To prevent you from innocently stepping on some Finnish toes, here are a few social no-goes to be aware of. At first glance, the Finnish locals might appear almost hostile, but do not be deceived by appearances.
While language was a highly divisive issue as late as the 1920s and 1930s, many Finnish speakers now recognize the value of Swedish for communicating with other Nordic countries.
A distinction between urban, industrialized, coastal southwestern Finland and the rural interior northeast is an important historical and regional division in terms of culture and identity.
A narrow coastal plain of low relief and clay soils, historically the area of densest rural settlement and mixed farming production, extends between the Russian and Swedish borders.
Foreign men are in high demand particularly in the capital region and other university cities as young women struggle to find viable partner candidates among Finnish men, says Minna Säävälä, a senior researcher at the Family Federation of Finland.
Since they follow quite a bit of international news, the have strong opinions about events, so you can find yourself engrossed in stimulating debates if the opportunity presents itself.
On an early summer evening in Finland, you may witness the unexpected sight of a group of young men or women roaming about in public places with one of their contemporaries in tow.Todd, a 25-year-old engineer from Australia, describes his recent nine-week business trip to Finland as unforgettable."I've tried to explain to my mates in Australia how easy it was to find company in Finland. You must experience it first hand." Finnish women, he estimates, must simply love the Australian accent as they were not afraid to make the initiative.Recently I read that the minimum marriage age was set in the Ecclesiastic Law of 1686.It was 14 for boys and 13 for girls in the 16th century.In 1721 it was raised to 21 and 15 respectively, but the sons of peasants were permitted to marry at age 18 and this was effective until 1922.