DON'T DO These 13 Things in Finland
Summary
TLDRThis script offers essential advice for visitors to Finland, highlighting the importance of respecting personal space, punctuality, and local customs. It touches on the Finnish-Swedish history, the significance of visiting beyond Helsinki, and the stereotype of Finns being reserved. It advises against asking about personal finances and wearing hats while eating, emphasizes the cleanliness of Finnish streets, and clarifies the non-essential nature of tipping. The video aims to demystify Finnish culture and encourages learning the language for deeper understanding.
Takeaways
- 😀 Respect personal space: Avoid getting too close to Finns early on in a relationship, and gradually increase physical contact as you get to know each other better.
- 🕒 Punctuality is paramount: Being late is seen as rude and disrespectful in Finland, so always be on time for meetings and appointments.
- 🏴 Be cautious with Swedish comparisons: While Finland and Sweden share history, some topics like ice hockey can be sensitive, so avoid overly praising Sweden in front of Finns.
- 🌍 Explore beyond Helsinki: Although Helsinki is a great city, don't miss out on the unique experiences and authentic Finnish culture found in other cities like Tampere and Vaasa.
- 😶 Understand Finnish reserve: Finns may appear unsocial or unexpressive, but they often open up more once they know you better, so be patient and invest time in building relationships.
- 💰 Avoid discussing money: Finns are generally uncomfortable talking about their salary or financial matters, so refrain from asking about their income.
- 👞 Shoe etiquette: Take off your shoes when entering a Finnish home, but wearing shoes in restaurants and workplaces is usually acceptable.
- 🍽️ Dining manners: Do not wear a hat while eating, as it's considered disrespectful in Finland, and use common sense to follow general table manners.
- 🚯 Keep the streets clean: Do not litter on the streets, as cleanliness is highly valued in Finland and trash is quickly cleaned up after events.
- 🤫 Listen before speaking: In Finland, interrupting others while they are speaking is frowned upon, so wait for your turn to speak in conversations.
- 💸 No need to tip: Tipping is not expected in Finland as service fees are included in the prices, but feel free to tip for exceptional service.
Q & A
What is the first cultural tip provided in the script for someone visiting Finland?
-The first cultural tip is to respect Finnish personal space and not get too close too early when meeting new people. Shaking hands is fine, but cheek kisses might be uncomfortable until you know the person better.
What is the general attitude towards punctuality in Finland according to the script?
-Punctuality is highly valued in Finland. Being late is considered rude and disrespectful, as it implies that you do not value the other person's time.
Why might discussing Swedish girls or ice hockey teams be sensitive in Finland?
-The script mentions that Finland shares a history with Sweden, and there is a friendly rivalry, especially in sports like ice hockey. Over-praising Sweden in these areas might cause negative reactions among Finns.
What is the script's advice on visiting only Helsinki when in Finland?
-The script suggests that while Helsinki is a great city, it's a significant loss to only visit Helsinki when in Finland. It encourages travelers to explore other cities like Tampere and Vaasa for more authentic experiences.
How are Finns typically characterized in terms of expressing emotions according to the video script?
-Finn's are often stereotyped as grumpy, unsocial, and non-expressive. However, the script clarifies that they tend to open up more once they get to know someone better.
What is the script's stance on discussing money with Finns?
-The script advises against asking Finns about their salary or financial habits, as it's considered a sensitive and uncomfortable topic for them.
What is the customary practice when entering a Finnish home?
-The customary practice is to take off your shoes at the entrance of a Finnish home to keep the living space clean.
Why is wearing a hat while eating considered disrespectful in Finland?
-Wearing a hat while eating is seen as disrespectful towards the food and other people at the table, as it's a rule that even dates back to the army practices in Finland.
What is the script's comment on the cleanliness of Finnish streets?
-The script notes that Finnish streets are clean because people do not litter. It emphasizes the importance of not leaving trash in the streets to maintain this cleanliness.
How should one behave in public places in Finland according to the script?
-The script advises to keep noise levels down in public places like shopping malls, public transportation, and libraries to avoid disturbing others.
What is the script's advice on tipping in Finland?
