 Why Finland?: Photos 21 to 32 |
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I lost count on the times that I have been asked this question. I could almost sense when someone was about to ask it. People asked me, "Why choose to study in FINLAND?" so many times that my travelling partner Joel could not help himself but laugh everytime someone asked me that question. It was really absurd.
So one would think that after hearing such a question so often that I would have a perfect answer to return immediately. But I did not. Almost every time I was asked "Why Finland?", I would return the very same blank look they gave me and tell them confusingly, "I... don't... know!" And that is what I find so fascinating about this country... WHY the hell would you go there?! Swedes, who live right next door to Finland, didn't understand why I decided to study in Finland. Even Finns themselves were a bit mystified that I came all the way from Australia to study in Finland (I am not joking, this is the extent to which people were surprised at why I came to live in Finland... Finns themselves were baffled).
It is true, I cannot pinpoint the reason why I decided
Full Text Entry: Why Finland?
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February 24th 2007 - Al: Beatiful
Magnificent article!
February 26th 2007 - Jani B: I know that girl!
Ha ha, Funny to reading a blog from an australian and to find an old school mate of mine in one of your pictures. Eeva was in the same high school with me. Funny. Im off to Sydney in two weeks. Yippee!
May 6th 2008 - Deronda: International Significance
In the mineral processing industry, the company Outokumpu is very internationally significant.
May 30th 2008 - Stephan: Wonderful story
As an Austrian who has not only been together with a beautiful Finnish girl for almost five years, I've also been working in Helsinki now for over two months.
I've had similar experiences during my many stays in this wonderful country and I have to agree with you. Fins are crazy!!! CRAZY!!! Give them booze and all hell brakes loose. Literally. I've been a witness :-) But like you said yourself, these people are wonderfully kind after you spend some time with them. Not everything is golden but that goes for every country. However the biggest challenge (despite my countless short stays) - to survive the harsh Finnish winters with basically NO SUNLIGHT - lies still ahead of me.
Thanks again for sharing your wonderful everyday occurrences . Good luck with finding your own Finnish girl - I certainly have.
December 20th 2008 - Sui: Feeling the same
Hey Justin,
I think you very well expressed all the feelings that I have myself about Finland, Finnish people and Finnish culture. What I call "the Finnish soul".
Me too, people all the time ask me, why Finland?, why do you like so much Finnish people?, and I also don't have a good answer for that questions, but the first think I usually think about is "I don't know...Finnish people are so unique (strange?), but so nice".
Now, I'm really happy that I found a "Finnish connection" here in Paris :)
Cheers!
February 25th 2009 - Sandra: I loved it
Hi! I loved reading your article, I have never been to Finland, though I have a finnish friend who falls in your category of crazy =)
I definitely have to go... It was very pleasant to read this
April 13th 2009 - Eeva: Thanks
Hey, was reading through your Finland-memoirs, great fun, thanks! But it did make me sad that I couldn't spend more time with you that year (being "inhumanely busy":D. I have to correct, though, that I wasn't president of the whole law society, just a smaller branch and some major happenings). But I'm so glad you had fun and many great experiences!
So now that I actually have a normal work rythm and VACATIONS (!), it would be great to see you in Australia sometime in 2010 when you get back there.
Have fun in on-going travels! Be safe!
Greets,
Eeva
May 1st 2009 - Veli Jussi : My home country
Stumbled on your article and absolutely loved it. I left Tampere as a child in 58 and have not been back but your delightful description has truly inspired me/.
The girls look just like my daughter. I must come back to my roots for a homecoming. Thank you
July 2nd 2009 - Robert: Why Finland? women, doh!
Why Finland? Obviously because of the women!! happy travels justin! im enjoyin perth for now! :-)
July 12th 2009 - Ellie: nice one!
Truly luv the details..
October 4th 2009 - MISHA of NM:
I guess this is a bit late, but I loved reading this! I am a hopeful to exchange to Finland next year and I'm just so excited! Like, Finland is just one of those countries that.. well, you aren't sure why you love it but you /just do/. And so I hope I end up loving Finland just as much if not more than I do now. Thanks for writing this!
