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2/02/2016

What I've learnt from living in Finland

So I've been in Finland for 3 weeks now, and I feel like I have already gotten to know (well, duh) about the country and its citizens. Of course, they are more assumptions and I can write a better post about it once I leave, but for now I'd think it would be fun to share what I have already discovered so far. 

Just want to say that I don't want to offend anyone, these are just my observations over a short period of time ;)


COFFEE
Finnish people like to drink! And no I don't mean the alcoholic beverage (although..), but I mean coffee. In every restaurant or cafe you step foot in, next to the cashier there is a warming element with 2 pots of black coffee on it. It is completely normal to go to such a place and get coffee from the pot with usually a free refill. And the black coffee from the pot is relatively cheap, but dang I am either spoilt or the Finnish do not know how to make good coffee. I am not sure what kind of beans they use, which coffee machine and how long the coffee has been (over) burning on that element, but give me a cappuccino over everything. In my apartment at home I have one of the best (if I can say so) coffee makers, I have fresh coffee beans, preferably from Guatemala or Colombia, and not to forget about steaming my milk. Unfortunately, the Finnish do not have discovered the joy of cappuccino. Well they have it, in fast food restaurants from a machine and in a cafe they steam the milk, but the Finnish only drink the black coffee. And that makes the cappuccino for that one foreign chick very expensive.

SHY
This one I'm still kind of confused about. Should I call them shy, stand-offish or quiet. Or emotionless at first sight...I'm not sure but this one accounts for pretty much all Finnish people I've met so far. And I know I should not make any stereotypes, or judge people too quickly, but I was shocked at this. People were not enthusiastic or happy, and immediately, it made me feel it was me they were annoyed with. Coming from a country were people are so open and direct to you, this was something I had to adjust to, and not feel offended by.


COLD VS. FINLAND COLD
Lets get this straight. I knew beforehand that it would be cold. And yes, I had cold winters. But temperatures here are insane! I don't understand how people here survive, or want to go out of their homes when you stop feeling your legs when walking outside. It is just not funny. Yes, the sights with so much snow and frozen-ness are beautiful but is it worth freezing your fingers off? I am not so sure. The first day I arrived here I had to walk 20 minutes from my taxi drop-off to the hostel, and my hat and gloves were in one of my suitcases, that were jam packed. I had these very thin white gloves that are gloves for 'warm' weather and I literally could not feel my fingers, just every once in a while the pain. And then my legs became senseless. Literally! The next day my legs were completely blue and covered with bruises. What happened? I couldn't feel my legs anymore and both my suitcases kept bumping into the back of my legs,  only took two weeks to heal ;). 

HEALTHY
What would a person do when its freezing and all roads and paths are covered with ice? Indeed, take a bus or stay in. What do the Finnish do? They cycle and go running. On ice! While I am shuffling and gliding like a penguin over the road, runners are going by, and people on bikes are smiling and going to work. What? I don't understand how I am trying with my life to not fall and they are continuing with their everyday life like nothings going on. And I was so proud of the fact that I only fell down once (damn you uggs with no profile). But it doesn't matter how much snow or ice is covering the landscape, how cold it is or how far the gym is, the Finnish people keep exercising, literally no excuse. And they eat healthy. They really do inspire me to exercise myself, and eat healthy. So thank you Finland, because I have lost almost 10 pounds in 3 weeks.

1 comment:

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