BEING BLACK IN FINLAND đ«đź
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 9. 07. 2022
- Hey guys I have been in Finland for approximately 1 month, it has been great so far. i have engaged in many various activities like fishing in a Finnish lake, swimming in a Finnish lake, using a Finnish sauna and I have even done reindeer herding, vlogs for all these videos will be released as soon as possible with that being said I have engaged in these activities with Finnish people and I have also done daily activities liking shopping and walking the streets, with doing these activities I have engaged with many Finnish people in which my I have gathered my thoughts into this video to give my feedback on being black in Finland || racism in Finland. I truly think Finnish people are really amazing and they truly will appreciate someone who shows appreciation for their country and culture, especially their language. I must say the one thing I get from Finnish people is that they will look at me a lot which is totally a natural thing seeing that there's a difference between skin tones on the flip side once you have been around these people and engaged in activities or conversations with them, they will totally look at you way less unless you are both having a conversation. I truly recommend Finland as a country to live in due to its beautiful nature with the amazing sky, trees, and lakes, the animals here are unique too.
I think if you visit Finland you will enjoy the peace and the quietness if thats what you are into
Thank you for watching I do hope this video was helpful.
I would recommend checking out my reaction channels
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also follow my instagram for behind the scenes.
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#finland - ZĂĄbava
Thank you for watching I do hope this video was helpful.
I would recommend checking out my reaction channels
CZcams channels
FOREIGN REACTS
czcams.com/channels/ZIQ.html.
SPORTS FEEDBACK
czcams.com/channels/5qw.html..
also follow my instagram for behind the scenes.
INSTAGRAM (@gio_bozz)
instagram.com/gio_bozz/
You shouldn't let your skin colour define you, pal. Want to know what life is like in #Finland? I'm a English guy who decided to leave the UK due to the #authoritarian nonsense back in November 2020. In comparison, Finland is relatively free. I also do a tour of the beer section of a Finnish supermarket #covid #covid19 #coronavirus czcams.com/video/THpLgN2VO7g/video.html
HMU if you wanna chat about growing mixed race in Finland
In summary
For sure things do get racial at times but overall it's more about economics than race as I reckon it is in most places
@@MikkisKD Politicians on the left don't help - they deliberately play divide and rule games to breed resentment. They then pitch the voters on the basis that if you vote from them, they will use the power of the state to correct racism with more racism, e.g. discrimination against whites to correct so-called white privilege. Personally, I think that we should NEVER self-identify according to the colour of our skin, because it plays right into the hands of those who seek power over us via the means of identity politics. I don't know about you, but I'm a lot more than a white man! - these people can take a running jump if they want me to think that my skin colour defines me.
@@1watsonwatson but yeah the politicians can at times seem like a joke that should be left discussed in a state of heavy intoxication to be taken seriously.
On both sides
And the center
But well, we gotta keep the system working somehow, right?
@@MikkisKD The solution is that politicians should stay out of our lives - keep taxes and government spending low & lets trade with each other on a voluntary basis
Personally i don't give a flying f if someone is black, blue or green as long as they are nice people and act accordingly
Agree.. It's about the brain not the body.
Exactly what Iâve felt being here
Personally, I'd LOVE to see blue or green. :D People would look amazing with that colour skin, the shading and fluctuation would, artistically speaking, blow the mind.
@@TheObscureRambler What are you smurfing Hulk?
You should care if they are purple though.
They are probably suffocating.
Hey bro! Iâm a Black American expat that has been living in Finland for three years now. Finland is a good place but just like anywhere else there is some racism. Iâve had a few racial incidents in Finland and I live in the capital region. But you will certainly enjoy your time in Finland. Word of advice: GET YOUR VITAMIN D PILLS FOR THE WINTER! Also good luck with learning the Finnish language, it is a challenging language to grasp but youâll learn it.
Yeah, that vitamin D will keep the doctor away... hopefully?
@@marsukarhu9477 Take vitamin D daily and visit the sauna multiple times a week and youâll be fine brother!
What about the Finnish women? Have you had sex with a lot of them? Do they love black men? Are they easy to smash? Are they wife material? Do they make good housewives? Can you find any virgin Finnish women? Please let me know bro. It seems impossible to find these answers online and I could learn from your experience.
@@puertoricanpapi1356LOL, dude⊠you could ask that question anywhere and the answer would be the same; it depends on the person. But when it comes to finding a âhouse wifeâ, that could be difficult because finnish women tend to be very education and career oriented.
Can confirm about vitamin D, especially in winter. Super important.
In Finland no matter who you are, be respectful, give people their space and stick to their rules. The have a social decorum that is their life and they don't like people messing it up
Hence the reasons I love the country
We don't like it even if other Finns mess with our customs and ways just because of wanting things to be different and worldly...
@@lumihanki5631 yea. you yourself are mandated to be respectful but never ever expect that to be reciprocated or you'll be very disappointed.
most are extremely nice and respectful but at worst you can run into absolute cunts once a day.
People here are loud enough about the state of other countries, surely they'd be okay with people speaking out about the issues here.
