10 social customs you SHOULD KNOW ABOUT before moving to Finland
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- Äas pĆidĂĄn 8. 05. 2024
- In this video we talk about 10 important social customs that you should be aware of before you move to Finland for school or for work. Keeping these social customs in make relocating to Finland smoother. Full list with time stamps below đ
Social customs that you should know about before moving to Finland:
0:00 Intro
0:47 Punctuality is a virtue and you should always be on time!
2:04 In Finland, we donât wear shoes inside
3:14 There is no need to formally address each other, nor do we use titles
3:34 We do not like to talk about personal finances
4:57 No talking about religion and ones personal beliefs
5:25 Avoid politics as a conversational topic and absolutely do not ask who someone voted for!
6:00 It is not proper to ask a Finn about their parents income
06:38 Donât brag about your accomplishments or income
7:22 Keep to your word and donât give empty promises
8:14 It is not a custom to drink alcoholic beverages with lunch
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Thanks for watching guys! What do you think about this topic - do you agree or disagree? Did I forget something important that you should definitely know about Finnish social customs? Let me know in the comments below đ
Hi....I am in plan to pursue my study at Vaasa Uni.....how about conversation english in Vaasa?
Most of these are true here in the U.S. too.
You are so pathetic!!
@@AT-kx6fj wtf
Cool topic.
Me meeting a Czech friend for lunch in Prague:
Her: "Have a beer"
Me: "I normally don't drink with lunch"
Her: "This isn't drinking. It's beer."
It's normal in Israel too, just beer, wine, coctail, not clean vodka or wiskey, that will be weird or alcoholic thing
đđ
In Russia before 2011 something wasn't considered alcoholic unless it was over 10%.
Ah.. the Czech Republic.. now thereâs a country with gorgeous people and cultureâŠ
âBragging just comes out douchey â truer words have never been spoken đ
Please do not forget that Finnish people are usually quite tolerant and forgiving, if you do a mistake.
Uhhh I guess sure if you are friend but if you are a family member you be shunned for eternity.
@Transplanted1 The family is the worst. We have country full of families fighting over whatever, the classic example is that inheritance aka free money makes people crazy and nothing will be sacred then.
Forgiving? Not at all in my experience.
#Facts!
@@ezeqeel8352 that's every country!
The more I know about Finland and its people, the more I wish I lived there. Thank you.
And the more you like sunlight /pleasant spontaneous social interaction/and not being shunned for having a personality, the less you wish you lived there.
@@rebecca6485 đ€Łđđ that's exactly what i thought as I heard the list out !!! Uptight and bland to the core with freezing temperatures and Ugly AF apts No thanks !!!
Nice looking skin, not all sun damaged!
The longer I live in the US, the more I wish my grandparents had never left Finland.
@@rebecca6485 1) The sun doesn't even set during summer. 2) With strangers, yeah, that tracks. 3) I've met a ton of Finns bursting with personality. Do you mean the kind of personality that is disruptive to others? Like "throwing-a-tantrum-in-public" or "invading-others'-personal-bubble" type of personality? Yeah, those don't garner a ton of sympathy in Finland.
The basic megarule was forgotten : respect Finnish personal space. Most Finns still are not so keen on touching, hugging, cheek-kissing etc strangers or even semi-acquaintances. Finns love their positive solitude and privacy.
I must have Finnish blood.
ItÂŽs the same here in Sweden
I must be a finish-americas haha
I assumed so- as are I think most of the Scandinavian type countries. People are all into their own little small "bubble". THey don't chit chat with strangers on the bus and things.
So do I . This is the way I have always felt comfortable in public. This started long before the Pandemic.we were raised that way and were taught to be vey respectful of another's space. We are from the USA.
I am born in Sweden by Finnish parents. It's funny how Finnish and Swedish cultures are considered wildly different between them, but compared to other cultures in the world we are actually so similar. Everything in this video applies to Swedish culture as well. I love both
So true. We like to make a fuzz about difference between Finland and Sweden, but one has to look for differences and then exaggerate them. There are more regional differences within the countries than national differences between them.
So interesting and different from France !
- Here arriving 5 minutes late (or even 15 minutes late !) is a matter of politeness (to let the other person have time to prepare themselves) and doesn't even need any apology.
- We don't often take our shoes off, except in very close friends or family homes (if they ask us to do so) because showing our feet is somewhat personal.
- drinking alcohol is way more accepted while eating than at night.
- saying "let's take a coffee some time" can be just a polite way to show that you are interested in keeping in touch but it's not a promise.
- adressing formally to people you don't know or that are higher in hierarchy or that have titles is VERY important and not doing so is seeing as rude.
- for the topics of discussion, it's pretty the same, we will never ask for personal question about money/income/religion/politics BUT we have a culture of debate and can totally debate about these subjects and defending some opinions without being seen as really revealing what you deeply think or who you are voting for. Debating is just a way of sharing ideas about many subjects, you are not expected to defend your own real opinions during a debate. I know, it's strange ;)
To sum up, we are so different and your videos are VERY useful and interesting. Thank you !
