QUESTIONS ABOUT FINLAND YOU NEVER THOUGHT OF ASKING
OR DARED TO ASK


Part of the experience of visiting any new country is to be able to look at world through a slightly different window from that of one's home culture. Should you wish to peer through it, the Finnish window offers a view of the world in which the concepts of Finnishness can be best explored.


How is life possible so up north?
Finland (Suomi in Finnish) is located on the northern outskirts of Europe. Most of the world's population living north of the 60th latitude live in Finland. As much as one third of the total area of the country is located north of the Arctic Circle. But due to the beneficial influence of both the Baltic Sea and particularly the Gulf Stream, which brings in warm air from the Atlantic, and to the impact of the Russian continental climate, Finland is habitable, whereas other areas that are as high up in the North are not.

Where does all the snow go for the summer?
Many think of snow when they think of Finland but there's more to the weather than that.
The seasons in Finland are characterized by a snowy winter with freezing temperatures, a sudden outburst of summer with practically no spring, a warm but short summer, and a chilly autumn. If you ask a Finn's opinion, you will surely get the answer that the changing seasons are a real asset in this country.
The growing season in the summer is very intense, because this far north there is so much light day and night. The sun does not go below the horizon for over 70 days in the North of Finland. The total amount of precipitation is relatively small, two fifths of it falling as snow. The southern parts of the country are covered by snow for two to three months, the North for as much as seven.

Average temperatures by day in Southern Finland:
January - 3.1 C /26.4 F
February - 3.6 C /25.5 F
March - 0.1 C /31.8 F
April + 6.1 C /43 F
May + 13.3 C /56 F
June + 18.7 C /65.6 F
July + 21.7 C /71 F
August + 20.0 C /68 F
September+ 14.6 C /58.3 F
October + 8.2 C /46.8 F
November + 3.5 C /38.3 F
December + 0.1 C /32.2 F


What should I pack with me?
In Finland the changing of seasons sets particular demands for appropriate clothing. But it's really the winter that asks for special clothing.
Average temperature for August in Jyväskylä is 22 C and lakes are warm enough for swimming, but be prepared for some showers as well.
Check weather

What is the scenery like?
Lakes, hills and forests are what you'll be seeing from the window of the aeroplane.
If you wish, you can have a lake of your own, or walk through vast forests without seeing anybody. If Finnish lakes were evenly distributed throughout the country, there would be one lake per every two square kilometres.
To get an idea have a look at photos by J. Jäppinen

Finland is sometimes called "the land of the thousand lakes": the truth is that there are nearly 170 000 of them, and most are located in the 'lake district' reaching from the South of Finland to halfway to Lapland. About 10 % of the area of Finland is covered by water- and some 65 % by forest. Another Finnish attraction related to waterways is the archipelago along the southwestern coast, which consists of some 17 000 islands. Most of the lakes are also full of islands, big and small. With the exception of some farming areas, most of the country is characterized by a variable mixture of forests, lakes and low hills.
Forests www.forest.fi


How did Finland become Finland?
Finland's history takes its shape between east and West
Finland was ruled by Sweden from the middle of the 12th century until the country was ceded to Russia in 1809. Under Russia, Finland became the autonomous grand Duchy of Finland until 1917 when Finland became an independent republic. In 1995 Finland joined the European Union.

President or king?
Finland is governed by a single-chamber house of representatives of 200 elected members, representing a variety of political parties and serving four-year terms. The president is elected for a six-year term; the president is assisted by a council of state (cabinet). Currently the presidency is held by Ms Tarja Halonen, Finland's first female president.
Parliament of Finland


What languages are spoken in Finland?
The country has two national languages: Finnish is spoken by some 94 % of the population, and Swedish by some 6 %. In Lapland area there are also c. 1700 native speakers of the three indigenous Sami languages, which are also recognized in the law. The immigrant population has been growing rapidly over the past ten years, it was 21,000 in 1990 and currently c. 100 000. The largest immigrant group are the Russians.

What religions do the Finns practice?
Some 85 % of Finns belong to the Lutheran church and one out of a hundred Finns is Greek Orthodox; most of the latter live in the eastern part of the country, but you see their churches all over the country.

