You what is kind of weird in my area in Reno,NV. that is very opposite of Finland ? I get a lot of offers to buy guns As I am a female woman Mom who lives in apart of Reno , where the " Better" paid citizens do not go to rent or lease. Oh, by the way I get a deep discount in rent. So , I tolerate a few things for the price & then keep my hard earned bread ,not make them rich. There are obnoxious things you see in the American reports are very real ,"normalized". But, the Men never not once ever courts any women in a style I accustomed to seeing where I come from a fairly affection ,romantic culture. So, I noted the differences. But, they want a lot of hard work from the common woman , with no reward & to get herself protection of weaponry when , 1) it is very expensive , 2) (they are busting a sale). Where is this going? On a hunting trip? I think not. And ,yes they average driver who is single is in the giant 4 by 4 trucks,mostly running past ,not stopping. Transmission sent from Sierra Madre ,Nv. 20.55p 18.7.23
Can you please make a video about the new government please? Because I’m thinking of moving there next year (from EU) and they are saying that the new government is racist. And I’m half arab so I really want to know if I should really be concerned
@@salemelkayati880 no need to be concerned. A few individuals of the government have done some questionable things but that alone does not make the government or Finland racist.
@@salemelkayati880 btw some are racist but they dont announce it publicly only in like in their home or in a emprty room like you know? but this means that you dont need to be concerserded cus nobody is gonna talk about racism or anything like that you anyone or even you.
Number 11: randomly seeing things hanging in trees. Finns seem to really want people to recover their lost items, so whenever they find someone's lost item, they'll hang it in the nearest tree or put it somewhere at eye level. I have recovered two lost items this way! So if you lose something here, when you retrace your steps, be sure to look on the ground as well as in the trees!
Yes!! I've actually seen this and was so surprised at how nice people are. In my country this definitely doesn't happen at all. But in the UK it does! I once lost a pair of gloves for around 2 weeks! Lo and behold I found them exactly where I had left them (but had forgotten).
I took a bus to the office one winter day in a small city in Finland. I accidently left my hat on the bus. At the end of the day I realized that my hat was missing and figured I'd have buy a new one. When I got on the bus to go back to the hotel, I went to the same seat. There was my hat!
As a very anxious, introverted American, I felt completely great and normal when I visited Finland. I thought to myself, "wow, it's a place where people are actually acting normal!" The cab driver did not try to speak to me, and I have never felt a stronger connection to a cab driver in my entire life--sometimes even now, I think fondly about not talking to him. I really miss Finland.
Hi, I liked that fact too. Cab drivers in Finland were nice, but not chatty like in the US. That was amazing. A lot of friendly people there, but they don't invade your personal space. I miss Finland too.
Love the Finnish attitude to nakedness. It's so natural. In Greece, there are many nudist beaches. I'll always remember my first interaction with a Finn because when I asked how he was doing, the answer was just accurate and direct about what went on in their lives. No small talk. I felt relieved because I dislike a lot of small talk. Everything in this world would be so much easier if people say what they mean and mean what they say. Also, so unnecessary to talk all the time. Tiring and boring.
I have heard that back in the days Finland was considering quite seriously dubbing movies and series, but when our dear neighbour Sweden decided to make subtitles we followed their example. Thank God we did.
Yes, agree with you. Thank God we did not. The level of english f.e. is quite high and you get things done easily. Even the elderly people understand and communicate well in english. Btw cheers from Thailand!
American here- When I first came to Finland to visit my boyfriend, I was so shocked about the double duvet, don't get me wrong years later and now married, I'm so glad it's a double duvet.
Moi, Aleksi! Now I need a sweatshirt that says “it’s not weird, it’s Finnish”! I’m from the US and we are not comfortable being naked, with or without strangers. Thank you, Puritans. And I can’t imagine silence in a conversation. We have to talk all the time. I love the 2nd hand stores! We have them, but I wouldn’t call them mainstream. They should be. So good to see you online again!
I grew up in the US and the showers in high school for swimming and at the gym were exactly the same style as in Finland. It was never seen as a big deal at all, but it seems that as time has gone, Americans have gotten more and more prudish. I have no idea why. I think it's a generational thing.
There is an oopsie in the video. At the swimming pool part, I meant to say that boys and girls are naked in the shower and dressing rooms separately, not in the pool department. That would be a nudist pool, lol.
I love that films aren't dubbed! They're not in Romania, either. It's precisely how I learned English as a kid -- listening is essential and it comes way before learning grammar, writing, and speaking.
So many things you mentioned are done in Sweden but not in USA: Inhaling Yaa and Yoo, name day, separate duvets or blankets, babies sleeping outside in the cold, naked sauna with families etc.
The inhaling thing was a cultural shock for me. Initially, I thought they were like gasping for air! It's still uncomfortable for me, if I'm being honest.
The idea of having an open public shower in the UK makes me giggle - we're too awkward & private. But I like you guys are so chill 😂 Greetings from Scotland!
In Romania, salaries are not shown in job advertisements either, and sometimes there are clauses in the contract that say you cannot disclose your salary.😵💫
Filipino here, but I am thinking of moving to Finland despite its very high cost of living and the difficulties I would encounter. I just want to get away from the toxic cultures of my country (you will never like to hear that).
"Nimipäivä" in Poland is called "Imieniny." It's a very popular celebration among older Polish people. My grandma is the only person who always remembers my name day and calls me with greetings :)
I am from the Czech Republic and I admit that I am literally surprised by the similarities with the Finns. I had no idea we had so much in common. Maybe I have Finnish blood and I don't know it 😀 Kiitos paljon Aleksi hyödyllisistä videoistasi 🇫🇮
I am German, but I would have called almost all Finnish traits mine - being German. I also lived in the US for a long time and they seem to be the antidote of Finns. Well, when I lived in Switzerland, it was a bit of a mix. For me, most things are a mix of climate and religion. LOL.
Name days are very common in Eastern Europe. I think comes from Catholicism. It also common in East Asia that schools are kept bit colder than normal. It boosts kids' immunity. I visited Japanese school and I got a cold, because it was so cold. I though this is not going to work: and next time I worn very thick woolen socks.
In Poland we do most of this things inverse to Finnish People. We have common tradition with name day and we also have subtitles or lector instead of dubbing.
The inhale is definitely not only Finnish ;) In Switzerland we do it and it's very common, my Icelandic friends do it a lot too, so I've heard it in several situations with several people!
