Quite similar to us Norwegians. Foreigners often think we are cold, and arrogant. But we are often just a bit introvert and reserved. Sometimes we just need a bit of time before "letting someone in".
Finnish politeness is to leave you alone. It's unpolite to disturb people. When I saw our prime minister next to me in a bar or my favourite writer walking towards me in a train station I said anything to them, because they sure had heard enough different comments. I was being polite and left them be.
There was a comedy show which featured a segment: Negative thinking course. How to get positive response from a Finn? Ask something like: Do you have anything against going to the party?
Yep. A salesman friend once told me; The way to sell to a Finn is to get them to say No first. Once they got it out of their system, they are much more likely to respond positively to the actual sales pitch.
I've been living on Barcelona for a year and a half now and I really relate to your experience Antonija! I've tried to make friends with locals but I don't speak catalan so its hard, also they seem to be pretty closed off to strangers. I met my current friends on a in person Friends of Figma events, we are all designers and from Argentina like me. It's tricky to not fall in your own immigrant bubble. I tried speaking with local designers on these events and they literally ignored me 🥲 Remote work is also super hard for making friends since you can't go have drinks after work and you also don't have the forced proximity of working every day in person with other people. Lately I've been trying to join in person events in english instead of spanish and I've had better luck meeting other foreigners that are in the same situation of being in a new place that they've chosen. Its a work in progress!
Wow I am surprised Spanish people are closed to social interactions! Coming from semi-south myself I found Croatians are 100% friendlier than Finns and I assumed all south nations share this trait. I guess modern times made people introverted, or closed to new social experiences. But I would double down that the language is numero uno problem, always. My struggle is that there is no a good way/school/course to really longterm commit to learn the language enough to share jokes with locals and blend in.
Interesting. I'm Finn and do not hang out with friends much. The hanging out usually for me means taking dogs out for a few hour walks with a friend. I never go to sit and drink coffee with them and I never invite people to come to my place.
Finns are not cold, we are perhaps a bit reserved towards people we don't know, it takes time before a Finn opens up, patience and perseverance are needed T:Finnish X)
Here in Portugal, more precisely in Lisbon, where i live, in terms of mailing friends we are in the Middle between Skandinavia and the Balkans! Some Times you have to break the ice!🇵🇹👍🏻
Naaah, you're pretty much correct. That is how we are. :D Finns themselves constantly complain about nobody wanting to be the proactive person suggesting outings and how that make them feel bad. And then they keep not-doing it themselves. Some have even directly voiced this, how it is SO nice when others ask you out but you are just too shy and too awkward and too anxious to do it yourself. You just can't. Oh noes. 🙃 I try to be proactive but yeah, it is a struggle. :D
It's funny but I'm from Mexico I have lived in Arizona for 25 years. There are PLENTY of hispanics here and in general people here (Hispanic or not) are very friendly, but I think after hitting 30 years of age, people never include you in stuff, they close off to their long time friends and MAYBE remember you exist and include you in things if you happen to be in front of them when they're making plans, otherwise, out of sight, out of mind.
Interesting.I'm a very Finny-Finn but I've been working in the hospitaiity/restaurant business for 25 years so I don't quite see us as so cold as most people like to make out. Just go on and talk to those quiet Finns! it'll be ok!
I am a Finn and had a Croatian girlfriend who was obsessed with body contact and hugging, kissing and crap like that… needless to say we are not together any more…😂
If you have been in Finland why you havent bothered to learn finnish? There have been more than enough time. Theres no excuse why not to learn language.
Us Finns are an exclusive club, where one gets membership by not communicating…😂
Quite similar to us Norwegians. Foreigners often think we are cold, and arrogant. But we are often just a bit introvert and reserved. Sometimes we just need a bit of time before "letting someone in".
Finnish politeness is to leave you alone. It's unpolite to disturb people. When I saw our prime minister next to me in a bar or my favourite writer walking towards me in a train station I said anything to them, because they sure had heard enough different comments. I was being polite and left them be.
There was a comedy show which featured a segment: Negative thinking course. How to get positive response from a Finn? Ask something like: Do you have anything against going to the party?