Who else apart from Nokia do the Finns work for?
Various service industries have been growing steadily, and some 57 % of the population are employed by them; industry and building construction engage a total of 32 %, and agriculture and forestry has rapidly fallen down to below 8 %. There is a long history of women in the labour market.

See more on the economy and industry
Finnfacts - Finnish Industry and Business


How many years do the Finns spend in school?
Education is compulsory from the age of seven to the age of sixteen. There is practically no illiteracy anymore. The compulsory part of the educational system is covered by what is called comprehensive (basic) school: after that, the children have the choice between the three-year upper secondary schooling (some 60 % take it), various types of vocational training, or the labour market.

Foreign languages are taught from the age of 9 (3rd grade). All pupils are required to learn at least two foreign languages of which one is the other domestic language, Swedish for Finnish mother tongues speakers and vice versa. Most pupils start with English, and quite a few finish school with studies in 3 or 4 languages. Popular languages are German, French and Russian.

The upper secondary studies are concluded with the national matriculation examination, which is a requirement for entrance into university studies.

There are 20 institutions of higher education in the country with a total of some 110 000 students, which means that the relative number of university students is the highest in Europe. And furthermore, over 50 % of the students are female. About 2.9 % of the gross national product is used for research.


After the conference has ended what is there to do?

The summer season in Finland is characterized by a multitude of art (particularly music) and other festivals. You may even come across exhibitions of various types in the most remote parts of the country. Most of Finland is characterized by rather non-descript post-war architecture, but here and there is possible to find old wooden or stone churches or their modern counterparts, small units of original wooden townscape, respectable examples of modern Finnish architecture, old country mansions and period farmhouses.
For events in Jyväskylä region and elsewhere in Finland, see Jyväskylä Region Tourist Services.

Try also:
Travel in Finland
WebTravel
FinnLinks
Finnish Tourist Board
FinnFilm


What is Finnish music like?
The music is that of Sibelius (and several other good composers), it is folk music, it is rock, it is Finnish tango and melancholic romantic songs. Several Finnish conductors spend most of their time abroad conducting famous orchestras. The same goes for many of the opera singers. Over the past few years you also may have been clubbing the night away to Finnish tunes with DARUDE or enjoying rock music by HIM. Leningrad Cowboys is still touring as well.

Finnish Music Information Centre

Where to eat?

During the conference lunch is available at the Conference centre at the price of app. EUR 10. This means that you won't have to leave the conference centre to explore Finnish culinary delicacies - portions are plentiful and vegetarian options will be available as well - and you can spend the lunch hour socialising with colleagues.

We recommend that you pre-order your lunch tickets with registration.


What's for dinner?

The Finnish four seasons don't only influence the weather and communicative style, but also the cuisine. Times for gathering mushrooms, hunting game, ice fishing, picking wild and homegrown fruit and vegetables, all have their place in the annual seasonal cycle.

Surprisingly big differences are found in the gourmet traditions between east and west, north and south. It is a true experience to enjoy the richness of the Finnish cooking and baking tradition and the abundance of south and west coast fish dishes. If you go for a lunch in a restaurant, and take you pick forma buffet table, the prime examples of Finnish cuisine will be available.

The Smörgåsbord
There is an unwritten rule as regards the order in which you start your experience of the buffet table. In Finland we generally start with the fish dishes: Baltic herring and herring in different kinds of brine or pickled sauce, salted or smoked salmon and whitefish, shrimps and roe, and various salads to complement the taste of fish. Then comes the meat course: roast beef, smoked reindeer, pates and a new set salads. With all these cold cuts, hot boiled potatoes are served, as well as a variety of pasties and bread. You would now be about half way through the meal, because the third course consists of hot dishes, of which there are usually three main types: fish, meat and vegetable. Then it is time for dessert, excellent cheese, fruit, and a variety of Finnish desserts made from berries such as cloudberry, cranberry or wild raspberry or the numerous milk products that are typical of our cuisine.

As is obvious, this in not really the kind of lunch that is consumed in half an hour. But quite a few Finnish restaurants serve buffet lunches daily, in a less elaborate way, for people during their lunch hours (special lunch prices usually offered from 11 am to 2 pm). These lunches are usually reasonably priced considering selection available.