In Mexico we also have the movies and tv shows in the original language with spanish subtitles most of the time, unless is airing on television; also the stuff for kids is doubled in spanish in the cinema. We also have the name thing in the calendar, but here is the "santoral", that's it the Catholic saint of the day and people bearing the name of the saint can get congratulated.
I want to thank you for your videos; I don't only learn from Finlands, but also learn more about people in general. There are things that are simply good, that are simply healthy, and I've figured that, growing up, I wasn't really weird after all. It was really, really hard to learn these things on my own, and I'm afraid I've learned what it is to be human a bit too late. I'm happy knowing I was really not a bad person, I was not dumb, or weird, and that I really could've been happy, and it wasn't just a delusion.
The silence in the conversation was one of the hardest cultural shocks for me. But it's not just when they change topic. Sometimes I am having conversations with my partner and there'll be a stop in the middle of a sentence that can last a long time and even mean the conversation on that topic is over unless I pull it back on the table. I think it's not just a social thing with friends.
Hei Aleksi, can you tell us about what's happening in Finland right now concerning students and education along with the protests in helsinki ylipistö and other schools?
Thanks for this video Aleksi :) i like your videos! The thing about movies getting dubbed is really recognizable for me. I am dutch, living in Germany. I just cannot get used to it and often talk about it with germans. I think the whole acting is ruined. Some of them agree with me, but many say 'but when it would be in English, how can i understand?' 'by reading...'. I am curious if it will ever change.
The most interesting is they are the most happiest country of the world,but they don't smile,are cold and love the silence,this surreal for us Italians hahaha
I would be even more happy, if we had barrista Italiano here in my cafe. Italians would be more happier people without cosa nostra and corruption in general. Finland would be happier place without mafia and corruption in Russia. Ukraine would like it too..
I personally think that the naked thing, while is a great thing to have, is at the same time kind of a problem when it comes to foreigners, because most people (unless maybe europeans) can see it as a sneaky way to take a peek and its pretty uncomfortable. For me personally I really dig your naked culture because somehow its true you feel more liberated and everything is more easy going. Quite a lot of things fascinate me about FInland, and that's why its my favourite country.
Nudity is treated fairly similarly here in Sweden, but not quite so liberally. It has also changed a lot with all the immigration. It's not a concept that the immigrants can understand, so we've just sort of mostly abolished this part of our culture. It's a sad fact, but with how much rape there is and where it comes from, few Swedes (of course especially women and children) dare to be naked outside their homes. Personally, I've never been very keen on nudity. I want to have boundaries and privacy. It's not a matter of shame. It's that not everyone deserves the privilege of seeing me in my most intimate, vulnerable state.
I took the poll you had about blankets. I was in the minority with saying we each have our own. On the other points you made in this video, all of them but sleeping outside as a baby hold true for me. The one about the second hand stores is 100% spot on. Here, in Oregon it's called " thrifting" and it's a hobby. In Portland Oregon, if you are a hipster, you get naked. They do have Saunas that are certified by The Finnish Sauna Society. Also, people just sometimes randomly ride a bike or walk around naked. Mostly men do that, but nobody cares. We just talk normally to each other. Funny about the dubbed movies! We get Finnish films here. You mentioned Sisu on one of the posts you made on UA-cam. That was dubbed by the Finnish actors who played the parts into English. People here want the subtitles because they like to learn new languages with movies and TV. We get few classes in schools due to budget cuts, so we need to hear videos to learn.
Interesting, thank you! In our culture(RU), we usually have 1 blanket per couple and we even have a saying that goes like "pull the blanket to one's side" which means a person wants to draw everybody's attention for oneself or that he or she walks all over other people, or wants more advantages than everybody has:)
So Germans and Finns aren't so different (except this salary thing 😲, that just blows my mind). And we do this bonus-thing, too with the inhaling on short answers (mostly yes 🙂).
Рік тому+9
Hi Aleksi! So good to have you back again. Could be interesting to do a comparison between Helsinki and Tampere in terms of opportunities and cost of living? I think It could be valuable for people with job opportunities from both cities. Have a good day!
Long story short: Helsinki is more expensive, but has also more to offer as a traditional city. Tampere on the other hand is cheaper and has an easier access to nature (even though for European standards Helsinki also has amazing access to nature) :)
You forgot to mention that touching people (hugging, kissing on cheek, etc) is considered sexual in Finland... I'm not a Finn, and I grew up in Japan... and I notice Finns are very polite around visitors... but I'm often surprised by foreigners who visit a new culture, and are perfectly fine with hugging and kissing strangers on the cheek, but they are mortified when strangers take off their clothes. It's an anthropological example on how humans are not born with opinions on touching vs nudity, but learn what is "normal" and "abnormal" from other people.
I don'r know where you learned this but hugging isn't considered sexual in finland. It's a very common way to creet those close to you like family and friends, nothing sexual there. As for kissing on the cheek, it's just not a costum in finland. We do usually like our personal spaces and aren't too touchy feely with folks but that doesn't mean it's automatically sexual when we do.
i never realized the two duvets thing was purely finnish(or nordic, or not that common). finally an explanation on why so many people have complained about their partner stealing their duvet in their sleep.
Hi Aleksi In Hungary we have similar calendars and my family and fiends also celebrating the nameday (but if somebody has two first names which is common celebrating only one). I had only one colleague who have not celebrating the nameday so I think its a common thing in my country. Also interesting in Former times before COVID when we went every day to the office, the one who had nameday or birthday have bringed cookies (and regarding namday we always remind each other that "hay tomorrow you have a nameday" 😅). But for sure it is not common hungaryan thing it depends on the relationship of the close colleagues.
