish nation do not have friends and they do not respect their parents.
Elderly make suicide every other day in Finland. The reason is loneliness and depression.
Kirjoittanut: ...... / 27.4.09 / klo 11:53
”kauheeta yleistämistä! :o hanki elämä kuule.. oikeesti :o” – --------------- Why ” terrible generalization!”? Guest notes what you themselves do not note. Take off your pink glasses! The truth is sometimes painful.
Kirjoittanut: .............................. / 10.5.09 / klo 21:18:
” ->> people who don't want to go work can live for free if they want …” ------------Oh yeah – and is it normal?
Well atleast we do
have freedom to do and say what ever we want. So if you dont like Finland you r free to go. Maybe someday I will.Freedom to go…
“So if you dont like Finland you r free to go.”Maybe I don’t LIKE everything but I LOVE Finland. Here is my lovely home in beautiful place we have built with my husband.
finns are backward
finns are the coldest people on the planet and they are selffish and jealosy. They have very little knowlegde about other poleple and cultures and often assume they are superior to other peple. Eg they think an african cannot use anything with a switch, they have to first explain it to them. This way they make fools of themselves and expose their shallowness and lack of the real world outside the sauna. This way they never get to know peolple for what they are instead they either see someone who is pissed of with their behavior (and ll accuse you of not cooperating instead) or they ll see a bootlicker (in the reality someone who is desperate) and they ll take him for sub human.Never expect a finn to have guilt or show compassion or simple good will eg look at the industries serving old people. They are just there to suck them dry.evn an ordinary finn ll never visit his bedridden father they just wait for the day he dies and claim his belongings.
So,
you met those bastards as well. I'm a local and I don't like them either. There are many nice ones too, but you have to find them first. And if a Finn is sober, don't expect any public show of emotion. That is a no no. Big one. Privately we can be extremely emotional, especially when drunk. Or gay.My boy friend must be
He speaks about his feelings all the time and gives hugs like other Finns shed swear words. And he never drinks! I suspect I may have found the only Finn who's like that! And he's not even a young man but middle aged.Sounds like me.
Congratulations.Just so you know
Most Finns consider warmth and compassion a weakness, and being attached to your parents after you're 25 means that you never grew up. Most Finnish parents are authoritarian and controlling and just want to exploit their children if they are "sensitive", so the children steer clear of their parents in adulthood.A "bootlicker" is a person who can't come up with something to provide for themselves and is considered stupid and servile. And for the not co-operating part, if you are not here to get on with the program, the attitude is usually "get the f* out". The Finnish Army is a huge part of Finnish culture, particularly the management style which may be perceived as authoritarian and a "steam roller" type if you know what I mean. Then again the workplace is not a democracy and the boss is the one who takes the risks so it makes sense.
The Finns
have this strange attitude, it seems, that they cannot change anything in their society and that those in power cannot be influenced. I think there is a passivity in our mentality, unwillingness to cause ripples, complaining only when nobody is listening.In Finland people obey the laws, obey the government, obey the police, obey all the officials, and have the illusion that all those people have the citizens' best interest in heart. They may vote, but what's the use of that? You only have so many candidates in only so many parties to choose from, and they are all the same. There is little real public debate in Finland. Everything is left for the big brother to look after.
'obey the laws'...
I wonder do you ever read daily newspapers? It's very often one sees headlines about not so honest, educated well-to-do-finncitizens. Involved in frauds with taxation etc criminal business transactions and activities.I haven't read
for nearly twenty years. I guess I'm speaking about the Finland I used to know. Perhaps the country is different now.Can you read Finnish?
where ever you are you have access to finnish newspapers via internet. At least you can catch up on major news. www.iltasanomat.fi www.iltalehti.fi www.hs.fi or you can just write the name of the publication in the googles search box and press enter. Good luck! And yes, not all Finnish citizens are honest, don't know if they ever were...?!?Iltasanomat
cup of tea, nor am I all that interested in Finnish papers in general. This Suomi24 discussion forum is just about the only place I get 'news' from Finland and practise my language.Just a penny
And how about African homicides and genocides and rapes and corruptions ?? Twat..... just live your life.This same happening in Uk and more,every weekend!!
susan berner
I read your entry on Finland, and laughed til I cried. My mom is Finnish with 12 brothers & 1 sister, Elmi---the brothers are Toivo, Oiva, Arvo, Eino, Nilo,Sulo, John, Bill, Kenny, Laurie, Harold, and 1.. I can't remember at this time, ha, ha,My Grammpa came from Helsinki, where he met my gramma Sel'inaa. They came to the U.S.A. in the late 30's or early 40's-and made a farm in michigan, a cold farming town, I think he worked in the copper mines then. His name was Erick Vuorenmaa, he lived until 95 and worked like a dog all his life. He was funny and drank , and drank, and milked the cows, and there were chickens, and 2 pigs
-and sauna every sunday and wednesday.
We would go there every summer, until I grew up.-we were from the 'city' Chicago, and they thought we were gangsters. Oh the mentality !!!
EVERYBODY drank, and drank and were predjudice, so much.
Especially the 'moosties'.
So much you said is true. My mom (92) is so racist, along with them all.
My gramma, was crabby all the time---I never saw her laugh.-Most of my uncles were nice to us neices & nephews, -but not all.
Every body worked and worked and got drunk all the time.
They thought it was normal.
Did you learn English in school?--
I think my gramma was crabby because she had so many kids., and my grampa would not eat with out Veeleeah, (can't spell it, but you know it.)
They were so set in their ways, not to let any one in their group.
We learned so little finnish, my mom still speaks it and all the brothers.
Did you know it is considered one of the most hardest languages in the world ?
Every thing you said has so much truth.
No, your country is socialist, too many taxes, and the government takes too much of Finns money.-because they let them.
I think our president stinks here and wants to make our country the same.
Buska.
They like to kill dear,there, and eat venison.I hated it, but I had such a good time there as a kid....it was a different world.
Let me know if you get this, and don't write me drunk-I'm old enough to be your "I-Dee'
Bay- va-
Mrs Susan
Getting drunk abnormal?
"Every body worked and worked and got drunk all the time.They thought it was normal."
It is normal, in many places in the world. Just because drinking more often is abnormal in the fundamentalist hypocrite pilgrim society in the US, doesn't mean that enjoying a drink would be abnormal to the human kind at large (or notable parts thereof). While for you drinking is something that degenerate alcoholists and criminals do, for many others it is a way of relaxing or coping with the surroundings.
Many European cultures include long traditions of drinking - even that of your (or your neighbour's) ancestors from England, Scotland and Ireland. The Spanish enjoy their sangria, Italians and French their wine. The Germans - their evening after work consists of TV soccer and a beer or ten.
Drinking so much as to get drunk is a bit less common in many places, but peoples from countries like Russia, the Baltic countries, Finland and Ireland all enjoy that as well. I bet even Northern Canadians and Alaskans love a drink, too. You see a pattern now: where it's cold, dark and wet nine months a year, alcohol is more or less a normal part of life.
When you say your grandparents thought drinking was normal - well, yes, it was. The fact that all your neighbours in the US are abstinent, God-fearing Calvinists, doesn't mean that for your grandparents it wasn't normal to drink. Indeed, isn't the USA supposed to be all about mixing up races and cultures. So, whatever heritage the immigrants bring with them, it surely is normal.
By the way, if you are condemning the idea that in many countries getting drunk is normal, then you should start off by looking at yourself in the mirror. After all, to many (most?) Americans eating crap for food (what you got, McDonald's, Subway, Pizza Hut and all other places serving plastic and preservatives on a platter), polluting the air with massive cars and inefficient industrial solutions, carrying guns on the streets and not caring too much about anything is the normal way of going about.
We all have our faults, and all of our habits have a downside to them. However, the Finns are not alone with their preference for a drink, and surely it is far from abnormal to get drunk after work.
you got it right
That was just what I think about Finland and finnish people. I think Finland is so negative and cold place to be in. So much racism, hate, prejudgice and inequality. If you say hello to a random stranger, you will be considered as little weird or a foreigner. And the most common response is a blank amazed gaze and some grumbling. Of course there are some exceptions and thank god to that.People aren´t well mentally but still it´s very difficult to get proper treatment. Also the healthcare system doesn´t work at the moment, especially in smaller cities. And they say that it´s like winning in the lottory to be born in Finland. It´s far from it. Oh, and the law system. It´s totally off. You can do basically everything and still get away with it. Beat someone up, rape a little kid or kill someone and you´ll probably just get the minimum sentence. Except when you try to avoid taxes or something else that is associated with money. That´s a totally different chapter. Then you´re definately going to jail for a ridiculously long time compared to the action. I would say that Finland´s almost completely rotten. If I would have said this someone in person, I probably would have get beaten up and left on the ground because everyone thinks that it´s not their business. I don´t know if this negativity and things being bad part of finnish character or an epidemic that is all over the world.
In the end I have to say that not everything´s so fucked up. We have a beautiful nature (in some places). There´s enough food and fresh water for everyone.
But hey, at least we have an awesome summer...
Finnish justice system
"Oh, and the law system. It´s totally off. You can do basically everything and still get away with it. Beat someone up, rape a little kid or kill someone and you´ll probably just get the minimum sentence. Except when you try to avoid taxes or something else that is associated with money."You've been fooled by the scandal media. There's actually nothing wrong with the Finnish justice system. It's just that there are too many assaults and batteries as well as rapings of "minors", and too active a system of law enforcement. Whereas in the US and most of Europe even batteries are settled out-of-court or by civil actions, in Finland the state has to intervene and prosecute publicly. That derives from the Nordic social model whereby the state takes care of (i.e. serves) the people.
