Stereotypes

Two Brazilians in Finland

You two have learned a lot. You are probably almost ready to become decent inhabitants to Finland. You know our language or at least some parts of it. You know you can make it. We are pessimistic nation so I am not sure if you can but I have my hopes high!

My mother

When my mother watches sports (ski jump, ice hockey, formula 1, cross-country skiing, javelin) or Eurovision song contest she is always repeating that the Finnish representants won’t bring any medals this time. I am sure she is keeping her thumbs up but she is afraid to really believe in that. We are topping the chart being last Eurovision song contest more than any other country so maybe my mother has her reasons to be careful.

Ruled by the others

Being ruled first by the Swedes then the Russian we are suffering about the little brother complex. Russia is big big country. They have masses and lands that we do not have. We even had to pay them after WWII. Swedes industrialized way earlier than we. They had all the American style luxury while we were still farming the land (which is actually full of stones) with our archaic equipment. They had their cool movie stars, their rockers and all that fashion. When we were still learning that it is not cool to wear tennis socks with sandals. Can you imagine how much we still compare us to others? Can you imagine how much jealousy that have caused? Can you imagine how glad we were when we one Sweden in WM ice hockey finals in 1995 or when we had miss Universe in 1950s? Can you imagine why it is hard for us to bear the fact that our neighbour have better car than we have? Can you imagine how difficult it is to celebrate the wins of the others?

Do not thank us!

We do not believe any strokes of luck. We are even able to admit that. We know that we barely make it. We understand that it better to be honest with that. That makes us rather easy to work with because we do not make promises we can not deliver. Pessimism makes us steady as rock. If we fail, we are not too surprised to get back on the track and keep on trying. If we succeed, we are too ashamed to celebrate that (except the ice hockey part). We easily claim the other from our success because we did not believe could make it (i.e. we get confused when we have much success, lottery winners barely never tells that they win but they hide that and continue as usual).

Where will you end up?

My guess is that our tendency being rather pessimistic, straightforward and independent individuals yet having not so grande self-esteem would be the thing you would have your struggles in those darkest days in autumn. I am not sure if you’ll make it but I will keep my thumbs up (secrectly)!

This entry is full of stereotypes so you better find those characteristics of Finns that are much more positive than these.

PS. Soon we'll have midsummer. Tomorrow sunrise is in Helsinki 3.54 / in Oulu 2.20 and sunset in Helsinki 22.48 / in Oulu 00.18. Here we have guy from Lahti singing about midsummer night and this is how they celebrate that in Sweden

FINALLY THIS IS IMPORTANT!!! When you need to send postcards from Helsinki please use these!