As a neighbour in Norway I see many things come up that we do as well, especially feel the silence, it can be awkward sometimes, but mostly natural. Know many times we're I've been walking with someone somewhere and we basically only spoke at the beggining of the walk and at the end of the walk. With maybe a few words inbetween
It's not weird, but it's also not exclusively Finnish. Single duvets: Here in Germany, this is not the norm but it’s still fairly common. When I grew up my parents only ever used separate duvets in their bed, I only learned later that double duvets exist at all. However when you book a double room in a hotel you will always get a bed with a double duvet unless you explicitly demand otherwise. Showers in gyms: In Germany they look like they do in the picture you showed; no separators between them. Like in Finland, we usually go into the sauna fully naked, and additionally our saunas are usually mixed-gender (gender-segregated or swimwear-only saunas do exist but they’re not as common). Usually there will still be separate locker rooms for men and women but in the sauna they will be naked together. Talking to strangers: When it comes to get to know strangers, we Germans are a lot like Finns; however the rule „the less clothes, the more talkative“ does not apply. We won’t usually strike up a conversation with a random stranger, even when we’re sitting next to each other in a sauna. Long pauses in conversations: This is not a thing in Germany but sometimes I wish it were. Buying used stuff: This is also common here, but I guess not as common as in Finland. It’s usually the generation of people who lived through or grew up shortly after WW2 who will be very reluctant of throwing anything away that’s still usable. Also, among people who grew up in East Germany under socialism, many will usually repair the shit out of everything to avoid having to throw it away. The name day: It used to be the same here; the „name day“ is usually the name of a Catholic saint who has a connection with a specific date (usually they were martyred on that day). My mother-in-law, having grown up in a strict Catholic environment in Bavaria, remembers that the name day used to be even more important than the birthday. Nowadays, remembering what your name day is or having names of saints printed on calendars has become rare, probably due to the waning influence of the Catholic Church and religion in general. Talking about money: Bragging about your salary or asking someone about how much money they make is not only quite unusual here - earnings are considered top-secret private information and the tax office giving out this kind of information to random strangers would be considered a major data breach (DATENSCHUTZ!)
In Poland we too celebrate the name day ( some people prefer to celebrate it instead of birthday, but some don't celebrate it at all). We cannhave silence in a conversation, but it's more awkward with a stranger than with a friend. And we have both open and closed showers in swimming pools to accomodate everyone's prefference
Usually hearing people in these videos say that when you get a Finnish friend, you have a friend for life, and now you say "hard effort high reward " makes it sound like Finns are cast iron/carbon steel cookware. :D
I just want to know what hair products Aleksi uses. I too have curly hair and it drives me crazy trying to find the right products for my weird hair. Double duvets are wonderful! Silence is excellent. I don't miss the constant chatter that I grew up with in the US. But I will say that there are a lot more chatty Finns than people will admit. The nakedness took some getting used to, but I don't mind it. It's very freeing. The name days make me feel kind of bad because I don't have one. *sad foreigner face* I love the not bragging culture. That also includes wearing makeup. Wearing too much makeup is just very "look at me". Finns are just very comfortable in their own skins, and I love it! I inhale my joos. I don't know why. Excellent video, Aleksi!
Silent breaks are less common among Eastern Finns, we just talk more... we do them, but not as often and we do talk with strangers in public! Southeners are are usually appaelled by this, dunno why... :P
In the US the transparency aspect would be great but, many may notice the disparity of the wealth and gender bias pay as well. It would either make things right! Only after we fight a civil war though!🤣🤣🤣 Funny not funny. Thank you for your channel 💜🧡 Also, most US citizens would loose it with the nudity. Not I. It would feel more natural and peaceful to me.
In Poland we also have the name day called "imieniny" and it's common for older people to celebrate name day instead of birthday. Once I heared that this is because they don't want to celebrate becoming older xD
We also have name days in Hungary! 🙂 Unfortunetaly almost every movie and TV show is dubbed here. I am not sure about the blankets, we use 2 at home and in every hotel there are two. However my parent for instance always used a single big one. Once we visited Amsterdam with my wife and there was only one big blanket in the hotel, it was quite strange.
Hello. In Czech we also have a name days. My is 15th October;). Except the sauna and naked stuff and breathing in while talking, I’m very Finish. Most of the video was about me. 😂
5:30 I live in the UK and we have similar showers to this, but you'll only find them in public swimming pools as a way to get used to the water before entering. Tbh, I don't know if it's just me but I've never heard of a public shower before this so maybe they just don't exist here in UK :/
3:15 In my country we speak on top of each other and some people ( more than half of us, i bet) wont shut up, and if your pause is longer than a second you will be interrupted. Ans we speak to everyone and anyone and make friends too easily. I dont think id adapt well in Finland
I'm American but my boyfriend is from Germany - they do the separate duvets there too! I'd be curious to know which countries in Europe do this and where the practice originated.
My mom always put us out in winter in the pram. It will always confuse me that Finns are so private but anyone can call up and find out your info by law?? The first time my friend talked on the inhale. I thought she had health problems, then her daughter did it....then I realized.
As a pretty shy person who has problems opening up to people on their own, I felt like I am among people of my kind. Here where I live everything is so hectic, stressed, "loud", and its a welcome change when you have that silence and not unnecessairy small talk to break the ice 100% of the time. :) I also felt this feeling going first time to Finnish sauna, that you're equal. Couldnt remember that before it was really.... heartwarming at least for me :)
that inhaling thing they do it in northt sweden as well. an old joke how to get a norrlänning to clean under your bed. see how much dust there is under the bed. jhooooo
Excellent points! That was amazingly informative. Throughout I can see how Finnish egalitarianism has permeated all aspects of society. And no offense to your girlfriend, but, oh my gosh are you *HANDSOME!* You're beautiful from head to toe. I never tire of seeing you. 😊
loved the last one. everyone's earnings should be publicly accessible so that we dont have to go though Decade long trials to figure out somebody is corrupt. From India,but common in many nations from first hand experience
Oh goodness thrift stores here in USA are a big thing now. They weren’t in the 1970s so much and there was a bit of stigma around it but I am of Finnish descent in both sides so my parents were very pragmatic about used clothing and household items. I identify with a lot of these “weird” things but not the kids sleeping outside thing! Never heard of that
the more I watch, i realy like Finland mentality. and if communication is like "introducing my feet and share space" with others, I totally understand everything 😅 I have to prepare for this summer and going on beach... so in souna I will wear socks.
Kyllä, joo! Mutta, vissa saker är inte så ovanligt här i Sverige heller. 🇸🇪🇫🇮❤️ We have quite a lot of Finnish speaking people, in f.ex Haparanda, Eskilstuna and Västerås ... Kiitos Paljon Aleksi. Tiedän että sinä ymmärrät Ruotsia. Huh, jag använde inte translate där, onko tuo lause oikeassa? Allt gott. Inget hat, bara kärlek från grannlandet i väst.
