New acquaintances

According to research done by one of the major TV-stations here in Finland the Finns are not prepared to make any changes in lifestyle to avoid climate change, which means bad news for our fishing friend, shorter winters to go ice fishing. Well, our mad fisherman has now persuaded my husband into trying fishing during the summer, so guess our cats will be kept happy all summer long.

One thing really comes in mind here, even with all the jokes about the Finnish men considering sausages and hot dogs being vegetables, many of them actually like fish!

Not just fishing, the hunting and catching part of it, but they really enjoy eating it too. Well, fish is more considered to be women’s food where I come from, so this was a surprising revelation for me. I really just hope that it is not contagious, this ice fishing all winter long.

It is always nice to meet some Finnish friends, like our friend that came for dinner yesterday; you get to learn new things about this country and the people living in it. People coming from different counties actually do behave kind of like their stereotypes, and this guest was the silent type. The silence in-between was not an awkward one, but it still bothered me as I was not used to it as it was the first time I met this colleague of my husbands.

One funny story though, our guest just having read a book about the late war hero and famous general of Finland, told us a story about when the late general was visiting the eastern neighbour, again, this time invited, after the war. He was invited to see a ballet and was asked by some journalist what he thought of ballet, he answered by: “It is so nice to see our former enemies on their toes once again.”

Anyway, the yesterday served meal consisting of simple steaks, pommes gratin and rhubarb pie were a success, the off-spring behaving impeccably during the meal, being polite to our guest with the result of the guest promising to be back, and this was no “just being polite” compulsory saying, he really meant it.

Here the Finns rather not say anything instead of just say something to be polite.

And he will be back again given the chance, maybe not a single anymore next time.

And I will have a new acquaintance to make one day to look forward to.