Tag Archives: culture

in english

“Foreigners steal our women”

I have heard plenty of times that before the advent of Nokia one of the main exports of Finland were its women, and that still today Finnish women will tend to marry foreigners.  Notwithstanding whether I agree with this sentence or not, it is true that the stereotypical Finnish male has a lot of sisu but lacks in his communication skills. 

Therefore, I suggest that in order to handle the perceived threat to the status quo, instead of complaining, the stereotypical Finnish male demonstrates the same determination to improve his situation.  Some advice to follow could include the following:

  • Listen to what she has to say.  She may not want your help in solving her problems (she's an independent, proud Finnish woman anyway), but a little bit of empathy goes a long way.
  • Leave the bottle.  Really.
  • Use your natural advantages.  The stereotypical Finnish man is handy, so be handy.
  • Telling her "I love you" more than once in a lifetime is acceptable, as long as you mean it.
  • Hug her.  Hugging doesn't need to preclude intercourse.  Other sorts of physical contact like holding hands are fine too.
  • Respect her.  Which doesn't mean leave her alone to do all the housework.
  • Surprise her.  Yes, it might include going to the theatre or some other activity you might not like, but be a man and stick to it.
  • Be there.  Because if she's the right woman she'll be there for you too.

Don't worry, it might sound difficult at first but you might be surprised how low-maintenance the stereotypical Finnish woman is, since she's used to being quite independent too.  You will both learn a lot.  Good luck.

Disclaimer:  I know very few men (and women) who do reflect this stereotype, but if you feel referred to it's not my problem.

in english

80’s nostalgia & fantasy storylines

I watched the Transformers movie (mecha porn!) during the week and both that and my recent acquisition of a Nintendo Wii (I've already bought online Super Mario Bros. and Punch Out) have convinced me that we're ongoing a serious case of 80's nostagia.

Furthermore, I'm surprised by the amount of fantasy movies currently either on cinemas or on the way.  Given that some of the most famous fantasy storylines are product of the escapism needed in times of crisis (Lord of the Rings is a product of the II World War, whereas Star Wars was written during the aftershock of the Vietnam War), I wonder how this offering reflects on the times we're living.

in english

Lunch with the “Mexicans”

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Today I had lunch with the "Mexicans" at work.  They are under quotation marks since many of them weren't actually Mexican, but people who have for some reason or another spent some of their time in Mexico and not only speak proper Mexican Spanish, but also behaved as Mexican as any chilango, regio or yucateco would.  Even though we were an Italian, 3 Mexicans and 2 Finns, the table sounded as having 6 Mexicans.

Globalisation and acculturisation go both ways, I've seen.

in english

Different language, same stuff

When I was learning Finnish I was really wondering what were the contents of the conversations I heard in the street, whether they would be somehow more philosophical given what you always hear that Finland always scores highly in different international rankings, be they about corruption, education or technology development.

Imagine my surprise when I started to learn the language and realised that most of the street talk is at the same level as anywhere else: swearwords and gossip are the order of the day.  Different language but human nature is still the same.

in english

From everywhere and nowhere

At a friend's wedding (he's Argentine, but lived in Canada and is now married to a Finn) we were discussing that we're from everywhere and nowhere.  We're at home in all three places, but always missing something (or most usually someone) else who may or may not be there.

That's the immigrant's life.  Something that is probably becoming more common given current international mobility patters (yes, part of that thing they call globalisation).

in english

Nowhere’s perfect, neither am I

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So, after a year in Belgium, I came back to Finland.  I started noticing certain things about the place that I had already gotten used to and don't really like, such as the amount of drunken teenagers on weekends, the fact that public transportatio, although good, is rather sparse (which is fine in summer, but in winter is no laughing matter) or the relative scepticism of most public officials.  This all reminded me of when I arrived in Brussels, as I was not used to the dirt and the beggars in the streets.  Don't get me talking about Mexico City, which is sadly renowned for its insecurity and pollution.

However, I remembered that it all depends on how much you make out of things yourself, and whether the pros outweigh the cons.  There's always two sides of a story, and there is always something good that can be found.  In Brussels it's multiculturality, in Helsinki it is nature and safety, in Mexico City its vibrance and cultural life, to give just a few strong points.

It's all a matter of making do with what is there, what you have and be determined to have a good time wherever you are.

in english

Finnish Juhannus

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Lake Scenery

Originally uploaded by Chiva Congelado

The Midsummer celebrations in Finland are one of the highlights of the year when living in that country. If possible, people will go to their summer cottage, where they spend the time playing, eating, fixing a couple of things and going to sauna.

Given that here in Belgium they don’t seem to celebrate it very much, I’m really missing it. One doesn’t start to know about Finland until spending the midsummer long weekend with the Finns in a small house in the woods, maybe next to a lake, in the middle of nowhere. Probably there’s no better sauna than the one at the summer cottage, probably the smell of the woods is what relaxes you, probably it is because you spend a relaxing time with friends and/or family. Regardless it is one of the quintessential things that makes Finland the way it is, and I’ve realised how much the place has changed me now that it is not celebrated where I am.

Hyvää Juhannusta!