BEING BLACK IN FINLAND 🇫🇮
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- Опубликовано: 24 авг 2024
- Hey guys I have been in Finland for approximately 1 month, it has been great so far. i have engaged in many various activities like fishing in a Finnish lake, swimming in a Finnish lake, using a Finnish sauna and I have even done reindeer herding, vlogs for all these videos will be released as soon as possible with that being said I have engaged in these activities with Finnish people and I have also done daily activities liking shopping and walking the streets, with doing these activities I have engaged with many Finnish people in which my I have gathered my thoughts into this video to give my feedback on being black in Finland || racism in Finland. I truly think Finnish people are really amazing and they truly will appreciate someone who shows appreciation for their country and culture, especially their language. I must say the one thing I get from Finnish people is that they will look at me a lot which is totally a natural thing seeing that there's a difference between skin tones on the flip side once you have been around these people and engaged in activities or conversations with them, they will totally look at you way less unless you are both having a conversation. I truly recommend Finland as a country to live in due to its beautiful nature with the amazing sky, trees, and lakes, the animals here are unique too.
I think if you visit Finland you will enjoy the peace and the quietness if thats what you are into
Thank you for watching I do hope this video was helpful.
I would recommend checking out my reaction channels
RUclips channels
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/ @foreignreacts
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also follow my instagram for behind the scenes.
INSTAGRAM (@gio_bozz)
/ gio_bozz
#finland
Thank you for watching I do hope this video was helpful.
I would recommend checking out my reaction channels
RUclips channels
FOREIGN REACTS
ruclips.net/channel/UCZIQ.
SPORTS FEEDBACK
ruclips.net/channel/UC5qw..
also follow my instagram for behind the scenes.
INSTAGRAM (@gio_bozz)
instagram.com/gio_bozz/
You shouldn't let your skin colour define you, pal. Want to know what life is like in #Finland? I'm a English guy who decided to leave the UK due to the #authoritarian nonsense back in November 2020. In comparison, Finland is relatively free. I also do a tour of the beer section of a Finnish supermarket #covid #covid19 #coronavirus ruclips.net/video/THpLgN2VO7g/видео.html
HMU if you wanna chat about growing mixed race in Finland
In summary
For sure things do get racial at times but overall it's more about economics than race as I reckon it is in most places
@@MikkisKD Politicians on the left don't help - they deliberately play divide and rule games to breed resentment. They then pitch the voters on the basis that if you vote from them, they will use the power of the state to correct racism with more racism, e.g. discrimination against whites to correct so-called white privilege. Personally, I think that we should NEVER self-identify according to the colour of our skin, because it plays right into the hands of those who seek power over us via the means of identity politics. I don't know about you, but I'm a lot more than a white man! - these people can take a running jump if they want me to think that my skin colour defines me.
@@1watsonwatson but yeah the politicians can at times seem like a joke that should be left discussed in a state of heavy intoxication to be taken seriously.
On both sides
And the center
But well, we gotta keep the system working somehow, right?
@@MikkisKD The solution is that politicians should stay out of our lives - keep taxes and government spending low & lets trade with each other on a voluntary basis
Personally i don't give a flying f if someone is black, blue or green as long as they are nice people and act accordingly
Agree.. It's about the brain not the body.
Exactly what I’ve felt being here
Personally, I'd LOVE to see blue or green. :D People would look amazing with that colour skin, the shading and fluctuation would, artistically speaking, blow the mind.
@@TheObscureRambler What are you smurfing Hulk?
You should care if they are purple though.
They are probably suffocating.
Hey bro! I’m a Black American expat that has been living in Finland for three years now. Finland is a good place but just like anywhere else there is some racism. I’ve had a few racial incidents in Finland and I live in the capital region. But you will certainly enjoy your time in Finland. Word of advice: GET YOUR VITAMIN D PILLS FOR THE WINTER! Also good luck with learning the Finnish language, it is a challenging language to grasp but you’ll learn it.
Yeah, that vitamin D will keep the doctor away... hopefully?
@@marsukarhu9477 Take vitamin D daily and visit the sauna multiple times a week and you’ll be fine brother!
What about the Finnish women? Have you had sex with a lot of them? Do they love black men? Are they easy to smash? Are they wife material? Do they make good housewives? Can you find any virgin Finnish women? Please let me know bro. It seems impossible to find these answers online and I could learn from your experience.
@@puertoricanpapi1356LOL, dude… you could ask that question anywhere and the answer would be the same; it depends on the person. But when it comes to finding a ”house wife”, that could be difficult because finnish women tend to be very education and career oriented.
Can confirm about vitamin D, especially in winter. Super important.
In Finland no matter who you are, be respectful, give people their space and stick to their rules. The have a social decorum that is their life and they don't like people messing it up
Hence the reasons I love the country
We don't like it even if other Finns mess with our customs and ways just because of wanting things to be different and worldly...
@@lumihanki5631 yea. you yourself are mandated to be respectful but never ever expect that to be reciprocated or you'll be very disappointed.
most are extremely nice and respectful but at worst you can run into absolute cunts once a day.
People here are loud enough about the state of other countries, surely they'd be okay with people speaking out about the issues here.
That's not unique to Finland! This advice goes for everyone, everywhere! Furthermore it goes for Finns who happen to find themselves in all black communities... or are they too biased to travel to such countries?