That's not unique to Finland! This advice goes for everyone, everywhere! Furthermore it goes for Finns who happen to find themselves in all black communities... or are they too biased to travel to such countries?
Like Morgan Freeman said to an interviewer, "If you stop calling me a black man, I'll stop calling you a white man". Skin colour shouldn't be a topic at all. We're all just people.
Agreed!
Thanks for understanding what I meant by I shouldnât have to make this kinda video
Wonderfull
Couldn't agree more. You just took the words from my mouth. I don't get why color is a topic, I believe there are people from all colorss everywhere, some less than others but there.
Exactly đđ»
The same Morgan Freeman who is in Qatar right now shaking hands? ok.
People like you would do well anywhere. You seem to respect the culture, be very adaptable and curious in any environment you go to. Youâre a great example to everyone wanting to move abroad
Here in Finland racism doesnât grow from the colour of the skin but disrespecting and ignoring our culture and habits.
We have a saying here âMaassa maan tavalla, tai maasta poisâ. Propably best way to translate it is âWhen in Rome, you do as the Romans do.â
And as an American you are considered as a regular westerner.
Totally agree
When in Rome do what the Romans do
Or get out of Rome
@@GIOBOZZ This is exactly what we expect from foreigners no matter what skin color they have :) Also us southerners are highly used to different skin colors and cultures, so i doubt that anyone would look at you in there any different. As an example i'm +30 yo and my childhood friends from Helsinki were russian, somalian, indian and austrian beside some finns as well so it's nothing new that we have a lot of different culture and skin color representation in the south. Just those smaller towns that have very few or none foreigners to visit are the places u get stares mostly out of a curiosity. Subbed btw! I think u have a great mindset for living in a foreign country and it will be fun to watch what you will explore, learn and enjoy here! Have a fun journey :)
@@GIOBOZZ You are a very nice person. No wonder finns love you.
Why you lyingđ
That's the same we say in Spain. "DĂłnde fueres haz lo que vieres". Wherever you are, do what you see.
God to here you don't interpret the fact that people looked at you (or how many other called it "stare") not directly as racism. Its mostly just interest. More or less just like you also look at a Ferrari or Lamborghini if you see on on the street. Its something you don't see every day, so maybe you look a bit longer because its interesting, and thats it mostly.
Factual
As human we tend to focus on the negative and totally dismiss the possibility of positive!
Iâve been guilty of that but it should never be how we go about our daily lifeâs thinking!
very well said back there ;)
People might also just be attracted to you. Like i once saw this gorgeous lady in the streets, who had like incredibly pretty traditional looking long yellow dress, and the prettiest brown eyes, and i couldn't help but stare for a while, till i realized I was staring and it might be rude, so i looked else where, and realized it might seem like i was now trying to avoid looking at her direction, and i kinda started panicking inside and completely forgot how to act natural. Pretty people make me act so god damn akward. XD
@@GIOBOZZ we negative humans on first sentence. Why so negative? Always keep your glas half full. Positive thinking - it's summer. We just wanted know that do you feel like Ferrari or Lamborghini? Me I feel like Porsche: Well built, practical and faaast... Have a great summer - winter is just a state of mind...
also finns like to stare at each other for somereason and then break the eye contact fast
Northern Sweden here. Just being an American makes you different, so even if you were a white American you would have been "an odd number" when you are in such a remote place as you are.
However, your skin color plays a role when it comes to the intake of vitamin D, which even we pale people lack in the north during most of the year. So start taking vitamin D supplements as soon as it starts to be autumn. Ask locals what clothes you will need for the winter. It 's an art to dress for cold climates and when it starts to get cold it can quickly get colder. I'm waiting to know why you went so far north? Did you know people there?
Good of you to remind of the D-vit. Hope he reads your comment.
Yes, colour of the skin is probably not the main thing that we finns focus when making judgements if one is a good guy or a bad guy.
I think in Finland more valuable attributes would be the personality, behaviour and actions. You gain respect by your actions not by your looks or talks.
Good luck in the northern hemispheres, I hope your visit will be positive journey and your expectations not too unrealistic.
Yes I second this. My guess is that people may stare due to curiosity. Like, how did he end up here?! Consider it an expression of surprise.
Are You from Alaska ? At Alaska They Have Minnesota & Mic
Welcome to Finland. I live in a place where you dont see much people who aren't native, but when I see a person who is black or of some other ethnicity, I usually do lay notice to them but in my mind i just usually think "I hope he/she doesnt feel uncomfortable being here" :) So if you catch someone staring, this is probably their thoughts.
Moral of the story: Be kind and welcoming towards everyone, no matter who you are. I live in Helsinki, and I find myself nodding my head or saying hi to foreigners and most of the time it really brightens up their day (as well as mine). In Finland, we don't great each other as loudly or energetically as in other countries, but usually just a simple nod can make a strangers day better.
Most definitely
In short - don't be obnoxious. Treat others as you would like to be treated. :)
Welcome to Finland, happy to hear you enjoy it.