In Portugal, regarding movies, tv series and so on, it's the same thing. We use subtitles. That's one of the reasons that th Portuguese tend to speak and learn foreign languages, better than our latin/ romance counterparts. 🙏👍
Oh yeah 😀 i am from Russia amd syill can't get used to those silent pause with my husband 🤣 in real life they are probably ok, but during phone call sometimes weird 😀
Moi, Aleksi! In Iceland there are many similarities with Finnish culture - like being naked with strangers in the same style showers and saunas. It is also possible here for ladies to be topless in a public swimming pools. In some public swimming pools showers would be one shower cabin with doors - locals don´t use it, but some tourists do, especially from the US somehow. In Icelandic language there´re many sounds that would at first be weird for a foreigner - there´s breathing like you showed as well. And kids used to harsh weather since the day they´re born, and often one can see kids playing outside under the rain and wind etc. Babies are often left outside in their buggy, while parents are home or in a cafe etc. Icelandic people thought can be quite talkative (even when fully dressed, don´t see connection between amount of clothes and being communicative here) as they still often curious where are you from and all the stuff. Also - can be two duvets, I think it is in general a very nordic tradition. If we speak about Finland now - I have many friends there and they´re some of the most wonderful people I know. Also, it was always easy for me to have a conversation with a stranger in Helsinki, as long as there´s something in common. I´d end up for an extra hour in a store talking to sales people, and sometimes we would even stay in touch. Also once I met a friend at a bar, she just started talking to me out of blue and we ended up being friends for years.
When I was visiting Iceland, I was completely blown away by the place. At the same so exotic you're not sure you're on the same planet - but the culture, people and architecture make a Finn feel like he's at home with family.
In Cape Breton ...(Nova Scotia .... Canada!) We are never naked for any reason, but we do inhale our "yeahs" sometimes. Can't imagine that this would be interesting to anybody. cheers!
in Germany we have two blankets too. thanks god. The Tax thing would never work here, we take data protection extremly serious oh and german saunas are mixed gendered and naked
The double duvet idea is true in Germany as well. So it is not uniquely Finnish. But of course richer countries could afford to have 2 separate duvets.
When I went to a public sauna in Tampere, nudity was not allowed. I think it was the Saunaravintola Kuuma. I am not sure exactly but I think it started with an S. It was a sauna I found on the Tampere app. I had to buy a swimsuit first. Everyone else who came into the sauna was clothed. I am guessing the nudity must be more common in private saunas.
Of course we have also couple blanket in Finland. I have had a few in my youth, when I got married. You can by it in stores or order it through internet. When I was young there was catalogs where people can order things to the postoffice and little baggages to the mailbox. I'm sorry, but my English is not very good, because in my childhood we have not foreign languages lessions in every schools, common schools never. You have to pursue to the "learning school" oppikoulu and them are not find in every village. If you live faraway you have to move to you relatives or go by bus. And in oppikoulu your parents had to by your food in the school, your textbooks and other things like pens and notebooks and pay tuitions. So poor families cannot left their children to these schools, children went to common schools named kansakoulu, "people school, commonalty school". Everybody have to be there in classes 1-4 when you were 7-10 years old. Then you go to the oppikoulu or stay in kansakoulu 3 before then 2 years and after them formely 1 year and later 2 years kansalaiskoulu "citizen school", where was lessions also practice issues, and general knowledge too. I think both kansakoulu and kansalaiskoulu were very good schools and we have excellent teachers, kansan kynttilät 😊😊, "candles to the people" 😊. We have school reform, new law in the year 1968 and step by step in the years 1972-1977 we get a new school system to the hole country, common school to everybody peruskoulu "basic school", which was free of any payments and then we have no oppikoulu, kansakoulu and kansalaiskoulu anymore. They are now history. It's fine, I would have had stairs to learn much more, if it's were possible earlier. And I didn't have to been separated from few my dear friends in the school. I don't think that somebody is interesting this history, but I noticed that I'm old now and boring 😂😅.
WATCH ALSO: How Foreigners Make Finns Uncomfortable (unintentionally): ua-cam.com/video/PCz-1QXGrFg/v-deo.html
You what is kind of weird in my area in Reno,NV. that is very opposite of Finland ? I get a lot of offers to buy guns As I am a female woman Mom who lives in apart of Reno , where the " Better" paid citizens do not go to rent or lease. Oh, by the way I get a deep discount in rent. So , I tolerate a few things for the price & then keep my hard earned bread ,not make them rich. There are obnoxious things you see in the American reports are very real ,"normalized". But, the Men never not once ever courts any women in a style I accustomed to seeing where I come from a fairly affection ,romantic culture. So, I noted the differences. But, they want a lot of hard work from the common woman , with no reward & to get herself protection of weaponry when , 1) it is very expensive , 2) (they are busting a sale). Where is this going? On a hunting trip? I think not. And ,yes they average driver who is single is in the giant 4 by 4 trucks,mostly running past ,not stopping.
Transmission sent from Sierra Madre ,Nv.
20.55p
18.7.23
Can you please make a video about the new government please? Because I’m thinking of moving there next year (from EU) and they are saying that the new government is racist. And I’m half arab so I really want to know if I should really be concerned
@@salemelkayati880 no need to be concerned. A few individuals of the government have done some questionable things but that alone does not make the government or Finland racist.
@@AleksiHimself sorry for my late response and thank you for your reply! I’m glad you said that cause I can’t wait to move there
@@salemelkayati880 btw some are racist but they dont announce it publicly only in like in their home or in a emprty room like you know? but this means that you dont need to be concerserded cus nobody is gonna talk about racism or anything like that you anyone or even you.
Number 11: randomly seeing things hanging in trees. Finns seem to really want people to recover their lost items, so whenever they find someone's lost item, they'll hang it in the nearest tree or put it somewhere at eye level. I have recovered two lost items this way! So if you lose something here, when you retrace your steps, be sure to look on the ground as well as in the trees!
Yes!! I've actually seen this and was so surprised at how nice people are. In my country this definitely doesn't happen at all. But in the UK it does! I once lost a pair of gloves for around 2 weeks! Lo and behold I found them exactly where I had left them (but had forgotten).
Quite international
I took a bus to the office one winter day in a small city in Finland. I accidently left my hat on the bus. At the end of the day I realized that my hat was missing and figured I'd have buy a new one. When I got on the bus to go back to the hotel, I went to the same seat. There was my hat!
Yeah... hanging it up is also because the weather is often muddy, or in the winter, the item might be buried under the snow.