People like you would do well anywhere. You seem to respect the culture, be very adaptable and curious in any environment you go to. You’re a great example to everyone wanting to move abroad
God to here you don't interpret the fact that people looked at you (or how many other called it "stare") not directly as racism. Its mostly just interest. More or less just like you also look at a Ferrari or Lamborghini if you see on on the street. Its something you don't see every day, so maybe you look a bit longer because its interesting, and thats it mostly.
Factual
As human we tend to focus on the negative and totally dismiss the possibility of positive!
I’ve been guilty of that but it should never be how we go about our daily life’s thinking!
very well said back there ;)
People might also just be attracted to you. Like i once saw this gorgeous lady in the streets, who had like incredibly pretty traditional looking long yellow dress, and the prettiest brown eyes, and i couldn't help but stare for a while, till i realized I was staring and it might be rude, so i looked else where, and realized it might seem like i was now trying to avoid looking at her direction, and i kinda started panicking inside and completely forgot how to act natural. Pretty people make me act so god damn akward. XD
@@GIOBOZZ we negative humans on first sentence. Why so negative? Always keep your glas half full. Positive thinking - it's summer. We just wanted know that do you feel like Ferrari or Lamborghini? Me I feel like Porsche: Well built, practical and faaast... Have a great summer - winter is just a state of mind...
also finns like to stare at each other for somereason and then break the eye contact fast
Like Morgan Freeman said to an interviewer, "If you stop calling me a black man, I'll stop calling you a white man". Skin colour shouldn't be a topic at all. We're all just people.
Agreed!
Thanks for understanding what I meant by I shouldn’t have to make this kinda video
Wonderfull
Couldn't agree more. You just took the words from my mouth. I don't get why color is a topic, I believe there are people from all colorss everywhere, some less than others but there.
Exactly 👍🏻
The same Morgan Freeman who is in Qatar right now shaking hands? ok.
Northern Sweden here. Just being an American makes you different, so even if you were a white American you would have been "an odd number" when you are in such a remote place as you are.
However, your skin color plays a role when it comes to the intake of vitamin D, which even we pale people lack in the north during most of the year. So start taking vitamin D supplements as soon as it starts to be autumn. Ask locals what clothes you will need for the winter. It 's an art to dress for cold climates and when it starts to get cold it can quickly get colder. I'm waiting to know why you went so far north? Did you know people there?
Good of you to remind of the D-vit. Hope he reads your comment.
Yes, colour of the skin is probably not the main thing that we finns focus when making judgements if one is a good guy or a bad guy.
I think in Finland more valuable attributes would be the personality, behaviour and actions. You gain respect by your actions not by your looks or talks.
Good luck in the northern hemispheres, I hope your visit will be positive journey and your expectations not too unrealistic.
Yes I second this. My guess is that people may stare due to curiosity. Like, how did he end up here?! Consider it an expression of surprise.
Are You from Alaska ? At Alaska They Have Minnesota & Mic
Here in Finland racism doesn’t grow from the colour of the skin but disrespecting and ignoring our culture and habits.
We have a saying here ”Maassa maan tavalla, tai maasta pois”. Propably best way to translate it is ”When in Rome, you do as the Romans do.”
And as an American you are considered as a regular westerner.
Totally agree
When in Rome do what the Romans do
Or get out of Rome
@@GIOBOZZ This is exactly what we expect from foreigners no matter what skin color they have :) Also us southerners are highly used to different skin colors and cultures, so i doubt that anyone would look at you in there any different. As an example i'm +30 yo and my childhood friends from Helsinki were russian, somalian, indian and austrian beside some finns as well so it's nothing new that we have a lot of different culture and skin color representation in the south. Just those smaller towns that have very few or none foreigners to visit are the places u get stares mostly out of a curiosity. Subbed btw! I think u have a great mindset for living in a foreign country and it will be fun to watch what you will explore, learn and enjoy here! Have a fun journey :)
@@GIOBOZZ You are a very nice person. No wonder finns love you.
Why you lying😂
That's the same we say in Spain. "Dónde fueres haz lo que vieres". Wherever you are, do what you see.
You will no doubt meet Finnish racists sooner or later, it is unavoidable. But there is likely not that much of what I would call 'structural racism' as there is no historical segregation in Finland. The society generallly sees people as equal individuals. One thing that might give you a picture too rosy is that you will very likely in most cases be seen as American first, and the color of your skin comes only second. Most things American are considered cool and rather familiar rather than foreign.
Understandable
It’d be stupid to think everyone in Finland would like me as a person or me being black
I mean people literally hate each other for their achievements, differences and some basic things but definitely can’t and won’t allow me to say Finnish people are racist because 1 Finnish person doesn’t make up the entire country!
And the ugly part about my mindset is that if someone is racist that’s their choice
Not my duty to highlight it I’d rather ovoid it
I'm sorry but Finland HAS a history of segregation - maybe not that much towards people of color but look no further than to the Sámi or Finnish Roma (or even Finns with Russian last names), well, there you go. One just needs a little bit of introspection or basic knowledge of history to find ways in which Finland is not much different than any other country out there.
@@gaomei7648 Eh? That's not segregation.