Yep. A salesman friend once told me; The way to sell to a Finn is to get them to say No first. Once they got it out of their system, they are much more likely to respond positively to the actual sales pitch.
I've been living on Barcelona for a year and a half now and I really relate to your experience Antonija!
I've tried to make friends with locals but I don't speak catalan so its hard, also they seem to be pretty closed off to strangers. I met my current friends on a in person Friends of Figma events, we are all designers and from Argentina like me. It's tricky to not fall in your own immigrant bubble. I tried speaking with local designers on these events and they literally ignored me 🥲
Remote work is also super hard for making friends since you can't go have drinks after work and you also don't have the forced proximity of working every day in person with other people.
Lately I've been trying to join in person events in english instead of spanish and I've had better luck meeting other foreigners that are in the same situation of being in a new place that they've chosen. Its a work in progress!
Wow I am surprised Spanish people are closed to social interactions! Coming from semi-south myself I found Croatians are 100% friendlier than Finns and I assumed all south nations share this trait. I guess modern times made people introverted, or closed to new social experiences.
But I would double down that the language is numero uno problem, always. My struggle is that there is no a good way/school/course to really longterm commit to learn the language enough to share jokes with locals and blend in.
Interesting. I'm Finn and do not hang out with friends much. The hanging out usually for me means taking dogs out for a few hour walks with a friend. I never go to sit and drink coffee with them and I never invite people to come to my place.
Finns are not cold, we are perhaps a bit reserved towards people we don't know, it takes time before a Finn opens up, patience and perseverance are needed T:Finnish X)
that's the definition of cold
Thanks for posting the link to your course!
Here in Portugal, more precisely in Lisbon, where i live, in terms of mailing friends we are in the Middle between Skandinavia and the Balkans! Some Times you have to break the ice!🇵🇹👍🏻
Antonija gde nadje tu blesavu zemlju, ustvari jezik je nemoguce nauciti
Ah, Finska je nasla mene. Kak sam ja zavrsila ovdje e pa to je za Netflix film.
Naaah, you're pretty much correct. That is how we are. :D Finns themselves constantly complain about nobody wanting to be the proactive person suggesting outings and how that make them feel bad. And then they keep not-doing it themselves. Some have even directly voiced this, how it is SO nice when others ask you out but you are just too shy and too awkward and too anxious to do it yourself. You just can't. Oh noes. 🙃
I try to be proactive but yeah, it is a struggle. :D
It's funny but I'm from Mexico I have lived in Arizona for 25 years. There are PLENTY of hispanics here and in general people here (Hispanic or not) are very friendly, but I think after hitting 30 years of age, people never include you in stuff, they close off to their long time friends and MAYBE remember you exist and include you in things if you happen to be in front of them when they're making plans, otherwise, out of sight, out of mind.
Interesting.I'm a very Finny-Finn but I've been working in the hospitaiity/restaurant business for 25 years so I don't quite see us as so cold as most people like to make out. Just go on and talk to those quiet Finns! it'll be ok!
Well, we Finns have also troubles making friends with Finns.
I am a Finn and had a Croatian girlfriend who was obsessed with body contact and hugging, kissing and crap like that… needless to say we are not together any more…😂
You are hilarious and yes you don’t hang out😃 we haven’t see you guys in months 😂
I’m avoiding alcohol 😅
Also, yes, normalize just knocking on random doors and ask to hang out!
10:01 video games
If you are into that :)
vittuuks tuut tänne kertomaan miten pitää olla,olisko aika lähteä takas sinne omaan maailman kolkkaan :D
Aaaah! I worked out why you can’t make friends… Finns are quite conservative…only Swedes are cool with LGBT types. Why don’t you go there?
If you have been in Finland why you havent bothered to learn finnish? There have been more than enough time. Theres no excuse why not to learn language.
Another ignorantti :) your kind is really something else
Knowing English doesn't help you either because the Finnish are extremely bad at it, too 😂
Respectfully disagree. 95% of people I ever interacted with in 7 years were amazing in English