Aww cute, if you visit Cuba don’t even bother to look for what you lost 😂
As a very anxious, introverted American, I felt completely great and normal when I visited Finland. I thought to myself, "wow, it's a place where people are actually acting normal!" The cab driver did not try to speak to me, and I have never felt a stronger connection to a cab driver in my entire life--sometimes even now, I think fondly about not talking to him. I really miss Finland.
Hi, I liked that fact too. Cab drivers in Finland were nice, but not chatty like in the US. That was amazing. A lot of friendly people there, but they don't invade your personal space. I miss Finland too.
You feel foundly about not making a connection? Even I as a major introvert can see red flags in that.
Hey, you’re welcome to visit us again - silence is golden here and as you might know or have noticed - we respect your privacy and our own❣️
Aw. You should visit again!
@@Stephen2K4 haha👍🏻
Love the Finnish attitude to nakedness. It's so natural. In Greece, there are many nudist beaches. I'll always remember my first interaction with a Finn because when I asked how he was doing, the answer was just accurate and direct about what went on in their lives. No small talk. I felt relieved because I dislike a lot of small talk. Everything in this world would be so much easier if people say what they mean and mean what they say. Also, so unnecessary to talk all the time. Tiring and boring.
I have heard that back in the days Finland was considering quite seriously dubbing movies and series, but when our dear neighbour Sweden decided to make subtitles we followed their example. Thank God we did.
Yes, agree with you. Thank God we did not. The level of english f.e. is quite high and you get things done easily. Even the elderly people understand and communicate well in english. Btw cheers from Thailand!
American here- When I first came to Finland to visit my boyfriend, I was so shocked about the double duvet, don't get me wrong years later and now married, I'm so glad it's a double duvet.
Moi, Aleksi! Now I need a sweatshirt that says “it’s not weird, it’s Finnish”! I’m from the US and we are not comfortable being naked, with or without strangers. Thank you, Puritans. And I can’t imagine silence in a conversation. We have to talk all the time. I love the 2nd hand stores! We have them, but I wouldn’t call them mainstream. They should be. So good to see you online again!
"It's not weird, it's Finnish"... yes, yes, yes!!! That's a t-shirt, at least!
I won’t consider myself a true Finn until I sauna naked. I’ll have to be drunk my first time!
I grew up in the US and the showers in high school for swimming and at the gym were exactly the same style as in Finland. It was never seen as a big deal at all, but it seems that as time has gone, Americans have gotten more and more prudish. I have no idea why. I think it's a generational thing.
There is an oopsie in the video. At the swimming pool part, I meant to say that boys and girls are naked in the shower and dressing rooms separately, not in the pool department. That would be a nudist pool, lol.
9:41 Same thing in Poland, hardly anyone remembers their name day until they get a call from their grandparents
We sometimes do the the inhaling thing in Denmark too, when saying yes 😂
Nice! 😂 Didn't know that.
Kiitos paljon, asuin Suomessa kolme vuotta paljoa aikaa sitten ja tunnistan jokaisen mainitsemasi kohdan. Onpa aika nostalgista...😢
The concept of being nude in front of a stranger, sober, as a Brit... is horrifying!!
I'm sure it can be scary for foreigners at first! Just embrace it and you'll be ok. :)
I love that films aren't dubbed! They're not in Romania, either. It's precisely how I learned English as a kid -- listening is essential and it comes way before learning grammar, writing, and speaking.
So many things you mentioned are done in Sweden but not in USA: Inhaling Yaa and Yoo, name day, separate duvets or blankets, babies sleeping outside in the cold, naked sauna with families etc.
The inhaling thing was a cultural shock for me. Initially, I thought they were like gasping for air! It's still uncomfortable for me, if I'm being honest.
I worked for a Finnish company in Wisconsin. The wife of colleague would let here babies nap outside in the winter. Somebody called the cops on her!
The idea of having an open public shower in the UK makes me giggle - we're too awkward & private. But I like you guys are so chill 😂
Greetings from Scotland!
In Romania, salaries are not shown in job advertisements either, and sometimes there are clauses in the contract that say you cannot disclose your salary.😵💫
Interesting..i love it. I was in Finland for the summer, stayed in Vantaa, hang out in Helsinki of course. Can't wait to go back next year.
Filipino here, but I am thinking of moving to Finland despite its very high cost of living and the difficulties I would encounter. I just want to get away from the toxic cultures of my country (you will never like to hear that).
"Nimipäivä" in Poland is called "Imieniny." It's a very popular celebration among older Polish people. My grandma is the only person who always remembers my name day and calls me with greetings :)
I remember always getting pokemon cards for nimipäivä
I am from the Czech Republic and I admit that I am literally surprised by the similarities with the Finns. I had no idea we had so much in common. Maybe I have Finnish blood and I don't know it 😀
Kiitos paljon Aleksi hyödyllisistä videoistasi 🇫🇮
Good stuff! 😃🙌
I am German, but I would have called almost all Finnish traits mine - being German. I also lived in the US for a long time and they seem to be the antidote of Finns. Well, when I lived in Switzerland, it was a bit of a mix. For me, most things are a mix of climate and religion. LOL.
Name days are very common in Eastern Europe. I think comes from Catholicism. It also common in East Asia that schools are kept bit colder than normal. It boosts kids' immunity. I visited Japanese school and I got a cold, because it was so cold. I though this is not going to work: and next time I worn very thick woolen socks.
In Poland we do most of this things inverse to Finnish People. We have common tradition with name day and we also have subtitles or lector instead of dubbing.
The inhale is definitely not only Finnish ;) In Switzerland we do it and it's very common, my Icelandic friends do it a lot too, so I've heard it in several situations with several people!
In Mexico we also have the movies and tv shows in the original language with spanish subtitles most of the time, unless is airing on television; also the stuff for kids is doubled in spanish in the cinema. We also have the name thing in the calendar, but here is the "santoral", that's it the Catholic saint of the day and people bearing the name of the saint can get congratulated.
In Greece, we also have namedays! We celebrate them sometimes more than our birthday!
Thanks! Good to see you uploading again
Big thanks for the Super Thanks man!
the tax thing would work in New Zealand. Although we have strict privacy laws it would work but we dont have it (yet)
Cook vid, informative
I want to thank you for your videos; I don't only learn from Finlands, but also learn more about people in general.
