National Jealousy Day: the day Finland publishes everyone’s income
Once a year Finland publishes what every adult earned, and anyone can go and look. What is actually released, what is not, and the date almost every English article gets wrong.
Finland’s data centres and the €13 billion nobody is counting
Google is spending €13 billion on data centres in four Finnish towns. Within two days its own AI had called the figures exaggerated and a party leader had said nobody is looking after the overall picture. The numbers, the electricity, and what you can do.
Why Is Finnish So Hard to Learn? An Honest Assessment
Fifteen cases, no articles, no gender and no mercy for beginners: an honest look at why Finnish is hard to learn, why it is easier than it looks, and where to start.
Why Finland Is the Happiest Country in the World (And What That Actually Means)
Finland has just been named the happiest country in the world. Again. For the ninth year running. Having lived here for more than two decades, I can tell you the secret is not rye bread.
Finnish Silence vs British Small Talk: Why One Culture Talks to Fill the Room and the Other Does Not
The first time I attended a Finnish dinner party, I made the mistake of filling every silence. It is a reflex if you are British.
The Finnish Guide to Doing Nothing (Properly)
In a world obsessed with doing more, Finland quietly excels at doing less. While the rest of the planet downloads productivity apps, Finns put their phones face down, pour another coffee, and stare at a snow-covered forest until perspective returns.
9 Things You Will Find in Every Finnish Kitchen
Finnish kitchens come in all shapes and sizes but look hard enough and a pattern emerges — some practical to the point of genius, some baffling if you grew up elsewhere.
5 iconic Finnish companies founded by immigrants
Photo credit: Stockmann Group Read the Finnish tabloid press and you might be mistaken for thinking that the whole world wants to move to Finland. In fact, Finland —which is in dire need of immigrants to help with its rapidly aging population— has one of the smallest non-native populations in the EU. As of 2017,…
Meet the Lithuanian pianist whose Finnish cover versions will wow
Think of iconic Finnish tunes and you’ll likely choose Sandstorm by Darude, Freestyler by Bomfunk MC’s or In the Shadows by The Rasmus. However, you’re very unlikely to have heard them played on the piano. That will change once you check out the social media channels of Mindaugas Neverovas. The Lithuanian pianist and piano teacher…
Home and away: How to have a staycation in Helsinki
This post was written in collaboration with Hotels.com, but all views are our own. The coronavirus situation has put a temporary hold on international travel, but that doesn’t mean the end of fun holidays. So, while doing our bit to keep ourselves, our loved ones, and the wider community safe, we’re working in collaboration with…
