A not so serious gloss by Stephan Struve

Moving through a foreign culture is always a challenge. The Finnish one is especially known for vast of special images and prejudices. Our author Stephan Struve encounters all-day situations and faces changes of his way of life.

Helsinki – Finland is damn cold, it is horrible snowing all the time, huge polar bears can be seen around every corner, lovely Finnish girls are eager to get to know people, resolute Finns admire to get royalty drunken (especially in the sauna) and the enormous suicide rate is cultural immanently – everybody knows a vast of images and prejudices about Finns. Matter of fact.

Stating that someone lives in Finland, always evokes surprised and suspicious faces. Questions like “How do you deal with the cold?”, “Did you hit an elk?”, “Are all the youngsters depressive?” or “Did you get along with speaking English?” are following during seconds. Inspired by a book and own impressions, this not so serious gloss will help to answers all these serious and crucial questions. A tribute to all my friends that, like me, love the Finnish culture.

Cryptic Words

Honestly, I really intended to learn proper Finnish, but already some hints in Germany stressed its particular nature. Language guides for common languages have a mid price range. Asking for a Finnish language book floated my eyes with tears instantly: It was the treble price. I did not want a book containing pages with gold stripes! Sparing my student budget I decided to catch useful phrases and vocabulary at the face and by the help of Finns. A big misjudgement – computer freaks would say “Trial and Error”.

Exact pronunciation and tremendous length of words impose my early surrender. It is my own travel through a cryptic language that sounds like a random jumbling of vowels and consonants. My biggest fear is to dislocate my pine. I really do admire those brave and skilled foreign Finnish speakers still struggling with grammar. My vocabulary is very, let’s say modest and comprised essential basics like ordering a different amount of beer in a bottle or from the tab. But two particular sentences are my pride and joy: “My mother is an astronaut. She lives on the moon.” – Minun äiti on astronauti. Hän asuu kuusa. There is no better icebreaker to perform a grin on a Finnish face. Test it! My other sentences are more “down-to-earth” and common known. Actually, it is really a disgrace for someone who lived already three months in Helsinki.

But there is one certain reason that accompanies this fact: Finns, no matter which state of intoxication, age, daytime or situation speak properly English. Elderly women, bus drivers, drunken people, even bouncers can at least basically chat in English, most of them also in German. I must admit: Lovely Finns, it is too easy, too convenient to get along without Finnish. So yes my dear strangers, you can get along very well just with English or German. Thank God for non-dubbed audio-visual media and an open-minded country.

Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde

Oh yes fellows, nightlife is one of the most crucial parts of every culture. Myths and fairy tails round up in the steeped in legends Finnish nightlife. A society of Doctor Jekyll and Mister Hyde. At daytime, when the streets are lightened, or at least they should be a peeped or friendly smile can float torrents of cold drops of fear on a Finnish forehead. But when the nightlife approaches sneakily, a notorious metamorphosis sets in. Escorted by alcohol, resolute drunken Finns get more “open-minded” and more fun orientated.

The reason is simple. I want to cite a Finnish proverb: “Raskas työ, raskaat huvit” – heavy lifestyle, heavy fun. Result of that easy-going-condition: a boost for every little ego. Hopefully most of the people know what I am talking about. Other fascinated observers also tend to state that Finns just love to fight a hell of a hangover with guts – “sisu” in Finnish. Sisu is a spanking intrinsic engine that enables Finns to accomplish missions beyond human skills. Even stories about this supernatural part of Finnish culture could stuff stunning encyclopaedias. But that would lead very too far.

Summing up, I have a serious crush on the feisty Finnish nightlife. Encountering a broaden bulk of intoxicated Finns accelerated my almost complete integration. This step towards the Finnish culture is one of the most interesting movements.

Vein for Velocity

Häkkinen, Räikkönen, Salo – just a few popular representatives of an omnipresent cultural passion to drive maniac with an imaginable maximum of velocity. But not all of the Finnish hobby racers with a complete ignorance of sanity and rules can join professional motor sports, so where to find them? Hazard a ride in the public buses and you will encounter the most utterly bus drivers speeding on this planet. Deplorably passengers that did not manage to snatch a seat will take the wildest ride of their life. High curb stones, other cars, random passengers and even stop lights can not harass the almighty bus drivers. Even the lucky souls that snatched a comfortable seat have to survive a roller coaster trip. So, clasp the bars and crave for your escape!

Meanwhile I enjoy bravely every bus ride in the very last row. That is where the flaps are worst, because I take it as a Finn, I got guts. This is my own “sisu”.