I meant that in a sarcastic way. If you think Finns are nice, don’t be fooled. Some are not. They can be really rude. I don’t remember any specific personally. But my mother had.

Once when a woman had her dog running free in the park, my mother said it’s forbidden to do so. Which is true. It’s not a dog park after all. But this woman told her a rude remark instead. “I can do what I want”- kind of way. You selfish bitch, I would call that woman. Are dog people really that rude? That’s an impression the woman gave at least.

Another incident happened in our local marketplace. My mother used to go there to buy groceries at least once a week. She became acquainted with the saleswomen and men so the conversations could be quite long. The marketplace was her way to meet other people. One time when she was standing by a stand where they sold vegetables, talking to the saleswoman. This man came there and lit up a cigarette in front of the stand. My mother told him to move further away because he was polluting the food with his smoking.
But did he move? No. Instead he started insulting her. E.g. about her appearance and such.
After she told me about the incident I thought it was very rude of the man. Maybe he had been drinking. Some start to act like morons when they’re drunk. But that’s not an excuse to insult people. My mother just took her things and left.

Where is all the kindness in this world? Even if you say it nicely, you still get rudeness back. But the minority of Finns can be helpful. Now to the kindness part.

I have come across situations where I have fallen off my bike and a stranger have asked if I’m OK.
Once I fell off my bike and hurt myself quite badly. It had been raining and the peddles on my bike were wet. I was on my way to the centre to catch a bus to the school I studied at the time. I peddled standing up since the saddle was still moist. I hadn’t got very far when suddenly my right foot slipped from the pedal and off I went. I hit my right elbow in the asphalt. A woman just happened to walk pass and she came to me and asked if I was OK. We looked at my elbow and there was only a scratch. I said I was OK and we both went our way. But I wasn’t OK. A few moments later, I couldn’t move my arm. I still continued my journey. I’ve never passed out but in the bus I was close to. In the end it was only a strain injury. But it still hurt like hell.

To me kindness is small things. Even asking someone “are you OK?” makes you feel you’re not alone.

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