Finland

Finland’s indigenous heritage can be represented by the country’s national languages – Finnish and Swedish – as well as common Nordic and European cultural aspects, due to its history and geographic location. Finns invented the sauna over 2000 years ago, and 90% of the population have a sauna at least once a week. The Finnish people have a reputation as being thoughtful, unemotional and reticent. Key Finnish values are common sense, education, honesty and equality.

Finnish is the main language in Finland, but Swedish is also an official language. Language classes will be offered to help you gain proficiency, but English is very common in Finland and a large part of the population speaks business English. Many Finns speak three or more languages. Finnish is acknowledged as one of the hardest languages to learn. Finns call their own country ‘Suomi’.

AFSers have lived in communities all throughout Finland, but you’ll most likely find yourself in a small town or rural area in the southern half of the country. Finns are generally kind and open-minded, even though they can be a bit shy at first. Families are usually small, with only one or two children. People in Finland appreciate punctuality, good manners, and practicality. Equality is also very important, and it’s common for both parents to cook dinner or clean the house.

Finland has one of the best education systems in the world, so you can expect classes that are both engaging and challenging. You’ll most likely be enrolled in a public high school (lukio) where the year is divided into five or six terms. You’ll study a few subjects intensively each term, including Finnish, Swedish, maths, science, psychology, art, music, history, and geography. And don’t be surprised if your Finnish classmates are more direct than what you’re used to; they might even refer to teachers by their first names.

While it has been said of the French that they live to eat, it has been said that Finns eat to live. Everyday food tends to be simple but nutritious, and mealtimes less formal than in some other countries. During the weekdays you may prepare and eat food on your own. On weekends, many families dine together and catch up on their activities for that week. Meals may include meat, fish, potatoes, pasta, bread and dairy products. Coffee is a favorite beverage, even among teenagers, often with a sweet wheat bread called pulla.

Contrary to what we may think, Finland is not part of Scandinavia, even though geographically and politically it is part of the Nordic region. Nevertheless, culturally, it is considered Scandinavian. One third of Finland is after the polar circle, and in winter the weather can be very cold up there, with the lowest temperature reaching -51°C. Most of the population lives in the south with the average winter temperature in Helsinki sitting around -2.5°C, and summers are warm.