There are things that are simply good, that are simply healthy, and I've figured that, growing up, I wasn't really weird after all.
It was really, really hard to learn these things on my own, and I'm afraid I've learned what it is to be human a bit too late.
I'm happy knowing I was really not a bad person, I was not dumb, or weird, and that I really could've been happy, and it wasn't just a delusion.
The silence in the conversation was one of the hardest cultural shocks for me. But it's not just when they change topic. Sometimes I am having conversations with my partner and there'll be a stop in the middle of a sentence that can last a long time and even mean the conversation on that topic is over unless I pull it back on the table. I think it's not just a social thing with friends.
Brother this is a beautiful video. And the quality of those effects and entertaining and usefulness has grown so much
I can't wait to go in Finland ❤️❤️
Hei Aleksi, can you tell us about what's happening in Finland right now concerning students and education along with the protests in helsinki ylipistö and other schools?
Thanks for this video Aleksi :) i like your videos!
The thing about movies getting dubbed is really recognizable for me. I am dutch, living in Germany. I just cannot get used to it and often talk about it with germans. I think the whole acting is ruined. Some of them agree with me, but many say 'but when it would be in English, how can i understand?' 'by reading...'. I am curious if it will ever change.
The most interesting is they are the most happiest country of the world,but they don't smile,are cold and love the silence,this surreal for us Italians hahaha
I would be even more happy, if we had barrista Italiano here in my cafe.
Italians would be more happier people without cosa nostra and corruption in general.
Finland would be happier place without mafia and corruption in Russia. Ukraine would like it too..
@@pelimies1818 I would be more happy if Italy was more cold place,here is hot sometimes
@@andersonsantucci9325 Because happiness depends on the situation here
I personally think that the naked thing, while is a great thing to have, is at the same time kind of a problem when it comes to foreigners, because most people (unless maybe europeans) can see it as a sneaky way to take a peek and its pretty uncomfortable. For me personally I really dig your naked culture because somehow its true you feel more liberated and everything is more easy going. Quite a lot of things fascinate me about FInland, and that's why its my favourite country.
That's why it's good to research a country before visiting
Nudity is treated fairly similarly here in Sweden, but not quite so liberally. It has also changed a lot with all the immigration. It's not a concept that the immigrants can understand, so we've just sort of mostly abolished this part of our culture. It's a sad fact, but with how much rape there is and where it comes from, few Swedes (of course especially women and children) dare to be naked outside their homes. Personally, I've never been very keen on nudity. I want to have boundaries and privacy. It's not a matter of shame. It's that not everyone deserves the privilege of seeing me in my most intimate, vulnerable state.
I took the poll you had about blankets. I was in the minority with saying we each have our own. On the other points you made in this video, all of them but sleeping outside as a baby hold true for me. The one about the second hand stores is 100% spot on. Here, in Oregon it's called " thrifting" and it's a hobby.
In Portland Oregon, if you are a hipster, you get naked. They do have Saunas that are certified by The Finnish Sauna Society. Also, people just sometimes randomly ride a bike or walk around naked. Mostly men do that, but nobody cares. We just talk normally to each other.
Funny about the dubbed movies! We get Finnish films here. You mentioned Sisu on one of the posts you made on UA-cam. That was dubbed by the Finnish actors who played the parts into English. People here want the subtitles because they like to learn new languages with movies and TV. We get few classes in schools due to budget cuts, so we need to hear videos to learn.
Interesting, thank you! In our culture(RU), we usually have 1 blanket per couple and we even have a saying that goes like "pull the blanket to one's side" which means a person wants to draw everybody's attention for oneself or that he or she walks all over other people, or wants more advantages than everybody has:)
Oh, I thought the weird thing was that the Finns willingly had a conversation.
Typical Finns always think twice before they say nothing 🤐
0:40 -10 degrees that’s bs my mum had me sleep outside as a baby at around -25 celsius!
So Germans and Finns aren't so different (except this salary thing 😲, that just blows my mind). And we do this bonus-thing, too with the inhaling on short answers (mostly yes 🙂).
Hi Aleksi! So good to have you back again. Could be interesting to do a comparison between Helsinki and Tampere in terms of opportunities and cost of living? I think It could be valuable for people with job opportunities from both cities. Have a good day!
Long story short: Helsinki is more expensive, but has also more to offer as a traditional city. Tampere on the other hand is cheaper and has an easier access to nature (even though for European standards Helsinki also has amazing access to nature) :)
Very helpful about Finnish . Wish me can go Helsinki soon
You forgot to mention that touching people (hugging, kissing on cheek, etc) is considered sexual in Finland... I'm not a Finn, and I grew up in Japan... and I notice Finns are very polite around visitors... but I'm often surprised by foreigners who visit a new culture, and are perfectly fine with hugging and kissing strangers on the cheek, but they are mortified when strangers take off their clothes. It's an anthropological example on how humans are not born with opinions on touching vs nudity, but learn what is "normal" and "abnormal" from other people.
I don'r know where you learned this but hugging isn't considered sexual in finland. It's a very common way to creet those close to you like family and friends, nothing sexual there. As for kissing on the cheek, it's just not a costum in finland. We do usually like our personal spaces and aren't too touchy feely with folks but that doesn't mean it's automatically sexual when we do.
i never realized the two duvets thing was purely finnish(or nordic, or not that common). finally an explanation on why so many people have complained about their partner stealing their duvet in their sleep.
Nope, it's not just nordic thing. In Hungary, we do the same. :)
Hi Aleksi
In Hungary we have similar calendars and my family and fiends also celebrating the nameday (but if somebody has two first names which is common celebrating only one). I had only one colleague who have not celebrating the nameday so I think its a common thing in my country.
Also interesting in Former times before COVID when we went every day to the office, the one who had nameday or birthday have bringed cookies (and regarding namday we always remind each other that "hay tomorrow you have a nameday" 😅). But for sure it is not common hungaryan thing it depends on the relationship of the close colleagues.
As a neighbour in Norway I see many things come up that we do as well, especially feel the silence, it can be awkward sometimes, but mostly natural. Know many times we're I've been walking with someone somewhere and we basically only spoke at the beggining of the walk and at the end of the walk. With maybe a few words inbetween
The blanket that goes up to the man's waist also goes up to the woman's shoulders. Having their own blanket would help with that.
Probably!
It's not weird, but it's also not exclusively Finnish.