@@gaomei7648 that’s not really the kind of segregation that most world would consider. Russian thing is anyway after the war, I do think we should get over it at some point instead of keeping up the victim mentality of always blaming Russians, but recent things going on in Ukraine hasn’t helped Finn’s. Remember Russia is a much larger country than Finland and they have a lot more power. Sami and Roman’s have these days so much free stuff compared to native Finns that they are downright privileged. Finnish society coddles them quite a lot, when a Finnish person would not get away with nearly as much.
@@Lilliz91 Please stop explaining to me how Sámi and Roma people are privileged...I'm a native Finn myself and I happen to speak Russian and know a lot of Russians through my teaching job, fascinating how different our perceptions on this country and it's realities are...I guess you haven't encountered any of the above mentioned groups privately/professionally? I recommend getting to know Finland better, you might fall in love with this country more. Btw. I love Finland and I wish it was a great place for everyone living here - ignoring the minuses and letting stuff like that slide isn't exactly patriotism.
if you want to learn finnish, you need to tell us not to speak english, we have a bad habit to switch to english when we see someone struggling with finnish
Yeah that’s true But I’m definitely not at the stage yet to speak Finnish
I’ve tried to engage basic Finnish words in my daily life before engaging fully in a conversation speaking only Finnish
@@GIOBOZZ You will get there, Finnish is really hard to speak if your not from Finland so no worries, and usually Finns understand English
@@GIOBOZZ Don't be too shy, once you make friends here you feel comfortable doing this with, to ask "what's this in Finnish? How do you say X?" because it will help. Even adding those little words builds vocabulary, little by little, and we're not bothered AT ALL by people wanting to know the Finnish terms or phrases, if anything I believe we'd be flattered! We KNOW Finnish is hard to learn. Especially for native speakers of English from around the world, because of the vowel shift and aspiration of consonants that's missing in our language, aaaaand the conjugations. Oh lawd have mercy the conjugations. I sincerely wish you luck!! You can do it!
I think the best way for him to learn the Finn language is to have a local girlfriend
Welcome to Finland. I live in a place where you dont see much people who aren't native, but when I see a person who is black or of some other ethnicity, I usually do lay notice to them but in my mind i just usually think "I hope he/she doesnt feel uncomfortable being here" :) So if you catch someone staring, this is probably their thoughts.
Hey and welcome to Finland! I've followed a few youtubers of different countries of origin for a while now. I just found your channel and It's always so cool to see how respectful people are when they come to live here. I don't think you are going to have any problems with your positive attitude. Looking forward to seeing more content from you and if you ever decide to come visit southern Finland be sure to swing by Pori and our Yyteri beach.
Most definitely
I live just few kilometers from Yyteri..It has expanded alot and now has even a padel courts ... @giobozz welcome to Finland and winter can be harsh.. Like others said take vitamin D it helps in winter..
Moral of the story: Be kind and welcoming towards everyone, no matter who you are. I live in Helsinki, and I find myself nodding my head or saying hi to foreigners and most of the time it really brightens up their day (as well as mine). In Finland, we don't great each other as loudly or energetically as in other countries, but usually just a simple nod can make a strangers day better.
Most definitely
Don't set your expectations too high. Finns are just people. There are all kinds of people. It is just that what Americans call Back/White/... such division is not so deeply relevant for most of us and in our society. We don't ask people to choose some outdated racial identity, as is done in U.S.
The sensitive cultural and other divisions are different in Finland from what they are in USA. Minorities exist, but they are not colour coded😉
The left is going to do their best do force people into these racial identities. They’re already trying to do the gender neutral language, which is funny considering Finnish is already gender neutral.
@@Lilliz91 Finnish vocabulary isn't gender neutral. This shouldn't be confused with the other structures of a language.
Left /Right rhetorical division is heritage of outdated thinking, which is an attempt to simplify political thinking to one dimensional slogans. It is still much used especially in inherently dual party systems. In Finland it works badly, but is still used like many others political labels.
I'm from Scotland and lived in Kuala Lumpur for a year. I didn't live in a touristy area, I lived in a flat in amongst the locals and was the only white person I ever saw in my area. It took me a while to get used to the dead pan staring, where even if they saw me watching them stare they still did it. When going to local shops, having groups of men watching me intently while they sat having coffee in the streets, were my most nerve wracking times walking alone. They never smiled which made it feel more intimidating. I eventually found that if I smiled and nodded acknowledging them, I got a smile back and after a while they nodded before I did. I had a lot of culture shocks as well but as you said, just be respectful and try to be understanding of that. It wasn't always easy especially being a woman too but I mostly have very positive memories.
In short - don't be obnoxious. Treat others as you would like to be treated. :)
Welcome to Finland, happy to hear you enjoy it.
I was once in Inari (north Finland) driving around and camping. I fancied a liter of milk (no fridge so, consume immediately). I went into town, spotted a small supermarket, went in. I was immediately spotted as a tourist/foreigner, although I look like a northern European too. Probably the cashier lady knew all faces in town, and thought, wait, I don't know you. She immediately told her boss who intercepted me. He started to translate into English every single product on the shelves in the supermarket. My friend stayed outside and wondered why it took me half an hour to grab a liter of milk. I felt very embarrased that I only needed a pack of milk..... I mean, too much hospitality can also be a bit awkward. I love Finns.
Right! That's it, they know everyone in these small towns (and even in some midsize towns) and may stare just because they know you're not local.