-In Finland, tipping is not necessary as service fees are usually included in the prices. However, tipping for exceptionally good service is a personal choice.
What does the script suggest for those worried about offending Finns?
-The script reassures that using common sense will likely prevent offense and that Finns are generally understanding of foreigners learning their customs.
What is the key to understanding Finnish people according to the script?
-The script suggests that speaking the Finnish language is key to understanding Finnish people better and offers a free quick start guide for those interested.
Outlines
🤝 Cultural Etiquette and Personal Space in Finland
This paragraph discusses the importance of respecting personal space in Finnish culture. It advises visitors not to get too close too early when meeting new people and to gradually increase physical contact as relationships develop. The speaker also emphasizes the need for punctuality, as being late is seen as rude and disrespectful. Additionally, the paragraph touches on the historical relationship between Finland and Sweden, cautioning against making overly sensitive comments about the two countries' past and present rivalry, particularly in sports.
🗓 Punctuality and Respect for Finnish Customs
The second paragraph highlights the Finnish value of punctuality, stating that being late is considered very rude. It suggests that if one is going to be late, they should inform the other party with a reasonable excuse. The speaker also advises against making generalizations about Swedish people or sports teams in a negative light, as it can cause offense. Furthermore, the paragraph encourages visitors to explore beyond Helsinki to experience more authentic Finnish culture, mentioning other cities like Tampere and their unique attractions.
😶 Understanding Finnish Reservedness and Social Norms
This paragraph addresses the stereotype of Finns being perceived as grumpy and unsociable, explaining that this is due to their reserved nature and reluctance to express emotions openly unless there is a strong reason. It reassures that Finns tend to open up more once they know someone better. The speaker also advises against asking Finns about their income, as it is considered a private matter. Additionally, the paragraph covers the practice of removing shoes when entering homes, the importance of not wearing hats while eating, and the expectation of not littering in public spaces.
🤐 Listening and Communication in Finnish Society
The final paragraph focuses on communication etiquette in Finland, advising against interrupting others during conversations as it is seen as disrespectful. It emphasizes the importance of listening and waiting for one's turn to speak. The speaker also mentions that tipping is not customary in Finland, as service fees are included in the prices. The paragraph concludes with advice on maintaining a low noise level in public spaces and reassures that Finns are generally understanding of cultural mistakes made by foreigners, encouraging visitors to learn the language for a deeper understanding of Finnish people.
Mindmap
Keywords
💡Personal Space
💡Punctuality
💡Swedish Influence
💡Helsinki
💡Social Interaction
💡Money
💡Shoes Indoors
💡Hat Etiquette
💡Littering
💡Tipping
Highlights
Maintaining personal space is crucial in Finland; avoid close contact early on when meeting new people.
In Finnish dating culture, start slow to build rapport and chemistry before increasing physical contact.
Finns value punctuality; being late is seen as disrespectful and a waste of time.
Swedish and Finnish historical ties are evident, but be cautious with sensitive topics like sports rivalries.
Explore beyond Helsinki to experience more authentic Finnish culture in cities like Tampere and Vaasa.
Finns are often perceived as reserved, but they tend to open up more once they know someone better.
Avoid discussing personal finances as it's a sensitive topic for many Finns.
When entering a Finnish home, it's customary to remove shoes at the entrance to keep the space clean.
In Finland, wearing a hat while eating is considered disrespectful.
Finnish streets are kept clean by a culture of not littering; contribute by disposing of trash properly.
In Finland, interrupting others during conversation is frowned upon; wait for your turn to speak.
Tipping is not required in Finland as service fees are included in the prices.
Finns appreciate quiet in public spaces; avoid raising your voice in places like shopping malls and libraries.
Foreigners are given some leeway when it comes to cultural mistakes; use common sense and you'll likely be fine.
Learning the Finnish language is key to understanding the Finnish people better.
A free quick start guide to learning Finnish is available for those interested in the language.