I totally agree with it all except the coffee thing. I think we're more likely to not offer to "get a coffee some time", and just one day offer to get a coffee, or something equally as trivial and noncommittal. Although from what I've seen, with the Tinder culture so to speak, creeping in from the US, there's a bit more of that, but it tends to be fairly spontaneous between potential friends. But the "let's get a coffee some time" just sounds a bit rude to me, kind of like not being interested enough but not saying so.
And in France, you must almost constantly speak, whether you have something to give to the topic or not, otherwise they will think you are borderline autistic. They interrupt and talk over others.( Also in New York area.) This can be a shock for a Finn, for us this is the opposite.đ
I'm a Finn having friends in France and I do agree, there are differences. But vive la différence :) Low-hierarchy is typical in the Finnish culture, at work life and basically everywhere. Underlining one's position is easily seen embarrassing, no need to approach your teacher, boss etc in a formal way. On the other hand, Finns need a lot of personal space and have a high tolerance of silence. And you are expected to respect these boundries.
@Transplanted1 interesting ! I wouldn't be bothered at all to be asked that question. I love to talk about what I do ! Maybe what is rude is to show off about your occupation, espacially if you make a lot more money than the others you are talking to.
@Transplanted1 yeah, that's true. We, French, are known as "coconuts": hard on the outside (it's hard to get to a friendly relationship. We can seem very cold at first), but very soft on the inside (a lot of very deep friendships that last for life, when the hard layer has been passed through). The Americans on the other hand are know as "peaches" : very friendly and opened at the first place but very few of their relations will become close friends, with whom they can really be themselves.
In America, "let's have coffee some time" really means "I want this conversation to end now". If you really want to get together with someone you will ask when they're available to go for coffee and end the conversation with "see you then".
These are for me all, a given. Then again I am Norwegian and I guess we are not that different :)
Yeah, for Swedes too. Especially the don't brag. Your profession and income are*not* relevant, thank you. -- People's job applications and letters of recommendation are *so* low-key by American standards, I have to tell my colleagues to UP THE TONE if they don't want to ruin their own or their students' chances in the US! -- Interesting fact: the "no shoes in the house" became standard when day-care became standard and free in Sweden (1950s). THe kids were told to take off their shoes, so everyone started doing so. -- The dress shoes rule: you take dress shoes WITH you, you don't clomp about in your winter boots!
I am dutch, and most of these things also apply in my country. The punctuality (ok, up to 5 minutes is accepted if you apoligize), the equality (sometimes causes problems to teach kids respect, when they donât get equality does not mean you donât have to respect your parents). This also means that the plumber is equal to the prime minister, and the professor is equal to the garbage man.
It is not very polite to ask about income. You can ask about religion or politics, but when somone says they donât want to talk about it, you immediately drop it.
We also mean what we say. And no fake how are you.
Alcohol before 17.00 is frowned upon.
I feel like we have roughly the same social rules as you, just a little less strict.
Except the shoe thing. Unless they are dirty, we keep them on.
Shoes off at the door, income, religion/politics/blowing your own trumpet/punctuality/privacyexcess consumption of anything used to be important here too, and in some places still are - but sadly declining.
I absolutely love these Finnish customs. I hate wearing shoes inside even though I never ask people to remove their shoes - some do, some don't. I'm a big fan of punctuality, however in my culture it is actually the opposite - we are very loose about timelines (maybe there's a Finn living inside me even though my ancestors hail from far away and as foreign as one probably could get from Finland). Americans are very weird about the "let's get together..." thing, as in its not seen as an obligation. Thanks for sharing Oliver!
8:34 8:35
Thank you so much for this, so good that I had to share this with my cousins in Canada and the U.S. ...this totally sums up the Finnish social customs
Very well done! To the point, organized and well explained. Thank you!
This is a excellent video! Thanks for taking the time to address important norms that can help visitors and business people fit in better.
I've been watching your videos for a while now and I'm loving your country and culture. Being a very private person, I love these customs. Having boundaries is so important no matter where you live. đ
Thanks for sharing, that sounds awesome! Would you be interested to perhaps apply to study or work in Finland at some point in the future?
Thanks for the video Oliverr, very helpful and informative, noted everything!
Awesome! As previously, thanks for the feedback. This really helps with the channel in the future when im considering what kind of topics you want to hear about.
Thank you for these social customs. I have worked in Finland so most of these are what I would do in a strange country anyway. Itâs following the lead of the locals. The relationship with alcohol probably has as much to do with long winters and the need to work during the âdayâ. The topics that you outlined were always âbannedâ here in Australia at the dinner table and seen as personal, but our exposure to Americans has modified that a bit. However we do do bragging particularly over sport. Thanks for this.
Love the idea to have a built in but covered dish drying rack...absolutely brilliant! The other customs, besides shoe removal, are (or were) common curtesy here in America before 1980...
Your videos are top notch. Best of luck with your studies! Robin
Agree. It grosses me out when people come in my house tracking grass and dirt all over. We live near the beach, so there is sand everywhere in our homes
I am not Finnish but I completely agree with "no shoes in the house". It is also customary where I live, and I shudder when I watch American TV and see them not only wear shoes in the house, but on the couch, and on the bed and pretty much everywhere else - gross!