Hey and welcome to Finland! I've followed a few youtubers of different countries of origin for a while now. I just found your channel and It's always so cool to see how respectful people are when they come to live here. I don't think you are going to have any problems with your positive attitude. Looking forward to seeing more content from you and if you ever decide to come visit southern Finland be sure to swing by Pori and our Yyteri beach.
Most definitely
I live just few kilometers from Yyteri..It has expanded alot and now has even a padel courts ... @giobozz welcome to Finland and winter can be harsh.. Like others said take vitamin D it helps in winter..
Happy to hear that you are having a good time here!
I was once in Inari (north Finland) driving around and camping. I fancied a liter of milk (no fridge so, consume immediately). I went into town, spotted a small supermarket, went in. I was immediately spotted as a tourist/foreigner, although I look like a northern European too. Probably the cashier lady knew all faces in town, and thought, wait, I don't know you. She immediately told her boss who intercepted me. He started to translate into English every single product on the shelves in the supermarket. My friend stayed outside and wondered why it took me half an hour to grab a liter of milk. I felt very embarrased that I only needed a pack of milk..... I mean, too much hospitality can also be a bit awkward. I love Finns.
Right! That's it, they know everyone in these small towns (and even in some midsize towns) and may stare just because they know you're not local.
:D Nice/funny story
I think he just didnât wanna miss the opportunity to use his locally great English skills :D Super adorable
if you want to learn finnish, you need to tell us not to speak english, we have a bad habit to switch to english when we see someone struggling with finnish
Yeah thatâs true But Iâm definitely not at the stage yet to speak Finnish
Iâve tried to engage basic Finnish words in my daily life before engaging fully in a conversation speaking only Finnish
@@GIOBOZZ You will get there, Finnish is really hard to speak if your not from Finland so no worries, and usually Finns understand English
@@GIOBOZZ Don't be too shy, once you make friends here you feel comfortable doing this with, to ask "what's this in Finnish? How do you say X?" because it will help. Even adding those little words builds vocabulary, little by little, and we're not bothered AT ALL by people wanting to know the Finnish terms or phrases, if anything I believe we'd be flattered! We KNOW Finnish is hard to learn. Especially for native speakers of English from around the world, because of the vowel shift and aspiration of consonants that's missing in our language, aaaaand the conjugations. Oh lawd have mercy the conjugations. I sincerely wish you luck!! You can do it!
I think the best way for him to learn the Finn language is to have a local girlfriend
Cool, nice to hear Finland hasn't treated you badly this far. Hopefully it keeps going well, and the more you learn, listen, and adapt, the more Finns will respect you back. I'm especially looking forward to more language learning videos in the future! Well done for using even single words of Finnish already, just keep building on that and you'll get there. Hyvin menee, jatka samaan malliin!
I'm from Scotland and lived in Kuala Lumpur for a year. I didn't live in a touristy area, I lived in a flat in amongst the locals and was the only white person I ever saw in my area. It took me a while to get used to the dead pan staring, where even if they saw me watching them stare they still did it. When going to local shops, having groups of men watching me intently while they sat having coffee in the streets, were my most nerve wracking times walking alone. They never smiled which made it feel more intimidating. I eventually found that if I smiled and nodded acknowledging them, I got a smile back and after a while they nodded before I did. I had a lot of culture shocks as well but as you said, just be respectful and try to be understanding of that. It wasn't always easy especially being a woman too but I mostly have very positive memories.
You will no doubt meet Finnish racists sooner or later, it is unavoidable. But there is likely not that much of what I would call 'structural racism' as there is no historical segregation in Finland. The society generallly sees people as equal individuals. One thing that might give you a picture too rosy is that you will very likely in most cases be seen as American first, and the color of your skin comes only second. Most things American are considered cool and rather familiar rather than foreign.
Understandable
Itâd be stupid to think everyone in Finland would like me as a person or me being black
I mean people literally hate each other for their achievements, differences and some basic things but definitely canât and wonât allow me to say Finnish people are racist because 1 Finnish person doesnât make up the entire country!
And the ugly part about my mindset is that if someone is racist thatâs their choice
Not my duty to highlight it Iâd rather ovoid it
I'm sorry but Finland HAS a history of segregation - maybe not that much towards people of color but look no further than to the SĂĄmi or Finnish Roma (or even Finns with Russian last names), well, there you go. One just needs a little bit of introspection or basic knowledge of history to find ways in which Finland is not much different than any other country out there.
@@gaomei7648 Eh? That's not segregation.
@@gaomei7648 thatâs not really the kind of segregation that most world would consider. Russian thing is anyway after the war, I do think we should get over it at some point instead of keeping up the victim mentality of always blaming Russians, but recent things going on in Ukraine hasnât helped Finnâs. Remember Russia is a much larger country than Finland and they have a lot more power. Sami and Romanâs have these days so much free stuff compared to native Finns that they are downright privileged. Finnish society coddles them quite a lot, when a Finnish person would not get away with nearly as much.
