Before I came to Finland, people told me that Finns are very quiet and ”cold.” They said that people here don’t like to talk to strangers. I expected a very cold country with cold people.
On one of my first days, I was standing at a bus stop with my family, feeling very nervous. There we were: my 10-year-old, my 1-year-old in the stroller, and we were very confused. We wanted to go to Prisma, but we didn’t know which bus to take or how to pay. The wind was very cold, and I felt lost.
Then, the ”Finnish Myth” broke.
A lady with her small child walked past us. I decided to ask for help. She didn’t just give a quick answer. She was very patient. She showed us a bus app on her phone.
She stayed with us for a few minutes. She showed me how to download the app and how to see the bus time. This ”Digital Help” was amazing. She gave us the tools to move around the city by ourselves. Her kindness was the best welcome to Finland. I learned that Finns might be quiet, but they are very helpful and tech-savvy.
When we sat on the warm bus and looked at the beautiful nature outside, I smiled. Finland is cold outside, but the people have very warm hearts!
Text and pictures: Naghmeh Khadem, student of International Tourism Management