:D Nice/funny story
I think he just didn’t wanna miss the opportunity to use his locally great English skills :D Super adorable
Cool, nice to hear Finland hasn't treated you badly this far. Hopefully it keeps going well, and the more you learn, listen, and adapt, the more Finns will respect you back. I'm especially looking forward to more language learning videos in the future! Well done for using even single words of Finnish already, just keep building on that and you'll get there. Hyvin menee, jatka samaan malliin!
It could be useful to remember that in different cultures the norms of looking at other people aren't the same. So it could be that what for a American could be a too long lasting look is not the same for local people in Finland.
Similar differences existing also in verbal communication. It is easy to misinterpret the intentions of people from different cultures because of these differences in verbal and nonverbal communication or behavior.
Very true
Happy to hear that you are having a good time here!
Remember to save up for some GOOD winter clothes. With good clothes, you still can do a lot of things in the winter.
Looking forward to seeing you skiing in the hard winter.
I’d be so cool to do that honestly 😁
Where as in some countries the people are proud about their own language, Finns often are proud about their ability to speak English. This sometimes can be problematic if you want to learn Finnish. If you're having difficulties pronouncing Finnish words, you'll find yourself chatting in English real quick as Finns know how difficult their language is and do not expect you to know it, so they often switch to English to make it easier for you.
But if you actually manage to learn Finnish, you're 100% going to surprise locals :D
Im a finn who was living in southeast asia for about 2 years. People definitely stare when you really look foreign. Newer felt like it was offensive in any way and glad you dont feel like it either. Its just human nature to pay more attention to someone looking different I guess. Especially if people are not very used to it. It really does not mean anything negative!
I was worried at the beginning that this video would go in a whole other direction 😬
Intentional 😭
Also I could’ve put another clip to start the video, I’m sure more people would be extremely scared of the direction 😂
Your experience mirrors mine, "going local" in Central African Republic. Being the only white person walking down the street in the poorest country in the World in the middle of a civil war of course got attention. _Lots_ of attention. But never any negative kind. Guns and machetes everywhere, but not even a mean look. Just heard the word _munju_ a lot (white person, can be good or bad depending on tone and context) and naturally kids liked to come check out the "alien". There were other white NGO types in their Land Cruisers and Range Rovers, but it took me two years to come across two other guys actually walking down the street. Now when some one says I couldn't _possibly_ understand what it is like to be different, I just smile and have a quiet laugh inside. Good luck with your escapade in Finland!
I’m so glad I came across your video. Planning to apply to study in Finland this Autumn cz of less expensive tuition fees and I’m scared too but this video has made me feel a bit okay. Hoping for the best🤞🏾
I must say, learning to speak fluent Finnish is quite a challenge! :D
Yeah I love challenges
Being black in the Nordic world is now no longer a novelty. It's not the USA. It's different and most Finns like everyone detest racism. Let's focus on harmony rather than differences.
Welcome to Finland! Happy to hear it's been good so far :)
Kiitos!
I guess they are looking at you and thinking "Wow, that's a handsome young man. Wonder where he's from?"
:-)
Much Love from Germany. Do your thing Bro
From watching you react to videos about Finland to seeing that you have moved here. Awesome! Enjoy and i hope you stick around!
Very nice to hear this. As a black dude I've always been enchanted by snow ❄️ right from childhood. My dream was to settle down in Rovaniemi. Though I've watched several videos on Rovaniemi and I was scared when I hardly see blacks in the clips. Your words are indeed touching, once a human spirit is pure, bonding with others irrespective of race becomes inevitable. I really love the Finnish culture as well. I hope to be in Finland very soon 💕.
If you love the Finnish culture
The snow and other things that will clearly make you love Finland
Focus on those things and not the differences
It’s the love that you have that will allow others who are different to socialize with you and the love prevents us to focus on what’s different
Trust me Finn’s are great
You’ll find horrible Finn’s the same way you can find horrible people in every country but I’m so sure you’ll love it here once you realize they might look at you because you’re different but not because they’re disgusted
Im born and raised in Finland, and as some others have said in the comments here, we don't judge someone purely on their skincolor, your skincolor doesnt make any difference as long as you are a nice person and contribute to society, if a person of a different race comes here and commits crime and other stuff that cause them to become a burden to society, then that person might be called som racial slurs and stuff, but aslong as you dont do anything bad, you should be just fine
Of course there are some people who just assume that everyone of a certain race are bad people, every country in the world has their "bad apples" but overall, those people are quite rare here in Finland
Great video 👍 I didn't think you'd run into racism problems in Finland. The Finns are above that. Have a great time brother.
Kiitos
No. We finns totally are not above it. There is racism here, more in small willages, big cities are more heterogenic and open. But big majority of people here are anti racists. Glad you are here! 😁
Good vid! It is always interesting to hear about foreigners' experiences and interactions in Finland!
In my opinion us Finns, especially in the north don't judge a book by its cover.
But we are also endlessly curious. Because our country can seem boring or stale to us. We don't ask where someone who looks different is from with malicious intent, but instead just because we are curious and since we suck at small talk, that's a good conversation opener.
What do you think?
As you live up north, I recommend eventually getting "natural lights" or whatever it's call and stock up on lot of vitamin A and D. The darkness is a lot for us natives too, and I've heard it's a bit worse for people with dark skin. If you start feeling a bit tired or "off" in February/March, a week in sunlight in a beach-y country might help.