Tracking dog shit in anyone's house seems a bit rude, doesn't it?
I am American and we never wear our shoes in the house.
Maybe a lot of Americans do but a lot don't. I don't allow shoes in my place and my parents don't and lots of people I know don't allow it. We leave them by the door. American tv sucks so maybe try not to get your info from there.
Thank you so much for making all these things easy to understand. My Neice now living in Helsinki (and of course home on an island!) and I am trying to learn a little about their culture. They now have a baby together who has the best of both their genes and I cannot wait to meet him next summer.
Having grown up in a USA southern state, I was raised with the same values as you: Be on time as a show of respect, don't discuss politics or religion, don't ask personal questions about money or income; Take your shoes off inside the house, don't brag about your accomplishments and be kind and respectful in how you address others. The only difference? Many of us are still raised to use "Sir" or "Ma'am" as in "Yes, Sir" and "No, Ma'am". Since our nation is a nation of immigrants, I'm sure many of these Finnish cultural norms creeped into western Europe and beyond, to America! thank you for sharing.
I'm in the US and this sounds so wonderful to me lol. I'm very much about all this, especially the punctuality thing. Most of my friends seem to be the complete opposite. My partner is routinely late and it's so frustrating. People always show up to parties "fashionably late" and it's so silly.
I absolutely positively love your customs and would have zero problems acclimating to Finland. It's sounds ideal and the rest of the world can benefit from your example.
My kind of people, I think I would probably blend well with the Finnish. It's a really amazing culture. Thanks for your channel, it's really helping me decide more for moving to Finland. I was considering Ireland before. But I think I would blend better with the Finnish.
Thanks for watching! I think Finns might actually come quite close to the Irish. The countries are quite different both in terms of geographies and social issues. However, i think both are great countries đ
You can get away with your religious crimes with no stopping you in Finland. Your oatmeal brain will fit right in with your deep fried bible indoctrination.
@@mavrosyvannah You hit the nail on the head
@@mavrosyvannah As a Canadian, born and raised in Canada, I'm not sure I understand your comment.
I was brought up in a very subdued household, and one of my greatest freedoms when I left home was to learn to be more outgoing and outspoken without being rude. I enjoy Oliver's videos a lot, but I don't think I would fit in well in Finland :-(
Very interesting. I've been enjoying your videos on differences in Finland from other countries.
Oh my stars!!! I feel like I was raised the Finnish way. Other than the "no shoes in the house" rule, just about everything else was taught. Thank you so much, Oliver.
I visited in 1995, and again in 2002 for my sonâs wedding. I miss it so much. I imagine I would probably violate any number of social customs, so I appreciate this video to help me remember what to say and what not to say.
This sounds like a dream!! Love every one of these
Thank you for sharing this video young man.
I personally really like the social customs. It makes the world so much a better place.
Sounds like a refresher course from my Mother and she's not a Finn. These "customs" are pretty common for well mannered people all over. đ
I find your videos very educational and you are a very good âinstructorâ some of your customs explained in this video we fallow in Pennsylvania USA at work we were supposed to start at 7:30 am but really you have to arrive at 7:00 am this is expected also with scheduled appointment with doctor or teachers . Also we do the no shoes inside the house very common to see that mainly with farmer but to have house shoes is more common . Thanks for your video I should add I am a Mennonite and we donât drink alcohol at all so that is interesting what you shared about alcohol . Thanks for the video and Christ blessings!
What is a Mennonite?
I appreciate the post! Iâm applying for a grant in Kuopio and needed some tips for communicating with my Finnish counterparts.
As a German I now understand why I have clicked so well with the Finnish people I have met in my life. đ€©
Yeah, there are definitely a lot of customs that Germans and Finns have in common.
@@1029blue đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©đ€©
I don't know why, but I was completely unprepared for the word "douchey" to come out of your mouth. Thanks for a good, belly-laugh.
As for keeping promises/integrity, in my country (USA) people *profess* to care about that, too. I find it very frustrating how often they don't live up to their own ideals.
We have the same customes here in Sweden, your brother country. đ Maybe not that one about âletâs have coffeeâ. But I guess in some parts of my country or in some age groups, people mean exactly what they say.
This actually reminded me of a quote from a Netflix show The Ranch. "Early is on time, on time is late." I think that describes the Finnish punctuality pretty well. It's always better to be early.
My relatives in Ireland have a lot of German/Austrian connections (including marriages). When arr ranging things they ask, "Will this be on Irish time or German time?" Irish means showing up anytime from the start or up to two hours later. German means on the dot sharp. They live comfortable in both times. In the US I ask "at ...time ... sharp?" Answers vary from Yes, sharp to within a half hour. ... If the start time just does not work, I ask, "Is it OK if I come at ,,, time" ... If it's a large party, the host does not want a lot of people showing up sharp. Drifting in over an hour after the start time is the norm.
Thanks for the info.
Greatgrandfather on my mother's side was Finnish (carpenter by trade). Came to CA in the late 1850s. Lots of Finns in my neck of the woods. I've been lucky enough to learn about and regularly participate in the Finnish Sauna with decendants of many old-timers who built their wood-fired sauna when they first arrived here at the turn of the century. I'd love to visit. I have relatives there I do not know but have discovered thru genealogy websites.