As a result, not everyone can be thrown in jail upon their first offence as there are not enough jails. Now, recidivists and serious offenders do go to jail - but the scandal media does well in neglegting that. They just publish news on whenever someone has been let off on a conditional sentence (i.e. sentence without prison time) or has been sentenced otherwise very mildly.
And what comes to child molesters - well, in case of true paedophilism, the offender will be locked up, either in jail or in a high security mental hospital. What you read in the scandal newspapers is not about that, however. According to the law, you can be tried for child molestation if you're 18 and make out with a 15-year-old. That is absurd to many foreigners as it is just normal that kids around that age go out and explore sexuality.
Most cases of child molestation are about a 18- to 21-year-old guy and a 14- to 16-year-old girl. When you read the newspapers, you will not know the facts of the case. But I can assure you the facts go something like this: the girl and guy went out or met at a party. They both got a bit too drunk. They went somewhere private and started kissing. The guy made a move and touched the girl intimately or had sex with her. The next morning the girl, sobered up again, got second thoughts and went to the police.
Now, according to the criminal code, regardless of the circumstances, touching intimately a "child" of age of 15 or less can be punishable, and it will have to be tried in court. As these things happen all the time and everywhere (even in other countries), it is no surprise that the prisons would be filled up to the roof if every drunken fool had to be locked up for going on second or third base with a teenage girl. Instead, if they are first-timers, they're let out on a conditional sentence. Then the scandal newspapers write in big capital letters how the Finnish justice system is rotten.
Finally, what comes to the harsh sentences on financial and white-collar crimes: in the last decades there has been a move towards economic freedom (the European Union, globalisation, internet banking and electronic money transfers...), and with that the threat of crimes such as fraud, deceit and e-robberies has been increasing. Some years ago the Finnish Ministry of Justice put on its agenda a plan to give a clear message that such crimes will not be tolerated in Finland.
According to criminologist theory, a number of factors render financial crimes severely punishable. The most important ones are that usually (always?) they are highly pre-meditated and planned; they have far-reaching consequences on the welfare of the people; and the offenders often will remain in possession of their hidden criminal gains (millions of euro). In order to tackle high-profile financial crimes, the cost/benefit equilibrium has to be shifted on the cost side: otherwise, committing a 20-million euro fraud is easier if the risk includes just a few months in jail.
This reasoning is not peculiar to Finland. Instead, it's the same pretty much in all Western countries. You should remember that in the US, B. Madoff was sentenced to 150 years in a maximum security prison. It is clear that he will never enjoy the criminal gains he was able to hide before getting caught.
Sorry to hear
HelloI'm sorry to hear you have such bad experiences of living in Finland. I'm a native finnishman and I still must say that I really like my country (I like my friends and family, finnish nature my summerhouses, baltic sea lakes, lapland sauna etc.), though there are many stupid people in Finland. Fortunately Helsinki is such big city and therefore I have a chance to choose my friends :) (We also have lots of nice people in Finland, unfortunately those racist people will be more clearly seen in Finland) Think about a situation in a crowded train carriage, black man comes into a train and some drunk bastard will yel him some impolite things. All the others in the carriage are quiet maybe because they are shy or even afraid of that threateningly behaving person. Even in that case there exactly and only one bastard in a train! Most people in Helsinki are not racists, thats my point. By the way, are you racist against estonians and russians as you mentioned in your text. You should neather make generalizations I have met many nice people from estonia and russia.
?
Countryside people have low esteelfm and are inside turn . Bollocks. Where u from? Mellunmäki?just bot to agree..
Keeping it short and simple,we appear in various kinds, just as in any country. It's true we don't have that much culture coz' we're relatively quite young and small country. We've been here as a nation for several hundred (ok, you can disagree with that, but most of our DNA is based from those people coming through Karjalan kannas eventhough there are some people/families in Finland that have DNA which still comes from our native ancesters.
In my opinion in Finland there is the thing is about the country ((and it's borders) as in all scandinavian countries). We don't really care about politics or the way our country seems like in an eye of a foreigner. I think that's quite right too.. but not fine as wanting to keep up some political or even any debate.
In Finland we have this kind of an attitude to not to give up... and it can be seen in very numeral ways.
It's just something that we are, what we've been driven to, as a country/nation.
We don't have similar national identity (apart from that to be held from the WWI) 'coz we've lost some parts to our much bigger neighbour for us to put it little bit too cocky on the way. We are really not a nation, we are more like 3 different kinds of those living inside same borders and feeling relatively nice with that :)
xD
top 3 suicide xDDDDDD omg do a little bit recearch before you say anything*Sigh*
As I read these answers, I can't get anything more than sad. To think that everyone seem to think that everyone in Finland are like that. True, some of us are, but not everyone.It may be true that we don't have almost any of our original coulture left, but can you blame us? I mean after all we've been trough: being in the center of warzone and being just parts of Sweden AND Russia... How do you think we're supposed to stay as we are after that?! Then add internet, religions...
But, I guess that I'm one of the lucky ones. The ones who have a good place to live, who didn't have to go trough too much bad things and appreciates what they have. I know about the things you have been talking about and I'm not saying that everything you have said wasn't true. But Finland is like one of those optic pictures, which you have to look in a certain way to see a different side of it. I know that I may sound naive, but I think that Finland is a great county, if you can look at it from the right angle. If you can't, that's your loss.
A little correction
When I said that 'everyone seems to think' I didn't mean everyone. I was just so furious that I kind of ignored and forgot about the good posts. I sicerely apologise about that.This is my country
proud of it.This is a cold dark country. Walking today in Hesperia Park we saw only one wild rose,
no other flowers.
your school project
"What do you think about finnish people? Do you think they are all punch of drunken sweatsuit wearing people? I'm doing a schoolproject on the subject and I would appreciate your answers :) "I would suggest that you would do a little more research on the subject than ask for opinions on suomi24. Most people on here are Finnish and you're asking 'what do you think about Finnish people'. You're likely to get stupid modest answers or racist comments from foreigners.
What if the answer is 'they are better than you gyppos, did your country fight the former Soviet Union in the 2nd world war like the Finns did?' What were you or your parents doing at the time? Which side was your country on in the second world war - the soviets or Finland? - The soviets or the free world?
Well, mostly
OK. However some, pretending to be some kind of Finland's Swedes, give a very bad image of themselves. As if they were something better than the rest of the Finns.i'm
with an angelic Finn guy, so any answer I give would definitely be biased :)Hi
finnish people they are fucking stupid and crazy i wish i have never been adobted to this fucking shit country and spending 20 years of my childhood here...believe me it has made serious problems to me.finns are a cave people,i haven t been able to socialize with them,only i have been able to socialize with people from other cultures.
Finns are very bitter and emotionally invalid people
hi
I am currently living in greece and people here have opinion that finnish people are too shy and it s cold like in siberia in finland.They also think that people in finland are too hard to abroach socially.
First comment that i heard was that isn t it very cold and quiet there in finland when i first spoke that i have lived in finland
i am originally from greece and it s like day and night the culture and people
....normal-unnormal
hi
and for me it seems that finnish people are even so stupid that they cannot understand these things if you say to them.well what do they understand...nothing....loosen up - Silvio
I should take You Silvio to sauna and to see an ice hockey game one day !I am afraid that - You dont just speak any suomi ?
We could drink some salmiakki and then talk talk talk...
What do You say ? Do You like snow and winter sports at all ?
thoughts
Dear Silvio.Have you ever considered why this is so? If you go about telling people how fucking stupid and crazy they are and how you hate at living here, do you think this will inspire friendship among anyone?
silvio,
putting aside what kind of people finns are, but you were adopted and raised by finns. i think you should be grateful for them instead of cursing and blaming.Upsetting to read
It is very upsetting to read these comments from both Finnish and foreign people. I think people are very easy to categorize by their nationality and skin colour etc. It's a fact that different countries have their own culture and habits and that sometimes it's very difficult to adjust to culture different from your own. We have started a new era on this planet. Traveling is a hobby to people, I wish they could take the best out of it. It's easier for all of us to visit and work in different countries. That is a good thing and should be appreciated.I know lots of Finnish people who don't like Finland. I also know foreign people who've tried to live in Finland and didn't enjoy it. And I do know both Finnish and foreign people who love the country and who love how well things work here. That's mostly why I think it's down to ones personality whether or not they like it here. No matter where you go you face difficulties in your life. You meet people that you don't quite like and you meet people who you love. I hope the world was better place and we could enjoy it no matter what we do. Unfortunately it's not always that way and every single one of us just have to take the best out of it.
We have almost 6 million people here in Finland. I love to meet foreign people and I love to learn from other countries. I envy people who are able to go abroad and work there. I've done it myself but I've now started a family here. There is a difference between jealousy and enviousness. I would encourage anyone I meet to go and search places abroad. I also encourage foreign people to come check Finland.
6 million is not a lot. But it's an amount that can hold lots and lots of different kind of personalities. I, as Finn, am obviously very sad to hear what some other people think of us. But I can understand full well that Finland can be tough for foreign and even Finnish people themselves.