Other alternatives
You are not likely to encounter spicy foods in Finland, unless it's a restaurant with an international cuisine. In fact, many of the Finnish dishes have a rather bland flavour to them -often to allow the natural flavours to come through. This is particularly true of the hot portions served in cafeterias. One typical example would be the pork and beef stew, called Carelian stew, which is served with boiled potatoes, dark rye bread and vegetables.

Should you go to a restaurant and choose from the menu, you will find two 'obligatory' Finnish dishes there, namely reindeer stew and salmon prepared à la chef. As for an aperitif and wine, you may want to try some local brands, made from Finnish berries, such as the arctic bramble and white currants. For schnapps, ice-cold Koskenkorva is the favourite. Finnish beer is distinctive and served chilled.

Snacks
Snacks, rolls and open sandwiches are served in all cafeterias. In general, everywhere in Finland a great variety of bread is served. Many restaurants have their own homemade specialities, and baking bread at home, too, is very common. In most cases it is some whole grain variety, nutritious and full of flavour. Although Finland is sometimes called the land of "black bread", white French bread is certainly also available. And sweet bread ("pulla"), to be enjoyed with a cup of good black coffee, comes in many varieties.

Thirsty?
The drinking habits of Finns are gradually approaching those of other Europeans in that wine (mostly imported from Europe) has become very popular. Beer is a must after a visit to the sauna, and it comes in three strengths (I, III and IV). Beer IV, as well as all other high-alcohol drinks, is sold only at the state liquor stores (ALKO). In terms of stronger drinks, Finnish berry liqueurs and Finnish vodka cocktails are worth trying. Because of the state alcohol monopoly, only licensed restaurants serve strong beer, wine and liqueur.

Finnish culture - True or not?


The little things that make the difference
Although you will probably find life in a Finnish city to be much the same as in any other northern European metropolis, some features of Finnish communicative style may surprise you.
In some countries people can launch into using a foreign language quite happily, even if they have just started learning the language. Not so with Finns. At school, in days gone by, many have learnt that a social 'faux pas' will almost certainly be made, if one makes grammatical errors when using a foreign language. Remember that for some Finns, finding even a short answer to your question, may involve the processing of many textbook pages of grammatical rules before deciding on a suitable response.


Silent speaking
The Swedes and the Finns are said to compete over almost everything. One competition is said to be over silence. Although the Swedes have recently claimed to be more silent and reticent among themselves, the Finns tend to win the contest when with international contacts.

Scandinavian silence has many dimensions. One is the general attitude to speaking, namely, that one should not speak unless one has something to say, some information to impart. This is deep in Finnish culture, too.

Finland, like the Scandinavian cultures, have described as 'slow-time'. That is to say, the pace and speed of human communication, particularly in the length of pauses when one speaks, the silence between when one person stops and another starts, may be significantly slower than you might find in 'faster-time' cultures. This is why some have referred to Finns as silent speakers.


Silent listening
It is not only silence in speech that has been noted in Finland. There is also 'silent listening'. An attentive, polite and interested audience in Finland may make some foreign speakers at congresses rather anxious. This is because the Finnish audience's non-verbal signals, which a speaker may try to read when giving a presentation, may be so subtle that they may be misunderstood as indication boredom or even hostility. The same goes for conversation. Non-verbal language in Finland is often not immediately obvious, for it is characterized by slight movement and sustained eye contact. Even the use of words in conversation, which in some cultures indicate that you are interested in what is being said, is different in Finnish and limited, for 'why say something for the sake of saying something? Wait until you have something worthwhile to communicate'.

Me and We
The process of readily giving opinions and saying what 'I' think is very easy for speakers of some cultures. Far less so in Finland. Opinions are not so commonly aired unless they have been clearly thought through. The same goes for challenging the opinions of others. This may be partly due to the importance of consensus in Finnish life, where you will often hear "We, Finns…" used, as opposed to "I…"

Interrupting a person's flow of speech when you don't know them very well is rarely found in Finland. It is surprisingly common in other cultures, but here it breaks rules of etiquette, for it shows a degree of intolerance and impatience.

Shaking hands or exchanging kisses?

Shaking hands is endemic in some cultures. People may greet each other with a handshake in the morning, repeat it at lunchtime and even bid farewell with yet another. Not so in Finland. Handshaking when first meeting someone is the norm, but once people get to know each other it would be very odd. Indeed, not having your hand shaken may well be a sign of friendship and distinction.


