Finns are normal, easy going people, but like every other people group, they have distinct idiosyncrasies. Here are some that, as an American, I find weird. #1 Potato Skins The first meal I ever had in Finland was a nice home-cooked meal of foods very common in Finland. It consisted of salmon in a white ...
To take a talking point from America’s former ambassador to Finland, Bruce Oreck, Finland should be better at promoting itself. When most Americans think about Finland images of reindeer, Santa Claus, and perhaps universal education and healthcare come to mind. But Finland has so much more to offer, but most people are simply unaware of ...
It has been a while since I have posted and the summer was quite busy. As we enter fall I will resume posting as usual, but will introduce two new blogging topics: restaurants and places to visit in Finland. So let’s get to it. The topic of restaurants in Finland is a tricky one, because ...
Every summer tens of thousands of Finns head to nearby forests and swamps to gather wild berries in bulk. This is not surprising in itself, as many people all over the world go berry picking, myself included. What is astonishing is just how many berries there are hidden in Finland’s extensive forests. The first time ...
While I was growing up my grandfather occasionally took me fishing and I sometimes tried to catch something from the small muddy ponds that were near my home, but I never was very serious about it and I never once went ice fishing. However, since I enjoy outdoor activities I jumped at the chance to ...
I awoke to the sound of my alarm clock ringing at 5:30 AM and I quickly dressed, grabbed my things, and went outside to wait for my friends to pick me up to begin our almost 700-mile journey north to Nitsijärvi, Lapland. By 6:00 AM we were on our way. The plan was to drive ...
After many months of winter in Finland it can be hard to say when winter finally gives way to spring. As the weather gets warmer snow flurries are still common and the world is left brown and gray. It can seem as if no vegetation is willing to venture out from winter hibernation. But then, ...
There are many striking things about the Finnish capital of Helsinki, such as the beauty of its architecture, the sparkling sea, and even its small size. What is also striking is the lack of an obvious security or police presence. Having come to Finland after living in the Washington, DC metro area makes this all ...
Something that most foreigners in Finland realize quickly is that Finns can be very, very quiet, often to the point of making non-Finns uncomfortable and left wondering if something is wrong. As a general rule Finnish men are quieter than Finnish women, and of course some Finns are actually quite talkative and animated. However, as ...
Look on a world map and it is easy to see that all of Finland is north of the continental United States. Indeed, all of Finland is also above the major population centers of Sweden and Norway. This means that the entire population of Finland must content with constantly changing light conditions that are felt ...
