Finland is a country where considerable weight is attached to the spoken word – words are chosen carefully and for the purpose of delivering a message. Finland’s strong hunting culture means there is a high percentage of gun owners, yet gun control laws are still incredibly strict. Why don't libraries smell like bookstores? This deprivation is an eminently suitable topic for conversation on the part of a visitor who is familiar with the world of drivers and putters. Although the country has excelled in these genres, they also have a rich and colorful contemporary scene that encompasses jazz, metal, and even dance music. Finns drink coffee anywhere and everywhere. Share. Although the country has excelled in these genres, they also have a rich and colorful contemporary scene that encompasses jazz, metal, and even dance music. However, in Finland all public buildings are required by law to fly the Finnish flag on official flag days. In such cases, the speeches are made between courses. Apart from this, Finns are not nearly as demanding in remembering names as many other people are. The strange and uncomfortable trans/gender laws in Finland. Best take your MP3 player and a pair of headphones next time. This is why some non-binary people or generally genderqueer people might have to accept or even lie to get the binary diagnosis. Taxi drivers must pay royalties if they play music in their cars for paying customers. Once the toast is drunk, eye contact should be made again when lowering the glass to the table. Finns can kiss as well as the next nation, but they rarely do so when greeting. Don't Make Public Displays of Affection. Finns have a very strong sense of national identity. In such a situation, a wise visitor will quietly slip out to consume some liquid and enjoy the scenery. credit. Selling it can get you in trouble too. When introducing themselves, Finns will say their forename followed by their surname. A Finnish version of small talk? Be the first to hear of Special Offers and travel news. Hooked on public displays of affection? A man may politely refuse such an offer, but it is equally polite to accept it. Finns place great value on words, which is reflected in the tendency to say little and avoid ‘unnecessary’ small talk. A first timer should perhaps have a first encounter with the sauna in the company of a genuine Finn. The law prohibits smoking in public buildings and workplaces and, being generally law-abiding, Finns have adapted to this legislation. The conception that Finns are a reserved and taciturn lot is an ancient one and does not retain the same validity as it used to, certainly not with the younger generations. Finnish customs and manners are clearly European, with only a few national variations, and attitudes are liberal. Sports is a particularly feasible topic because in recent years Finns have enjoyed success in sports other than the traditional long-distance running and winter sports: there are now world-class Finnish footballers, racing drivers and alpine skiers, and consequently amateurs and enthusiasts in these fields too. To prevent you from innocently stepping on some Finnish toes, here are a few social no-goes to be aware of. I’m a 17-year-old genderqueer person from Finland. Pretty much the only good thing about this whole thing is that treatments are mostly free, which might sound amazing. The use of modern information technologies has revolutionized the image of Finnish communication skills. Often – and in the case of Swedish-speaking Finns, almost always – a meal is preceded by schnapps, a shot of vodka or aquavit in a tiny glass. The problem here is that giving a non-binary person a binary diagnosis is misgendering them. The sauna is no place for anyone in a hurry. If the hosts allow smoking, this is the moment to bring out the cigars and cigarettes, unless of course the host has already allowed or suggested this earlier. However, consumption of wine and beer, as opposed to spirits, has increased in recent years, and as a result more decorous drinking behaviour has become more common. Abstinence is also supported by legislation; in Finland, the blood alcohol level for drunken driving is very low, and the penalties are severe. Stupid Laws of Finland Funny, Dumb and Strange Finnish Laws. As for correctness, it would be polite for a guest to raise the question of departure at breakfast time on the third day, and only agree to stay longer if the hosts protest with particular conviction. Smokers may be guided to the balcony, which may have the effect of reducing the intake of nicotine considerably in cold weather. This can cause some trouble for people in remote communities who are bothered by wild animals on their land. Rant. The hosts will have rubber boots, raincoats and windcheaters that are worn as the weather dictates or when going fishing, picking mushrooms or walking in the forest. The tax will be between €50 and €140 per person. I started crying and said that I want to calm down and gather myself. By professor Olli Alho, November 2002, updated March 2010 When the bathing is over, it is customary to continue the occasion with conversation, drinks and perhaps a light meal. Breakfast can be quite substantial. Innovations such as online streaming have helped severely decrease the amount of people watching television or paying for cable. There is another clinic in Tampere (South Finland), but that’s it. What are the release dates for The Wonder Pets - 2006 Save the Ladybug? After Midsummer, Finns