@@Lilliz91 Please stop explaining to me how SĂĄmi and Roma people are privileged...I'm a native Finn myself and I happen to speak Russian and know a lot of Russians through my teaching job, fascinating how different our perceptions on this country and it's realities are...I guess you haven't encountered any of the above mentioned groups privately/professionally? I recommend getting to know Finland better, you might fall in love with this country more. Btw. I love Finland and I wish it was a great place for everyone living here - ignoring the minuses and letting stuff like that slide isn't exactly patriotism.
Iâm so glad I came across your video. Planning to apply to study in Finland this Autumn cz of less expensive tuition fees and Iâm scared too but this video has made me feel a bit okay. Hoping for the bestđ€đŸ
Don't set your expectations too high. Finns are just people. There are all kinds of people. It is just that what Americans call Back/White/... such division is not so deeply relevant for most of us and in our society. We don't ask people to choose some outdated racial identity, as is done in U.S.
The sensitive cultural and other divisions are different in Finland from what they are in USA. Minorities exist, but they are not colour codedđ
The left is going to do their best do force people into these racial identities. Theyâre already trying to do the gender neutral language, which is funny considering Finnish is already gender neutral.
@@Lilliz91 Finnish vocabulary isn't gender neutral. This shouldn't be confused with the other structures of a language.
Left /Right rhetorical division is heritage of outdated thinking, which is an attempt to simplify political thinking to one dimensional slogans. It is still much used especially in inherently dual party systems. In Finland it works badly, but is still used like many others political labels.
Welcome to Finland! I would love to see the midsummer vlog! I love seeing foreigners' reactions/experiences partaking in our traditions đ
Glad to hear that your experience has been positive thus far!
Happy to hear you have had good time here so far! đ
Remember to save up for some GOOD winter clothes. With good clothes, you still can do a lot of things in the winter.
Looking forward to seeing you skiing in the hard winter.
Iâd be so cool to do that honestly đ
welcome to Finland. I am happy to see you are here. I have followed your other channel
Good stuff dude. Keep working hard and being the difference maker!
cue the Obama giving himself a medal -meme đ
From watching you react to videos about Finland to seeing that you have moved here. Awesome! Enjoy and i hope you stick around!
It could be useful to remember that in different cultures the norms of looking at other people aren't the same. So it could be that what for a American could be a too long lasting look is not the same for local people in Finland.
Similar differences existing also in verbal communication. It is easy to misinterpret the intentions of people from different cultures because of these differences in verbal and nonverbal communication or behavior.
Very true
Welcome to Finland! Happy to hear it's been good so far :)
Kiitos!
First time watching your videos. Soon as you said SC I liked and followed.
Welcome to Finland! Great video btw.!
It's great to hear you're having a good time. đ
Thanks. some as that i was missing :D Your empressions on being there đ
Nice video. I'm actually quite relieved. In the beginning I was worried you ran into one of our idiots (we do have some) and the video would be about that. But glad you've had a good time. Welcome and thank you for your assessment. You will find (if you haven't already) that one big aspect of Finns is that we are super interested in what people think about us :)
Much Love from Germany. Do your thing Bro
Where as in some countries the people are proud about their own language, Finns often are proud about their ability to speak English. This sometimes can be problematic if you want to learn Finnish. If you're having difficulties pronouncing Finnish words, you'll find yourself chatting in English real quick as Finns know how difficult their language is and do not expect you to know it, so they often switch to English to make it easier for you.
But if you actually manage to learn Finnish, you're 100% going to surprise locals :D
I'm so happy to hear that you have enjoyed Finland and finns so far:D I definitely have the habit of looking at people who don't look like native finns for a bit too long but it's just out of curiosity. I am definitely intrigued by things I don't see everyday:D For the winter, I'm sure you will survive it beautifully. The first weeks might be tough getting used to the cold, but it's the same for most of us. Good luck!
Great video đ I didn't think you'd run into racism problems in Finland. The Finns are above that. Have a great time brother.
Kiitos
No. We finns totally are not above it. There is racism here, more in small willages, big cities are more heterogenic and open. But big majority of people here are anti racists. Glad you are here! đ
Welcome to Finland buddy! You seem like a really good guy :)
I definitely try my best to be
Welcome to Finland. What a great positive attitude you have. Your viewpoints are also spot on. I hope you enjoy it here. Edit: When the winter comes, don't forget to take your vitamin D supplements during that time.
Your compass is set with the right direction to go. I can let you know as someone that speaks another language being able to take customs not usual to your own will be crucial to your language learning priority goal.
With that being said I hope you represent well and wish you safe travels.Thank you for sharing.
Good vid! It is always interesting to hear about foreigners' experiences and interactions in Finland!
In my opinion us Finns, especially in the north don't judge a book by its cover.
But we are also endlessly curious. Because our country can seem boring or stale to us. We don't ask where someone who looks different is from with malicious intent, but instead just because we are curious and since we suck at small talk, that's a good conversation opener.
What do you think?
Finland is amazing. Glad you doing good there. Any plans on going on a trip to Sweden?
Sweden is a must
Not sure when but for sure
@@GIOBOZZ Visit Stockholm while the weather is nice!
