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Questionnaire: What do you know about Finland?
DarkCrawler
Registered User regular
Registered User regular
I've been assigned a small task in my journalism course - I need to write an article about how foreigners view Finland, it's people and generally how much they even know about the country. It might get published in our local paper, or not (depends ultimately how good it ends up being). Now, since I don't have the money to go on a world trip, I figured I would ask the PA crew, since we seem to be pretty multi-cultural (although I expect that Americans will still make the bulk of the respondents). I already cleared this up with the mods, and they said it is OK.
So - here is your chance of possible small-town fame in my city of 20,000 or so. You can be one of them damn furrigners ("Ulkomaalaiset" in Finnish) who comment on our glorious country.
If you've heard of it.
Here are the basic questions, although you can simply write a general post, no need to answer them in order or anything.
1. Have you ever been to Finland? If you have, what did you like/disliked about it?
2. What kind of picture you have of the country? Positive/Negative?
3. How much do you actually know about it? Just small facts, or some specifics?
Make your answer as long or short as you want.
Thanks in advance to everyone who comments.
So - here is your chance of possible small-town fame in my city of 20,000 or so. You can be one of them damn furrigners ("Ulkomaalaiset" in Finnish) who comment on our glorious country.
If you've heard of it.
Here are the basic questions, although you can simply write a general post, no need to answer them in order or anything.
1. Have you ever been to Finland? If you have, what did you like/disliked about it?
2. What kind of picture you have of the country? Positive/Negative?
3. How much do you actually know about it? Just small facts, or some specifics?
Make your answer as long or short as you want.
Thanks in advance to everyone who comments.
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http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=l1vumjWdqYQ
2. I'd say I have a positive view of Finland, if only because I have no real reason to have a negative view of it.
3. I'm sad to say I don't know too much about Finland. As Prot3us said, they have some great metal bands.
There's actually a sizeable Finnish community here in south Florida. One of my co-workers is Finnish, as is a co-worker at another nearby library.
Honestly, though, the first time I ever paid much attention to Finland was about 13 years ago when I first heard Amorphis.
My Backloggery
Some info on the event, which also goes to Duluth:
http://www.finnfest2008.com/
http://www.herald-journal.com/archives/2008/stories/finnfest.html
Also, our local television station still airs a Finnish language television show, called Finland Calling (link let's you watch some of the show): http://www.wluctv6.com/on_wluc/content.aspx?id=52720
I was told that the Finns settled here because it reminded them so much of home in Finland. Although, I'm not a great authority on Finnish culture here, as my bloodline has no Finnish, but growing up in this area it's difficult not to pick up quite a bit. My neighbors are Korpi's and Maki's, for example. And they all seem to build saunas in their homes. And look, world's largest sauna: http://www.absolutemichigan.com/search/?articleid=1191
Oh, and I almost forgot about the mid-winter Heikki Lunta fest!
http://pasty.com/heikki/
Hope some of this provides some interesting information! If you want to get in touch with more authentic Finlanders here, I know quite a few. A family friend I know runs a gift store called "Touch of Finland" which specializes in Finnish gifts and such.
Warframe: TheBaconDwarf
Never been. My mum has been twice, to Helsinki. She loved it.
2. What kind of picture you have of the country? Positive/Negative?
I do get the feeling that Finnish people are generally quite moderate and very reserved. Very cold, but very beautiful.
3. How much do you actually know about it? Just small facts, or some specifics?
You kicked Russia's arse in the Winter War. Something like 40 Russian soldiers for every 1 finnish soldier - Simo Hayha ftw.
You are NOT Scandinavian. Scandinavia shuns you, and you shun Scandinavia. You border Sweden and a large percent of those living near the border speak Swedish and/or Finnish-Swedish or are Finnish-Swedish (kinda like Malmo and Denmark). Swedish and Finnish are the official languages and you learn Swedish in school.
You've got 2 decent footballers, Hyppia and Vassel. And a decent F1 racer, Raikkonen.
I'm quite the expert, but that's because I'm Danish. Also, your liquorice is good.
Some Vivaldi played by Children of Bodom
Edit:
1. No.
2. Positive view, from my interactions with Fins. Cold, more like Russia than like Scandinavia.
3. I work in the US for the biggest company in Finland. Finns have a good sense of humor, but can seem rude when they are speaking english, as their culture/language doesn't really have many explicitly spoken pleasantries. I'm pretty sure Finnish has no word for "please," for example. They rely more on tone and other more subtle things to be polite, which quickly get lost in an accent.
Nope.
2. What kind of picture you have of the country? Positive/Negative?
It is on that bit of land shaped like a schlong. I am neutral on Finland.
3. How much do you actually know about it? Just small facts, or some specifics?
It kicked Russia's ass during the Winter War and there are probably people there who eat lutefisk. Other than that I am American aka I don't know anything else.
never been. would love to go.