move en masse to their vacation homes in the countryside and those who do not spend their time out of doors, in street cafés and bars, in parks and on beaches, being social and feeling positive. Otherwise, foreigners can safely address Finns using the English practice of calling them Mr, Mrs, Miss, Ms, Sir or Madam, as appropriate. Educated Finnish speakers, particularly those working in the public sector, speak Swedish to some degree whilst almost all Swedish-speaking Finns speak Finnish too. Those who pay for their own meals and in cash often choose to round the bill up to the nearest convenient figure. If a Finnish taxi driver plays any music in their car for a paying customer, then they must pay royalties to the musician. In contrast, they do expect to be addressed by their title in professional and official contexts: Doctor Virtanen, Managing Director Savolainen, etc. Share via Email Report Story The government of Finland collects a “candy tax” for goods containing sugar. Who was Hillary Clintons running mate in the 2008 presidential elections? Although religion plays a large in the Finnish lifestyle, it is estimated that only fifty percent of Finns attend church services once a year; in fact, the many architecturally stunning churches are only full during the Christmas season. Swedish-speaking Finns have a distinctive culture, and their social mores are influenced by Scandinavian traditions moreso than amongst the Finnish-speaking majority. But in Finland, the thrill of the competition is just as important as the related health benefits. Such breaches are viewed by Finns with equanimity if committed by their own countrymen and with understanding or amusement if committed by foreigners. Press question mark to learn the rest of the keyboard shortcuts. So, if you are transgender, non-binary, or anything non-cis in Finland, and want to transition medically, you have to go through this thing we call ”Transpoli” for short. If a man asks a woman to go on a date she can not refuse him more. In Finland, there are certain things you just don't do—subtle differences that you as a traveler should be aware of to avoid those dreaded moments of awkwardness. Finnish cuisine has western European, Scandinavian and Russian elements. Finns take a dip in the lake after sauna, and finish the bathing session with sausage and beer. It is difficult to observe differences between believers and everyone else in everyday life, except perhaps that the former lead more abstemious lives. We protect your data as if it was our own, because we're people too! Copyright © 2020 Multiply Media, LLC. The government has also tried to reduce dental expenses by encouraging parents to only give their children candy once a week. That is also a rule that could be looked at again. A meal normally concludes with coffee and postprandial drinks are served with it or immediately after. Increasingly, politicians and corporate managers set up websites and maintain personal blogs to comment publicly on their lives and views. Broken Laws - 1924 was released on: USA: 9 November 1924 Finland: 28 February 1926 Weird facts about France? A visitor hesitant about having a sauna should remember that if it has been heated specially for him or her, it is a matter of pride for the hosts, and only medical constraints are an acceptable reason for not trying it. It is difficult in Finland to make or break a reputation with a single social blunder. It is a matter of preference. Instead, the third person singular pronoun hän covers both genders. Visitors should remember that invitations or wishes expressed in a light conversational manner (such as: “We must have lunch together sometime”) are often taken at face value, and forgetting them can cause concern. When considering the music of Finland, you may automatically think of folk and classical styles. Life in Finland’s northernmost and southernmost villages offers natural beauty, but it also requires a certain kind of attitude. The use of first names is always proposed by the older or more senior person to the junior, or, in the case of equals, by the woman to the man; the agreement is enacted by shaking hands, making eye contact, with each party saying their first name aloud, and nodding the head. This was justified by my depression I had a few years back and the mild symptoms of Aspergers that were noticed in my early teens. As the Chinese proverb puts it, “Your speech should be better than silence, if it is not, be silent.”. The influence of central European or Mediterranean drinking habits is primarily visible among urban middle class young adults and slightly older Finns with tertiary education. Shared hobbies are a natural topic for conversation and exchange of opinions in Finland as elsewhere, and it can be easy to strike up a lively conversation with a Finn about culture and the arts on the one hand and about sports on the other. Finland is widely thought to be one of the most competitive countries around. And you can’t be in a hurry. This article will describe just a few of these facts. A nation of five million people with 1.5 million saunas has no need to acquire a formal sauna education – learning to bathe in the sauna comes as naturally as learning to speak. Sociologists like to explain that the summer dwelling is a tie that Finns maintain to their rural past; and it is true that many Finns transform into surprisingly competent fishermen, gardeners, farmers, carpenters or foresters when they withdraw to their summer homes.