I was worried at the beginning that this video would go in a whole other direction đŹ
Intentional đ
Also I couldâve put another clip to start the video, Iâm sure more people would be extremely scared of the direction đ
It's awesome to hear that you've enjoyed your time so far. We do have our share of racism and racial prejudice here as well though. It stems from long running historical relationships so being black is not all that big of an "issue" here then it might be back in the States. The vast majority of Finns are an open minded and welcoming bunch that actually loves getting to know foreigners and learning about other cultures.
I love the new two camera thing ur doing!
Thanks for letting me know!
I must say, learning to speak fluent Finnish is quite a challenge! :D
Yeah I love challenges
Good luck with mastering the finnish language. Even the Finns can't completely master itđ
I am a finn so.....
Thanks for this video! It was eye-opening.
Way to make me scared đ
I definitely wonât ever master it but I hope to achieve enough to have basic conversation fluently and freely
@@GIOBOZZ Don't worry. You'll be fine.
mastering finnish in 1 year, dude. i have been learning latin for 1 year and i wish you great luck and success in your journey. If i can in any way help - I would be glad to. =D
I guess they are looking at you and thinking "Wow, that's a handsome young man. Wonder where he's from?"
:-)
Hey man, i like your positive attitude to life,from your experience i can see you are a tourist, i,ve been here in finland for 15 years and i actually have a Finnish citizenship,, trust me my friend their a dark side to Finland and it's not talked about, But your positive attitude will shine true. so stay strong and be positive.
I'm so happy you enjoy Finland my brother, I would have liked to go myself if not for the cold weather. As someone with a low iron problem I have to settle for warmer or mild temperatures which sucks. Anyway enjoy your life there in Finland.
Never the less, it seems you have found the country you can call your home. And you will slowly build a social network.
Very good video. Interesting and informative.
One thing you can look forward to, is the aurora borealis. It's pure magic. And you will get use to the cold.
A small tip: To reduce the noise echos, try to hang up blankets on the walls.
Love your videos!
Ryijys work wonders for that.
I like you positive and somehow down to earth approach on things. I'm glad you've liked it here in Finland and I hope you'll have many more good experiences still (I know this is a three month old post at the time of me writing this).
What comes to people looking at you, especially up north, I would say it's all about curiosity. I don't think there that many black people up in the northern parts of Finland, of course excluding cities like Rovaniemi or Oulu etc.
Yeah worry not
I understand
Also Iâve seen only 2 other blacks who were darker than I am and I literally havenât seen again lol
And Iâve seen a dude whoâs Finnish but heâs mixed so lighter than I am and Iâve never seen them again đ
I really want to know what if feels like moving to a completely different place on another side of the plant. Im so jealous, but I love that youre enjoying living here in Finland. Finns really appreciate little things and "foreign" people speaking even a tiny bit of finnish will make their day, keep it up.
Very nice to hear this. As a black dude I've always been enchanted by snow âïž right from childhood. My dream was to settle down in Rovaniemi. Though I've watched several videos on Rovaniemi and I was scared when I hardly see blacks in the clips. Your words are indeed touching, once a human spirit is pure, bonding with others irrespective of race becomes inevitable. I really love the Finnish culture as well. I hope to be in Finland very soon đ.
If you love the Finnish culture
The snow and other things that will clearly make you love Finland
Focus on those things and not the differences
Itâs the love that you have that will allow others who are different to socialize with you and the love prevents us to focus on whatâs different
Trust me Finnâs are great
Youâll find horrible Finnâs the same way you can find horrible people in every country but Iâm so sure youâll love it here once you realize they might look at you because youâre different but not because theyâre disgusted
Im born and raised in Finland, and as some others have said in the comments here, we don't judge someone purely on their skincolor, your skincolor doesnt make any difference as long as you are a nice person and contribute to society, if a person of a different race comes here and commits crime and other stuff that cause them to become a burden to society, then that person might be called som racial slurs and stuff, but aslong as you dont do anything bad, you should be just fine
Of course there are some people who just assume that everyone of a certain race are bad people, every country in the world has their "bad apples" but overall, those people are quite rare here in Finland
Glad you have had good experiences here, my aunt is married to an immigrant from morocco, he's a real nice fella too. We do look at foreigners cause they really stick out, I can believe that but I don't think anybody is gonna trouble you even if they are prejudiced, we've kinda learned not to meddle in other people's business.
As you live up north, I recommend eventually getting "natural lights" or whatever it's call and stock up on lot of vitamin A and D. The darkness is a lot for us natives too, and I've heard it's a bit worse for people with dark skin. If you start feeling a bit tired or "off" in February/March, a week in sunlight in a beach-y country might help.
Absolutely, everyone living here in the North needs a Vit D supplement, but especially people with darker complexion.
@@NarnianLady really? Because there is no light during some periods of year?
Im a finn who was living in southeast asia for about 2 years. People definitely stare when you really look foreign. Newer felt like it was offensive in any way and glad you dont feel like it either. Its just human nature to pay more attention to someone looking different I guess. Especially if people are not very used to it. It really does not mean anything negative!