Absolutely, everyone living here in the North needs a Vit D supplement, but especially people with darker complexion.
@@NarnianLady really? Because there is no light during some periods of year?
It took me 10-12 years to be "fluent" in english, and I still have an accent, all though I never tried to learn away from it really. By any measurement finnish is more complex language than english, which has nightmarish pronunciation. It's good to have goals, but don't beat yourself up if you don't reach the fluent status in 1 year. Kudos if you do.
Kiitos
Doubt I’ll be fluent but I hope to at least be able to engage in a conversation or at least understand most of what I’m
Hearing 😢
I cannot imagine permanently living in a country where I could not become more or less fluent on at least a very good intermediate level in the long run... I believe you can't really feel at home. Language is the key to integration.
@@GIOBOZZ Nah you are a smart guy, you'll learn it. It's just a lot of work, and might take a bit longer than expected. I'm sure that if you put your mind and the work to it, you can hold a conversation in a year. As soon as your able maybe read books in finnish so you can grow your vocabulary, might need a dictionary tho. ':D
I know some exchange students who have learned to speak pretty good Finnish in half a year so it's definitely doable. Not easy tho.
@@GIOBOZZ That is going to be tough, not because you do not understand the language, but because Finns switch to English the second they notice someone is struggling. Put your foot down and tell you want to learn. We are equally eager to teach the language.
It's awesome to hear that you've enjoyed your time so far. We do have our share of racism and racial prejudice here as well though. It stems from long running historical relationships so being black is not all that big of an "issue" here then it might be back in the States. The vast majority of Finns are an open minded and welcoming bunch that actually loves getting to know foreigners and learning about other cultures.
The problems start to emerge when there are two or more sizeable groups of distinctly different people.
Good luck with mastering the finnish language. Even the Finns can't completely master it😅
I am a finn so.....
Thanks for this video! It was eye-opening.
Way to make me scared 😭
I definitely won’t ever master it but I hope to achieve enough to have basic conversation fluently and freely
@@GIOBOZZ Don't worry. You'll be fine.
Welcome to Finland! Great video btw.!
My advice in northern Finland is to avoid going to Kärkkäinen as the owner Juha Kärkkäinen is far-right and has connections to the neo-nazi group vastarintaliike, besides whatever they sell you can get from any other store.
Welcome to Finland! I would love to see the midsummer vlog! I love seeing foreigners' reactions/experiences partaking in our traditions 😇
Nice video. I'm actually quite relieved. In the beginning I was worried you ran into one of our idiots (we do have some) and the video would be about that. But glad you've had a good time. Welcome and thank you for your assessment. You will find (if you haven't already) that one big aspect of Finns is that we are super interested in what people think about us :)
Tips for leaning the language. 1. Learn as many words as you can. Start by making a list of words you think you might need in your daily life, and learn those. 2. Bending the words comes as second, that part is a nightmare. But you do get understood just with the basic words, and that is the most important part. Most finns dont care if you make mistakes, they probably can still get what you meant. 3. Always pronounce the double-vocals. That is the number one mistake foreigners make, they cut the words shorter. If it is written 'Kiitos', but you pronounce 'Kitos'... It is ok to exasperate, and say 'Kiiiiitos', rather than cutting it too short.
Historically, Finns haven't had a lot of great experiences with strangers coming to Finland (read: invasions :P ) so I'd say we're culturally wary of all strangers, doesn't matter what skin color the person has. The other thing is that Finland has aways been seen as this cold, dark and almost inhospitable, backwards place so not a lot of people from different cultures visit us (or at least, didn't used to) so there are a lot of places in Finland where people have never seen a person of color in real life. So it's not really such a strange thing when a finnish person stares at a person of a different skin color, they do it both our of curiosity and out of wariness. If you stay and you show that you respect our culture and our traditions and aren't here to force a change then you become one of us, no matter your skin color. I think that's how most finns see it. Of course, there ARE racists here too, like there are racists in every other country on this planet. Welcome to Finland!
Learn to say, "What you looking at?" fluently in Finnish, that'll surprise them.
@@peterc.1618 That will be perceived as a threat for most Finns. Usually people who want to fight say things like that so it's a quick way to get stabbed
@@peterc.1618 lol "Vittuuks tuijotat?"
@@iamthedevilsadvocate aahaha
@@59Lemony I always say that, if somebody is staring me. I don't want to fight with anyone :D
During winter just remember to take your vitamin d. Everyone needs it no matter their skin colour.
Thank you young brother for your knowledge ,im a 60 year old black man married trying to figure out where to retire,you make it sound pretty good
In Nigeria, west Africa (where I live), white people are looked at. As a matter of fact even if you have one black parent and the other white (meaning you are mixed) Nigerians would still look at you. The reason is, most people have never seen a white person in real life or have only seen a white person once or twice in their lives. We only have maybe 2% or less than two percent who aren't black (indians, Arabs and few white people).
Im happy that you haven't met racism. Young childs will shout but they don't know how to behave. I'm so sad about racism and hope we can fight to end that
Welcome to Finland! I have to say this. Most foreigners find it quite hard to grasp finnish language. And I don’t blame them. But, if you are willing to learn it, you will succeed. And as in any country now we love you because we can communicate in kind of ”normal” ways. So, use it, learn it, use some more. I’ve seen some turkish people learn finnish in a year so darn well, I thought they were born here. But then again no-one expects it to happen that fast. I’d say it’s miracle. Peace&Love
Thats bc Finnish and Turkish are thought to come from the same family of languages, the Altaic family.
