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Is there a stereotype for Finnish people?
Maybe among neighbours, Russians might have one.
I thought that the girl was Lapo, she does not look Spanish.
I think the stereotype is being "cold" and it applies to all northern countries, except the UK, in my experience. It is not about friendliness. If we had to generalize I think Russian people are often unfriendly, but more open, whereas northern Europeans friendlier, but more into themselves.
Russian men have the stereotype of being drunks and sadly it is true for many of them.
Russian men have the stereotype of being drunks and sadly it is true for many of them.
So do Finns, unfortunately. But I'm not sure what this has to do with northern nationalities being friendly vs. chilly. Russians can be very friendly toward visitors who speak their language, btw. Slavs generally distinguish themselves among Europeans for their warmth, like southern Europeans.
Which is kind of funny, as I have never met anyone more rude than Russians and Poles.
The Soviet era had a bad influence on some people. And some of those from a peasant background never developed "manners", and the Soviet system didn't encourage such bourgeois affectations.
I think the stereotype is being "cold" and it applies to all northern countries, except the UK, in my experience. It is not about friendliness. If we had to generalize I think Russian people are often unfriendly, but more open, whereas northern Europeans friendlier, but more into themselves.
Russian men have the stereotype of being drunks and sadly it is true for many of them.
I have Swedish family and they are far from being cold or unfriendly.
They are more circunspect, introverted in nature than people in the Mediterranean...
They are just like people being used to be alone during long periods. Plus, Swedes have this reputation of being nutty..a little weird touch...plus, alcohol, their alcohol culture is different.
But quite friendly people, but not as "social".
They are people that love to be alone, they have space to be alone, that does not mean being unfriendly.
I only met Russians met they were "soviets", and they were quite friendly..but back in those times everybody in the east world wanted to know things from the outside world.
The Soviet era had a bad influence on some people. And some of those from a peasant background never developed "manners", and the Soviet system didn't encourage such bourgeois affectations.
Soviet Russia was strictly divided in classes, the intellectual class certainly had manners, in fact, most were of bourgeois extraction.
Angelica Amaya Sandoval likes Finland ja especially the Finns (pic Miia Roivainen / YLE)
The 26-year old doctor from Spain is tired but happy.
Todo bien, I came here in October.
Born in Bogota Colombia, lived in Barcelona Spain, she came with 7 other Spanish doctors to the Kainuu region.
Angelica was surprised already at the Helsinki airport. Not of the weather or autumn gloominess, but the people.
- Everyone is so friendly and nice. I was warned that the Finns are so serious, but that is definitely not true!
Adding to the friendliness, Angelica has noticed that friendship is very different.
- In Latin places you can find 20 friends in a day but they don't last. When you find a friend in Finland, it's true friendship.
- Working here is similar as in Spain, but more calm and it's easier to specialise yourself (dreams to become a neurosurgeon). There's no problems with patients. They speak slowly and show where it hurts. The Finns are very symbolical and patient. I really want to be here.
- I like the nature, it's not even cold now and the darkness doesn't bother me. My future is in Finland, and I try hard to study Finnish. Apart from my family and friends I don't miss much from Spain. Oh... well, the sun, that I miss.
- Just try and try and speak the language. I have sisu (guts), she says in clear Finnish.
...
But, but, but, the stereotypes...
You can't use the experience of a young pretty girl as the norm for the rest of society. Young pretty girls live in a different world then the rest of us, of course people are much friendlier with her, now, that does not mean Finns aren't friendly, just that this example is not a good one.
Soviet Russia was strictly divided in classes, the intellectual class certainly had manners, in fact, most were of bourgeois extraction.
True of the intellectual class. The worker and peasant classes were different, as I was pointing out. Thought of course, to some extent it depends on the person, of course. But remember Khrushchev famously banging his shoe on the table at the UN?
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