Welcome to Finland! I have to say this. Most foreigners find it quite hard to grasp finnish language. And I donât blame them. But, if you are willing to learn it, you will succeed. And as in any country now we love you because we can communicate in kind of ânormalâ ways. So, use it, learn it, use some more. Iâve seen some turkish people learn finnish in a year so darn well, I thought they were born here. But then again no-one expects it to happen that fast. Iâd say itâs miracle. Peace&Love
Thats bc Finnish and Turkish are thought to come from the same family of languages, the Altaic family.
I am a tri-racial American. I married a Finnish woman in 1972 and have lived here most of the time since. I made a big mistake in not insisting that my wife settle somewhere else with me right from the beginning. I noticed that I was treated badly from the start, but having lived in six countries and loved all of them, I thought learning the language, playing by the rules, and being a nice guy would be enough. In Finland, it is not. I lived in the American south in the 1950s, and the Finnish attitude reminds me of what that was like. They do not have the two drinking fountains side by side, nor the three restrooms, but their attitude is exactly the same toward all foreigners as it was towards blacks there and then.
But I have tried to get along, ignored the second-class treatment and ignored the verbal abuse, and been upbeat, like I see so many Africans here trying to do. The last straw was when I went to the trouble of translating into English the 19th-century hymnal of Malmivaara and being denounced for it on public media and seeing how Finns once again close ranks and give me hell. My wife is just too old to make the move anywhere. She could not survive it, so I am stuck here. Abandon this place while you can, because no matter how nice you are or how hard you try, it is just going to get worse and worse.
Most of us aint that bad đ . When you get to know us then fun starts. Welcome m8.Hope you enjoy your stay â€. Wise words btw. Kitos is enough đ
A great video again! Here's a hot tip for getting your Finnish language going: find some music that you like where they sing in Finnish. Listen a lot and sing along shamelessly! It is going to help you get the vibe and flow of the language. My Swedish husband is rather partial to the Finnish rapper Paleface, which has helped his learning a lot. The most important thing is that you have to like the music, otherwise it's going to be torture! I've used this myself when learning languages (English, Spanish, German, Italian) and my kids speak a lot better Finnish since I got them to listen to Finnish music. Me and my kids were born in Sweden and we've never lived in Finland. Best of luck!
I hope you have a great stay as long as it is..:) Rock onđ€đŒđ€đŒđđŒ
Good to see you are ok! Can't await to see you in a heavy metal concert and or in a Finnish sauna. ; ) Big shout out for the Finnish and even more for a black guy living there. â„ Best regards (from the "South") from Germany. =D
Your experience mirrors mine, "going local" in Central African Republic. Being the only white person walking down the street in the poorest country in the World in the middle of a civil war of course got attention. _Lots_ of attention. But never any negative kind. Guns and machetes everywhere, but not even a mean look. Just heard the word _munju_ a lot (white person, can be good or bad depending on tone and context) and naturally kids liked to come check out the "alien". There were other white NGO types in their Land Cruisers and Range Rovers, but it took me two years to come across two other guys actually walking down the street. Now when some one says I couldn't _possibly_ understand what it is like to be different, I just smile and have a quiet laugh inside. Good luck with your escapade in Finland!
I met my only group of Finns in New York City in the 1960's and they were the most friendly group of people that' I've ever met in my life after the black people in my church in Durham NC. How I found this video was after watching a short on TV about Finland I remembered my positive Finn introduction and relationships. Thank you for making this video as I'm now thinking of taking a trip to Finland which I think I will enjoy. I love traveling.
Lol I stay in Raleigh I want to visit Fin
Welcome to happiest country in world!!!! Nekeri â€
welcome buddy! Finland is a nice place! Hope to meet you!
Finnish is a haaaard language! Toivottavasti opit nopeasti!
Kiitos!
Just be yourself everywhere and free, doesn't matter where you go)) main thing to be good person and peaceful as finn)) take care, fellow!
Nice vid! I would expect no less of our Finnish neighbors. They are a great ppl
It took me 10-12 years to be "fluent" in english, and I still have an accent, all though I never tried to learn away from it really. By any measurement finnish is more complex language than english, which has nightmarish pronunciation. It's good to have goals, but don't beat yourself up if you don't reach the fluent status in 1 year. Kudos if you do.
Kiitos
Doubt Iâll be fluent but I hope to at least be able to engage in a conversation or at least understand most of what Iâm
Hearing đą
I cannot imagine permanently living in a country where I could not become more or less fluent on at least a very good intermediate level in the long run... I believe you can't really feel at home. Language is the key to integration.
@@GIOBOZZ Nah you are a smart guy, you'll learn it. It's just a lot of work, and might take a bit longer than expected. I'm sure that if you put your mind and the work to it, you can hold a conversation in a year. As soon as your able maybe read books in finnish so you can grow your vocabulary, might need a dictionary tho. ':D
I know some exchange students who have learned to speak pretty good Finnish in half a year so it's definitely doable. Not easy tho.
@@GIOBOZZ That is going to be tough, not because you do not understand the language, but because Finns switch to English the second they notice someone is struggling. Put your foot down and tell you want to learn. We are equally eager to teach the language.
