Finland, the land of (at least) 10,000 lakes, an endless space of forest and an educational system that has drawn accolades and reporters from around the world. And let’s not forget sauna, salmiakki and Santa (unless of course you’re from Denmark, Greenland or Iceland). The last three obviously figure in several countries but, just like with the title of Happiest Country in the World (Bar None), Finland has managed to make these three all its own. Add to this the status of Country of Apps and Games, Country of Metal and country with a healthcare system that makes many a Finn declare it with tearful pride to be “the best in the world.” It is a cocktail that easily lends itself to the humble bragging only surpassed by the Brits. If we are being tongue-in-cheek of course. 

Finns, it seems, have a fierce pride in their country. Simply put this translates into Finnish good, everything else bad. There is an interesting dichotomy at play wherein the country will be questioned as having its legitimate place in the world but only if it is a citizen of the country speaking. Why on Earth would you come here when other countries have so much more to offer, is a question all too commonly put to a foreigner. Whether it is then followed by “of course, you came for the free education and healthcare,” or a variation on “is your partner Finnish,” if they follow at all, depends – much like everywhere – on the speaker’s attitude, political leaning and openness towards the (big bad) world. Where this differs from most countries is that the likelihood of finding a speaker accusing a newcomer of being here for the benefits while simultaneously playing down the positives of this famous northern land can be much higher than in those places where locals know with unwavering certainty that their country is superior to all other places on the globe and in fact the entire universe (how accurate or even right these convictions are is a whole other matter of course). 

Nuances are everything and people differ, but this attitude of “people only being here for the benefits the country has to offer, which are far superior to anywhere else,” seems to rear its head with more and more frequency, regardless of how factual or imaginary these (alleged) benefits may then be. It paints every foreigner in a bad light, before adding comments such as, “things used to be safe / clean / better before they arrived.” They being a semi-mythical magical monolith of all foreigners, conveniently lumped together as immigrant, regardless of whether they are in fact expats or EU citizens wanting to live in Finland for the time being but very likely moving on, because that is their right as EU citizens. And you’d be forgiven for thinking that this was the sole reason for which the EU was created, guaranteeing freedom of movement to all its citizens. A fact even those working in immigration and visa departments in Finland either willfully ignore or are blatantly and blissfully unaware of (if it doesn’t affect me, it’s no concern of mine and most likely doesn’t even exist, ergo why care).

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“I cannot sell foreign chocolates,” a Swiss shop manager told me once, and by foreign he meant things like Mars and Twix bars and other assorted goodies. The shop being a very Finnish institution as natural in any Finnish city as the sauna is by a summer cabin. An obligatory staple if you will. I thought he was just being difficult, so I decided to put this to the test. I asked the girls at one of the places I liked to work out of if they wanted anything when I did my usual grocery run in the middle of work and their wishlist backed up the shop owner’s claims every single time with its variation on requests for chocolates and sweets but only Finnish brands each and every time. Finnish friends buying sweets and snacks for parties? Finnish snacks only each and every time. I’m not saying this is set in stone, but it did show a tendency to buy Finnish more often than not. Albeit in a purely anecdotal way. Foreign items I grew up with that are known all over Europe, have been suspiciously absent for a very long time or if present, disappeared long before I could come back. And I’m talking about stores that were on my way to wherever I was heading on a regular basis. 

Whether the Finnish replacement managed to chase Burger King out before it was brought back decades later or not remains up for debate. But it says a lot when Finland is one of the few countries without a Burger King or KFC for decades (regardless of whether they were once here and got chased out or have only been here since the second decade after the Millennium). The Finnish burger chain does not seem to have suffered in any way, shape or form due to Burger King, McDonald’s or KFC. I would even venture to say that if one of these chains closes, it is always the American rival that takes the blow, but never the Finnish burger chain. That stands as protected as the country wanted to be since its inception. Good riddance to fast food places, I hear people mutter, but keep in mind that these places also have their importance in society, because if it weren’t for them, where else could teenagers practice their social skills of eating out and treating their date for a meal or at least an ice cream / drink. Fast food places are essential in the different cultural aspects that contribute to shaping the social skills of the middle school and even late elementary school crowd. 

A fast food chain as a metaphor for the cultural and societal system of a country? Perhaps. I’m sure these papers, essays and articles have been written. If not for Finland then for other places outside the US. Essays, papers and articles that are far superior to what I would attempt to jot down in a few hours, given the extensive research leading to valuable insight necessary. My research is of a different kind. It seeks to understand the country through its people, institutions, places (manmade and natural) and its contributions to its own people, those living here as permanent strangers and those who can trace their ancestral roots to the first human migration that brought people here. It is largely anecdotal, because that is the theme of this blog, and very much invites the thoughts, observations and contemplations of those reading these entries and lines. 

They say a Finn will protect his nation with his life, and witnessing the countless keyboard warriors anywhere online who tell foreigners to “leave if you don’t like it here,” while attacking the (often supposed) homeland of the person insulting their beloved nation under the northern star, it is easy to see where this idea came from. Even as the same fierceness can be observed in other nations. More so when you consider that this attitude easily carries over into real life. Which would then preclude that a deep, meaningful discussion cannot take place. 

But I have also been able to have great conversations with Finns when laying out my grievances against their home. And in this too, they were no different than anyone else. Grievances happen any and everywhere. The key is to not let them get you but actually push past them and decide if it’s worth fighting for or if it is time to remove yourself from the situation permanently and change countries. And as a local, it’s good to listen, take on board and develop empathy before offering help or / and advice. Coming to a new place where more often than not you have to figure out the social intricacies takes a lot out of a person, especially when not knowing these unspoken rules can mean being ostracized. Compassion is key, on both sides – to oneself and towards others (especially for those going through hard times, but when someone tells me to be kind to myself as I’m going through a hard spell, I honestly just want to snarl at them).  So be respectful and kind when commenting, and come from a place of good intentions and love. 

Cliched as this is, it really was the only choice. For one, I really do associate it with Finland. It’s a beautiful piece, and I appreciated Sibelius long before I decided to move here. But it also seems fitting because come Independence Day on December 6, this shows up on so many timelines, you’d get drunk before the cemetery visit if you played Independence Day Bingo. Not to mention the (ongoing) petition by some factions to make this the official anthem, because a. Finland needs an official anthem that has been set in stone and b.”everyone knows our biggest and best export.”