I love Finland!
Greetings from Estonia đ
Thanks for Sharing
I think I might be Finnish!! great video, thank you :)
Great video Oliver đ€!
Thanks a lot Lorena! Thats very nice of you.
Honestly this is all me.
I get so mad if somebody makes me late something or if theyâre late meeting me. Grow always have to take my shoes off when going inside. Iâm a very private person I donât like talking about financial or politics or anything like that Iâll only do it with very very few people.
And itâs nice to know that even though Iâve never been to Finland and my dad is quite detached (bing raised in Australia himself) from Finland I was still raised with all of that culture
I recently found out I am 12% Finnish. This explains EVERYTHING. I despise lateness and NO BLOODY SHOES IN THE HOUSE! As an Irish person this can lead to Unfortunate Issues. My house my rules. But I have ceased relationships because of chronic lateness. It is disrespectful and selfish! I donât drink alcohol So the whole drinking thing is meaningless to me. Thank you for this video.
Thanks man! Nice video!
Glad it helped!
I love it! đ
Doubtful I will go to Finland. The post had me curious. Common sense to me. Thank you.
I havenât watched the video yet but these are my guesses on what will be in it:
-Shoes off when going to anyoneâs home
-Personal space
-Being on time
-Being quiet in public transport
-Maybe queueing politely, not cutting in line
Ok finished the video now, the bragging about money or accomplishments was a really good one, sometimes it can be very rude, especially when it puts you on a pedestal above everyone else. I think if youâre humble about it, itâs ok to talk about your achievements and how proud you are of yourself, at least among friends. But I do think that the appreciation of quietness in public spaces and transport is an important one because people will throw very irritated glances towards people that are talking or laughing loud in public transport and pretty much everywhere else, too.
đ pretty good guesses. I had to include these basic things but i thought that adding the things about money, religion and politics were things that people dont mention that often.
Also, as you so well put it, you can definitely talk about your accomplishment, or even religion as long as you stay smart about it. Dont brag about your wealth and dont push your believes onto other people and you should be fine. As it happens, i personally appreciate good discussions about all of these topics as long as they stay within an intellectual context. The second someone starts pushing something onto me, i lock up.
Wish the USA had these cultural customs. Especially being respectful on public transport in NYC subways!
I just discovered this channel and although will probably never have the opportunity to travel to Finland, I instantly subscribed as I find this so interesting and that I can learn about another culture so easily, by a very likable host I must add.
But as a American I was laughing and thinking to myself WOW I bet Americans don't do real well there.
The #1 reason for people being fired here in America is being late. People are late for work, dinner, picking up their kids from daycare, appointments, you name it ,we can be late for it.. And if you call the person out on it?
Well you are a mean not very understanding person.
Must add employers aren't much better, and its common for a employer to ask last minute for you too stay at work longer.
I have been shocked at the dirty muddy shoes someone has wore into my home, and never apologized for the mess they made.
Being asked my everyone how much you make or what you paid for something is a everyday occurrence ( I was brought up that is was bad manners to ask)
Bragging, no one does it better then Americans.
From what they paid for their wedding, to the annual let me tell you how great my life is and how great my children are Christmas News Letter, this includes the vacations they took, what they bought ect.
Asking what your parents do, how much retirement they receive ect.
Asking you if you are a Christian is also the norm here. And then telling you are bound for hell unless you accept the invitation from them visit their church, where you find the truth..
Asking who you voted for?
This has been a big ? Since 2016, then telling you that you were wrong in who you voted for.
But considering we get phone calls, by strangers who ask who we intend to vote for ( for polling purposes) I'm not shocked people do it.
Yes, I do agree Americans could learn much by learning more about Finland.
All have great dayđž
I ve been on many business lunch meetings , and there has always been wine, and other drink. Think is really dependable on the person. Also some work Restaurants sale drink or are included in the lunch price
Great video, unlike the many small mistakes in the housing video, this one is very accurate
Lovely advice!!
I love this! Finnish people sound amazing! In Argentina people are always late, they talk openly about politics and religion, they never keep their promises and they ask you about your salary! I dislike all that!!! I would love to live in a society like yours! Finland sounds like a paradise. Maybe one day I will be lucky enough to visit.
I'd rather die than living in a rigid military like society like this, I'm speaking as a Brazilian đ. I've found the right balance over here in England.
@@louiseleite3866 You're so lucky! Brazil is a disaster! I'm so glad you were able to move. đąđ I'm not as lucky as you, living in Argentina.
Laffs in US. Sounds like us.
How kind and friendly are Finns towards the stranger?.
I will take this in mind.... What i love is that you can call them in their 1st name, not asking your beliefs, your salary and family income... I wish we have that kind of attitude in my culture .. For example in some of my family and friends, they need to know income and religion in which for me is very rude.. Also i have addressed you as sir before.. So is it ok if i say your 1st name.. Thank you.. I think i will love your culture
Once again, love seeing you in the comments đ. Please, call me Oliver. As mentioned in this video, and as you noted, this is a part of our culture and calling someone sir or madam in Finland sounds a bit too formal. If you do this, no one is going to complain, but it simply sounds a bit funny to our ear đ.