Finland is amazing. Glad you doing good there. Any plans on going on a trip to Sweden?
Sweden is a must
Not sure when but for sure
@@GIOBOZZ Visit Stockholm while the weather is nice!
Happy to hear you have had good time here so far! 😊
I am a tri-racial American. I married a Finnish woman in 1972 and have lived here most of the time since. I made a big mistake in not insisting that my wife settle somewhere else with me right from the beginning. I noticed that I was treated badly from the start, but having lived in six countries and loved all of them, I thought learning the language, playing by the rules, and being a nice guy would be enough. In Finland, it is not. I lived in the American south in the 1950s, and the Finnish attitude reminds me of what that was like. They do not have the two drinking fountains side by side, nor the three restrooms, but their attitude is exactly the same toward all foreigners as it was towards blacks there and then.
But I have tried to get along, ignored the second-class treatment and ignored the verbal abuse, and been upbeat, like I see so many Africans here trying to do. The last straw was when I went to the trouble of translating into English the 19th-century hymnal of Malmivaara and being denounced for it on public media and seeing how Finns once again close ranks and give me hell. My wife is just too old to make the move anywhere. She could not survive it, so I am stuck here. Abandon this place while you can, because no matter how nice you are or how hard you try, it is just going to get worse and worse.
Glad to hear that your experience has been positive thus far!
Everywhere just respect the local habits and culture.
I usually don't talk too much to black people here in Finland (Africans mostly be default) because I don't know their culture so its hard to know how to find that chemistry and connection. It's just easier to talk to people I know. Here we rarely talk to strangers anyway if we don't have a good reason 🤷🏼♂️✌🏼
So no it's not racism or disrespect.. more like respecting their culture and trying not to make anyone uncomfortable.
Good stuff dude. Keep working hard and being the difference maker!
cue the Obama giving himself a medal -meme 😄
welcome to Finland. I am happy to see you are here. I have followed your other channel
Glad you have had good experiences here, my aunt is married to an immigrant from morocco, he's a real nice fella too. We do look at foreigners cause they really stick out, I can believe that but I don't think anybody is gonna trouble you even if they are prejudiced, we've kinda learned not to meddle in other people's business.
That's very much achievable goal you have with your language skills. Ambitious, but very much achievable. As a tip I want to offer two pieces of advice (credentials: I studied for five years to become an English teacher, I have no real specialized skills in teaching Finnish.)
Number one, do not get hung up on pronunciation too much. There are very few bits of Finnish where pronunciation really matters and change the meaning of what you say. Concentrate on figuring out double vowels (Vaara vs Vara, Kaari vs Kari, etc) and double consonants (Lakki vs Laki, Talli vs Tali etc) and let the rest come naturally over time. Finns will understand what you're saying even if your pronunciation is a bit off, but these kinds of double letters are, to my understanding, mostly lacking from English, and can change the meaning of the word on occasion, so grasping the difference quickly will make you sound _a lot_ more like a native speaker.
Secondly, don't obsess over the suffixes too much early on. Yes there's a difference between -ssa and -lla (Talossa vs Talolla) and you should strive to use the proper one, but the majority of the time if a Finn claims he/she couldn't understand you because of the choice of suffix you used, they're taking the piss out of you. :D The nuances will come to you in time, and obsessing over getting it right every time too early on will just turn your brain into mush and take valuable time from broadening your vocabulary in general.
I know if you take language courses there'll be a heavy emphasis on the grammar side of learning, as there should be. Just try to remember, you don't have to speak 100% perfectly or correctly for a Finn to start beaming a wide smile at you, they'll be _extremely_ impressed that you're even making an effort. We know our language is hard to wrap ones head around, and will enjoy helping you on your journey, especially if you ask for the practice in speaking. If you don't ask to speak Finnish, we might swap to English, thinking we're being accommodating, but if you ask and insist, you'll get a conversation practice partner probably from anywhere.
Good luck!
Agreed. Especially the double vowels and consonants. They often change the meaning of words, so you will get odd looks with that easily. For example: tapaa vs tappaa (to meet vs to kill), mato vs matto (worm vs carpet), kuura vs kura (frost vs mud) and tuuli vs tuli (wind vs fire).
I would think most of the double letters, both vowels and consonants have a different meaning depending if you drop or add a double letter. Taking a dictionary and just picking a word and adding a double letter to a random place might be a fun way to learn new words.
Welcome to Finland buddy! You seem like a really good guy :)
I definitely try my best to be
I met my only group of Finns in New York City in the 1960's and they were the most friendly group of people that' I've ever met in my life after the black people in my church in Durham NC. How I found this video was after watching a short on TV about Finland I remembered my positive Finn introduction and relationships. Thank you for making this video as I'm now thinking of taking a trip to Finland which I think I will enjoy. I love traveling.
Lol I stay in Raleigh I want to visit Fin
Hey man, i like your positive attitude to life,from your experience i can see you are a tourist, i,ve been here in finland for 15 years and i actually have a Finnish citizenship,, trust me my friend their a dark side to Finland and it's not talked about, But your positive attitude will shine true. so stay strong and be positive.