Single duvets: Here in Germany, this is not the norm but it’s still fairly common. When I grew up my parents only ever used separate duvets in their bed, I only learned later that double duvets exist at all. However when you book a double room in a hotel you will always get a bed with a double duvet unless you explicitly demand otherwise.
Showers in gyms: In Germany they look like they do in the picture you showed; no separators between them. Like in Finland, we usually go into the sauna fully naked, and additionally our saunas are usually mixed-gender (gender-segregated or swimwear-only saunas do exist but they’re not as common). Usually there will still be separate locker rooms for men and women but in the sauna they will be naked together.
Talking to strangers: When it comes to get to know strangers, we Germans are a lot like Finns; however the rule „the less clothes, the more talkative“ does not apply. We won’t usually strike up a conversation with a random stranger, even when we’re sitting next to each other in a sauna.
Long pauses in conversations: This is not a thing in Germany but sometimes I wish it were.
Buying used stuff: This is also common here, but I guess not as common as in Finland. It’s usually the generation of people who lived through or grew up shortly after WW2 who will be very reluctant of throwing anything away that’s still usable. Also, among people who grew up in East Germany under socialism, many will usually repair the shit out of everything to avoid having to throw it away.
The name day: It used to be the same here; the „name day“ is usually the name of a Catholic saint who has a connection with a specific date (usually they were martyred on that day). My mother-in-law, having grown up in a strict Catholic environment in Bavaria, remembers that the name day used to be even more important than the birthday.
Nowadays, remembering what your name day is or having names of saints printed on calendars has become rare, probably due to the waning influence of the Catholic Church and religion in general.
Talking about money: Bragging about your salary or asking someone about how much money they make is not only quite unusual here - earnings are considered top-secret private information and the tax office giving out this kind of information to random strangers would be considered a major data breach (DATENSCHUTZ!)
In Poland we too celebrate the name day ( some people prefer to celebrate it instead of birthday, but some don't celebrate it at all). We cannhave silence in a conversation, but it's more awkward with a stranger than with a friend. And we have both open and closed showers in swimming pools to accomodate everyone's prefference
I'm an introvert so Finland sounds great. Disc golf and hockey are my favourite hobbies so it would be a perfect fit
Yeah we Estonians have moments where we just don't talk but still just enjoy the moment we're having. And yeah, we have thoes wall-less showers too.😅
Usually hearing people in these videos say that when you get a Finnish friend, you have a friend for life, and now you say "hard effort high reward " makes it sound like Finns are cast iron/carbon steel cookware. :D
I just want to know what hair products Aleksi uses. I too have curly hair and it drives me crazy trying to find the right products for my weird hair.
Double duvets are wonderful!
Silence is excellent. I don't miss the constant chatter that I grew up with in the US. But I will say that there are a lot more chatty Finns than people will admit.
The nakedness took some getting used to, but I don't mind it. It's very freeing.
The name days make me feel kind of bad because I don't have one. *sad foreigner face*
I love the not bragging culture. That also includes wearing makeup. Wearing too much makeup is just very "look at me". Finns are just very comfortable in their own skins, and I love it!
I inhale my joos. I don't know why.
Excellent video, Aleksi!
Silent breaks are less common among Eastern Finns, we just talk more... we do them, but not as often and we do talk with strangers in public! Southeners are are usually appaelled by this, dunno why... :P
The showers in Austrian Gyms also look the same as in Finland. In Austria we also have name day.
In the US the transparency aspect would be great but, many may notice the disparity of the wealth and gender bias pay as well. It would either make things right! Only after we fight a civil war though!🤣🤣🤣 Funny not funny. Thank you for your channel 💜🧡 Also, most US citizens would loose it with the nudity. Not I. It would feel more natural and peaceful to me.
In Poland we also have the name day called "imieniny" and it's common for older people to celebrate name day instead of birthday. Once I heared that this is because they don't want to celebrate becoming older xD
It is also easy to greet someone on the name day, it is written in calendars and you do not forget it not like birthdays 🙂
The double duvet thing is no joke. It works great!
We also have name days in Hungary! 🙂
Unfortunetaly almost every movie and TV show is dubbed here.
I am not sure about the blankets, we use 2 at home and in every hotel there are two. However my parent for instance always used a single big one.
Once we visited Amsterdam with my wife and there was only one big blanket in the hotel, it was quite strange.
Hello. In Czech we also have a name days. My is 15th October;). Except the sauna and naked stuff and breathing in while talking, I’m very Finish. Most of the video was about me. 😂
I'm loving Finland day by day😊
5:30
I live in the UK and we have similar showers to this, but you'll only find them in public swimming pools as a way to get used to the water before entering.
Tbh, I don't know if it's just me but I've never heard of a public shower before this so maybe they just don't exist here in UK :/
3:15 In my country we speak on top of each other and some people ( more than half of us, i bet) wont shut up, and if your pause is longer than a second you will be interrupted.
Ans we speak to everyone and anyone and make friends too easily.
I dont think id adapt well in Finland
In Poland we also have the name days. In my family, we are celebrated name day almost the same way as birthdays, we bake cake and buy gifts.
Good stuff! 😃🙌
I'm American but my boyfriend is from Germany - they do the separate duvets there too! I'd be curious to know which countries in Europe do this and where the practice originated.
My mom always put us out in winter in the pram.
It will always confuse me that Finns are so private but anyone can call up and find out your info by law??
The first time my friend talked on the inhale. I thought she had health problems, then her daughter did it....then I realized.
Nice!
Yep, tax info is public by law and that's why anyone can find out the info.
Even in the US, we have the Finnish silence in our conversations 😅 and no, it isn't uncomfortable.
The tax transparency thing, I think will not work in my country (I'm from Philippines).
Happy name day, Aleksi!
Hi we are from India.can we do agriculture in Finland? Is it possible?
Threw is the Name-Day in Italy too, is called "Onomastico" :)
As a pretty shy person who has problems opening up to people on their own, I felt like I am among people of my kind. Here where I live everything is so hectic, stressed, "loud", and its a welcome change when you have that silence and not unnecessairy small talk to break the ice 100% of the time. :)
I also felt this feeling going first time to Finnish sauna, that you're equal. Couldnt remember that before it was really.... heartwarming at least for me :)
In Sweden ppl also take breath while says "yes"
👍 Informative.
that inhaling thing they do it in northt sweden as well. an old joke how to get a norrlänning to clean under your bed. see how much dust there is under the bed. jhooooo
Excellent points! That was amazingly informative. Throughout I can see how Finnish egalitarianism has permeated all aspects of society.