Transcripts
if you're planning to come to finland
there are definitely a few things you
definitely want to avoid
and in this room i'm going to teach you
12 those so you will be prepared
let's go check them out and if you're
interested in finnish culture lifestyle
and language this is the perfect channel
[Music]
subscribe
ah the good old finnish personal space
the action point is here simple don't
just get too
close too early so when you are meeting
with new person shaking hands is fine
but for example we don't do these cheek
kisses i would be uncomfortable with
that once you just get to know them
better then you can gradually increase
like the
touching game so for example if you're
going to have a date with a finnish
person you
definitely want to take it easy at first
just get to know them and
see how you click and how the chemistry
builds up and then you can add like this
slide touching and
and build it from there because in my
opinion if you don't do any touching
in in the first days then you will just
get friend zone so it's kind of like
you you don't need to do it but then you
kind of have to do it but the point is
here that
just don't do it like in the very first
moments you meet someone
and once you just get to know them
better then this kind of like touching
will be
more okay
[Music]
finns are probably the most punctual
people in the whole world and in finland
if you come late
that is considered rude and
disrespectful because
it means that you are not valuing their
time so if you come like 15 minutes late
then it kind of implies that you just
wasted 15 minutes of that person's time
so
if you have a meeting with finns at five
it means
five sharp or if you say let's meet
around five
that's also five shot around plus minus
five minutes martin is okay
and if you will be late just let them
know that hey
this cow fell on me from the blue sky
i'm gonna be five minutes late
okay and that's all it you know the
swedish girls are
so sexy and the swedish music kicks so
much
[Music]
so finland shares a history with sweden
and it can be still seen
even today one prominent sign of this is
for instance that swedish is still the
second official language here yeah so if
you didn't know we
actually used to belong to sweden back
in the days and
up till 19th century obviously this has
also resulted it's kind of like a
more like a friendly arrival right early
today between finland and sweden
but some somethings still find this
sweden topic a little bit sensitive
because we have always kind of been
fighting over who's the better at ice
hockey or and these kind of things
so if you go ahead and just say like ah
swedish girls are so
sexy or the sweetest ice hockey team is
kicking us that can definitely cause
some reactions in some things
again this kind of constructs
constructive conversation
about sweden is fine but don't just go
overboard and
tell that sweden is better at this and
this and this because that can be kind
of nasty
[Music]
helsing is a pretty kick-ass capital i
live here in helsinki myself
but there are also lots of other cool
cities in finland
as you probably know like helsing has
kind of grown into this big metropole
lots of international and tourists and
stuff once you just go beyond health and
it there can be
even better even more finland even
better fantastic
experiences waiting for you so i think
it's a
huge loss if you come to finland and you
just visit helsing obviously it depends
what kind of sketch you'll have but at
least at some point remember to visit
the outside the cities outside of
housing like tampere
you vascula all you name it
because these cities have not grown to
kind of this international level as
helsinki so you can actually find more
authentic stuff
for example in tampa that they have the
punic
tower where you can get pretty kick-ass
monkeys and they have the moomin museum
in
tampa and then there is this museum of
museums where you can find lots of
different kinds of museums
including this video game museum in
dunbar lots of these cool things so
make sure to check out outside of
housing
as well
so things are often stereotyped as
grumpy
unsocial non-expressive people and why
the reason for this is that things are
just being things so
we don't really express our emotions or
do like this overly gestured stuff
unless there's a really good
reason to do so so in our everyday life
we might just be like this
no matter what's the situation but the
number one thing that people usually
forget here is that things usually open
up more once they get to know you better
which can be sometimes challenging but
definitely worth it so
if you have these experiences like a few
experiences with finns that
they don't really want to talk to or
they assume it's just the reason that
they
don't know you enough and you probably
have to work a little bit
and spend some time but once you do like
things can be actually quite fun
passionate and expressive people once
you just
first of all find the right people and
get to know them better
hey i was just wondering how much money
do you make
[Music]
for some reason money has always been
quite challenging topic for finns
and finns are not just comfortable
talking about their salary or their
money habits or things they want to
spend money on however i still think
that there should be more of this
constructive discussion about money for
example like how to save money how to
invest money
and build wealth because when you know
how to save money and what to do with
that saved money you can actually build
