Finland
From Clint:
- Situation:
Here in Finland I notice how no one really smiles at each other in
public places. On the street, on the bus, in the halls of the
University - quite often people don't even make eye contact, much less
smile at me or say hi. My friends here are extremely welcoming, kind,
hospitable and friendly, but it is just strangers and new acquaintances
that are more stand-offish than I am used to. - Expectations:
I didn't even realize I had this expectation, but I guess from growing
up in the US I did have the expectation that if people are nice and
friendly then they smile and say hi, even to strangers. - Interpretation:
My gut level interpretation and emotional reaction is that, in general,
people are not as friendly, nice, happy with strangers here, and that
they are less interested (at least initially) in becoming friends with
me or letting me get to know them. But cognitively I tell myself that
might be more of my emotional reaction, when I don't really know what
is going on in their minds, or what the meaning is behind the unwritten
rules of public conduct. - Response:
I talk less to strangers than I otherwise would. - Questions:
To Adele, Marcus, Javier, or anyone else who has been to Finland
– Did you feel the same when you first spent time in Finland, or is it
more like what you are used to in South Africa, Sweeden, Spain, etc.?
How did you see it? How did you respond?
To Esko – From the Finnish point of view, what do you think
might be the deeper meaning/reasons why behavior is like this in public
in Finland? What might I be missing in my gut-level interpretation from
my cultural expectations?
To the group – Any other thoughts?
