shy and reserved finns

HENGAMEH · Post by **HENGAMEH** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 4:26 pm

why finns are known to be very shy, reserved and quiet? is that true? what is your own opinion about that?
i think you finns should be very lovely,nice and interesting people in general, so they say so about you.

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Oombongo · Post by **Oombongo** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 4:37 pm

HENGAMEH wrote:why finns are known to be very shy, reserved and quiet? is that true? what is your own opinion about that?
i think you finns should be very lovely,nice and interesting people in general, so they say so about you.

not true. you must be reading some ancient material from 190½

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Wed Aug 29, 2012 5:23 pm

A Finn answers when not asked,
asks, when there is no answer,
does not answer, when asked.

A man, who gets lost from the road,
shouts on a shore,
and there is another shouting back on the opposite shore.

Forest is full of sounds,
echoes,
whistling in tops of tall pine trees swinging in the wind.

There comes a Finn and breathes loudly,
is here and breathes loudly,
goes there and breathes loudly,
is in sauna hot steam and breathes loudly,
when the other one throws water on the hot stones

Such a Finn has always a friend.
Never he is alone.
And the friend is always another Finn.

And nothing can separate two Finns from each other,
nothing, except death and the police.

Jorma Etto 1964

irishinhelsinki · Post by **irishinhelsinki** » Thu Aug 30, 2012 12:29 am

Not true at all. Every Finn I meet is super-excited at the fact that have a chance to speak English. Always have crazy nights when I'm out with Finns.

SuomenKenraali · Post by **SuomenKenraali** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 9:12 am

Am I really going to be the only one who says Finns are shy people?!

In bus it is silent unless there is a group of friends. Same in the subway and in grocery stores.. ESPECIALLY in Helsinki! Only time I noticed when people actually talk is ice fishing, Sauna, bars/clubs and friends house. My first time in finland, I said ''Terve'' to my girlfriends neighbor who was shoveling snow. Her reaction was ''NO YOU STUPID JENKKI! YOU DONT TALK TO PEOPLE HERE!'' Obviously a bit over dramatic.. but you get my point

The shy-like culture is the ONLY thing I do not like about Finland and is the only cultural thing I would change if I could. However, I am coming from America where small talk is an everyday thing. You will never be bored at a bus stop or at a breakfast diner here.. which is atleast 1 nice thing about my country lol..

jahasjahas · Post by **jahasjahas** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 11:08 am

I don't see how not wanting to talk to strangers makes me shy. Not disagreeing with your actual opinion, just your interpretation.

(Btw, is it intentional that the quote in your signature starts in the middle of a sentence?)

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 12:02 pm

Not speaking to strangers isn't anything to do with shyness, its good manners. Unlike those rude and obnoxious Americans that interrupt people on the street.

interleukin · Post by **interleukin** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 12:08 pm

small talk is an everyday thing. You will never be bored at a bus stop or at a breakfast diner here.. which is atleast 1 nice thing about my country lol..

Oh God, that is the worst thing about the US in my opinion. You get people you don´t want to talk to imposing themselves on your time and life, by telling you about their hernia operation or whatever comes to their mind. This is like one minute after you met them for the first time. And people doing small talk when you just want to be left alone and read a book on the bus. I don´t care about your grandchildren, sorry! And those endless greetings and "have a nice day!", that don´t mean anything. You know that the people at the store or restaurant are just doing it because they have been told to or because they hope for a tip. They don´t care how my day is anymore than I care about theirs.
Being allowed to have a moment of quiet and not being expected to keep up the meaningless chit-chat, that is one of the things I love most about Finland.

Sorry, but people just have different opinions on what is right/wrong, and calling Finns shy just because this is their way of doing things is like calling eg. Americans shallow for their small talk.

Mind you, this about Finnish people being silent thing really depends, go to Åland or Turku archipelago and you´ll not find a single person without their mouth open to say something.

AnnikaL · Post by **AnnikaL** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:03 pm

I have to agree, I'm not even really Finnish but I still find smalltalk intrusive and when I've travelled in America the morning diner or motel breakfast conversations are the worst... I just want to be alone with my thoughts, or talking with my family! Having said that, I exchange greetings/ a raised hand with all mökki neighbours when I'm in Finland. We even chat sometimes

Oombongo · Post by **Oombongo** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:31 pm

"Zip it and leave me alone" is the best answer under those "annoying circumstances"

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 1:46 pm

I thought you pulled a big-ass gun and said "you talkin to me?"

SuomenKenraali · Post by **SuomenKenraali** » Fri Sep 28, 2012 7:28 pm

See, thats very strange to me. Something I'm afraid i'll never understand.

I enjoy talking to randoms, especially when visiting a new place..

btw: only old folks are going to talk nonsense about their operations lol. Some old dude at the diner yesterday morning started a conversation with me about how he found a coffe warmer at a yard sale, and then went on about some operation he needs on his leg lol. He just wanted to make conversation, and long story short we actually had a decent conversation (after the ''nonsense'') about how the US Consititution is being dismantled and our leaders are piss-poor..

It's nice not to get weird looks when you want to talk. It passes time, and it's nice when you're not in a !"#¤% mood

I love Finland, much more than my own country.. But, the no talking thing is just damn weird to me. I hate when someone sits next to me on the bus and it's weird to say ''terve.'' I think thats ridiculous..

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sat Sep 29, 2012 12:46 pm

SuomenKenraali wrote: But, the no talking thing is just damn weird to me.

I hate when someone sits next to me on the bus and

...talks, I change seats. Crazy people you know, they also smile at you... brrrrr....

SuomenKenraali · Post by **SuomenKenraali** » Sat Sep 29, 2012 5:44 pm

Haha! Thats awesome

^

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sat Sep 29, 2012 5:50 pm

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