wealth quite easily but the finnish
mindset has always
been more like that you just need to
spend the money that you will get
you get the salary you spend the salary
and so on but the action point here is
that when you are meeting with finns
you're getting an offense don't ask like
how much money they make
[Music]
this is kind of no-brainer if you enter
an apartment house
just take your shoes off at the entrance
because if you would wear
your outdoor shoes inside it would get
really shitty and muddy
inside and why would you want to do that
to your finnish buddies but however if
you enter a restaurant or even many
workplaces
wearing shoes is most likely fine
i have been to some workplaces where
they actually tell you to take off your
shoes but they will let you know if you
have to do that
the rule of thumb when you enter
apartment or house place where people
actually live just take off your shoes
you can leave at the entrance you don't
have to leave them outside of the
entrance that's not really what you have
to do somewhere and dry interesting
you'll be fine
finland doesn't really have that
surprising table habits if you just use
common sense you'll be fine
but one thing that you definitely don't
want to do is
wear a hat while you're eating us
because that's going to be very
disrespectful towards the food
and the other people at the table for
example when i was in the army even when
we had
food in the forest or in the nature we
had like a training
we always were told to take off our
helmets
even in the winter when when we were
eating so it kind of tells like
how important rule this is for finn so
if you're that type of person who likes
to wear a hat indoors well
wearing a hat indoors like in living
places and restaurants is
already kind of like a i would say
that's a no-no but at least
if you're just going to sit to the table
enjoy whatever food
take off your hat take your free haircut
that's because that's going to get
really
nasty looks from things if you do it
[Music]
the finished streets are super clean
super beautiful and
this is actually something that came to
me as a surprise when i've been doing
live streams
in helsinki and people have always been
coming and commenting
wow the streets are so clean and stuff
but do you know why they are actually
clean
because we don't litter so don't leave
any trash in the streets
sometimes the streets can be kind of
messy after some big celebrations of
festivals but they actually cleaned
quite quickly
but make sure to do your part and after
the dinner we went to this bar we had
lots of good times there's a lot of good
people out there oh was it the new bar
at the center
[Music]
you know some say that it's difficult to
get finns to talk so once you do you
better listen because interrupting
in finnish or in finland is kind of well
not good because in some cultures and
countries what i've heard is that the
interrupting is a sign that you're
actively participating in the
conversation but
in finland don't talk over when someone
else is talking
unless you have a really big really good
reason to do so so
if you have something to say just wait
until they're finished pun intended
and then you can save whatever you have
in mind so make sure to wait your turn
this applies in
in business in everyday conversations
and so on so
make sure to listen and then tell you
what you have to say
some countries have this tipping culture
where it's actually kind of rude
not to leave a tip but in finland you
don't have to worry about this
because the tips are kind of built in
the prices already
so you don't really have to worry about
that the staff the waiters and waiters
are not paid enough
because they they get a part of their
salary from tips but in finland you
don't have to do that because
the prices already include include the
service fee
from a personal perspective i never even
think about tipping when i go to
restaurant
but unless i get like this super duper
ultra
fantastic service from someone and then
i would have to tip so them so the
takeaway here is that the staff
are not expecting you to tip but if you
want to tip that's fine
but not necessarily at all
so finns definitely are this type of
silent little bit calm people in their
everyday life so if you're going to
public places like shopping walls
public transportation libraries don't
raise your
volume or their or your noise level
because that's gonna piss things off for
example in buses and transportation you
can definitely
be on the phone but don't raise the
level like this because that's gonna be
god damn annoying
for the last thing i have got lots of
comments from people who are kind of
nervous and worrying
about the fact that if they will deal
with finns or if they will piss finns
off
don't worry about it because if you just
use your common sense you will most
likely be fine
unlike in many other countries if you're
a foreigner you kind of have this like
that
get out of the jail free for free card
so if we see some foreigner make a
mistake with the customs then we think
okay maybe he's just learning or he or
she is learning
and it will be fine so don't worry about
it and if you want to
understand finnish people better
speaking the language is the key and i
have created this like a free quick
start guide for anyone who wants to
start learning finnish
if you join my email list i will send it
to your link in the description and make
sure to subscribe for more finland
related content i'll see you next time
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