Wish a pleasant life for anyone who arrives here from another country! Hope you can find some lovely things and you meet nice people as well!
Emotionally invalid,
and I think it describes our nature so well. It has taken me years of living abroad to even begin to open up to other people and enjoy life, trust others and expect that they are mainly friendly. There is a sadly pessimistic streak in our national culture. We have poor self esteem. We think that others laugh at us because there is basically something wrong with us.Or that's how things were. I'm 46, and people of my age still mainly belong to the old school of Finns. The younger generation, however, has started to communicate with people around the world - Internet makes it easy for all of us now. I'm certain that our beautiful country will eventually be inhabited by a happy and well adjusted people.
Climate also has an effect on our personality. It's not so easy to socialise when it's cold outside and the last thing you want is to go and visit your neighbours. At summer even us Finns are happier and more talkative.
I hope that kindergartens and schools will do their utmost to help the younger generation to grow into human beings who can adjust living anywhere, with people from any culture - cosmopolitan people, people of the world.
My dearest friends are both Finnish and foreign. So are my enemies. I like to think I take people as individuals.
*ashamed*
Myötähäpeää tunnen ku luen joitakin näitä juttuja täältä, suomalaisten suomalaisista kirjottamia... Englanninkielen taito niin hakusalla monella... Punastuin häpeästä ja äkkiä pois. Siis eiköhän tuo avaajan kysymys ollu suunnattu ulkomaalaisille jokatapauksessa?Finland defending the free world
I'm sorry but I couldn't be bothered to read all of the replies.My opinion on the Finnish people is that they are very cool, they respect other peoples and they are proud of their independence.
The rest of the world were pretty much on the same side with the soviets while the Finns fought for their independence. Finland was, and is, the frontline between the civilized world and the Evil Empire.
During the 2nd world war, the Americans were high on marijuana and on the same side with the Soviets while Finland was defending the free world.
Before i went there a friend of mine had said that people in finland have calm and deep souls. Who knows.. what lies at the bottom of it? impossible to find out..
The first weeks of my coming there i only spread fear and suspicion around. I dont know if they considered me as an agent or terrorist or something but i saw the fear in their face very clearly. I guess it was my black hair. Later, may be, when it is come to an agreement that neither i am "this" or "that", that i am actually nothing at all, i started to see eyes opened with amazement and lips twisted with sarcasm instead of wrinkled foreheads with being startled. I can't imagine anything more or as bothersome. My most simple, plain, natural movements appeared them as odd as a clown's somersaults and springs in the circus.
When i spoke to them they were gawping at me as if they didnt understand anything. Then, they were murmuring something to one another, and this time i knew that i am understood, but disapproved.
Instructions, manners, good models they are all temporary things and there is no possibility for a human to get changed unless the environment change. Every evening i have been thinking the earth come to an end. And for this reason, every morning, when i opened my eyes, i was disappointed. "one more day?" , and "which day!"
Weariness and monotony were in the air, it simply gets you and you just start to become one of that people. I really used to loose my time sence, there and then, since everyday was exactly the same. Only saturdays you go to a bar, drink as much as you can till you forget who you are, and hardly find the way home.
It is said committing suiside is common in finland, i think they dont need to do anything special because living there is simply a suicide.
Deep and calm souls? Well, it's calm, deep at the bottom of a pitch. Trapped down there, no way up and out. Is that what we are? perhaps so. I escaped to another country when I was young. After years abroad, when I returned for a visit, I was stared at as if I was something strange. The only feelings that were expressed were negative. No joy, no delight in meeting again, no curiosity about my years overseas. Their world was that little town, that little country. Anything else was unimaginable.
I loved the weather in Finland. It was the people I ran away from and still feel reluctant to return to.
What a shame you were treated so stupidly. I suppose you stayed in a small town. Larger towns are slightly more civilised, i think.
When I'm in a buss and ask for someone what time is it, I don't have to afraid that that person says "painu vittuun" to me. Those who talks like that just have an attitudeproblem.
So I don't think Finns are so bad. :)
U people considerate too much only in negative things. U people frogot there is issues with other countries too?
About being friendly.. Our culture is like that its strange to just start talking to strangers. But if we get to know that stranger really well I think we are pretty loyable friends.
About racism. U see the little amount of people doing it but u don't see bigger group of people thinking its stupid? Then are u really clever?
And don't u people deny that immigrant people don't do criminality too.
And. were not all drunks. And wach how much they drink example in England xD
Well... Im 16 and im not sure if this message is really in somekind of order.. Why did i even bother to write this. Dunno...
Finland today is a maddening megamachine
As you can see, Finns try to keep their heads together by telling themselves that they are really living in the most wonderful country in the world. They're like: hey, we have quality services and free education, hurray!! But none of that changes the fact that the society is just one maddening megamachine. Nothing matters in Finland nowadays except work and consumption and keeping up appearances for neighbours and relatives. There is nothing easier in this country than becoming a washed up basket case. Anyone who doesn't immediately succeed in life is considered a complete failure and a burden to the rest of society, which is why many young people just give up and get diagnosed with something in order to fit into at least some category.What?
Finnish people are really nice, I have been there 20 + times and not just to big cities. I find them to be kind, friendly and polite. sure they may be a little reserved at times. that is good, it's nice to find people who are not always shouting and talking crap.”Straightshit” is probably one, though I don’t really believe that he would be older than 18. His thoughts are incomplete, naïve and just sound exactly like the thoughts of a generic teenage dropout anarchist. No offence, but his English skills also doubt me. Can someone who speaks English that poorly actually pass the primary school? Oh well.
There are a lot of people in Finland who claim to hate their country and keep saying they want to move somewhere else. And who are they actually?
For example Johanna Tukiainen, the mocked erotic dancer and the secret lover of Ilkka Kanerva, the ex-member of the Parliament.
Arto Paasilinna, a writer who got a lot of negative publicity for messing around drunk.
The teenagers who didn’t get to the schools or universities they wanted to get in.
The people (the immigrants AND the Finnish people) who don’t get jobs easily because of their weak linguistic abilities or their lack of studies. And the list goes on…
And why don’t these people move abroad if living in Finland simply sucks? That’s probably because living wouldn’t really be easier for them in any other country…
Yes, violence is quite usual in Finland but it doesn’t mean that people ACCEPT it. Violence usually happens at the homes of people, and that’s why no one isn’t really able to intrude, if the victim won’t reveal the violence herself/himself. Alcoholism is also usual, but mostly in the small, distant cities and among the unschooled underclass.
Prejudices
are a way to belong; people who share prejudices feel they are "us" against "them" they are suspicious about. I'm sad about the Finnish culture and never was happy there. I'm not a teenager, nor a dropout, not stupid. I had work in Finland and am working in my new country, happily. I left because I wasn't happy in Finland. I'm staying put here because this is a good place to be. Returning to Finland would be a step backwards, and I have no reason to return. I look forward. I am a well functioning member of this society. Lonely, perhaps, and still don't feel perfectly at home, but living alone here is a lot better than living in my old familiar circumstances in Finland. I watched the movie "Being There" in which Peter Sellers portrays how an autistic person can be lucky in life. Perhaps Finnish people, in all their autistic tendencies, have been very lucky to make a success of their country, at least in material sense, if not spiritual. We are such oddballs that other peoples think we must be better than them, as nobody can really be as stupid as a Finn appears. And why not? Let's have them keep their illusions.You cant even drive a car after two beers
Have You ever been to Suomi ? In Stockholm - St Peterburg and - Tallinn tourist from Finland are different - than thoseo who go to work every morning.You must remeber that 80% of pop is still working every day.
Work is work everywhere !
Finnishesarenotsoracistsasmanythinks
Sum1 said that finnishes hates gays. well in some countries someones have killed gays and so... WHATS WRONG WITH U PEOPLE. FINLAND IS DA BEST!!!suomi is much easier to foreighners
I just wonder why all english people doesnt speak suomi ?It would be much easier if You just start to speak suomi - if you know what i mean !
There's good and bad things in any country, or can you name me a country without any racists or mean people. I guess you can't. I just don't think Finland is the worst at all.
to be or not to be
Racism is quite interesteing word - that has a different meaning in every country !I suggest that people would use - being different more !
I wonder if Finns hate each other so much
they all all so 'different' from the rest of the world? Finalnd is such a beautiful country, and in many ways well organised, but people's attitudes make it a hard, if not depressing place to live. And I'm white, and born there. It must be difficult for you, as a black person. On the other hand, you're helping to improve our prejudices just by being here and being an interesting person. Little by little this country will open up to the rest of the humanity, one hopes.Yeah
As a native Finn I wish to answer. One note though, I am not a typical Finnish man.Here's my list of Finnish issues:
- fine-grained racism, being a foreigner in Finland means you are not taken so seriously
- extremely tightass pennysavers, eberybody saving ass and dick off
- alcoholism a big problem
- nobody, I repeat NOBODY cares about Finnish teenagers, see above, home, summer hut and
DVD set more important
- Finns never spend no money (zero, zeeeeeeero) money to clothes (as u can see that easily)
- Finnsih women also only thinks about money and security, but at the same time dreams about
rich foreigners which would not be like Finnish men
Fucking cold and homogeneous tribe. Sad but true.
In summer time most are a bit more relaxed.
Leave immediately!
Come to a sunny place where people are friendly.They are awesome.
