what is you biggest culture shock? positive and negative

[vincebel]

I would say that the positive one is to be allowed to drink alcohol in saunas. Back home its quite forbiden

For the negative one. Its the fact that once people have finished eating they leave the table straight without waiting that other people have finished. OR they start their meal without waiting that everybody is sit or served. Quite not very social. (Maybe its the way ive been raised which is against this way of eating)

What about you?

[Karhunkoski]

For the negative one. Its the fact that once people have finished eating they leave the table straight without waiting that other people have finished. OR they start their meal without waiting that everybody is sit or served. Quite not very social. (Maybe its the way ive been raised which is against this way of eating)

Yes this is quite common, but you can soon get used to it (just remember to remember your manners next time you return to home). Finns often lack manners and some other social skills, but on the whole they are good, honest people and in my experience, much more reliable and loyal to their friends that some poncy foreigner with all the airs and graces....

[simon]

Not being able to buy a bottle of wine on a Sunday.

Most of the time punctual public transport

[mCowboy]

Not being able to buy a bottle of wine on a Sunday.

depends where you look for it...

[Tiwaz]

For the negative one. Its the fact that once people have finished eating they leave the table straight without waiting that other people have finished. OR they start their meal without waiting that everybody is sit or served. Quite not very social. (Maybe its the way ive been raised which is against this way of eating)

Yes this is quite common, but you can soon get used to it (just remember to remember your manners next time you return to home). Finns often lack manners and some other social skills, but on the whole they are good, honest people and in my experience, much more reliable and loyal to their friends that some poncy foreigner with all the airs and graces....

Lack manners?

Perhaps from one point of view. But in Finland manners are defined by finns, thus what finns consider to be acceptable manners floats.

Just a little remainder.

[littlefrank]

'For the negative one. Its the fact that once people have finished eating they leave the table straight without waiting that other people have finished. OR they start their meal without waiting that everybody is sit or served. Quite not very social. (Maybe its the way ive been raised which is against this way of eating)'

All the meals I have had with Finnish friends, people stay at the table, my ex was a stickler for it, said it was rude not to.


positive. Most things except for below..

negative. I will never, never understand why people are prepared to sit for hours watching the President shaking hands, it must be the most mind numbing moronic thing I've ever watched, the first time I watched it I waited for something to happen until beng told that, 'no that's all that happens' strewth even Dallas was more exciting in comparison.

I'm going to be deported now, aren't I?

[Karhunkoski]

For the negative one. Its the fact that once people have finished eating they leave the table straight without waiting that other people have finished. OR they start their meal without waiting that everybody is sit or served. Quite not very social. (Maybe its the way ive been raised which is against this way of eating)

Yes this is quite common, but you can soon get used to it (just remember to remember your manners next time you return to home). Finns often lack manners and some other social skills, but on the whole they are good, honest people and in my experience, much more reliable and loyal to their friends that some poncy foreigner with all the airs and graces....

Lack manners?

Perhaps from one point of view. But in Finland manners are defined by finns, thus what finns consider to be acceptable manners floats.

Just a little remainder.

I don't doubt that Finns define what counts as "manners" in Finland. However if you read a little closer, you will see that the original poster is not Finnish and was asking for views, both positive and negative, on what shocks foreigners about Finnish culture. As the blood that runs in me isn't quite 100% Finnish, and most of my life has been spent outside of Finland, I sort of guess I'm qualified to at least comment on what is a "culture shock".

So with the greatest respect, you can stick your "little reminder" up your bottom.

And for the record, Finnish manners may be great when viewed through the eyes of a 100% native Finn, but through "foreign eyes", they are rather lacking and sometimes border on the rude. I don't personally have a problem with that, it's one small negative in a country filled with positives. But if you feel the need to hand out "reminders", that's your problem not mine.

Have a pleasant evening.

[bevanrl]

in my finnish language lessons we've been reading a book by a frenchman who lives in finland and comments on various parts of finnish society. one thing struck me is that he said that finns don't feel the need to be polite to strangers, which I think really does sum up how they behave. I don't agree with a lot of things he writes but this is certainly true.
The driving manners in particular confirm this also the behaviour in shops if you are in their way - happily i'm 193 tall so not many push me out of the way but they do try sometimes !

[sammy]

negative. I will never, never understand why people are prepared to sit for hours watching the President shaking hands, it must be the most mind numbing moronic thing I've ever watched, the first time I watched it I waited for something to happen until beng told that, 'no that's all that happens' strewth even Dallas was more exciting in comparison.