I'm British & was always told you never ask someone's age, or, their salary . Old style manners seem to be ignored now though . I get asked both all the time!
Canadians don't tell you how much they make or what they paid for their home or vehicle or other big ticket items. Oddly they will tell you if they got a good deal on something, like a half price purse etc. They avoid talking about religion unless they share similar beliefs. With the "diversity" effect on society however these norms are changing likewise the cultural customs of politeness and how to line up for busses etc.
Addressing people by the first name is very common, but at least on male-dominated workplaces it's not that uncommon to address, or refer to, people with their surnames (without any titles, though). I guess this stems from military service (well, they use ranks, but titles are very rarely used outside it anyway!), and the fact that there's usually lower chance that two guys share the same surname than that they share the same first name. Often these things mix, some people getting usually referred by first name, some by surname, and some by nickname. It's plainly pragmatic, not implying any preferential order.
@@RoadtoFinnish Interesting. Has this particular custom evolved over the last 30 years or so? When I got my lessons on Finnish customs from my mother before my first trip as an adult to Helsinki, I was told to use Mr. or Ms, Dr. or Prof. until invited by the individual to address them more familiarly. Is that still the way, or has it gotten more informal. My late uncle couldn't abide US informality. But, then, he was from the greatest/oldest generation (he'd be about 85 were he still living). I learned more from him once we landed, including his formality. He taught me how to drink schnapps (Koskenkorva), how to melt nickel on New Year's Eve, how to survive a 7 course dinner with wine pairings, aperitif and brandy, and he showed me Midsummer fun and bonfires--with more beer and liquor than you can shake a fraternity at (do Finnish unis have Greek life, fraternities & sororities? I think not). I miss him. But he died a Finnish death: enlarged heart and liver damage due to alcohol use.
This is what my parents from Finland taught me: as the younger person, as the invited person, as the person lower in hierarchy, as the foreigner - don't ever try to take the lead or be first. At a reception or dinner you needn't take initiatives. Just wait and look and follow the lead of those who know better. Examples: Wait till the saladbowl is offered to you, and then do as the person did offering it to you. If the other person asks you about your salary, religion, the size of your home, etc, you can politely decline to answer, but you never need to put such questions yourself, for sure. It would be very rude, and remembered for ages.
You need not be the one who sits down as the first one, or head to the door as the first one, or grab the coffee-pot to serve yourself as the first one.
If you think a host needs your help, ask if s/he wants your help. But don't hurt her/his pride.
If the cutlery bewilders you, just wait. Wait and see what the oldest Finnish person does with cutlery, glasses, napkins, etc. Mimic him or her.
Say or nod thanks to persons that serve the meal and tries to make you comfortable. It's rude to pretend that servants are air. Never be snobbish or haughty in Finland. People around you will notice, and there might a chance go to get a helpful tip or a positive offer, because you are considered disagreeable. Finns will not tell you such truths to your face.
Don't be too opinionated in Finland, especially about personal things. In Mediterranian countries I have heard the most chocking comments from strangers: If you would use high heels you would be really attractive. An Armani suit would be much more perfect on you than jeans. A shirt would be more feminine than throusers. Why don't you use contact lenses, you've got fine eyes. Etc.
Don't think that you are the first person to discover that Finns would look like movie stars if they just would do a total make-over. Respect that Finns are not very inclined to do total make-overs and smile with fake teeth, and dress up, and "fix" themselves to be fake everything.
Sauna will reveal the truth.
Interesting to see how similar Finish customs are to German customs. Except, we mostly still hold on to addressing people in the formal way, depending on the situation in which we encounter people.
I hardly watch these videos, because as a stranger to this country, but still stuck here, I must say, this video sums it up very well. I agree, for the very first time, with everything he says.
I also think all these "rules" apply in all Nordic countries...
Where I live is the opossite of everything you said about finnish cultuređ
Thanks!!
Hi Oliver... awesome video. I want to see your Munich exchange vlog again please đ
Hey Shiyam and thanks for the comment. Id also love to have those vlogs online, but unfortunately I am currently permanently back in Finland so ive changed the direction of this channel to talking about studying in Finland. In addition, I was stupid enough back then to include copywritten music into those vlogs so I had to take all of them down.
@@RoadtoFinnish Hi Oliver , it's sad to hear. But I expect more videos and vlogs from you channel ! Glad you replied !!đ
@@shiyamganesh5347 Yeah that kinda sucks. But oh well đ. Im currently planning on doing vlogs from Finland as well, but the current videos require so much preplanning and scripting that sharing all the information through vlogs isn't really an option for me.
Thank you so much for your help I like Finland nature soo much you are Suomalaiset the most honest people's I seen in my life
Your presentation was spot-on! I used to teach English to adults in Finland, and the hardest part of my job was getting my students to talk about *anything* that was not directly related to their jobs. This made for some pretty boring conversations, and people were even reluctant to talk about their hobbies--presumably because their classmates might not share their interests.