I was in Finland(Helsinki) last summer.And so must say it's the best country I have evere seen.As a remembered,finns were so friendly.Actually I haven't seen any drunken finns in the street.On the contrary,they did too much sport,always running,riding and so on))Once,I was strolling along the park with my father,it was befor football Russia-Finland(and i'm from russia) so one finn came to us,talked and wished good luck.It was great!
Well,in other places they were pleasent too,and I've got only fine memories from your country.)Anyway,when returned to Russia I decieded that I must now finnish and so I'm learning it now and will go for tranning in April.Hope I'll know it soon/
So,thank you Finland for cute holidays,And you're lucky to be finn.:)
When in Rome act like the Romans do... Maassa maan tavalla
Both immigrants and refugees in Finland have largely themselves to blame for any hate they recieve some people come here and pay the better and safer life they get here for free back with being racists themselves and disrespect for their hosts us the Finnish peopleI have many friends of many colors I have no problems with people who are respectful towards the culture and ways of the country they visit or move into respect the people and the country and the laws of that country... learn the language yes its hard... too bad nothing good comes easy...
try to integrate you are not here to turn this into a frigin muslim backwaterland this is christian backwaterland
I'm not even religious but its OUR LAND OUR CULTURE OUR RELIGION you ARE IN NO POSITION TO MAKE DEMANDS ON HOW OUR CULTURE OFFENDS YOU YOU ARE HERE COS WE GIVE YOU A SAFE PLACE TO LIVE IN GET IT IN YOUR EFFIN HEADS THAT WHEN WE FINALLY GET ENOUGH OF YOU... WE WILL JUST KICK YOU THE FCK OUT NO MATTER IF YOU GET KILLED WHERE EVERY YOU WILL BE DEPORTED TO...
We want good people here we dont need any frigin parasites if you are a goodhearted person I dont care if you are purple I will like you... but disrespect my country and our ways and I will smack the archaic pagan culture right out of you and that doesnt make me a racist it just makes me a person who takes no crap from people with no rights to give us crap...
I know there are pure racists here too those guys are prettymuch everywhere...
You just need to remember being a racist is not a phenomenon limited to "white" most blacks I meet hate the white people fantasize about taking a white mans wife xD how effed up in the head you have to be to have that kind of poop in your brain? the also have several insulting names for white people whitey, cracka... some that come to mind...
I'd like to see you get off your whiny hypocritical high horse and face reality you want to be treated good? then deserve it... moving to a country and hating its inhabitants isnt gonna cut it anyone with brains would realize this... oops I called you stupid guess what... you are...
I think its time for Finnish people to stop bending over and taking stuff in the rear for these demands for the people we allow to enter out country and start making demands our selves...
Jatkoa Edelliseen
lets copy Australia's immigration laws and procedures lets see if we get proper respect then when we demand they learn our language and can support themselves.. and deport any foreign criminals the instant they commit anything more severe than shoplifting... any violence = out...Then they learn proper respect before they are allowed among general population and we can also add psychological profiling as a part of the entry qualification... we weed out alot of the wackjobs we also put all kinds of fees (copy Australias) on paperwork etc to cover the costs of these things damn if you pay 10k euro to get here you can pay 5k to get in...
and you black man saying we dont want to hire black people here... yes because you are lingually impaired... learn Finnish... stop whining... geez... if you are good at what you do and a nice person I say most wont be bothered by your skin color it is your own lack of required skills and your attitude problem that prevents your employment...
so a checklist for you who want to be a part of this nation and feel at home here
1. Respect towards this country its ways, laws and its inhabitants
2. Will to integrate ofcourse you practice your religions and cultural things in your homes and your own places to do so do not tell us we cant have bibles in hotels or christmas celebrations in schools cos it offends you... you are in NO PLACE to make demands... we have gotten enough of that you need to know your place... this integration also means learning our language... also teaching your children that we are just as good people as the people of your religion and color are that is what our schools and most parents teach... not only to be tolerant but to embrace people of any culture and color ofcourse not everyone sees it this way but I have yet to see a parent that teaches their children racism... even people with racist views themselves teach their children to be better... and thats bloody amazing I wish I'd see this kind of behavior from the other side of the fence...
3. A positive attitude and a drive to take a little crap you hating every Finn cos some give you shit makes you a racist and a hypocrite if I did what so many people who come here from whatever hellhole and hated every race that ever did anything bad I'd hate everyone...
4. If these things seem unreasonable to you ... GTFO or get the fck out as they say thanks if you read this far and baibai.
Ja sille Suomalaiselle vinkujalle jonka mielestä on niin paskaa kansaa ja paska maa kuten eräs ystäväni sanoi mene asumaan ulkomaille pitemmäksi aikaa tulee suurimmalle osalle ikävä kotiin tässä maassa ei oo muuta paskaa ku meidän maan johto jolla ei oo mitään parempaa tekemist ku vetää ihan kohtuutonta palkkaa ja palkankorotuksia samaan aikaan kehottaen kansaa maltillisuuteen palkankorotustoiveissaan... muah tyhmiä me ollaan kun ei olla barrikaadeilla...
Agree with you
Happyheart - I fully agree with you.I am a Finnish woman, and not at all proud of it. Moved back here and it was a great shock really!
People are very self-centered, and rude. No smiles, no sorry, thank you, kiss my ass. Now, you could say that cold people do not HAVE to smile, but one would expect some sort of politeness, like when opening a door to a mother with a pushpram, no smile and thank you, only rude and strange comments.??
They think of being educated, but educated person is polite, and well mannered, so I would say Finnish people are metsalaiskansaa (from the forest). Peasants.
They have no drinking manners, really a big problem here (but then again the state makes good money from alcohol), you can smoke nowhere soon, not even outside.
There is no freedom (see above).
They are racists, even towards me, as do not possess any more the monotonous Finnish non-existing habits, but have travelled thus educating myself in different cultures. My foreign husband has been beaten and threatened several times (NB. he is NOT black).
Their outlook of world is very small.
WOmen are generally very easy (with opposite sex) and have no self-respect whatsoever.
Spontaneity is a word they do not know, everything runs like a clockwork, too much.
Now I must be off, to pack my suitcase to get far from here.
Words are meaningless.
It would seem that some foreigners think that words are EVERYTHING. Sad, simple truth is: lot of words, lengthy meaningless conversations are MEANINGLESS bullshit. Why do you not try to say something meaningful instead. Or why do you oh, so high and mighty foreigner... why don't you use gestrure language instead of words. You are an imbecill, you are an amoeba mr./mrs. foreigner. We do not care about the discussions like:"the weather is rainy". Look:A beautiful red shirt! If you find us rude. GET THE fuck OUT OF HERE.Finns are racist, the country is shit, there are only 2 good things about it the 1st one is that it has free and easy education. The other good thing (and definitely the best of Finland) is the fact that Finnish girls are easier than Finnish schools. Maybe it's because a lot of men have small dicks in this part of the world.
:)
Oh yes, sweetheart, we can handle the truth.I'm a finnish girl and YES: I LOVE MY COUNTRY! I don't give a damn if you think that Finland is such a shitty country. Okay, that's what you think, but I don't! And I won't let anyone to change my mind.
Let me tell ya, we finns do have manners.
If you're a foreigner and you've unfortunately met only those finnish people who didn't respond to your welcome, does that immediately give you the vision of Finland and finnish people?
Okay, we do have jerks here. We do! I can admit that. But in the other hand, don't you think every country has those jerks, do you? If you've only met the idiots here, well i'm sorry, but try to get to know some other finn. Don't judge the Finns for the "sorry" which wasn't heard from a finn that accidentally pushed you.
If you open your eyes and try to learn a little bit of Finnish culture, you will see a huge difference. We Finns are (most of us) friendly and caring. We love to learn about different cultures and languages.
None of you have said anything about our language skills which I'm very proud of! Generally every Finn can speak english, some of us better and some of us worse. But the main thing is: all of us can!
It indicates that we do respect other languages and we are eager to learn.
Some of you guys said that we never smile! Duh? That sounds hilarious to me. When I started to think about myself, I don't even recognize how do I look and am I smiling when I'm walking alone on the street. I think about a lot when I'm alone and I really don't think about the expression I have on my face. So if I don't smile, come and talk to me and you'll surely see a big smile. Besides, we Finns are mostly shy and reserved. It's just a part of our personalities, we can't change it. And what makes me very angry is that foreign people cannot understand that! If we're acting "coldly" it's not because we are cold for real, it's because we're reserved and that usually is taken by rudeness which I find very sad.
Finnish people love the sauna. We love the nature. We love to spend our summer-days at our cottage, swimming in the cool lake. We love to travel, we love to see the different cultures and places in this world. We love to meet the people from all over the world. At least most of us do.
I do have a lot of friends from other countries and I wouldn't mind to get more!!
If you hate Finland and you think this is the worst place to live, well I hear you, but don't judge all of us about something we haven't done.
And for those of you that are planning to visit Finland: Welcome! I'm very happy to get foreing people over here.
but if i could chose to go back to my country i would,,shitty thing is that the economy is so fucked up there its hard..but the approach with people is so different...(im not saying that in my county they are all nice,,,no no...but the manners,,attitude towards even stranger makes u feel always welcome,,and in finland,,,,ive never been invited by anyone I know...maybe my caracter i dont know...but also because i ended up in wrong working place,...too young,,,and im convinced is because im a foregnair..so i have different view..and i dont speak enough finnish yet.---its always been me,,inviting people over for dinner,,,and we never seamed to have got invitation back!!no,,cannot even compare the difference with my culture and this.......
hi
im living in finland.i think problems r everywere, a bit different but u hve.i agreed abt dat finnish people r strange n its bcz of dere culture.but most important things is dat dere systems works pretty well n i like dat.