I'm going to be deported now, aren't I?

Yes, make sure you've got everything packed by tomorrow morning 8.30 am

Don't worry many of us natives can't fathom it either. But it must be a "ritual" more than anything else. Like, why is it that the Brits are so keen on the Last Night of the Proms? It's just an evening of old-fashioned and boring music by minor composers like Elgar, Walton and Parry...

Btw, I do consider the lack of table (and other) manners described in the post above rather insulting - in fact, almost as insulting as the suggestion that, by merely being a Finn by birth & upbringing, I should somehow regard them as the "norm".

Anyway, please carry on - as a Finn, I'm supposed to be endlessly interested in what the "others" think about "us"

[vincebel]

it's one small negative in a country filled with positives

i totally agree. its just that in a "frenchie " education, eating together is the most important part of the day.

But except of cold, wind and fisu (that alcohol who just nearly killed me wednesday night) i find finland very positive

[vincebel]

just to add about the table manners. I dont care if 4 friends eat a pizza at the half time of a soccer game.
but example last time was in a family dinner. and the first one (12 years old) was already playing ps2 while some others mambers were not sit yet. and the grand pa finished alone on the table cos he was quite slow.
I felt obliged to eat more to not let him alone but it was quite embarassing beacsue i dont speak finnish so it was quite silent and i was pushing food in my mouth

[sammy]

just to add about the table manners. I dont care if 4 friends eat a pizza at the half time of a soccer game.
but example last time was in a family dinner. and the first one (12 years old) was already playing ps2 while some others mambers were not sit yet. and the grand pa finished alone on the table cos he was quite slow.
I felt obliged to eat more to not let him alone but it was quite embarassing beacsue i dont speak finnish so it was quite silent and i was pushing food in my mouth

Ah, now I see what you mean. Perhaps in general, especially the everyday family dinners tend to be less informal / less of an 'occasion' than in, say, France. It's not that your average Finn would not know the 'proper' manners, or that you'd somehow be allowed to behave similarly when there are guests present. So - in fact, if this happens you can congratulate yourself, you're not a "stranger" anymore but a memeber of the family

[littlefrank]

'But it must be a "ritual" more than anything else. Like, why is it that the Brits are so keen on the Last Night of the Proms? It's just an evening of old-fashioned and boring music by minor composers like Elgar, Walton and Parry..'

Ah but the little englanders go to that, people don't sit and watch it on the telly, or I don't think they do/did S*** I can't remember Help anybody... Well it's not a big thing anyway.


'almost as insulting as the suggestion that, by merely being a Finn by birth & upbringing, I should somehow regard them as the "norm". '

An ex girlfriends mother used to be a social worker in Scotland and she was once responsible for the resettlement of a family of refugees, everytime she visited, no matter what time of day, they would offer her cigarettes and alcohol as soon as she walked in the door, some time later she found out that the family was getting their idea of British cultural norms from the television adverts.

[sammy]

Ah but the little englanders go to that, people don't sit and watch it on the telly, or I don't think they do/did S*** I can't remember Help anybody... Well it's not a big thing anyway.

Not a big thing?!? IIRC only those who are lucky enough to win the f*cking ballot for the proms tickets get there to see it in person

Nah, it was just an example. Of course it is completely inane to watch people shake hands with each other... but still, I can sort of understand it. Celebrities... the "Heroes"... and how they are dressed... plus the commentary (though TBH I'd like to see/hear more humorous and sarcastic banter from the commentators...)

[enk]

just to add about the table manners. I dont care if 4 friends eat a pizza at the half time of a soccer game.
but example last time was in a family dinner. and the first one (12 years old) was already playing ps2 while some others mambers were not sit yet. and the grand pa finished alone on the table cos he was quite slow.
I felt obliged to eat more to not let him alone but it was quite embarassing beacsue i dont speak finnish so it was quite silent and i was pushing food in my mouth

My experience with Finnish-speaking Finnish families is the same (just to
p*ss someone off, the Swedish-speaking Finnish families I've broken
bread with stay seated at the table ) and is a major issue in my house
still, since my ex lets the kids wander off from the table as soon as they
shovel food in their mouth. Or lets them eat in front of the TV or wherever
they want or even sit at the table and read. Bleh. I can understand the
need to depart the table quickly in the countryside where you're usually
trying to fit a sizeable number of people at a 4-people table, but I still
despise the practice. And I know Finns who get ticked off at me because
I eat too slowly in their opinion Never been through the army, so
I never learned to eat quickly

-enk