Just the weather and everyoneâs healthđ
When did you teach in Finland? I've been visiting family there since the late '80s and have found that virtually everyone learns English in school. We're you teaching English for conducting business in/with the US?
@@squiggyzmom In fact, I was teaching in the late '80's, and all of my students were engineers or businessmen/women. My job was for a private school, and all of my students were, of course, adults--some of whom were at the rudimentary level. But, unfortunately, the salesman for this private school was *too* good at his job. He was somehow able to sell lessons to companies for employees who really didn't need them--either because their English was good enough as it was, or because they would have no immediate need to use English in their work.
Interesting! Thanks
In Brazil the equivalent of "Let's have coffee next week?" is the empty promise of hanging out, going out or having a barbecue with a group of people or with a friend which is both expected to never happen but also expected to happen at any time. It is considered rude by some to not start planning a next encounter by the end of the current one, even if the plans are sometimes bogus.
Intresting, it's the same in Autria. Didn'r know our cultures are so similar :)
Oh cool, was there something specific that would be similar to Austria?
At my dentist's office, and my children's schools in Alberta, Canada, it is mandatory to leave wet, dirty or snowy footwear at the door. So the common sense or acquired knowledge as they like to refer to it now, is spreading!!
Say what you mean and mean what you say. Thank you for your video's I find them interesting.
Wow, we the Dutch and Finnish people have a lot in common. Unfortunately we wear shoes inside, except at my place :). We don't like to talk about private income or brag about it. Lunches here have become so simple that a glass of wine would look odd with a cheese sandwich and a glass of butter milk... Nice channel. I enjoy learning about the Finnish customs and habits. Thanks.
Ten years ago I did some work in Amsterdam, and I loved that the client served butter milk as one of the drinks at a desk lunch. I hadn't seen it since my childhood, and it was great to meet it again.
In Finland the common ordinary lunch is from a buffet, definitely more than a mere cheese sandwich. But a lunch restaurant that serves Finnish dishes would often have the drink selection of water (from tap of course), milk, buttermilk and a kind of small ale made with rye malts called kotikalja, which does contain just enough of alcohol from the fermentation that gives it nice carbonation.
I had no idea that buttermilk was common in the Netherlands. I grew up in Louisiana and we always had buttermilk. I still love it, but you can only get it in tiny cartons for baking in Colorado. (Only way Colorado is inferior to Louisiana)
@@kerrynight3271 buttermilk used to be a byproduct of making butter, hence its name. Already since the 17th century the area which is now known as the Netherlands, was famous for producing large volumes of milk. In order to preserve the milk they made cheese and butter out of it. Until today the Dutch drink a lot of milk and eat and export huge quantities of cheese and butter.
@@RudieVissenberg Interesting information. My grandmother used to churn butter and my mother used to say how delicious the buttermilk was with little chunks of butter in it.
In Iran, the custom of removing one's shoes before stepping inside somebody else's home depends on the status of the visitor. Higher status visitors keep their shoes on, while lower status visitors take their shoes off. If a Finnish man takes his shoes off while visiting an Iranian home, he would be saying to the hosts that he has lower status than they do.
In Finland Most likelly The President takes his shoes off, if entering on private home, unless he was invited officially. And taking of the shoes has nothing to do with rank.
Finland is a progressive country where modern slavery is not acceptable. While in Iran, slavery still common. So simple, in Finland your status in life is not very important as long as you are respectful to others.
I somehow assumed Finland would be rather different to Iran.
@@mikaturunen2354 Probably not. As The President visiting would be some sort official visit. In which case keeping on shoes is fully expected. Now if there was personal connection that old man better take them off...
@@_Ekaros In Finland the presidents go by them selves sometimes shopping. And they have personal friends. If visiting a friend the president most likelly takes of his or her shoes.Not all of the president`s visit are official. There is a long history of presidents mingle with common people. Especially former president Urho Kekkonen was famous of this.
In Finland people do not have nor like high hierarchy. Leaders are expected to behave as other people do. And they try to keep that image alive. That`s why the president may line to the cash register with some purchases and declines offered possibility to skip the line. If he or she would not line, the person would be considered a prick by lot of public. And off course it is partly planned image upkeeping. And here in Finland people take off their shoes due the enviroment outside. Shoes get part of the year dirty. A prick would enter someone`s home with dirty shoes. President or not.
It is a cultural difference.
President shopping him self in these links.
www.is.fi/kotimaa/art-2000005582659.html
www.seiska.fi/Uutiset/Kuva-Sauli-Niinisto-bongattiin-ruokaostoksilta-presidentti-unohti-lupauksensa/1152730
Very interested to find this channel as I havejustfound out I have 7% Finnish DNA. Quite far back, but need to find out moređ
I'm British. I had a Finnish girlfriend some time ago, and she drank vodka like a fish. She had a job with a shipping firm and used to out-drink Russian sailors, lol. I can't imagine her NOT drinking at lunch, but in our brief time together we never actually had lunch, so I don't know.
A very light or non alkoholic beer is ok for lunch but.
I am like that with the time as well
I really like these customs. Most of them sound like common sense to me. Although that may not be the case for everyone in my country.