2. What kind of picture you have of the country? Positive/Negative?
Mostly positive. The general consensus 'round here (belgium) is that "those northern countries are miles ahead of us" concerning politics and especially education. During teacher training colleges, some courses referred to finland because of the awesome way they handly special needs students in their education. (inclusion)
We just get the general impression that you're a modern country with modern legislature and modern social government constructs.
You also have quite a lot of great illustrators. Moomin!
The people appear to be quite reserved at first, but really friendly once you're in their in-croud.
Also. Saunas! (and the whole culture/ etiquette surrounding them).
3. How much do you actually know about it? Just small facts, or some specifics?
so.. sauna's..
räikkönnen...
capital, location, "land of a thousand lakes"... that kinda stuff... i vaguely remember something about a certain holiday where lots of drunks stumble in the lakes and drown...
uhm.. you're a republic and santa lives there.. (in lappi?)
At first I was going to say that we don't necessarily 'shun' them, but the first three words that came to mind when I read the OP were 'Snow', 'Knives' and 'Booze'. So, yeah.
2. Positive, I suppose. The few Finnish people I've talked to on the internet have been cool.
3. Not much at all, but then, I'm from the U.S. Let's see... Cold? Helsinki is the capital. Like a couple other people have said, METAL. I think of a lot of black metal as originating from Finland, plus some other subgenres. I have a very vague awareness of the Winter War in WW2, but not much beyond "the Soviets attacked and fucked up something fierce".
2. Positive
3. I think of Finland as the little train engine that could. It is not a big country, with a small population, but it has achieved a lot. Nokia. The winter war (seriously stopping the soviet war machine with what you all had... very impressive). Avoiding being sucked into the Soviet sphere of influence after WWII... again impressive.
Whoa, whoa. The Red Army was shite. It was 2 men to a rifle, they were ill-equipped for war in those conditions, half of their tanks didn't work, they didn't have enough ammo etc.
It's impressive but let's not blow it way out of proportion, we don't want Finland developing an ego
On the other hand, Simo Hayha was a bad ass. He racked up over 700 kills in the Winter War. 400 with a sniper and 300 with a sub-machine (Russian make at that).
I think it's finland
is that they have the lowest Alcohol tolerance for driving
like in america it's .08
finland is .02
2. Positive, they seem like they leave everyone pretty well alone.
3. Almost nothing. I think you have socialized healthcare and probably speak like the chef on the muppet show. And it's cold there.
but they're listening to every word I say
1. Yes, I've been to Finland. Things I liked: Hot, hot women everywhere. I like the architecture of Helsinki and Turku, and the cities there are very clean compared to Toronto. I also like how everyone speaks English... makes my life easier there. Plus the actual forests and wilderness, its really nice.
2. Positive Image of the country. (I'm biased, my mom is actually from Finland).
3. I would say I have some specific knowledge of the country, because half my family is from there so I've had the motivation to learn about Finnish history for example.
edit: For example my Grandfather fought in the Winter War. Someone above described Finland as "the little train that could"; I tend to have the same view. We fucked those Russians up something fierce.
Also, the metal. Sooo much metal.
Hell, now that I think of it I'm going to be heading to Finland next summer for my Aunt's 50th birthday.
1. Have you ever been to Finland? If you have, what did you like/disliked about it?
Nope, never been
2. What kind of picture you have of the country? Positive/Negative?
Well... i dont have a negative view! I've heard its nice, so my brain thinks it would be nice. I dont recall ever hearing of someone who didnt like it.
3. How much do you actually know about it? Just small facts, or some specifics?
I've heard the landscapes are beautiful, but thats the extent of my knowledge.
I actually learned more about Finland in the 5 minutes i spent reading other people's answers than the sum of all the finland-specific knowledge i've accumulated over the rest of my life.
@gamefacts - Totally and utterly true gaming facts on the regular!
No.
2. What kind of picture you have of the country? Positive/Negative?
Slightly positive. I have a generally positive view of all European countries.
3. How much do you actually know about it? Just small facts, or some specifics?
Almost nothing.
1. No
2. Beautiful. Lots of lakes, birch trees. Saunas! For some reason I think it's windy but I have no idea why I would think that.
3. I know it's a republic, member of EU. I think you were technically on "the other" side in WWII, but you were not so much with the nazis as you were against the russians. North european looks but with slightly (very slight, just a hint here and there) asian facial features, possibly due to siberian ancestry. Despite sharing a border I don't recall them teaching us anything about Finland after 6th grade, so basic political system and geography is all I got. Most of my impressions come from Finns living in Sweden. I can count to 3 and say frog in finnish. There is also my grandmother who I once recall hissing that Finns get drunk and fight with knives, in case you were looking for a glaringly obvious bigotted opinion.
