These lists have been around for long; you can find one here. But I could not resist in compiling my own, as it is also a random list of what has surprised me / what I like and dislike here... So, you've been in Finland for too long when:
- You can distinguish winter tires from summer tires just by the sound of them on the road.
- You shamelessly tell your parents about the time you were so drunk that you spent the night in the bed of your 80 years old neighbour.
- You wear these teddy-bear-shaped light reflectors as a fashion item, although you're almost 30.
- Your hair is tainted platinum blonde, or raven black, or bright red, or all of them, altogether or in turn.
- Your children play "Who's afraid of the black man ?" instead of dodge ball, while eating candies called "nigger kisses", and you don't even consider it as possibly racist.
- You don't buy a car without an extra protection against rust and this engine-warming you'll plug every winter evening. Plus, that super-snow-brush-ice-scraper is settling in your trunk as soon as possible.
- You're world champion at taking your shoes off as fast as possible.
- You can't stand movies translated anymore, and you can read subtitles without missing the smallest detail in the picture.
- You don't jump when you come across a 30 or more letters long word.
- You understand "contryside" as a place at least 20 kms far from the closest doctor, the closest shop, the closest city, the closest everything besides rocks, trees and lakes.
- You consider it normal to buy your own land and still pay a monthly rent to the city where it's located.
- While driving, you dutifully respect speed limits and keep an eye for moose that might cross the road unexpectedly.
- You can name at least 10 different reality tv shows and 5 American talk shows.
- Your favorite food is makaronilaatikko.
- You attend at least three pikkujoulu every year.
- You've become a big fan of metal rock, or else you can dance Finnish tango without blushing.
- When you build your own house or mökki (summer house), you'll start with the sauna building.
- When expecting a baby, what you're most impatient for is the social security baby package.
- You can't have a social life without a mobile phone.
- Your children wear skiing suits all winter and bring their pulkka (sledge) at school when it's snowing. They learn how to ice skate before they can walk, or very soon afterwards.
- You can't understand why someone would move to Finland, but you can't imagine leaving it anymore.
...and that's not everything, I keep thinking of more of these almost every day, so I might add another of those lists later on.
- You can distinguish winter tires from summer tires just by the sound of them on the road.
- You shamelessly tell your parents about the time you were so drunk that you spent the night in the bed of your 80 years old neighbour.
- You wear these teddy-bear-shaped light reflectors as a fashion item, although you're almost 30.
- Your hair is tainted platinum blonde, or raven black, or bright red, or all of them, altogether or in turn.
- Your children play "Who's afraid of the black man ?" instead of dodge ball, while eating candies called "nigger kisses", and you don't even consider it as possibly racist.
- You don't buy a car without an extra protection against rust and this engine-warming you'll plug every winter evening. Plus, that super-snow-brush-ice-scraper is settling in your trunk as soon as possible.
- You're world champion at taking your shoes off as fast as possible.
- You can't stand movies translated anymore, and you can read subtitles without missing the smallest detail in the picture.
- You don't jump when you come across a 30 or more letters long word.
- You understand "contryside" as a place at least 20 kms far from the closest doctor, the closest shop, the closest city, the closest everything besides rocks, trees and lakes.
- You consider it normal to buy your own land and still pay a monthly rent to the city where it's located.
- While driving, you dutifully respect speed limits and keep an eye for moose that might cross the road unexpectedly.
- You can name at least 10 different reality tv shows and 5 American talk shows.
- Your favorite food is makaronilaatikko.
- You attend at least three pikkujoulu every year.
- You've become a big fan of metal rock, or else you can dance Finnish tango without blushing.
- When you build your own house or mökki (summer house), you'll start with the sauna building.
- When expecting a baby, what you're most impatient for is the social security baby package.
- You can't have a social life without a mobile phone.
- Your children wear skiing suits all winter and bring their pulkka (sledge) at school when it's snowing. They learn how to ice skate before they can walk, or very soon afterwards.
- You can't understand why someone would move to Finland, but you can't imagine leaving it anymore.
...and that's not everything, I keep thinking of more of these almost every day, so I might add another of those lists later on.
I also know those lists... but yours is the best of all!! So crazy but so true!
ReplyDeleteTordant ! Je m'y reconnais (presque) mais suis en bonne voie de guérison...
ReplyDeleteUne Finlandaise à Paris
(qui lit aussi Alexia)
=)