Welcome to Finland. What a great positive attitude you have. Your viewpoints are also spot on. I hope you enjoy it here. Edit: When the winter comes, don't forget to take your vitamin D supplements during that time.
Findland is great for black africans too. I know many of them who went to finland and made it BIG
Welcome 🇺🇸🤝🇫🇮 Glad you like it here.
Somehow I remembered you at the cashier of my local grocery store. I was served by a young Finnish speaking lady, who has clearly much darker skin tone than yours. She could have called herself black much more justifiably than you.
But when you say Black, you mean Black American, which is much much more a cultural identification than anything else.
This young Finnish lady wasn't American and probably had nothing to do with American cultural divisions or identities.
But I am sure she was fully aware of her physical attributes. All young ones always are. She would probably identify herself with POC. I don't know her. And I surely wouldn't ask her to choose any identities or descriptions just to satisfy my curiosity.
You might ask why I still called her a Finn. It is the way she used our language, which makes me see her as one of us, a Finn, even though she might have some other nationality, identity etc.
Hey!
As a black Finnish woman I dont find this video to be rude or unpleasant. You are just sharing your experience. I am glad you have great time in here!
Racism towards black people usually is more passive aggressive. The more you are here and learn language the more you will understand.
I see many white Finnish in the comments are talking about their perspective on racism in Finland. Majority of them just dont know or have not seen racism enough.
My advice to you and every BIPOC who wants to move to Finland keep realistic attitude and try to make Finnish friends :) Good luck!
Totally understand
Also racism is definitely in Finland in plain sight and also hidden
For a person like me who’s less social it’s very rare for me to ever notice racism of experience since I’m Likely always home or with Finn’s I know and trust!
The most American thing is to regonize peoples skin color. In Finland only drunk people over 50 will see your skin color.
Most of us aint that bad 😊 . When you get to know us then fun starts. Welcome m8.Hope you enjoy your stay ❤. Wise words btw. Kitos is enough 😂
It's great to hear you're having a good time. 👍
I like you positive and somehow down to earth approach on things. I'm glad you've liked it here in Finland and I hope you'll have many more good experiences still (I know this is a three month old post at the time of me writing this).
What comes to people looking at you, especially up north, I would say it's all about curiosity. I don't think there that many black people up in the northern parts of Finland, of course excluding cities like Rovaniemi or Oulu etc.
Yeah worry not
I understand
Also I’ve seen only 2 other blacks who were darker than I am and I literally haven’t seen again lol
And I’ve seen a dude who’s Finnish but he’s mixed so lighter than I am and I’ve never seen them again 😂
What town are you living in if i may ask? Or what region? Welcome to Finland anyways! :)
Watch a lot Finnish TV shows and RUclipsrs and you'll learn pronounciation from there even if you don't know what the words mean. And remember, Finns always appreciate that you even try to speak Finnish.
Your compass is set with the right direction to go. I can let you know as someone that speaks another language being able to take customs not usual to your own will be crucial to your language learning priority goal.
With that being said I hope you represent well and wish you safe travels.Thank you for sharing.
The complaints about the 'gloomy' weather usually came from locals and so far the only consistent 'downside' of living there. Imagine how unproblematic the environment there that the complaints were just literally about the weather.
Funny thing is, when it’s warm they want it to be cold. When it’s cold they want to be warm. 😂😅 we Finns are a bit of a complainers.
We can give you a 1300km border with russia if you want. Free if charge.
@@inso80 No you can't give it to anyone even if you wanted
@@mixlllllll It could be done, given purpose and political will, but yeah, I don't see that happening.
We will manage.
First time watching your videos. Soon as you said SC I liked and followed.
The "racism" you see in Europe for the most part is not actually "racism" as people don't have anything against skin color for example, it is usually more due to culture and that happens to people of any race.
I'd say the most disliked group around Europe is gypsies for this exact reason, culture, they set up camps in places of historical value, many of their kids don't study, in some countries when a gypsy person graduates they make the news because of how uncommon it is, some countries have offered them housing which was refused as they are kinda nomadic people.
Essentially, no matter who you are, as long as you adapt to the culture of where you are going or at least don't clash with it, you'll probably be fine.
I totally agree
The word racism is freely thrown around and it’s honestly taking the true meaning out of the word and the true pain away from the ones who went through it
In the day and age we live in
Everything a person of a different race does is considered racism once it’s bad
If someone loses their job
It’s either sexism or racism
No one is accountable for their actions anymore it’s now a victimizing blame game!
I think a lot of the racism in Finland is more based in ignorance than hate. You find a lot of people believe stereotypes just because they haven't had much exposure -- a lot like rural parts of the USA.
Agree
If you're worried about the winter in Finland, find a jogging track and start using it today. Doesn't need to be a long one, just long enough to get your blood pumping. The cold hits with far less intensity if you've made it a habit to get your muscles all heated up.
Again, no need to worry about "sports" or "performance", just get the muscles warm. Enjoy the track and nature while at it.
Doing stuff like jumping jacks or burpees works great as well, but at least for me personally, jumping jacks etc is a bit too easy to "forget" to do since you can do them "whenever".
I'm so happy you enjoy Finland my brother, I would have liked to go myself if not for the cold weather. As someone with a low iron problem I have to settle for warmer or mild temperatures which sucks. Anyway enjoy your life there in Finland.