Thats really cool to hear! Any customs that you guys have in your country that you wish we had in Finland?
I really like the comment on alcohol comsumption. As a french it was really funny my beginning here.
What you said about talking about salary, religion and politics is a norm in workplace, official scientific conferenses and other official situations. Situation is different with less formal social cathering like students happenings..
This is of course dependent on the people and individuals, but I would have to disagree with you at least based on my personal experience. Sure, we talk about these issues with good friends that i know well, but I would not bring these topics up with someone that I do not know well enough to be sure that they are fine with the topic.
Sure, what I said in the video is pretty much a generalised statement, but I would say still a good rule of thumb for people who come from other cultures where things might be different.
Love your videos Arizona USA
Interesting. I donât wear shoes in the house either in the states. Itâs just a nasty thing to do as far as Iâm concerned but I never thought overseas anyone did that costume other than orientals. I like it.
Its funny how this topic divides people so heavily. Some people think keeping shoes on inside feels more natural but for some it is just weird. But yeah, this is pretty much standard practice in the nordics as the weather is what is is and the shoes can get naaasty so no point keeping them on inside đ
Hi! Even though this comment is a year old I feel the need to reply haha I personally wear shoes inside since my feet get super cold without them, and using house shoes makes my feet get sweaty and then they get cold because of the sweat haha it-s weird I know, but that's why I keep my shoes on all day long. As long as I don't put them on my sofa, chairs of places where they shouldn't be I don't see why its wrong. I would never touch the ground of my house unless I really needed to. Its quite funny when I go to the beach for the 1st time every summer as my feet are just plain white lol
@@javi3266 Hi! You need a pair of proper woolen socks. Thatâs what we finns wear if our feet get cold. Wool is perfect for insulating your feet against cold and it doesnât make them sweaty/clammy. :)
@@NinjaBee81 Ill have to buy them next year when I live in Finland :)
In Singapore itâs definitely the same for the same reason. Shoes are often left outside the front door.
I love these customs they are so correct.
Taking your shoes off at work, really?
I don't know about the rest of America, but these are all maxims my family, friends and associates live by. If we are going to a job interview punctuality is a must, 15 mins early the basic rule. The talking about religion and/or politics in USA- it is considered vulgar and low class if a stranger asks about your politics- if they do it's something new, maybe since the Obama administration is it when people started openly stating their politics- which is divisive. I could go into the Why's but that in itself is a political argument! :) God bless. Shoes inside varies in US. The Titles and Forms of Addresses is eye opening to me! I prefer titles, as it is a form of respect. Thank you, your videos are very very good.
Mainio koonti, lisÀhuomautukset myös erittÀin osuvia, juuri nÀin se menee!
My dad is a Finn, and heaven f*cking help you if you are "late". I'm taking "late" as in 5 mins late.
The struggle is real for a Finn living in the US, where a meet up time seems to be a suggestion. Lol
I think us Aussies would get along well with you all. However, in North Queensland time has a different concept. To turn up on time is considered rude and 15 minutes late is deemed as polite in social circles. With work itâs different we are expected to turn up before time and on time is considered very disrespectful to the workplace
You look alot like my brother one of five.We are proud to be finnish!!
Love these rules
1. Being on time - for some reason Iâm always exactly 5 mins late for everything. My whole life.
2. No shoes in house - I 100% agree.
3. Formal addressing each other - Iâm old school (British) and completely believe in formality that way
4. Acceptable topics of discussion:
Money - I agree. Not to be discussed casually. At all.
Religion- I agree. Too personal!
Politics - only discuss if youâre looking for a fight.
Parentâs situation- private
8. Accomplishments - discuss if youâre looking to show off and be seen as arrogant lol. Humble is better
9. Integrity - is everything
10. Letâs have coffee - in US is def an empty promise
11. Alcohol - well my family is alcoholic so I donât know any different. Some countries are alcoholic as a whole, sorry đŹđ§
I admire Finnish culture, as you see, I have a ways to go. đ«
Woww this is very interesting đ€
Awesome!
Thank you! Cheers!
Most of these seem like a good recipe for common decency. Lunchtime drinking taboo was a surprise to me - I mean, it's something I don't often do simply out of practicality - it might make me sleepy and unproductive. I wonder if the taboo in Finland relates to work ethics.
No drinking while on the clock. Some people even frown upon any drinking during the workweek. With students, drinking heavily is expected
Thank you for these informations. Very helpful.
Will it be alright if I ask a video about how people are tax in Finland? Just to have an idea. Once I start being in Finland :).
Thanks a lot!
Hey and thanks for the question! Finland has a progressive tax system meaning that the more you make, the more you pay for taxes. Im planning on making more detailed videos about this topic after summer (I will have a full playlist about working, salaries, taxation and other stuff related to working and building ones career in Finland) so I hope you see them when I get them online.
