Hints & tips
- Take your shoes off if you go to a Finnish home. We do not wear shoes inside the house.
- For some weird reason the people of Oulu can not tell the person sitting next to them in a bus that "they should give way because they are getting of the bus". You just have to guess this from the hasty looks and the exaggerated way they put their gloves on and grab their bag.
- Wave your hand to stop the bus, otherwise it will just drive past you.
- Normally in a student parties the host offers only some food and maybe some punch. The guests bring their own booze so that it will not be too expensive for the host to give the party.
- Self service is the word in Finland! Everything works with self service: The gas stations, cafés, fast food places, banks. So prepare to do almost everything your self.
- We do not give tips. The service is included to the price of the product you are buying.
- Smoking is forbidden in most places, and normally all public places (trains, bars, restaurants) have a smoking place, where smoking is allowed. Selling snuff is illegal in Finland.
- The Finnish food can taste like we have forgotten to spice it (or then there is loads of salt in it...). We are not very familiar with hot and strong spices, and the traditional way to spice food is to use salt and pepper. But many young Finns like ethnic flavours and strong spices also in Finnish food.
- Taking taxi is really safe in Finland.
- The quality of Finnish tap water quality is good and drinkable.
- Finnish people look serious and they do not smile a lot. I do not know why, maybe it has something to do with the climate. However, we are quite happy and friendly people. :)
