Asignment 13

Our common boat

Many people tend to think that Finnish people are being rude to them, when their act differs from their cultural manners. People in many other European countries are a lot more outgoing and that's why they don't get why we act this way.

All over the internet word spreads that people in Finland aren’t really nice at all. I think that's just bad prejudge. Finnish people are usually very kind and nice, once they start speaking to each other. It’s always been a habit in our culture to act this way. In here it's normal to not have small talks with strangers. A pretty common joke in Finland "my biggest fear is to get stuck in elevator with another Finnish". In different aspect this might seem weird to you but that’s just normal to us and we always laugh for the way we act. And that's the funniest thing everybody is aware of the way we act but nobody wants to step out and change that.

In my opinion it is nice when in Finland someone stranger asks me to guide them or just comes to chat with me. But I think that now days it can be harder to talk to stranger than back in the old days. The constant using of phones have effect our social skills. Sitting in any kind of public transport you may notice that almost all are using their phones and that’s a bit sad. I try to avoid my phone in public transports or even in a car because I find it bit rude to not notice the people all around you.

I don’t might at all if somebody I don't know tries to have a conversation with me. I'm glad that there are people who have the courage for that. In Finland you need to be brave and have the courage to say something to others. I think that saying something nice to a stranger can cheer up someones day a lot. Nobody is here to judge because we are all in the same boat.