• First Impressions• “An orderly, peaceful, functioning society where most

people see sense in developing their minds” – Virtual Finland

• “A deep reservoir of hidden strength, and you get a sense of peace and trust. But once you get to know them and after a few beers their hidden strength is a source friendship and fun.” – Ronald Lau

• Being reserved, it usually up to you to make the first initiative, and are delighted when they have an opportunity to apply their other language skills.

• Manners

• Finland is an easy country to visit and customs and manners are clearly European, and the people are forgiving towards international affairs.

• On a personal perspective it is very much like Canada

• Identity

• Honorable wartime achievements

• Sporting activities and merits such as Finnish rally drivers and Formula 1 stars, football players Jari Litmanen and Sami Hyypiä.

• Awareness and use of high tech in everyday life.

• Language

• Finnish which belongs to the Finno-Ugrian language family, Swedish, or small native speaking Sami.

• English is widely spoken and common in the business world and on the radio.

• Goal of Life Long Learning

• Comprehensive schooling 7 to 17, free through funding, bilingual.

• Higher education between polytechnic and university.

• Emphasis on language study: English, German, French, Russian and Spanish.

• Education system

• Talking

• Traditionally reserved brief silence is viewed as part of the conversation

• In general I find they are better listeners and speak unhurriedly.

• With the right situation, mobile phone, sauna, and night life can make them suddenly open and candid.

• Eating• Finnish cuisine is a mixed element of European,

Scandinavian and Russian.• Cuisine from any nationality can be found in

restaurants, predominantly western.• Most shopping places close typically sooner

particularly on weekends where restaurants and night life begins.

• Finns rarely speak during meals, however are open, unhurried, and smooth.

• Tipping• Tipping is rare• Bill considered part of service and goods

purchased• Usually rounded to the nearest convenient

number.• Tipping accepted where you know you

have caused some inconvenience or asked for additional services.

• Drinking• Consumption of wine and beer has increased in recent

years.• Class 2 and higher alcoholic beverages: government-

owned Alko. • Class 1 alcoholic beverages: local grocery stores. • Imports: restaurants• Homes wine reserved for weekends and guest. • Swedish speaking Finns almost always with meals• Finland leads the world in coffee drinking• A coffee (free refills) and a korvapuusti (translated ear

slap) costs 4.20 euros @ Esplanad and Succès, my favorite being Karjalanpiirakat (a rice pastry).

• Timing and the Seasons• Although Finn life is unhurried, they are quite

punctual in the demanding business world.• Appointments are punctually kept, and being

more than 15 minutes late even for meetings is viewed a hassle where train and bus, concerts and other public activities are very much on time.

• The seasons of winter and summer is held unique in a sense it reflects the water activities such as fishing and ice sports.

• Sauna• Having a sauna is completely natural,

unhurried, to forget about work and talk about other things.

• Although it is expected that guest may decline, medical and cultural reasons could be a justification, particularly where some public places have a sign prohibiting bathing suits (www.serena.fi).

• What makes a Finn happy?

• Seura (meaning good company), biggest circulated popular magazines a big survey.

• Bizarre Sporting

• Wife carrying, air guitar, swamp soccer, and endurance sauna.

• Mobile hurling - And the prize for the longest throw? A new mobile phone.

• Virtual Finland

• Computing• Gaming won’t make the next big Nokia, but has nevertheless made

it’s mark in gaming titles such as: • MaxPayne - RockStar• FlatOut - Bugbear Entertainment Ltd • Alan Wake - Finland's Remedy Entertainment Ltd.• Nokia N-Gage.• Changing the guard at Nokia – Olli-Pekka Kallasvuo takes the helm • Although gaming industry is risky, expensive, and viewed by tech

leaders as a waste of productivity, new ideas are pushing towards “Edutainment” to increase language skills, job training, and physical fitness in a home and office environment.