It is difficult to find good things about your own country because they are normal for you. I am Kana from Japan, and here are 5 good qualities of Finland which I have noticed since I came here.
Hope you will enjoy!
- Public transportation is punctual
Since I arrived in Helsinki, I have been impressed with how punctual the transports are. I have been to quite many countries, but in none of them were they on time. I always had to leave earlier than google maps instructed. But here in Helsinki, transports are well-organized and they run pretty much 24 hours, which surprised me! To be honest, I was a bit worried about it first, because in Japan every transport is super punctual and I am so used to it. But it turned out to be good, and I really appreciate its quality.
- People appreciate what they have
I feel that Finnish people are very good at finding good aspects of what they already have. And they don’t take what they have for granted.
For example, the summer is very short in Finland. And sometimes I hear complaints about it, but more than that, people are enjoying it as much as they can by, for instance, going on a picnic. I don’t usually go on picnics, so I was in shock since I went on a picnic three times during the orientation week!
What I have learned from these experiences is that people are content with what they have and they appreciate it.
- Low Population Density
Next, I found low population density as one of the good qualities of Finland. Though Helsinki is the capital of Finland, it is always less crowded compared to other capital cities. It is because of the low population in Finland, and while it can sometimes be a problem, it makes me feel so comfortable here.
The capital city of Japan, Tokyo, is worse, and I’m sure you’ll be shocked if you go there.
- Wide ranges of options for Vegetarians/Vegans
Since I came here, I realized that there are many options for vegan and vegetarian people. Even in small supermarkets, UniCafe, and almost everywhere. And they are not that expensive compared to normal products. In Japan, it is quite difficult to find those foods, and even if you find them, they tend to be more expensive.
I think having a lot of options for vegan and vegetarian is one of the good qualities of Finland.
- Personal Space
Lastly, personal spaces. It is said that Japanese and Finnish people have quite similar personalities, and putting importance on personal space is one of those similarities. I feel very comfortable about this, though sometimes it can be hard to make friends with the Finns.
But once you start talking to them, they are very friendly and nice!
These five things above are some good qualities of Finland, which I have noticed since I came here.
It might be a bit biased, but I hope you enjoyed it nevertheless.