Starting a job on Monday- Help please

[Pursuivant]

did you notice they look you and do subtle nod. Thats "Hi how you are today, nice weather isnt it" in lapland

he will understand the idea of keeping the mouth shut and the teeth inside in January only...

[FFCBOY]

One thing that did piss me off about the new job was the fact that all of the replies you guys have made about the Finnish work ethic is that everyone works hard and to be honest, i didn`t see that at all on this site.

Maybe in a different line of work this may be true or with a different construction company or a different crew in a construction company. I didn`t see this "Finnish work hard" thing that you were all talking about. Maybe it`s just that the people on the site have been with the company a long time and just seem to relax about the daily tasks. I pretty much busted my ass all week and believe it or not i did get a couple of compliments on the work i did ( which i know is rare )

Everyone on the site seems to wander along until there is a job that needs to be done, they take about 30 mins to get the tools for the job and spend what seems like an eternity on doing the job ( the foreman said the job was behind , not a surprise ).

At any one time if i could see 10 men on the site , about 4 of them are actually working.

Sorry for the rant, i`m tired and had a couple of "lapin kulta"

Dont worry mate this is true to Finland iv worked in the Construction side of things, for a few years now and its the same all over Finland if your working for a company. Different story if is someones own firm (they tend to work there bollocks off)
Its not as if the Finns are lazy they just know how to relax at work, and who ever said Finns dont talk much must have never worked on a building site etc, all the blokes iv worked with could talk the knickners off a Nun.
Just stick with it mate its going to be hard with not understanding everything and not joining in with all the day to day !"#¤% talk, but stick with it believe me it gets easier and beats sitting at home, Hope next week goes well for you

[Karhunkoski]

One thing that did piss me off about the new job was the fact that all of the replies you guys have made about the Finnish work ethic is that everyone works hard and to be honest, i didn`t see that at all on this site.

Don't worry, you will see that in many areas of life here, the difference between the image of Finland that Finns like to portray, and the actual reality. Finns don't like anyone to blow the whistle on this, so expect some emotional responses to this Finns are generally honest though, but don't make the mistake of thinking that ALL Finns are squeeky clean, they're not, so keep up your guard at all times.

[EP]

keep up your guard at all times

Uh? What a stressfull way to live. I have never kept up my guard, not in Finland and not anywhere else. And nothing has happened. Keeping up one´s guard is something people sense, and it alienates.

[Karhunkoski]

keep up your guard at all times

Uh? What a stressfull way to live. I have never kept up my guard, not in Finland and not anywhere else. And nothing has happened. Keeping up one´s guard is something people sense, and it alienates.

I think perhaps you're wrongly interpreting what I wrote. I didn't say, "appear distant, unfriendly and generally aloof". You force me to clarify:

I advised that he should not over-expose himself to trusting the Finnish self-promoted stereotype (honest, non back-stabbing, trustworthy, transparent, etc.), because it isn't always true. Often it is true, but it still isn't good to drop your guard on this pretext.

My family here have certainly twisted, conned, betrayed and robbed land, forest and farms from eachother, never mind ulkomaalaiset.

[EP]

Often it is true, but it still isn't good to drop your guard on this pretext.

Ah, I see. You have the same attitude my husband had when he was still young and cynical.

It took years before he understood that life is a lot better if his attitude changes. His motto was "Don´t trust anybody before s/he has proved that s/he is trustworthy". My motto was "People are nice. You can trust them. Lose your trust only after you have been deceived." I still have to wait for the day when somebody deceives me.

Husband has learned during the years. He has more fun nowadays.

[EP]

I didn't say, "appear distant, unfriendly and generally aloof".

And that was not what I meant. Some may act super friendly, and yet you can sense their guard. And that feels quite insulting.

[Karhunkoski]

I can see your point regarding your husband

But you are of course correct, the vast majority of people are nice and reasonably trustworthy, I guess it's proven by the success of things like ebay. But I still fully understand your man's approach

[Pursuivant]

At every door-way,
ere one enters,
one should spy round,
one should pry round
for uncertain is the witting
that there be no foeman sitting,
within, before one on the floor

Let no man glory in the greatness of his mind,
but rather keep watch o'er his wits.
Cautious and silent let him enter a dwelling;
to the heedful comes seldom harm,
for none can find a more faithful friend
than the wealth of mother wit.

Let the wary stranger who seeks refreshment
keep silent with sharpened hearing;
with his ears let him listen, and look with his eyes;
thus each wise man spies out the way.

Each man should be watchful and wary in speech,
and slow to put faith in a friend.
for the words which one to another speaks
he may win reward of ill.

Praise day at even, a wife when dead,
a weapon when tried, a maid when married,
ice when 'tis crossed, and ale when 'tis drunk.

The speech of a maiden should no man trust
nor the words which a woman says;
for their hearts were shaped on a whirling wheel
and falsehood fixed in their breasts.