And no offense to your girlfriend, but, oh my gosh are you *HANDSOME!* You're beautiful from head to toe. I never tire of seeing you. 😊
loved the last one. everyone's earnings should be publicly accessible so that we dont have to go though Decade long trials to figure out somebody is corrupt. From India,but common in many nations from first hand experience
You didn't mention salmiakki... 🙂
Oh goodness thrift stores here in USA are a big thing now. They weren’t in the 1970s so much and there was a bit of stigma around it but I am of Finnish descent in both sides so my parents were very pragmatic about used clothing and household items.
I identify with a lot of these “weird” things but not the kids sleeping outside thing! Never heard of that
the more I watch, i realy like Finland mentality.
and if communication is like "introducing my feet and share space" with others, I totally understand everything 😅 I have to prepare for this summer and going on beach... so in souna I will wear socks.
In Lithuania we have vardadienis, it is also name day.
2nd hand sales are common in australia. " Garage Sales "
Kiitos for sharing the Finnish culture! I have one question: How and where do you use the expression "no niin"?
you meant nimepäev. we do it in estonia as well. no big celebrations just some cake within the household.
Kyllä, joo! Mutta, vissa saker är inte så ovanligt här i Sverige heller. 🇸🇪🇫🇮❤️ We have quite a lot of Finnish speaking people, in f.ex Haparanda, Eskilstuna and Västerås ... Kiitos Paljon Aleksi. Tiedän että sinä ymmärrät Ruotsia. Huh, jag använde inte translate där, onko tuo lause oikeassa? Allt gott. Inget hat, bara kärlek från grannlandet i väst.
In Portugal, regarding movies, tv series and so on, it's the same thing. We use subtitles. That's one of the reasons that th Portuguese tend to speak and learn foreign languages, better than our latin/ romance counterparts. 🙏👍
Oh yeah 😀 i am from Russia amd syill can't get used to those silent pause with my husband 🤣 in real life they are probably ok, but during phone call sometimes weird 😀
Moi, Aleksi! In Iceland there are many similarities with Finnish culture - like being naked with strangers in the same style showers and saunas. It is also possible here for ladies to be topless in a public swimming pools. In some public swimming pools showers would be one shower cabin with doors - locals don´t use it, but some tourists do, especially from the US somehow. In Icelandic language there´re many sounds that would at first be weird for a foreigner - there´s breathing like you showed as well. And kids used to harsh weather since the day they´re born, and often one can see kids playing outside under the rain and wind etc. Babies are often left outside in their buggy, while parents are home or in a cafe etc. Icelandic people thought can be quite talkative (even when fully dressed, don´t see connection between amount of clothes and being communicative here) as they still often curious where are you from and all the stuff. Also - can be two duvets, I think it is in general a very nordic tradition. If we speak about Finland now - I have many friends there and they´re some of the most wonderful people I know. Also, it was always easy for me to have a conversation with a stranger in Helsinki, as long as there´s something in common. I´d end up for an extra hour in a store talking to sales people, and sometimes we would even stay in touch. Also once I met a friend at a bar, she just started talking to me out of blue and we ended up being friends for years.
When I was visiting Iceland, I was completely blown away by the place. At the same so exotic you're not sure you're on the same planet - but the culture, people and architecture make a Finn feel like he's at home with family.
In Cape Breton ...(Nova Scotia .... Canada!) We are never naked for any reason, but we do inhale our "yeahs" sometimes. Can't imagine that this would be interesting to anybody. cheers!
Name day exists in france. I think its got the same general attitude towards it these days, as in Finland.
Good stuff! 😃🙌
The Finnish language is the most bizarre language I've ever gotten to know, and the inward breathing speaking thing is the most bizarre part of it
in Germany we have two blankets too. thanks god.
The Tax thing would never work here, we take data protection extremly serious
oh and german saunas are mixed gendered and naked
Yeah. I've noticed that the attitude to nudity can be a lot more relaxed in Germany than in Finland.
@@jannepeltonen2036 in Germany nudity is definitely kinda normal and relaxed. No one cares if a woman sunbathe topless in a public park for example
The double duvet idea is true in Germany as well. So it is not uniquely Finnish. But of course richer countries could afford to have 2 separate duvets.
When I went to a public sauna in Tampere, nudity was not allowed. I think it was the Saunaravintola Kuuma. I am not sure exactly but I think it started with an S. It was a sauna I found on the Tampere app. I had to buy a swimsuit first. Everyone else who came into the sauna was clothed. I am guessing the nudity must be more common in private saunas.
Good point. Mixed sex public saunas often require swimsuits but same sex won't.
Everybody: *listents to the weird things finnish people do*
Me: *just enjoying finnish accent*
Finland hase some good stuff
Good stuff indeed!
Of course we have also couple blanket in Finland. I have had a few in my youth, when I got married. You can by it in stores or order it through internet. When I was young there was catalogs where people can order things to the postoffice and little baggages to the mailbox.
I'm sorry, but my English is not very good, because in my childhood we have not foreign languages lessions in every schools, common schools never. You have to pursue to the "learning school" oppikoulu and them are not find in every village. If you live faraway you have to move to you relatives or go by bus. And in oppikoulu your parents had to by your food in the school, your textbooks and other things like pens and notebooks and pay tuitions. So poor families cannot left their children to these schools, children went to common schools named kansakoulu, "people school, commonalty school". Everybody have to be there in classes 1-4 when you were 7-10 years old. Then you go to the oppikoulu or stay in kansakoulu 3 before then 2 years and after them formely 1 year and later 2 years kansalaiskoulu "citizen school", where was lessions also practice issues, and general knowledge too.
I think both kansakoulu and kansalaiskoulu were very good schools and we have excellent teachers, kansan kynttilät 😊😊, "candles to the people" 😊.
We have school reform, new law in the year 1968 and step by step in the years 1972-1977 we get a new school system to the hole country, common school to everybody peruskoulu "basic school", which was free of any payments and then we have no oppikoulu, kansakoulu and kansalaiskoulu anymore. They are now history. It's fine, I would have had stairs to learn much more, if it's were possible earlier. And I didn't have to been separated from few my dear friends in the school.
I don't think that somebody is interesting this history, but I noticed that I'm old now and boring 😂😅.