LIVE IN FEAR
I have live more than 20 years in Finland.I am not finish...thank`s GODFinish peolple are scare and they fear : LOVE, FRENDS,NEIGHBOURS JOY, CLOSENESS,FRENDLINESS,SOBERNES
Thay cant see them self,as we see them because thay just dont know haw better person can be.
Thay have no standart of high education,thay just thing that them school are the best..
Thay are hidong rasists,but as people of two faces ..thay try not to show it.
Why in Sweden all the big stores are full of foreigners as a workers.. but do you see.. here you can work as an ingener in Nokia for half pay o a cleaner.. so that better jobs are for finish people who dont even like and know how to speak or have a small talk.
Mans mast be drank for a small talk.. and womens drank for making love. Thay deserving each other.
I like to live in more internasional Finland.. to meet more foreigners ,because only thay can bring the light,love and warmnes to this people heart.
Please dont give up.. THAY NEED AS.. AND WE NEED EACH OTHER
NO MANNERS NO ETHICS
I HAVE SO MANY THINGS TO SAY:::I understand no one will talk in different language in own country with own folks, but hey if there is one foreigner WHY the hell NOT !?!
Finns can have the dinner -lunch of few including one foreigner, and they will still continue talking in finnish!
The worst about it - they don't even realize it is very RUDE! COmes to the point -Finns have no personal ethics, no social ethics and so on...
It happens to me and my friends very often, even though our finnish friends don't dislike us they just simply have no good MANNERS!
Either way - done on purpose or not only well educated middle age, truly international, open minded finns respect minority and they gladly show interest in them trough english conversation- even if it is just basic dinner talk. That's the ethical behavior. AND RARE!
Honestly I think Finnish people need to work hard on some good social mannars and other ethics , and on the other hand -foreigners need to understand they can't expect good manners from Finns cause this is not in Finnish culture.
I think " finnish feminists" need to let go sometimes and act more like real women and show some class. They drink, smoke and curse way too much and no wonder guys treat them like a dude and no wonder they have bad reputation not only in FInland but worldwide as a " easy chicks".
Being easy DUDEtte is faaaaaaaaaaaar from being independent woman.
Independent woman is one who is smart, happy with herself, know what she wants from life, and most of all RESPECTS herself.
Finish girls max max max LACK on that last one.
In the long rune this behavior will bring only separateness in their relationships, marriages and they will blame guys for it.
When the truth is it is they were the only reason why none of the finnish guys becomes nowadays a gentleman and caring husband that shares, cares and has a chance to show how strong he can be for his woman .
It's very sad to look around and see bunch of feminine acting guys who have lost their charm , manners and man strength.
By these bologne finnish feminism and wanting being equal so much WOMEN have lost their IDENTITY!
and here you go...divorces divorces divorces...
why?
because before the marriage finnish ladies want to be dudes, be just like men, they make them used to that, and after marriage they flip out, expecting from poor finnish husbands, to be once LAMB once a WOLF!
Can't you just be content and show some class?
DUMB and backwards!
Not to hurt someone's feelings, but the world and human nature has it's system set up at least since last ice age!
Type of feminists- dudenists won't make it any better, but worst especially for their family's and their own future. Of course choosing the scandinavian equality beliefs is not the only reason.
Not many young kids are raised with high VALUES and ETHICS -almost no good rules& examples at home ;
no bases at school or decent morals gained trough religion or church (well.. who goes there anyway right ?)
One solid base is enough, whatever works, but at least one thing that will make you people ."
These days in Finland almost nothing is giving youngsters great values and basis for creating their strong personality, independent polite behavior -not some lame ideas copied from the masses.
When kids are raised like that , no wonder they can't make best choices for themselves and respect themselves - be communicative and outgoing but at the same time save some decent propriety...
At the end I would like to add that ISO ROBA and in general HElsinki is a huge center of drug addicts and I am really tired seeing countless JUNKIES around Helsinki.
GOsh FInns , get some hobby instead of drugging and drinking !
Only the spring sun comes out and Finns don't want to come out for next 5 months from their local parks .. being busy getting jammed every day! And they call it happiness!!! PATHETIC!
Goodbye Finland!
Happyheart, Smilesmile and zetyka, you're so right! Everything you've said about Finland is so true! Unfortunately, I'm half Finnish myself, so I was unlucky to be born here, but, thank God, only 3 more months and I'll be far away from here, and I'll NEVER come back!!! Over 20 years wasted here, but now I hope I will really start to LIVE!!!The people, the climate, the style of living - either cold, completely reserved, or mean and aggressive (usually when drunken) behaviour, no politeness or manners, no openness, warmth or empathy.
Hided racism - foreigners either "steal" the jobs (and women), or come here to live at the expense of Finns. Finns hate the both nations that have colonized them - the Swedes and the Russians - but they forget, that without this civilizing help they might still be living like in the Stone Age! :)
As mentioned already many times here, Finnish people have very small world view, they think that they and their country are the best in everything. They consider themselves as "deep souls" (already a cliche), honest and hardworking people, who don't try to lick somebody's ass by using small talk. Still, for some reason, even Finns have a need to express themselves from time to time - usually on weekends - and then they go to Alko to get some courage first.
And the sexes are totally reversed here: women are like emotionless "terminators", who dominate the poor wimps called guys! And you don't even see any handsome men here, most are so ugly that I would like to throw up! The women aren't any better, though, but they, at least, have their make-up, and the AMOUNT of it proves my judgement... I guess it's the inbreed then...which is also the reason of the boring and homogeneous mentality of this nation? Or is it the alcohol?
So, if you like to live in a cold (both mentally and climatically), BORING country, away from the civilization, with rude, indifferent rednecks, welcome to Finland! There will even be one place more here after my leaving! :)
Finns are Finns
I just want to remind to all those Finns who are complaining how the Finns are racists, drunks, rude, ill-mannered, insecure, workaholics etc. Well, you are all one of them :)Also it seems that many are _complaining_ how we Finns are shy, reserved and don't show much emotion like it's a bad thing. In whatever country you're living now, would you go tell a shy person (who isn't good with communicating with strangers) that: "You're a failure as a person who has low self-esteem and I want to get as far away from you as possible" like you're saying about the Finns? (talk about a friendly person with high self-esteem and isn't afraid to show how she/he feels
Well, I'm not exactly trying to blame you for complaining about Finland, because it just means that you're part of the minority who aren't like most Finns (and that way don't like it here). I just don't like you having the attitude that somehow those always so bright and talkative people are better people than those who don't like showing too much emotion (but I guess that shows just that us Finns feeling that we are better than others is typical for us, as someone had said here).
I think that many Finns just prefer the idea of having few very good friends than many "okay" friends (including myself) and being open, talkative, unreserved (and all those other things that you want people to have) to those good friends.
And I believe that one of the reasons why we aren't good with handling foreigners (i.e. racism) is that we have a very small population (about 5.5million which is far less than many cities' population) so it's no wonder that we feel threatened when suddenly a large amount of people (immigrants over the last years) who look different, speak different language and have different values in life move here. I think it's going to take little time before we will feel all the foreigners as normal part of society (when I was for example in primary school, there was maybe one (out of 500) foreign student in the whole school so of course they didn't feel like normal part of our society for me). But I do believe we have started this better than the Americans (who treated black people as slaves)!
wow... so to make sweeping generalizations, as most here have done, most of the people who have replied are either jaded foreigners living in finland or finns who are ignorant and immature. i'm truly amazed at the words of most who have replied, it suggests to me that a lot of people here are themselves the exact things they so easily blame on other people (racist, ignorant, mean).
i'm a finn who has lived abroad for almost 3 years and i've grown as a person during that time. but for one i think that all those who travel or experience different cultures have a slightly different perspective on things and for another i also believe that those that haven't traveled or experienced different cultures - no matter what country they are from - can be described in those extremely hateful and generalizing ways as has been done here so much. just because someone hasn't experienced other cultures or ways of living doesn't make them bad people. isn't it really the job of the person who HAS had these experiences to HELP those who haven't to see the other side of the coin?? why should we label those people ignorant or racist, whether they're finnish or not, just because they haven't had the experiences some others have had with different cultures (through travel or through being friends with someone who's not of the main population)?
every country has assholes and people who are mean because they're insecure or whatever, but generalizing the entire finnish population as such is just ignorant and foolish... just because some foreigners understand the finnish silence as impoliteness that doesn't mean that's actually true. they are just being ignorant and close-minded themselves when they see cultural features not through the eyes of those INSIDE the culture but through the eyes of those who aren't. granted it's an easy mistake to make, but if the foreigners don't give finns the benefit of the doubt then of COURSE they'll see what they've learned to see the world through what they have learned while living in their (foreign) culture. so, if a foreigner comes from a country that expresses emotion more freely or has different cultural traditions for hellos and good-byes (for example), then it's very very very easy to interpret the behavior of finns as hostile, racist, negative when really for the most part it's far from that...
one more thing... everyone is always blind to the faults in their own culture... this is true of ALL people EVERYWHERE to at least some degree... unless you've been raised in multiple different cultures, you'll always be more familiar with your own and think it's somehow more normal than other cultures. this is what racism is based on - not just in the case of white vs. black, mind you - and everyone is at least a little bit racist, somewhere deep inside (like those foreigners in finland are when they label all finns as rude idiots and as those finns are who see every black person as a thief who gets paid welfare). what is different is strange and quite possibly worse than what you know, right?? and the only way out of this kind of behavior is exposure to different cultures. so, if a foreigner in finland feels like they're hated and discriminated on, then there are two equally valid explanations: a) the country isn't as used to having a homogeneous (varied, not all the same) culture and people and b) the foreigner is him/herself being hateful and discriminating of the country's culture that they happen to live in. in most cases it is a combination of the two.
when living in a culture that is not your own, you cannot expect everyone to bend over backwards to accommodate you, you'll have to accept that the culture you're living in has worked the way it has for centuries and you cannot change it. you'll have to adapt to it and you'll find that the people ARE really loving, caring individuals. on a personal note, i found it incredibly uncomfortable at first to hug at hello and goodbye when i lived outside of finland but now i've gotten quite used to it. similarly, i FULLY expect foreigners who come to finland to be uncomfortable with the silence or the seeming rudeness (which isn't that at all if you look any closer) at first, but if given a chance, finnish culture can be a rewarding experience with our love of solitude and silence. just give it a chance (or else you're being that racist coward you're so eager to point out as the essence of finns).