Showing friendship
The prolific use of telling somebody in words that you hope they will have a 'nice day', as found in some parts of the world, is not common in Finland. There are many different ways of expressing politeness and friendship in Finnish culture, which are frequently not realized in words. You may find this in situations where, for example in English, you might expect people to use 'please' or 'thank you'. In Finnish the same sentiments may be shown in other ways, for example non-verbally. The same goes for expressing an apology, giving and receiving compliments or even showing gratitude.

Greetings
In some countries using a person's name when, for example, greeting the person in the morning, is a clear sign of friendship. Yet, in Finland, this does not necessarily apply. Using your name may even, in some circumstances, be seen as being too forward.

Sauna and serenity
Once you hand is shaken you may well find yourself invited for home hospitality, which may even be extended to include sharing sauna. Sauna is not only about washing but, crucially, about socialising and equanimity, though nearly always with those of the same sex. Sauna has been described as the social equivalent of the 'dinner party' in some cultures. That is to say, it offers an opportunity to dissolve angst, and engage in small talk and discussion in a relaxed and yet invigorating way. Some might find it hard to imagine relaxing whilst sitting in a wood lined room with intense heat, possibly followed by a dip in a lake (during the summer). Note that rolling in the snow or plunging into iced water is a winter treat. There is something truly enigmatic about sauna, and it is deeply rooted in the Finnish communicative experience.
The Finnish Sauna Society www.sauna.fi

It was reportedly Alexandre Dumas who once said: 'All generalisations are dangerous, even this one'. It may well be that you will not encounter any differences in the ways in which people communicate from what you might expect back home. But when you peer through the Finnish window, you may just find differences in human expression which may, in turn, help you broaden your own cultural communicative horizons.

The Finnish Experience - It's all yours!

 

What is the Finnish language like?

Even though most Finnish people you will meet during your conference in Finland will speak English, it may be useful and fun to know a little Finnish too.

Here is a little introduction to the Finnish language but for true enthusiasts there will also be a Finnish language workshop during the conference. Either way, get a good start by listening to a song about Finnish by Barbara Helsingius linked from the virtual.finland.fi website.


Finnish is easy!
Suomi on helppoa!

Vocabulary
You may think that you don't know a word of Finnish. Well, you are wrong: all these are perfectly good and usable words of Finnish:

Hotelli, bussi, radio, televisio, filmi, posti, pankki, kuppi, kortti, lasi, passi, poliisi, demokratia, biologia…

How to make Finnish words from the ones you know in English (or many other languages):

  • add an i in the end: hotel > hotelli
  • pronounce every letter: pre-si-dent-ti
  • if there is more than one consonant in the beginning, leave out all but the last one:
    glass > lasi
    strand > ranta

Admittedly, not all words are as easy as that. But there is another principle which will help you build your Finnish vocabulary, once you get started:


Learn one word - get ten free
Opi yksi sana - saat kymmenen ilmaiseksi

raha money
rahastaa to collect money
rahastaja bus conductor
rahaton penniless
rahakas wealthy
rahasto fund
raha-asia financial matter
määräraha allotted amount
käsiraha down payment
viikkoraha allowance
apuraha scholarship

Other features which are easy in Finnish

  • There are no articles, no need to memorize the "der/die/das" or "un/une/le/la".
  • There is no grammatical gender, either. Even the personal pronoun hän stands for both the he and she. This, by the way, is why Finns speaking foreign languages keep mixing their shes and hes and hims and hers, not because they cannot tell you and your husband/wife apart.
  • The "addition principle":
    TALOISSAMEKIN = 'in our houses, too'

    talo + i + ssa + mme + kin
    houses + s + in + our + too

This makes words seem long but they contain a lot of information, too. Unfortunately, the stem part often undergoes changes, so you cannot totally rely on this principle, but it can take you a long way even when you are using a dictionary.

Pronunciation
This is another easy thing: You always stress the first syllable of a word, no matter how long the word or how short the syllable: HEL-sin-ki, HO-tel-li, Y-li-o-pis-to (university).