Dude, you are lucky to be living at SodankylÀ, there are the SodankylÀ Midnight Sun Film Festivals every summer! They show modern and vintage quality films there, its weird feeling coming out of cinema after a film at night, and the Sun shines at the sky! Heartily recommended. While SodankylÀ is rather small town even in Finland scale, it is very peaceful and the nature is very close. Welcome to Finland, man!
Smart!â€ïž
Glad you're enjoying it here. Onnea suomen kielen oppimisen kanssa :)
If you're worried about the winter in Finland, find a jogging track and start using it today. Doesn't need to be a long one, just long enough to get your blood pumping. The cold hits with far less intensity if you've made it a habit to get your muscles all heated up.
Again, no need to worry about "sports" or "performance", just get the muscles warm. Enjoy the track and nature while at it.
Doing stuff like jumping jacks or burpees works great as well, but at least for me personally, jumping jacks etc is a bit too easy to "forget" to do since you can do them "whenever".
Again, love this post. You said something else I have to comment on because I really respect it: "I don't take looking at me as racism, even though I know some people do!" Thank you for saying this and I really think the people who do tend to be people who have had minimal travel and minial expereinces crossing cultural divides.
I was 10 when my family move dto Hong Kong i the 80s. I'm hlaf Black/White, so I had big, loose, crazy mop head of curls. When we would be in public, locals would be facsinated by my hair and sometimes start touching it without asking. At firs this was odd, but I remember after a week, sitting on transit with my brother, gabbing away while a young couple behind us touched my hair and talke about it. There was absolutely ZERO negative intent on behalf of all thoe Hiong Kongers, what there was was curiousity. I grew up in a multiculutral family and society, so either attitude of: differen doesn't matter; or acknowlding difefrences is bad--is unacceptable to me. F=Differences are awesome and the first step to really getting to enjoy those differences between people--curiosity.
The problems start to emerge when there are two or more sizeable groups of distinctly different people.
My Bro looks rich already đđ, new chair, new setup, two cameras and I didn't heard from you "you know guys I'm broke" đ€Łđ€Łđđ. Love it
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Iâm broke đŽ
Great, all the best for you! My Finnish friend's daughter is half-Finnish-half-African-American and has been suffering from bullying even as a student in an international school in a bigger city. It might not always be as nice that it should be, but I wish you all the best
Unfortunately schools are the place where I think most people suffer the most
Literally racism isnât the only form of bullying in school and of course most of those kids are likely doing it to feel better about themselves
Itâs unfortunate but Iâm grateful for my experience Iâm around Great people and Iâm not in a situation to be around people that I donât know in a back and forth communication, but for sure I donât think that same child will have those issues after school ends.
Good chunk of the natives are bullied just as well, it's got little to do with race. Kids simply are awful and will pick on any difference they can find. Try being a very tall person, a very short person, a person with a lisp or simply dress unusually and you'll get bullied in most of the bigger cities at least.
Thats ussualy a problem of kids being kids that havent developed empahty yet
During winter just remember to take your vitamin d. Everyone needs it no matter their skin colour.
In Finland its allways been said that one of the most important things to make a finnish your friend is to be humble.
Tips for leaning the language. 1. Learn as many words as you can. Start by making a list of words you think you might need in your daily life, and learn those. 2. Bending the words comes as second, that part is a nightmare. But you do get understood just with the basic words, and that is the most important part. Most finns dont care if you make mistakes, they probably can still get what you meant. 3. Always pronounce the double-vocals. That is the number one mistake foreigners make, they cut the words shorter. If it is written 'Kiitos', but you pronounce 'Kitos'... It is ok to exasperate, and say 'Kiiiiitos', rather than cutting it too short.
Welcome đșđžđ€đ«đź Glad you like it here.
Since you got two cameras and have them working picture in picture, you could pull off a sudden comedy skit by having a conversation with yourself in the video! It would require a bit of editing, but I reckon it wouldn't be anything major in addition to what you already do.
At first I was wondering why someone would voluntarily move to northern finland when we have south finland available. Then I figured out that you must be a really fast driver (learning advanced finnish is fun with movies, Poliisin Poika being one of funny ones and then you'll get the reference too).
Great to hear you're liking it here! Regarding the staring: my American fiance has been staying here for a month now. He's as pale as they come and people here seem to assume he's Finnish based on his appearance, they automatically speak Finnish to him etc, so he doesn't really stand out. We live in a relatively big city and even he noted that everyone stares at him too, even when we're not speaking English or appearing different in any way, and thought it was odd.
No doubt people might stare more at someone who looks different, especially in smaller towns, but I think compared to American culture we simply might be more open to stare at strangers overall (and not smile while doing so), without realizing it might come across as rude. I noticed the same and I'm a Finn myself, and can't quite explain why it seems to be the case.
Thatâs wild
Thanks for sharing that perspective!