---------
Thank you for your wise and respectful comment.People often tend to interpret Finnish people being rude and unpolite if they don't adapt instantly same kinds of forms and ways to greet and to get to know new people. I really hope, that people visiting Finland or meeting Finnish people for the first time would realize that even though we don't hug or kiss or act the same way as you do, we don't want to be and we aren't rude towards you. When I meet people from different cultures, I try to adapt your ways of greeting, just to make you feel respected even though it can be uncomfortable for me. I wish that in return you would consider making compromises in the way you act and with your expectations about "the right way" to interact with new people. For some of us hugging and touching is and will be "spared" for only those most closest to us. And that should be respected.
I saw someone saying that finns know nothing about other cultures, well I would say that's bullshit. When compared to Americans or people from other big countries we know really much about other cultures and most of us also speak more languages than they speak.
Finns are shy, yes I can oly agree with that, but we aren't cold, for us it's just not that normal to talk about our feelings so much.
Many finns are depressed, I partly agree with that. Probably every finn seems to be depressed, but thats because they always look so sad, they speak so monotonic, they never smile and they act like they're always sad, but they aren't.
And about racism, maybe things like this http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/8435857.stm make us hate some immigrants. As far as I know most finns are only rasist towards somalians, Russia and Irak/Iran and their neighbours. Some situations we have reason to be rasist, but there's also streotypes which cause rasism.
At the weekends we drink alcohol, I don't really understand what's wrong with that since it makes us happier and more social. It's like americans going church every Sunday.. most people including me thin that it's strange habit and it's impossible to imagine me doing something like that.( just noticed how crappy parable that was ^^)
sorry about my bad english ..
^
Well said, "nimimerkkivarattu."I say "hello" to my neighbours (and they say "hello" to me), and I use "thank you" and "please" and so do all the other people I know. I don't see why it's necessary to talk with strangers on the bus stop. I do chat with other dog owners.
It's true that some Finns are racists, but hey, racism is a world wide thing. Calling all Finns rude is also racism! And about the use of alcohol, I don't know anyone who would be drunk every weekend. Or swell in despair and emotional pains.
I would call myself shy, but not reserved. I think there is a slight diffrence between those words. Speaking English can be a bit exciting for Finnish people, that could be one reason why Finns seem so reserved to foreign people. I have travelled around Europe, and I have met quiet and rude people even in oh-so-warm-and-friendly Greece. I still love Greece, though.
I love Finnish nature and climate. Last winter was so amazingly beautiful with lots of snow, and about week ago, Finland was the hottest place in Europe with +28 degrees! Then the rest of Europe got warm too. At least we have all four seasons, and not that kind of Irish whoohoo! rain around the year-climate. All though I have never been in Ireland, so there is a slight chance I'm talking trought my hat.
And about beeing blind to own faults; I just think people in here are generalizing a lot. Everyone has their faults, but Finland is not a frozen, cold hell.
And for rebecca.c; byebye, I'm so sorry that you had live in Finland with cold, emotionless people, but after I read what you wrote, I feel like you're not a little miss sunshine either.
rly?
So, hi there everyone! I'm not Finnish nor Scandinavian (yet), but I see Finland, as a foreigner,the most beautiful country (at least in Europe). Beautiful nature, music, berries, and everything sounds tasty xDSome posts put me to think about what's going on there. I am interested in this country, so I have a little bit of remorse somehow. How can a so beautiful country be damned with so cold ppl? Well, doesn't matter, in fact. Every country has it's good side and bad side. If Finland it's beautiful and drunk, it's ok with me. If it has good music and high taxes, it's ok again. Because everywhere you'll go, you'll find shit ^^. The only thing what most of ppl here were doing, is that they are generalizing (or smth like that). Even if 99% of Finns are racist, they are not all, because there is that 1% of "kind" ppl. So with the others. Not everyone drinks so much, nor everyone isn't caring about their family or children. Not every Finn rapes someone, nor every Finn is jealous. You get what I mean!
A thing which I do not understand it's why are you just thinking about their bad side, because every country has it's bad side. Everything in this world has a bad side (eating chocolate too).
Look just how is the country as a whole, not particular, but without generalizing the ppl in it. And if you are a foreigner going or living there, deal with the life in Finland, you could have chosen from many countries; if u don't like it, then why the hell did u go there? Deal with it and anyway, life can't be so bad there neither. Outside are plenty of countries where ppl are narrow minded also (like Romania, but not all of 'em). And if u live there, u have to find a person with which to talk smth, no? Maybe it's not ur neighbor, or someone from work, maybe will be a gardener, a seller, or whatever.
Well ... Do Finns drink SO MUCH?! I'd like to hear a simple answer. Does Finland have 420 taxes like Romania does?! I rly don't think so (I'm not trying to compare them). And again, I'd need an answer.
In some years, this country will be changed (like all of them), I hope so at least, their coldness and jealousy will disappear with the presence of foreigners (and Internet, as someone said before). Oh, hope that black ppl, muslims and others like this won't eradicate the blond-haired blue-eyed Finns ^^
Sorry for my English :(
Kiitos paljon! (I absolutely love the language <3)
Finland rocks!
And what does elephant think of me..
.. Hah. :)Finns build a very difficult barrier to give foreigners job. Unlike to the other countries, you should know and speak very well finnish you can do some basic job, something like you dont even communicate with people. That' s very stupid. And why don't Finns try to speak English ??!!
I was live here about 5 years, I can easily memorize unpleasant things than pleasant ones. But one thing I could say without hesitation is they are not friendly. Even Finns tell me that way.
could it be
... a different culture? Finns just are different than people in US for example. I hate spanish/italians/french movies, cause I can't stand the yelling and arm's wawing =D Being friendly and being quiet are not the synonyms, you know.They wont speak any other language than Finnish :D you know why? The same reason as French;
Also Finland; glorius nation in the world :D:D:D
But when a foreigner does it, he is GUILTY, we should kick all the foreigners out now
Also should include that foreigner did it; "No problem, Finnish culture and nation is still safe, it was just another foreigner, they are already shit"
So good job on your bbc article as you showed everybody here that now we have a veery good reason to think that foreigners are useless unless they come here as tourists, spend a lot of money, and go back where they came from max in a week :D
Finnish people are too curious
Not after know you for a long time, many of them ask same questions: Olen vain utelias. Mistä olet kotoisin? Miksi tulit Suomeen? Kuinka kauan asut tällä? Oletko naimisessa? Onko sulla perhettä? Onko sulla lapsia? Yksi vai kaski? Poika vai tytär? Sometimes they ask me even in front of customers. I really hate that.get the heck
out of here, if you are offended. what are you waiting for? we don't want forigners here.read here
I suggest you go reading on this new website about Finland www.forefinn.fi/ i liked it so much its not yet complete though but i found alot of usefull info in it.You are an MI6 spook. Are you not?
The honesty of this foolish land is LEGENDARY. Of course we shall tell you everything. Because he/she asked? Where do these morons get there ideas. Come and see what are we like. The English people are haughty, impolite, judge people by their clothes. LESSON INVALUABLE. PRICELESS. During a friendly gongregational visit your citizens refuse to dance with sober Finnish person. Pox upon your England, curse be upon thee. You have no manners at all for those you call 'poor' people. I advice everyone go to the England and act like a poor person.School kid
“I'm doing a schoolproject on the subject and I would appreciate your answers”………….This is what the original question was….is it not obvious that this person is a “School kid” …..many of the replies were gross, but I guess that is the Finn in you................. Prejudice……. Finns do have I have seen it first hand also your favorite thing is “if you live here learn Finnish” ….well I do speak Finnish but you do not accept it because I speak with a accent and when I learned Finnish, it was years ago and I do not have ALL the new words in my Finnish vocabulary you are more un kind towards me ……it is very hard to make friends with you as you do not have a open mind and with your “tunnel” vision you want to have the last word……not open to any discussion……..so case closed.ASDFAS
WHY OH WHY WAIT WRONG BLOG xdxdxd lolololoLOLOLOLOLOLOLLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOLOL90OLOOOLOL696969696969696969Let's face the truth
Now let's get real. The original question was about opinions of Finns, in general. Then we get a girl writing about how she smiles every day etc etc.This is an open forum and everyone is entitled to their opinions, whether negative or positive.