1. Never.
2. More positive than even many other European countries. This is in large part due to having very rarely heard of any sabre rattling coming from over there.
3. Hockey players and power metal bands, high gun ownership, low violent crime. Anything else would just be a collection of general assumptions.
Also it's worth noting that you generally can't use these sorts of surveys for any kind of valid statistical sampling, and that for the purposes of your article you might find it easier to write if you select one or two people who are willing and follow up with them in greater detail directly.
CUZ THERE'S SOMETHING IN THE MIDDLE AND IT'S GIVING ME A RASH
Generally, I have a positive view of Finland.
I know that Finland has a national obsession with Latin, to the point of having Latin-language television and radio broadcasts. There's even a college professor who has translated Elvis's songs into Latin, and performs them
I am aware of Finland's making the lives of Soviet soldiers miserable during the Winter War, as others have mentioned, but nobody has brought up the fucking giant ass antitank gun Finnish troops used during said war.
The Finnish language inspired Tolkein to become a linguist, and his elvish language has some similarities to Finnish.
1. Never been there.
2. I have a positive picture of the county.
3. I know that it has a ton (read: thousands) of islands around Helsinki that I would love to explore some day. Oh, and I also know that if you speed in Finland and get a ticket, what you pay is a percentage of how much money you make (or something like that). Some guy got a 100,000 dollar ticket a few fears back, if I remember correctly.
Oh, and if its not too much, can you describe Finland and how YOU feel about it? I would love to visit someday, and I would love to know what living in a town of 20,000 in a completely different country would be like. What do you do every day? What does the scenery look like (pictures?)?
Thanks.
1. Nope
2. Seems like there would be awesome scenery and from what I've heard the people are generally pretty cool, so an overall positive image.
3. I've heard it has a similar climate to where I live (Northwestern Ontario) and that's part of the reason why so many Finnish immigrants ended up in this area. Finnish pancakes are the tastiest. A lot of metal bands come from Finland. It is rather cold in the winter. Other than that... I don't know a whole hell of a lot about it.
Do... Re... Mi... So... Fa.... Do... Re.... Do...
Forget it...
no
> 2. What kind of picture you have of the country? Positive/Negative?
Positive
> 3. How much do you actually know about it? Just small facts, or some specifics?
Small facts. I was research (for fun, not for serious) different countries ranking on things like health care, education, income per person, etc.
Finland seems to be a very well developed country and from what I've seen, ranks in the top 10 on a lot of things like education, freedom of press, etc.
1. Have you ever been to Finland? If you have, what did you like/disliked about it?
I have not. Although I do plan to do so in the next 6-9 months
2. What kind of picture you have of the country? Positive/Negative?
Positive.
One of the least corrupt countries in the world. Small, well run. High tech. Rather distinct from neighbours in terms of culture. Into death metal and hot pools.
2. Positive, I guess. I know it's really pretty-looking there, and I haven't heard anything bad about it.
3. I know very little. Gained independence at the end of WWI, capital is Helsinki, and I could find it on a map. Other than that... it probably snows a lot? Apocalyptica is from Finland, I think. In reading some other responses, I see stuff about booze and knives, so it sounds like an awesome place.
2: Positive. beautiful looking landscapes, nice people (judging from the few I've met),all good
3: Not much, you're good drivers it seems, I think you have the most rally champions in the world, and the most F1 world champions as a % of the total population. Also Finnish women have some serious sexy accents
2. Positive. Honestly I imagine the same things when I think of Sweden and Finland, I'm not sure how accurate that is, but because of it, I imagine Finland to be a beautiful place, mountains, snow, universal health care, etc.
3. I know what the flag looks like. I know a bunch of really great death metal bands are from there, and I know a few European graffiti artists are from Finland, but I don't think there's much of a graffiti scene there, most of the writers in that area are from Denmark/Copenhagen I believe, (and by that area, I mean way northern European. Honestly, I kind of imagine Finland, Sweden, Norway, and Denmark to be a small family of countries. I'm not sure how similar they are in reality, but that's what I imagine. Most of the things I think about one country I think about the others as well, except that I imagine Norway to be colder and less populated, but again, I'm not sure if this is true. Maybe this is the kind of info you're looking for in your article?). Also, I have only really known one person from Sweden and met one person from Norway, never met any Finnish people. I lived on Long Island and now New York City so it's not like I'm in a small town or anything.
For example, I don't know what language is spoken in Finland. I would assume Finnish, but that if that's not right, I would look pretty ignorant to someone who is Finnish, it would be like me saying they speak Canadian in Canada.
My name's Evan Goodman and if you want to PM me you can. It would be cool to see my name in a Finnish newspaper, hah.