However, in short: the Finnish progressive tax system starts with a minimum 8,4% income tax. The highest tax bracket is for annual income above 1 million euros which is taxed at 56,4%. The tax rate grows progressively as your income grows. Here are a few examples of 'normal' gross incomes and their respective income tax rates (do note that the median income in Finland is around 3500âŹ/month, although this is relatively higher for university grads depending on their field):
1520âŹ/month â 13,8% income tax
2560âŹ/month â 24,3% income tax
3520âŹ/month â 30,7% income tax
4560âŹ/month â 35% income tax
5520âŹ/month â 37,9% income tax
In addition to the tax, the following costs are deducted from your gross income by your employee (these can change each year so take these as estimates):
1. Employment pension (7,15% for people aged under 60)
2. Unemployment insurance (1,25%)
*EXAMPLE*
All of this means that if you are e.g. 25 years old and you have a gross salary of 3000/month, your net income would be calculated as follows:
Gross income = 3000âŹ
- Income tax 3000*0,28 = 840âŹ
- Pension 3 000*0,0715 = 214,50âŹ
- Unemployment insurance 3000*0,0125 = 37,50âŹ
____________________________________________________________
*Net income = 1908,00âŹ*
If you want to play with the numbers, you can calculate your approximated tax on the Finnish Tax Administrators website. There is a lot of information that you have to input (like if you have a spouse of children) but you can skip these (just say no) and move directly to your income. You can change the numbers and see how much that impacts your net income. The calculator can be found here: www.vero.fi/en/individuals/tax-cards-and-tax-returns/tax_card/tax-percentage-calculator/
Oh wowwww. The way you reply is very detailed and amazing.
Glad to have found you in you tube. Thanks a lot! Really! :)
@@lilyjoji No problem at all. Im just glad to help. The reason this channel exists is because i truly believe that Finland is one of the best countries in the world for people to study and build their careers in. However, I also know how complicated many of these topics are + there's simply so much information that one needs to know that its impossible to find and process everything. Meanwhile, these kind of things are pretty much obvious to me as ive had to deal with them for years. So making the videos + helping you here in the comments is really not that much trouble compared to the value that (I hope) you guys get out of it đ
Thanks a lot for helping people like me, know more about how beautiful Finland is. Because of your channel, I can plan well my journey in Finland. You deserve lots of likes and subscribers :)
đđđ
@@lilyjoji đ
I have to admit that I don't remember if I have already asked you about this, but did you already apply to study or work in Finland? Im trying to keep a note of everyone's comments so that id remember what each commenter / subscriber is studying or applying to study. Its hard now that the channel is growing a bit more đ
One thing about Ă landers (Finns on the islands between the mainland and Sweden) is that they do not like saying "no". Instead they say "maybe". This is really annoying for me as, when I ask a question, I ask yes/no questions and expect yes/no answers. A "maybe", to me, means it is uncertain and a "yes" or a "no" is not possible at this time. Ă landers get annoyed with me when I come back later and ask the same question hoping that the issues that made it difficult to come to a definitive answer have been resolved enough so that my question can now be answered. In their heads they had said "no" and in my head they had said "I need more time to think on it."
That would drive me nutz! I had a boss that could never say the word no. In one meeting I openly confronted him when a colleague and I had opposing views on a topic. I pushed him for a yes/no response. Which one is correct? What do you want us to do?
I have never seen a more uncomfortable adult. At the time I was *SO* frustrated, looking back on it now I just find it amusing. He couldn't even say "Yes" to one of us as that would mean he was disagreeing with the other.
I found it very peculiar.
5pm is 5pm. Keep your word. :)
Shoes off inside is common in New Zealand.
Which usually means bare feet..
Interesting, I do think it is polite to ask to address others by their first name if they hold a formal title when you first meet
Storage cages were at one time a standard feature in New York City apartment buildings.
One thing i noticed in finnish schools is that we most of the time ended up using the first name of the teachers we liked and the last name of those we didnt. Though there were exceptions to that sometimes.
I admire your social customs and I truly believe if the rest of us practiced these our country would be the better for it , especially keeping politics and religion to yourself ! Those 2 things cause more aggravation than is needed in life!!! I really like the first name in conversations. Here in U.S. we have to many ppl that feel they are their jobs ,and income often get their nose too far in the air they are unable to see the feet they're stepping on.
I am from Minnesota, USA, we are very similar in customs. However I wish our homes were more like yours, I love a good sauna, and wine with a meal is wonderful!, We Minnesotans are more likely to have coffee if it is a work day. In Minnesota being on time is also very important, being late is so rude.
I think Minnesota is probably the most Scandinavian part of US due to immigrants (and maybe also climate) so it makes sense that customs and culture are quite similar.
My Swedish heritage has similar standards which I adhere to still
So I think that Canadians would fit right in! Everything on your list would apply here as well.. except maybe the coffee thing. We have A LOT of coffee shops here and drink A LOT of coffee... saying let's get coffee sometime is as nebulas as you can get!
Consumption of coffee per capita (Per Person Per Year)
Finland - 12 kg
Norway - 9.9 kg
Iceland - 9 kg
Denmark - 8.7 kg
Netherlands - 8.4 kg
Sweden - 8.2 kg
Switzerland - 7.9 kg
Belgium - 6.8 kg
Luxembourg - 6.5 kg
Canada - 6.2 kg
So Canadians are mere amateurs in coffee drinking compared to Northern Europeans, eh?