  • Once you know which sound corresponds to which letter you can always trust that it will do so in every Finnish word. Two letters of the same kind will make a long sound. With this and the previous points in mind you can read out any Finnish text and be understood, even if you don't know what you are saying.

This is how letters sound:

Vowels:
a like a in father
e like in set
i like in fit
o like in hot (British way)
u like u in fool
y like German ü or French u
ä like in cat
ö like German ö or French eu

Consonants:
Some consonants sound quite familiar: b, d, f, g, h, m, n, s and v are like they are when they begin a word in English, only in Finnish they sound the same, regardless of where you have them. k, p and t sound like they do after s in English (as in skin, spin and still). j is like y in yes, l is like the clear l of English, ng like ng in singing, r is the rolled r (as if you said many d's very rapidly).

Want to learn more?
A course on Finnish the language and Finnish the culture will be arranged during the conference.

Further information:

 

Practical info


What currency should I bring?

Finland changed its currency to euro with the 12 other European countries on 1.1.2002. The euro is divided into 100 cents. Bank notes are EUR 5, 10, 20, 50, 100 and 500; for coins Finland is using only 5 senttiä and up (1 and 2 cents are however accepted as well), i.e. 5, 10, 20, 50 senttiä and 1 and 2 euroa. Look out for the Finnish coins with Finnish design on one side.
Cash machines only give EUR 20 and EUR 50 notes.

Most international credit cards (VISA and Visa Electron, Eurocard, Access, MasterCard, Diner's Club, American Express, etc.) are accepted in shops, hotels, restaurants and taxes.

Telephones

  • The country code for Finland is 358.
  • The area code for Jyväskylä area is 014 (Helsinki 09) and need not be used when making local calls. Leave the zero out when calling to Finland from abroad.
  • There are several international prefixes for calls out of Finland, e.g. 990, 999, 994.

After Nokia and other manufacturers have equipped almost every Finn with a mobile phone public phones have somewhat suffered a recession. Public phones (Puhelin) can however be found in bus and railway stations, shopping centres, department stores, hotels etc. - and occasionally on streets! Public phones operate mainly with phone cards that can be bought in kiosks and some shops.
There is a card-operated phone at the conference centre and phone card can be bought on site.

Your own mobile phone will most likely work if your service provider is European and you have subscribed to international roaming service.

Where can I use the Internet?
Internet access will be provided at the conference centre. In town the Jyväskylä Tourist Information provides free Internet access for travellers and the music department of the main department store (SOKOS) offers free Internet access for short time use only.

How to get around in Jyväskylä?
All the hotels, the Conference Centre Paviljonki and the town centre are located within a walking distance.
In case you don't feel like walking or you'd like to explore the surroundings of Jyväskylä:

  • Local busses
    In buses the fares are collected by the driver, so enter through the front door. The centre doors are exits.
  • Taxis
    Taxis are recognized by a yellow TAXI-sign on the roof of the vehicle. These vehicles are often Mercedes saloons, and fixed meter rates always apply. Taxi services are very efficient throughout the country and they can be ordered by phone. Service is usually prompt. Alternatively, there are taxi stands located throughout the city.

Who and when should I tip?
It is not usual to tip for services in Finland. This is particularly true of taxi and hotel services.
The service charge (about 15 % of the sum total) in hotels and restaurants is automatically included in a bill.

Shopping
Many people in the world associate Finland with design, be it architecture, furniture, glassware or clothes. Finland is also well known for its quality furs, interior textiles and ceramic. Finnish design will definitely make nice souvenirs.

The opening hours of shops generally depend on the size of the shop. Small and speciality shops are open Mon-Fri 10 am - 6 pm and bigger stores and supermarkets 8 am - 9 pm. On Saturdays shops are open 10 am - 6 pm and on Sundays some stores 12 am - 4 pm.

VAT (sales tax, ALV) is always included in the given price. However, visitors resident outside EU and Norway are allowed certain tax-free privileges (see www.taxfree.fi).

Medicine is sold in chemist's called APTEEKKI. There are several chemists at the town centre open 9 am - 6 pm, and, on rotation, one of them is always open 8 am - 11 pm.

Alcoholic beverages are sold in the state monopoly shops called ALKO, open Mon-Fri 9 am - 20 am, and on Saturdays 9 am - 6 pm. Medium strength beer (III) is available in grocery stores.

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