Apparently the Finns do not like when others critizise them, that is a fact.
Being a barefoot Finn myself, and having lived widely abroad, also discussed this matter with friends, both foreigners and natives, the conclusion is that there are good and bad persons, and influences everywhere.
But a prototype Finn - not too many smiles, keep everything to yourself, do not care of their neighbours, others (one could lie unconscious on the street and people just walk by), always counting everything in terms of money, spending. Tight (crabs in their pockets).
The women have a worldwide reputation of being easy.
No sense of dresscode, whatsoever.
Their honesty boarders stupidity.
Of course there is the beautiful climate, that is the snow in the parks, winter. But the darkness takes its toll, eventually.
They can be very polite, when want to, but racism... I do not venture to this subject.
I loooove french people
and their "I don`t give a merde what you think of me/us" attitude. So should we!!!!!Hello to everyone!
At first I have to recommend a book CULTURE SHOCK - FINLAND for you all (in Helsinki you can find it at least some librarys and akateeminen kirjakauppa). A very good book for understanding finnish culture!!! For both: finns and foreigners.REMEMBER: Finnish culture differentiates a lot to many other cultures in some parts for example manners and values of life.
There are idiots and people with low self-esteem ewerywhere! So do not generalizize, please.
This is my story in nutshell: I'm finnish guy. I used to be very shy and have low self-esteem before. Still I wanted a lot to have more friends (though I had some very good ones). With very shy approach I didn't succeeded. I was trying to find out the reason for that... The finnish media (these forums, magazines, tv programs; I will tell more about this later) offered me one: The quilty is the finns and their uncivilizized manners...
I went to travel. Abroad I was thinking just positive things about the country [which is actually good ;)] and thought people are so great and civilizized when they talk loud with hand-wawing (someone used that previusly :) ), say "polite" phrases and so on. Well, the people were still threating me the same way.
I was thinking Finland sucks and I don't belong here.
I built up as a person A LOT, started to study psicology (on my own) and getting better self-esteem and having new friends. The feeling about Finland really changed. I started to understand the phenomenon of my own culture! It was great!! Now my self-esteem is great by the way ;) and I have turned to really love my culture!! I found my homecountry at last!
Now I have a new quest in my life: I moved in to another country (here called B) with a quite diferent culture about half a year ago. Many manners, normal for B, would be extremely impolite in Finland and cause me bad feelings. I'm thinking just like many paople here: These people suck and I "hate" this new culture... Anyway I know it is just the culture shock and I just have to accept that diference. I had to choose either to come back or to stay another 6 months... I decided to stay. All the time I understand more about this culture and maybe someday I feel like it as part of mine like finnish culture :)
So, I have experience to be 1) A finn who doesn't like his culture, 2) a finn who is very proud of his culture and 3) a person who is learning a totally new culture
to be continued...
continuacion
Here some thoughs:Finns really know about and tolerate extremely lot other cultures (not all of them, African cultures for example). If for example when Italian tourists come to F and are very loudy we think: That is their nature, it's not because they are impolite. Many other countrys people really piss of because of diferent manners of their own...
Somebody said that it's hard to get a job without finnish language skills and the finns should speak more english. COME ON! Think about your country... does that happen there and if it's an english-speaking country it would be just the same if I spoke just finnish and insisted that for the others.
I don't know why you came here. But I wouldn't move to a new country without a job or language skills.
I really think the Finns are very deep people!! At least we are NOT superficial at all! Status things, money, showing-off etc things exist very little! Generally people do not show their richness. Everybody wants to be igual with others.
Finns love the silence (not allways!!), going to nature to relax and falling to their own thoughs. It is actually some kind of meditacion (not sure thought :) ) I just learned the reason for this while living in a city with more than 10 million habitants. Here I can't do that anywhere! I can't think and get energy to do allmost anything! My brains are going to explode. We just love to think and need to do that too!
We are not religious but spiritual!
Finns care other people even more than theirselves: Sometimes we do not want someone to help us because we don't want him/her to be bothered (not the best word here, but you got the idea i think)
This kind of behaviour was impolite in my new "homecountry".
Finns doesn't drink that often but when we drink, yes, we drink quite a lot :)
And I think it is normal :D
Finns have GREAT HUMOUR!! Really great! Features of finnish humour are for example: Jokes of one's self;
Alcohol ;D, complexity (Sometimes it really has that!), secularity...
Things with finnish humour does NOT have: simplicity, showing-off, "funny" faces and movements ("Jim Carrey" or "ahcmed the dead terrorist" - I can't watch them :S (youtube))
Finns also laugh more than in any other place where a have been travelling (Italy, Latin America, Sweden, Lithuania, Germany etc.) for my opinion. [Please comment]
If call all the finns racists etc. you really are a racist yourself.
Finns really don't like small talk depending on what is it meaning. We say something humorous or necessary or then we don't say anything! If there is not anything to say -> silence. In speech the quality wins the quantity!!
Finns in the cities seldom start a conversation to a person they don't know but hey, where does it happen? :D
A had a lot more on mind but don't remember anymore...
Please comment and especially for foreigners in Finland: I know it's hard to live in different culture. You just have to find good things of the culture and learn the language witch is very important everywhere! Also think why people behave like that and learn the history too!!
Great christmas time and new year to everyone!
Helsinki has been a very different experience: all my friends here are foreign except one.
So what do I think about Finland? It has been a "mixed bag" which honestly has also been the case in other countries I have lived in. One thing you will all have heard before: it is bloody difficult to meet people in Helsinki and I start to wonder how one should go about it :)?
I find it also difficult to cope with the black and white approach to things Finns have, but not to an extent where life here is unbearable. Overall, living here has been a positive experience.
In some posts above, I can read things I have read while living in other countries. Same frustrations from local people, same frustrations from expats side. This is just to say that often when talking about the country once has emigrated to judgements are not objective anymore and might reflect more frustration when comparing the host country to the home country.... anyway, that is just a thought, having been an expat in 3 different countries for 20 years :)
All in all, some pattern/topics when talking about Finland and foreigners are the same then those I heard when I lived in Ireland or my parents might have talked about some 50 years ago.... this is just to say that emmigration or whatever you call it is just new to Finland...and you will get a mixed bag of reactions: enthusiasm ... and quite the opposite at times
Awww...
I've just spent about 30 mns reading everything here and I have to say I'm very sad of what I see...I'm not French and never lived or even visited Finland. But I do have a huge interest for this country and it's people which, from the outside I do not see at all as bad people.
I've lived in Norway for a year a long time ago. I went there without knowing any Norwegian language and only a little English. It was my very first trip alone, I was just 20 and I went straight up to a farm in a village called Hattfjelldal. I arrived in this Norwegian familly and thought I was on another planet.
I met peole who were "descreet" and "mistrustfull". I think it is more conveniant than shy or reserved (in my opinion). On their side, they must have had ambiguous feelings too because being French I can seem a little "in your face" even though I'm not of an exuberant nature. But simply I've never been affraid to talk naturaly to whoever I have in front of me.
I'm telling the story because I believe that the Finnish state of mind must not be very far off the Norwegian one. I don't think it's a Finnish issue, but more a Scandinavian one actualy (but i can be wrong).
So basicaly, it took us quite a while to get used to each other and it wasn't that easy, expecialy because we had to live together (I also had to take care of four children raised in the Norwegian fashion which is very different from the French one) but progressively, we learned to understand and tame each other, I believe it takes a lot of patience, tolerance and most importantly dialogue.
I had to make the effort and to take the risk of speaking my heart in order to get them to oepn up to me. In the start it wasn't easy and I got a few bad looks, but after a while a true relation took place and they opened up as well to the point where I became almost part of the familly. I went to church with them (even though I'm not a believer) they presented me all their friends and I even got to spend long nights talking to the father's couple issues! which I thought was quite a miracle!
All of this to says that, I believe that the best way to get inside someone's closed off world is to "stand beside him/her" listen, wait and let it come. Eventualy it will hapen.
To the strangers living in finland, and who find finnish people harsh, let me just remind you of one thing: When you go to another country, no matter which one it is, the first thing you have to do is to adapt yourself and your behaviour to it and to it's people. Do not wait for them to adapt to you, because it will not happen and it shouldn't happen. When someone comes into your house, into your intimity, you expect from him to respect you and your way of life and if he goes and get himself a beer in your fridge you'll look at him like he's an arshole, and you'd be right. Well it's the same when you get in someone's country, a country is a house, with it's rules and it's own identity, and it is important that it keeps it. how would you feel if someone tried to change your identity?...
I'm saying this because as a traveler, I often see strangers not adapting to where they go and expecti ng others to change everything around them because THEY are here now. I'm not making a generality, there is allways exceptions, but most of the time it's working that way and I don't think it's correct.
Concerning the racism issues... Unfortunatly, It's the same in all countries in this mad world. And that comes from the lake of respect I talked about I think. People not wanting to adapt to where they are. it's been going on for ages all over the world. We all go along on this planet trying to apropriate ourselves everything because we just think it's normal. We forget that nothing on here is ours, and nothing will ever be. We are just people who have illusions of owning things and each other. But that's illusion.
