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Mi s ce l l aneou s
13. Miscellaneous
13.1 Finnish Manners and Customs
Greeting
When Finns introduce themselves to people
they have not met before, they often shake
hands. When Finns meet friends or people they
know, they simply just say “Hello”. Younger
people sometimes greet each other with a hug.
Punctuality
Most Finns are punctual both at work and
in their social life. When you are off to meet
somebody you might want to arrive five minutes
early rather than five minutes late. A mobile
phone comes in handy if you are delayed, and
it’s polite to let your contact know that you will
arrive late.
Queuing
Waiting for your turn when queuing is an
unwritten rule in Finland. Finns can be strict
about queuing and you should never try to cut
the line. However, you should be aware that
“queuing” does not solely refer to standing in
line. It generally refers to almost any situation
where there are people waiting for their turn
to do something. Most importantly it means
waiting for one’s turn and showing respect for
those who came before you. Queuing systems
with numbered note-sized pieces of paper are
quite common.
Telephone Etiquette
There are no public telephones in Finland, but
practically everyone has a mobile phone. It is
considered impolite to use a mobile phone
in situations where it could be disturbing to
others, e.g. in lecture halls, meetings, concerts,
theatres, church, or libraries. On the other hand,
people often use their mobile phones in public
transportation.
Gender Equality
There is a high degree of equality between
genders in Finland. Today most women work
outside the home and many women hold
advanced positions in all the spheres of politics
and working life. The Finnish society and
legislation is based on equality and, for example,
parental leave, social benefits and family
structure highlight its importance.
Religion
Finland has freedom of religion and about 77%
belong to the Evangelical Lutheran Church.
However, many Finns are quite secular and
religious beliefs are considered to be a very
private matter.
Food
Nowadays, the Finnish cuisine is a mixture of
European, Scandinavian and Russian influences.
Traditional Finnish food is most commonly eaten
on holidays, but there are still some dishes that
are eaten throughout the year.
Finns usually eat a rather sturdy breakfast as well
as a proper meal for lunch. Lunch is normally
served from 11.00-14.00, and dinner around
17.00-19.00. Restaurants serve dinner until late
in the evening, but the kitchen usually closes
half an hour before the official closing time.
There are several student restaurants at both the
Åbo and Vasa campuses, which serve lunch for
an affordable price (2.60€ with a Finnish student
card) on weekdays. For more information, please
see chapter 9.4.
Drinks
Finnish tap water is drinkable and has been
proven to be purer than many brands of bottled
water. It is quite common to drink milk with food
as well, also among grown-ups.
The drinking culture differs slightly from other
European countries when it comes to alcohol,
although the consumption of alcohol per person
per year is at a European average. Note that only
beer and cider can be bought in regular food
stores, whereas other alcoholic beverages are
only sold at the off-licence store Alko.
As a fun fact it can be mentioned that some of the
Finns are the biggest consumers of coffee in the
world.Wedrink asmuch as five cups of coffee a day.