Finlandia

28 August 2009
Hyvää yötä (Good night)!

The air tonight is crisp and determined to proclaim that fall has arrived in Tampere, Finland. Yellow is beginning to dot the trees and I noticed the first scarves draped around necks today. I, however, have enough heat stored in the cells of my body to sustain a temperature of 107 degrees while living outside, without shelter or clothes, in the Arctic Circle until at least May. Essentially every apartment complex in Finland is equipped with a handsome wooden sauna, and I’ve just emerged from spending 15 total minutes in mine (I haven’t developed a Scandinavian robustness yet). It’s quite the decent process: everyone has the opportunity to sign up for a 45 minute period, and the dressing room, shower room, and sauna are your own. You can lounge, steam it up, lay down and howl in it when it gets too hot, pray you won’t pass out, and take as many breaks as you please without jeopardizing anyone else’s peace or being called a feeble foreigner.

Finland is a lovely country with more trees per capita than anywhere else in the world, reports my guidebook. Traveling by train offers great opportunity for sentimental window gazing - the southern landscape consists of homes on small farms and lakes scattered amongst kilometers of gently rolling wooded hills, with the enormous sky ruling majestically above. It's also my chance to learn from the greatest language teachers in the world: professors under the age of 5. Finnish little ones are enthusiastic and chatty and speak wonderfully slowly, which allows ample time to dwell on the sound of their vowels and beautifully trilled "r"s.

I'm also learning Finnish from University professors over the age of 5 and it's much more difficult. There are, however, some highly appreciated consistent rules to the language. For example, every letter is phonetically sounded exactly as it looks and once basic vocabulary is learned, Finnish is easier to follow as words build upon each other and even horrendously long ones with 30 characters can be dissected. At this point, I can read just about everything put in front of me and can translate .05% of it. Most often I'm confidant and content regarding my beginner's position on the language acquisition curve and enjoy learning Finnish. Other times, when I come across a world like aseleponeuvottelutoimikunta or riiuuyoaie (did you ever suppose you’d yearn for a consonant?)”, I feel like scrapping the whole process and spending more time in bars where on a good night I could (drunkenly and incorrectly) believe I spoke every language in the world.

Conversations with Finns are lively, interesting, and often regarding something that could be considered especially controversial. Everyone seems to study current events and is eager to test what others know and think about the news. I haven’t noticed anyone taking offence, however, which could be attributed to the apparent national characteristic of respecting personal autonomy and opinion. It’s also possible that while I’m raving about something, I’m simply blind to local social signals that imply, “you’re an ass and should be quiet.” Finns often explain they don’t have a need for small talk. A communications and linguistic professor from the University of Helsinki explained general cultural characteristics of taking peace in the moment, saying only words that are important, and appreciating the value of quietude. It is apparently not an assumption, as it can be in the U.S., that one is boring or uninteresting if one isn’t talking. Finnish friends say that there is plenty of time to get to know someone and that it’s nice when connections grow over time.

My University of Tampere tutor Sarita has answers to everything and not only does she guide me through the academic system but is also my tutor in life. Besides collecting my weary and worn behind from the Tampere train station following many hours of travel on planes, buses, speedy trains, slow trains, and foot with a bag of nice smelling bedsheets in hand, she poured me coffee, led me to my home, described the Scandinavian welfare state in detail, introduced me to a friend, took me grocery shopping, explained prominent features of Finnish culture, and had matter of fact answers to all of my questions, like when I asked, "so why do some bathrooms have strange florescent lights in them?" and she replied, "to discourage heroin use because people can't find their veins." "Oh."

No one is late in this country and I am usually late. I'm working hard on time management and it might become the area where I make the most personal growth on this particular overseas adventure. To me, it speaks to the efficiency with which infrastructure operates here. I play the tremendously fun game of willing a train or bus to arrive at a random stop just 30 seconds past its scheduled time and so far Finland is winning by millions and I'm at zero. Good organization and a sense of national responsibility to care for students and others with less ability to make money or fulfill other needs means for loads of strong social services and discounts. I can travel for half the price of a normal ticket and eat at the university for 2 Euros. There's also a general trust and confidence in people representing the public sector. “The police officers are our friends.” Sarita tells me. “Every child learns to find a policeperson if there’s trouble and they’re here to support and protect. Stupid people feed the birds in the park and they stop migrating. The police get concerned for them, so they come down every day in the winter and give the lingering birds food.”

The Finnish Fulbright Commission is extraordinary at making opportunities for important networking connections for our research and experiences here. We recently had a reception at the American Embassy in Helsinki where the coordinators took the initiative to invite not only our mentors and contacts in the country, but also other professionals and experts in our respective fields. I had people who’s names I previously recognized (and idolized) only in books approaching me with invitations to meet them in their homes or offices for conversations and dinner. My personal (and amazing) professional mentors Ilmari Rostila and Anna Rotkrich enthusiastically accepted the invitation to join others and myself at the embassy. Both separately told me that throughout the last decade they attended events at the embassy only when essential and with heaps of distaste. Now, since Obama is President, they love going and were even a little giddy about it.

And if you’re still with me, I need your brains and experiences! In a few weeks, I’ll be presenting on North American culture and life to a group of college students along with other Fulbrighters, and need to come up with a topic that is unique to the ways of the States. So much of what I know and love is also known and loved here in Europe, and I thought perhaps with your help, we could come with something fun.

My new address:
Yrttikatu 1 C 25 Cell 1
33710 Tampere Finland

I’ve had wonderful success with skyping – so far conversations have felt as if they are occurring between rooms in the same house. Search for my name and lets talk while gazing into each other’s eyes!

I’m thinking about all of you friends, and I hope that you’re living well and having wonderful adventures at home and on your own travels. I’d love to hear about you! Enjoy the beautiful fall.

Love,
Alica