Anyway... I'll end this saying, that, personaly, I have issues against no one, I do love people, no matter where they are from. We all have something to bring to each other no matter how many differences we have, and it makes me deeply sad to see how trivial issues can come and compromise the "true" richess that we could have if we were trying one second to put our egos apart and not be affraid to open up and take some emotional risks.
I'm still in touch with my Norwegian familly today, and I'm not affraid to tell them that I love them. They don't say it back, but I know thatit touches them deep inside and that's exactly what i want. I don't need any return. I just want them to know I'm here and how I feel because there is nothing more important in the world than knowing that you are loved and not alone in this world.
Take kare of yourselves, and enjoy your lives.
Isa
oops...
I meant I am French...:o)
If someone come to other country and say to me "hi", i say to back to "hi" and want to know where he/she coming and what he/he thinking about Finland and finnish people.
Finnish people are honest and helpful,like we are saying"kaveria ei jätetä" which meen that we do not leave ouer own friends,not even war.
Welcome to Finland:)
I am a very proud finnish 17 guy, I freaking love finland, i'm very patriotic, and yes, because of that, I will admit, I probably a bit naive, but in general, finland is great, nice people, compared to.......russians, and yes, i know, i'm a patriotic finn who doesn't like russians, a freaking shocker right? but i actually do know, i have lived in russia for a year, wen't to school there, and so on.
Finnish people have their own culture, and our nature is actually very original, we have a shit load of trees, and our nature is pretty pure, there is so very much water, and the åland area, you know ahvenanmaa, i really don't know how to write that in english, but ahvenanmaa is very very different compared to other places, its unique.
we have some foods, that other places don't have, we are kinda healthy, kinda XD
in general everything we do, is very good quality.
people are quite close to being equal, women men, and all that.
and there is probably some racism, like there is everywhere, and there might be more of it in finland because we haven't been indebendent for that long, you know free, so there might be some racism because of that, of course it's not good, it's unacceptable, but that might be the reason.
in general we are pretty good, so, if you don't like it, we are free, so you are free to go, and yes there is all ways room for improvement, but still camoon!!
I dont really have nothing against black people(As long as they don't do that kinda shit anymore like abowe), and i think most of us finns are friendly, if you are friendly to them.
People in the Eastern part of Finland tend to be more extrovert, talkative, inviting and always willing to help. People on the countryside tend to drink less.
Many Finnish share many common values though: honesty, punctuality and sisu just to name a few. Very admirable qualities.
If you are interested about intercultural differences (and similarities!) I recommend that you read Fons Trompenaar's book "Riding the Waves of Culture" for a start and then move on to Geert Hofstede.
And also u cant completely blame finnish people cuz i've realized that alot of finnish people arent 100% finnish! almost everyone is a mix of something! mostly russian or swedish and of course there r a lot more! And almost all the drunk people in finland r teenagers! but believe me that they will calm down when they grow up and realize more about life! Sure there r drunkards in finland too but what counrty hasnt!?
And im pretty sure that whatever country we would be here talkin' about there WILL ALLWAYS be something bad to say about EVERY country! None country is perfect! And if u couldn't care less about what i wrote, it's fine really cuz i said what i had to!
oh! and also the reason why we maybe be a little 'confused' i guess about the foreigners is that they r quite a new thing in finland. like my mom told me like a year ago that the first black people here in the middle finland came at the 80's and people were like O_o cuz it was new! but now there's more of them and i am friends with a lot of them and other foreigners and they r mad funny seriously!
so of course im defendin' my own country yes! but i get also what ur all others tryin' to say too and i get that! but it also matters that in where exactly in finland u r visiting/living or whatever, that how people r. and i'm sure it's the same in other countries too that in some places people dont like as much foreigners then maybe in some other places or whatever.
but life is life! no matter how much u talk about how u dont like somebody, it wont change, finnish people will be always finnish people and u will always be whatever u r!
so peace out! i'm about to go to sleep! and also that was only how I SEE this whole thing, people see things differently...
"Let here be O`Brienlution! World`s First Conandom is Finland!"
http://petrisalo.puheenvuoro.uusisuomi.fi/80932-let-here-be-obrienlution-worlds-first-conandom-is-finland
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xw20J_iUp3E&feature=related
http://storyambient.blogspot.com/
They are racist, yes, I repeat they are all racist, one cannot even find an accommodation if you have a foreign name.
their main interest is drinking, and for women, chasing men for sex.
Mostly for foreign men.
http://storyambient.blogspot.com/
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and their kekkoslowakian propaganda is as ridiculous-absurd-silly as functional to them. i laugh about that.
Meillä on kaunis luonto.Kaunis raikas talvi ja kuuma kesä.Paljon järviä.Meillä on paljon hyviä bändejä myös.Teimme Nokian.Sanoimme ei Neuvostoliitolle ja puolustimme maatamme.Pieni maa esti suuren Neuvostoliiton.Maksoimme ensimmäiseksi sotavelkamme.Vanha kunnon suomalainen sisu on pitänyt meidät tällä pohjolassa elossa,vahvana.
Olkaa perkele ylpeitä suomalaiset!
- A finn
"Romaneilla on aina ollut suuria vaikeuksia työnsaannissa. Yhtenä syynä tähän on ollut romanien tapakulttuuri. Romaninainen ei voi käyttää muuta asua kuin kansallispukuaan, ellei varmisteta, ettei kukaan toinen romani voi nähdä häntä.
Suomen 10 000 romanista jopa puolen arvellaan olevan työttöminä."
http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suomen_romanit
In english: "The Finnish Romani people have always had great difficulties in obtaining work. One reason for this has been the way of their culture. Romani woman cannot use any other clothe than her national costume or she has to make sure that no other Romani sees her.
From Finlands 10 000 Romani, half don't work."
Finnish Somali make relatively 3 times more crimes than Finns.
http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suomen_somalit
And what makes people really mad is that some immigrant communities wont even intend to blend to our culture and demand for, example seperate swimming schedules for men and women at public swimming pools. It doesn't sound very big, but if you think it in our perspective it just looks like that people come here and tell us what to do. And I DO HAVE many foreign friends that study hard and blend excellent to our culture.
If we Fins are sooooooooooooooooooooooooo damn bad people think just THINK for a goddamn second r u good at all / ur country
- They have no social manners to speak of
- they think themselves some sort of Aryans
- politeness is unknown word for them
- fobia for foreigners, of all kind
- humanity + 0. A person might be dying on metro station, no one moves a finger (this is a country where everyone carries a mobile phone!)
- their life goes past, while sorting out rubbish, paper, bottles, sardine tins, tunafish tins, milk cartons....
- bureaucracy blooms.
This all in general, ofcourse there are polite people everywhere in the world, but above is Finnish people in a nutshell. You get the picture ?
I have returned back to my roots, and boy, am I sorry to be here again.
it makes me feel sad and not proud of my country to realise that this is how people from other countries see it....
let me ask though : why is there so much people coming here anyway? and staying, they're not leaving although they're apparently hovering on verge of suicide ALL THE TIME, because of , because of the way we're treating them. Year after year.
Why do they want to waste their lives here?
Something doesn't add up.
- Romanian beggers on the streets... I have nothing against them, but I wish they would get everything in order in their lives so they wouldn't need to beg.. it gets so cold at the winter :( I've bought them warm food to eat whenever I can and can spare few minutes to get it..giving money is no use, because those ladies don't get to keep the money anyway.
- Dark skinned guys from usually African countries in the clubs, or tram/bus stops etc. ... look, I've seen these guys for decades (I'm 27) and I know what they're after... ; )
usually asking girls phonenumbers right away, or asking place to stay for a night .. I'm sorry if that makes me cold-hearted bitch but I don't accomodate people I don't know (unless they're in danger and need help) ,and I also don't give my number away just like that, after 2 minutes conversation at tram stop when I'm in a hurry..(I'm in relationship as well, so I'm not interested in anyone in romantical sense right now... I tell that to people hitting on me very politely and friendly...but oddly enough, even that don't usually make them stop.....! ).
.that way to approach is just all wrong... I don't know about other countries, (because I've never tried to talk to strangers when they're rushing somewhere) but in Finland that is too aggressive way to try when you want to get to know new people. Give people their personal space... please.
The key to any communication is respect. If the other person's attitude is all along like I own him/her something, and I kind of ' have to' talk to them, that's not gonna lead anywhere. I choose my company among all skin colors and nationalities.. jerkface is a jerkface in every country.
- English exchange students (4 girls) at my school, who always look bored and somewhat..hostile? I've tried to talk to them and I always smile and say good morning etc. like I naturally do to all of my schoolmates...but there's no response, just blank stare... odd.
then the positive : )
+ my wonderful, incredibly kind, warmhearted pen pals, Twitter/ Facebook friends, my friends' boyfriends/girlfriends, school friends and other friends from all around the world, who I love very dearly... who are similar people to me and who I really want to keep in touch with. I would never dream of not becoming friends with someone I like because that person is from another country or lives in another country..that would be very strange and sort of absurd from my part to do so, right? : )
Just remember your manners and give people some space (which they valuate high, being finns) and you'll do fine. Be active and connect with some finns through exchange student etc. activities first, then they'll probably host some parties and introduce you to their friends..that's the best and quickest way to get
bunch of finnish friends.
Good luck and don't give up - it will be worth it because after making some friends with us locals, we're your friends for life : )
that's one of our GOOD qualities : )
<3