Historically, Finns haven't had a lot of great experiences with strangers coming to Finland (read: invasions :P ) so I'd say we're culturally wary of all strangers, doesn't matter what skin color the person has. The other thing is that Finland has aways been seen as this cold, dark and almost inhospitable, backwards place so not a lot of people from different cultures visit us (or at least, didn't used to) so there are a lot of places in Finland where people have never seen a person of color in real life. So it's not really such a strange thing when a finnish person stares at a person of a different skin color, they do it both our of curiosity and out of wariness. If you stay and you show that you respect our culture and our traditions and aren't here to force a change then you become one of us, no matter your skin color. I think that's how most finns see it. Of course, there ARE racists here too, like there are racists in every other country on this planet. Welcome to Finland!
Learn to say, "What you looking at?" fluently in Finnish, that'll surprise them.
@@peterc.1618 That will be perceived as a threat for most Finns. Usually people who want to fight say things like that so it's a quick way to get stabbed
@@peterc.1618 lol "Vittuuks tuijotat?"
@@iamthedevilsadvocate aahaha
â@@59Lemony I always say that, if somebody is staring me. I don't want to fight with anyone :D
That's very much achievable goal you have with your language skills. Ambitious, but very much achievable. As a tip I want to offer two pieces of advice (credentials: I studied for five years to become an English teacher, I have no real specialized skills in teaching Finnish.)
Number one, do not get hung up on pronunciation too much. There are very few bits of Finnish where pronunciation really matters and change the meaning of what you say. Concentrate on figuring out double vowels (Vaara vs Vara, Kaari vs Kari, etc) and double consonants (Lakki vs Laki, Talli vs Tali etc) and let the rest come naturally over time. Finns will understand what you're saying even if your pronunciation is a bit off, but these kinds of double letters are, to my understanding, mostly lacking from English, and can change the meaning of the word on occasion, so grasping the difference quickly will make you sound _a lot_ more like a native speaker.
Secondly, don't obsess over the suffixes too much early on. Yes there's a difference between -ssa and -lla (Talossa vs Talolla) and you should strive to use the proper one, but the majority of the time if a Finn claims he/she couldn't understand you because of the choice of suffix you used, they're taking the piss out of you. :D The nuances will come to you in time, and obsessing over getting it right every time too early on will just turn your brain into mush and take valuable time from broadening your vocabulary in general.
I know if you take language courses there'll be a heavy emphasis on the grammar side of learning, as there should be. Just try to remember, you don't have to speak 100% perfectly or correctly for a Finn to start beaming a wide smile at you, they'll be _extremely_ impressed that you're even making an effort. We know our language is hard to wrap ones head around, and will enjoy helping you on your journey, especially if you ask for the practice in speaking. If you don't ask to speak Finnish, we might swap to English, thinking we're being accommodating, but if you ask and insist, you'll get a conversation practice partner probably from anywhere.
Good luck!
Agreed. Especially the double vowels and consonants. They often change the meaning of words, so you will get odd looks with that easily. For example: tapaa vs tappaa (to meet vs to kill), mato vs matto (worm vs carpet), kuura vs kura (frost vs mud) and tuuli vs tuli (wind vs fire).
I would think most of the double letters, both vowels and consonants have a different meaning depending if you drop or add a double letter. Taking a dictionary and just picking a word and adding a double letter to a random place might be a fun way to learn new words.
He's right you all. I have been here almost 8 years. (y)
Watch a lot Finnish TV shows and CZcamsrs and you'll learn pronounciation from there even if you don't know what the words mean. And remember, Finns always appreciate that you even try to speak Finnish.
For winter, as people said use supplements. For clothing, look to history, i got some old wool pants and underpants and a wool greatcoat and some wool sweaters and wool undershirts from various surplus websites. Layer up in wool and it will be cool.
The small stare is "Finnish scanning" for unknown person. We don't stare skin color, we stare actions and behaviour. I do it even for unknown Finnish persons - the scanning. đ€Ł
This goes back for centuries... Way before War days(WW2)
Welcome to Finland. When autumn comes, start eating vitamin D supplements, you might even want to do that during summer.
Most definitely
Iâve already been lacking in those since I hardly go outside
Its like in the middle of the ocean, Fins everywhere!! đ Welcome to Europe Dude!
đ
For the winter the keyword is LAYERED CLOTHING, it's gonna save you from cold and wind.
Also suomenkielen oppiminen vuodessa tulee olemaan aikamoinen haaste, suosittelisin sen halkomista pienempiin helpommin kÀsiteltÀviin lohkoihin. TsempppiÀ siihen tyyppinen! Good luck on your journey of learning the language!
Do you really have triple consonants (TsempppiÀ)?
@@peterc.1618 Yeah, they aren't all that common tho
â@@peterc.1618 No we don't (unless it's a loanword). That should be spelt "tsemppiĂ€"
Don't forget to learn finnish language it's important, keep your space and be ready for winter
Welcome to Finland.
The one thing i enjoy when leaving Helsinki. People in smaller towns says hi to you like you told. In Helsinki it's the opposite. Every one is minding their own business and tries to avoid contact with random strangers đđ
Here in London people are more likely to say Good Morning! to strangers very early in the morning when there are few people about. The rest of the day no-one speaks to strangers.