Dos and don’ts in Finland

Finland is a Nordic country of 5.6 million inhabitants with a weird language. You may have come to Finland to study, to work, for business or family reasons. Whatever your motivation, there are some things everyone should be aware of when they arrive in this country. 

Here are some dos and don’ts to follow which may in turn make your living in Finland pleasant and comfortable. 

Pay tax  

Finns go to work and pay tax on progressive principles. Government, on the other hand, transfers the collected tax money to less well-off- and vulnerable members of society in the form of study benefits, child benefits, maternal benefits, paternal benefits, unemployment benefits, housing benefits, health care benefits, elderly care benefits, and so on. Pay your tax per rate when you earn. Have your tax card if you want to do a job.  

Take vitamin D every day 

Regardless of the season, while living in Finland we get less sun so less vitamin D compared to the needs of our body. Lack of vitamin D, among others, makes our feelings depressed and our bones cannot use calcium for their growth. Finns use vitamin D from the age of two weeks.  Vitamin D is available from pharmacy to grocery stores. Start your day with a Vitamin D tablet; ask a doctor about the appropriate dose for you. 

Punctuality is prioritized everywhere 

Life moves in Finland according to Clock time. If you have an appointment at 10 AM, reach the appointment venue at 10 AM or a bit earlier to avoid asking ‘sorry.’ Likewise, if the work time is from 8 AM to 4 PM, no one is going to force you to be at the workplace after 4 PM. The perception of time is linear in Finland instead of circular; the gone time never comes back. Stick to the timetable & deadline during your stay in Finland. Respect working hours.  

Equality in society 

Children start to go to day-care centres or kindergartens mostly at age two or before and grow up with a sense of gender equality. Consequently, one may consider Finland as one of the most gender-neutral countries; men and women equally participate in household work, business activities, politics, and everyday working life. A sense of gender equality and its practice are necessary preconditions for being part of Finnish society.  

Correlation between words and deeds 

Finns do not like bargaining and do not talk much. If they say something, they really mean it. There is a strong correlation between words and deeds among Finns – Finns seldom promise, if they do, they keep it. I have to say that “Finns are straight-spoken people.” While in Finland, stand always by your words.    

Sauna loving nation 

Finns love sauna, which many consider as a holy place; in old times Finns used to give birth in the sauna. A Finn visits sauna usually twice a week. Sauna is a place to relax; get fresh and warm up; discuss daily issues with family members and friends and make decisions for solving critical problems. One may consider sauna an integral part of the Finnish lifestyle. Visit sauna at least once a week. It’s an honour to be invited to someone’s sauna.  

Remember while in Finland that calling someone by his / her first name is common practice. It is just fine if you call your teacher by his / her first name. In daily life, wait for your turn, do not interrupt. Respect personal space. Be direct and honest with what you want or what you need. In addition, avoid doing the following while in Finland.  

Finns are very scheduled and plan-oriented people. Visits, hobbies, holidays, activities, and appointments are fixed well ahead. Working class people usually maintain daily, weekly, monthly, and even yearly plans. Consequently, do not show up at people’s homes unannounced.  

Finns do not like bargaining and do not talk much. The tone of the voice is not a big issue, but the message is.  Do not Show off or brag, always stay humble. Moreover, do not fear silence, respect it. Except for known circles, Finns maintain silence with strangers; they usually do not take conversation initiative first. You may not be that successful in small talk with a Finn. Neither it is suggested to talk too fast with a Finn – they may need reactionary time.  

Finland has a beautiful-, sunny- and short summer (June-July); a touchy autumn (August-October); a long-, dark- and cold winter (November-February); and a shiny spring (March-May). Sometimes the weather changes quite fast. There is a common saying in Finland that weather is not a problem, but clothing is. This proverb is even truer during the winter season. Therefore, do not underdress for winter. Oh yes, do not wear shoes inside a home in Finland! 

Once you have come to Finland and stayed some days, your inventory concerning what should do and what should not do may increase. At this moment these may assist you a lot.  Finland is looking forward to seeing you.

Writer: Teacher & Researcher