Helsinki, the capital of Finland, was the first stop in Europe. Among other things, the short daylight in Scandinavia convinced me to visit the region at least by the beginning of September and then gradually make my way to the south of Europe.
6 hours of time difference between Uruguay and Finland was not too stressful but it was not something to dismiss easily either. It took me days to regain strength, and then I began to realize there were some particular conditions of the country that seem to have contributed to the intriguing “Finnish way of life”.
For one thing, this country is blessed with numerous lakes and green areas. And it seems even more pronounced that way because there are few people around. In fact, the country has a fairly low population density. Even in the very center of the capital or public transport, I’ve never experienced crowdedness. It was a breeze to maintain individual spaces, unlike, for example, in Seoul. And this might have contributed to the individuality of the people as well – People seem to depend less on relationships with others in their pursuit of happiness. And this might have been made possible by the strong trust among people. People and organizations deliver what they are supposed to deliver. I have experienced this at various levels of services. And it reminded me of the Apple’s famous marketing phrase: It just works.
One week is a short time to conclude anything definitive about a country, but I am glad to have experienced a distinctive approach towards life. I am looking forward to figuring out how Finland compares to other Nordic countries.
@Helsinki, Finland, September 5