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Finnish Girls - Anni and her Friends
Finns are like natural linguists; they all speak AT LEAST three languages. The girl on the right goes four better; she speaks SEVEN... fluently! Finnish, Swedish, English, French, Spanish, German and ... [more]
Drunk Student on Vappu
He managed to steal the "Ceremonial Toothbrush" whilst at it... don't ask, it's a strange country.
The Party Ferry
Romain with a Finn... a drunken Finn... a lost drunken Finn... a lost EXTREMELY drunken Finn.
Bronze Medal Performance
Grzegorz and his ice hockey captain after taking out the Bronze Medal in a Finland-wide amateur tournament
The Party Ferry (2)
Romain (left) and Lukas (right) with three Finns we randomly met. Note the Gothic tendencies of 2 of them, like I explained earlier.
11 Comments - Add Public Comment or Send Private Message
February 24th 2007 - Al: Beatiful
Magnificent article!
February 26th 2007 - Jani B: I know that girl!
Ha ha, Funny to reading a blog from an australian and to find an old school mate of mine in one of your pictures. Eeva was in the same high school with me. Funny. Im off to Sydney in two weeks. Yippee!
May 6th 2008 - Deronda: International Significance
In the mineral processing industry, the company Outokumpu is very internationally significant.
May 30th 2008 - Stephan: Wonderful story
As an Austrian who has not only been together with a beautiful Finnish girl for almost five years, I've also been working in Helsinki now for over two months.
I've had similar experiences during my many stays in this wonderful country and I have to agree with you. Fins are crazy!!! CRAZY!!! Give them booze and all hell brakes loose. Literally. I've been a witness :-) But like you said yourself, these people are wonderfully kind after you spend some time with them. Not everything is golden but that goes for every country. However the biggest challenge (despite my countless short stays) - to survive the harsh Finnish winters with basically NO SUNLIGHT - lies still ahead of me.
Thanks again for sharing your wonderful everyday occurrences . Good luck with finding your own Finnish girl - I certainly have.
December 20th 2008 - Sui: Feeling the same
Hey Justin,
I think you very well expressed all the feelings that I have myself about Finland, Finnish people and Finnish culture. What I call "the Finnish soul".
Me too, people all the time ask me, why Finland?, why do you like so much Finnish people?, and I also don't have a good answer for that questions, but the first think I usually think about is "I don't know...Finnish people are so unique (strange?), but so nice".
Now, I'm really happy that I found a "Finnish connection" here in Paris :)
Cheers!
February 25th 2009 - Sandra: I loved it
Hi! I loved reading your article, I have never been to Finland, though I have a finnish friend who falls in your category of crazy =)
I definitely have to go... It was very pleasant to read this
April 13th 2009 - Eeva: Thanks
Hey, was reading through your Finland-memoirs, great fun, thanks! But it did make me sad that I couldn't spend more time with you that year (being "inhumanely busy":D. I have to correct, though, that I wasn't president of the whole law society, just a smaller branch and some major happenings). But I'm so glad you had fun and many great experiences!
So now that I actually have a normal work rythm and VACATIONS (!), it would be great to see you in Australia sometime in 2010 when you get back there.
Have fun in on-going travels! Be safe!
Greets,
Eeva
May 1st 2009 - Veli Jussi : My home country
Stumbled on your article and absolutely loved it. I left Tampere as a child in 58 and have not been back but your delightful description has truly inspired me/.
The girls look just like my daughter. I must come back to my roots for a homecoming. Thank you
July 2nd 2009 - Robert: Why Finland? women, doh!
Why Finland? Obviously because of the women!! happy travels justin! im enjoyin perth for now! :-)
July 12th 2009 - Ellie: nice one!
Truly luv the details..
October 4th 2009 - MISHA of NM:
I guess this is a bit late, but I loved reading this! I am a hopeful to exchange to Finland next year and I'm just so excited! Like, Finland is just one of those countries that.. well, you aren't sure why you love it but you /just do/. And so I hope I end up loving Finland just as much if not more than I do now. Thanks for writing this!
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