Finland has more than 50 k people from Africa .. Helsinki region is very diverse
East Helsinki is almost 50/50 whites-blacks
People care less about race but they do wary people if they know they come from else were. Reason for it is because they don't know your values and personality yet. For example fastest way to make finnish guys dislike/hate you would be by being extremely assertive/aggressive or bold with women in player like manner. Same applies to lot of women as well. In Finland the dating culture is very different from other countries and usually people do the slow game or wait for women to make the move. But if you show that you're man of honor and be respectful toward people (not same as submissive) then you will find friends faster than other foreigners who still behave according to the customs of their own country.
The small stare is "Finnish scanning" for unknown person. We don't stare skin color, we stare actions and behaviour. I do it even for unknown Finnish persons - the scanning. 🤣
This goes back for centuries... Way before War days(WW2)
have you visited public sauna in Finland? u should try it and try to speak with someone. It might make your day haha. AND WELCOME :)
See you tryna get me embarrassed 😭😂
@@GIOBOZZ no no no! i really ment it! we finnish people talk too much in saunas and its kinda fun hahah :D it wasnt joke or anything.
Being loud is one of the worst things you can do in Finland. Talking loudly in a phone, playing music or videos out loud, screaming, yelling without a reason etc. I guess this is a lot more common to do in other parts of the world as it's usually immigrants doing this. It's a bad start and everyone should be warned before getting here that we are as quiet as we can be except for few exceptions (if you're on fire, feel free to scream).
There are always racists but I'd say most of us are just apprehensive until we see that you are a good person.
We are all just people. Skin color matters not, being a good person does.
I got shouted at by a middle-aged Finn for studying ICT. Calling me things such as a hipster and a communist. There seem to be a lot of conservatives in Finland. Particularly in the middle age groups. I don't know if this is an isolated incident of juvenoia, but I think some people can be quite assertive about their beliefs in Finland. You possibly should be careful of people who oppose immigration because they default to you wanting to live off government handouts and drying out the Finnish economy.
That’s definitely possible
People are ignorant and judgmental
I’d never assume there’s no one in Finland like that
I definitely made that clear in the video
But also I totally agree regarding the matter of handouts, the sad part is A lot of people do that but I’m sure everyone doesn’t but I surely didn’t come to Finland for any of reasons except the one and only reason I’ve haven’t shared with many as yet!
There are not that many conservatives in Finland, they're just loud minority. What you need to do is just ignore them and let them die in their misery.
@@GIOBOZZ Was there something on your IG a while back that could give a hint about the reason? (Now there's nothing else than in stories).
Actually yes!
The reasons is something no one is focusing on even tho I’ve said it many times that I didn’t even knew Finland the way I know it now 3 years ago and I also only knew the name of the country (Finland, the capital Helsinki) I didn’t know that Helsinki was in Finland either so yeah soon I’ll tell the reason
You are lying, and you know it. Noone shouts at you for studying ICT - unless that person is mentally ill. Add to that your "hipster and communist" comment, which is just idiotic. Thus, there are only two possibilities: 1) you are lying through your teeth, or 2) that person was mentally ill.
But, what was your point anyway?
most finnish people dont give a shit how u look. Most important thing is rispect the rules, do your job and be kind.
I'm happy to hear that. There is racism in Finnland too, but I think, it is not institutionalized like in the US.
Wery good video!! Subscribe is in. You are a good man, wellcome to Finnland! Somehow I think that you are allready a Finn from the inside. 😉 Try to learn some of the language. That will help you a lot. More Sauna and the Finnish Sisu and you will be good!! And you will survive the winter. Its not that bad. 😉💪
I really want to know what if feels like moving to a completely different place on another side of the plant. Im so jealous, but I love that youre enjoying living here in Finland. Finns really appreciate little things and "foreign" people speaking even a tiny bit of finnish will make their day, keep it up.
Have to say, finns really dont care colour of other peoples. We dont look that kind of things. We dont care our or others looks other ways either, like clothes. That just what kind od we are. So if somebody looks you, they are only interested to hear your story where you come from. Like that swede said earlier, people would look even if you would be white. Because they would still want to know your story where you come from. It has nothing to do with skin colour. You know what i mean?
And personally I'm really glad that you are here in Finland. I love watching your youtube videos, thanks for those. 😊
12 years in Finland now, I may have encountered racism once or twice? I'm black as well, so I would know if it happened. Finns are really wonderful people, I do live near Helsinki so I was prepared for a bit more animosity.
Welcome to happiest country in world!!!! Nekeri ❤
A great video again! Here's a hot tip for getting your Finnish language going: find some music that you like where they sing in Finnish. Listen a lot and sing along shamelessly! It is going to help you get the vibe and flow of the language. My Swedish husband is rather partial to the Finnish rapper Paleface, which has helped his learning a lot. The most important thing is that you have to like the music, otherwise it's going to be torture! I've used this myself when learning languages (English, Spanish, German, Italian) and my kids speak a lot better Finnish since I got them to listen to Finnish music. Me and my kids were born in Sweden and we've never lived in Finland. Best of luck!
I'm so happy to hear that you have enjoyed Finland and finns so far:D I definitely have the habit of looking at people who don't look like native finns for a bit too long but it's just out of curiosity. I am definitely intrigued by things I don't see everyday:D For the winter, I'm sure you will survive it beautifully. The first weeks might be tough getting used to the cold, but it's the same for most of us. Good luck!
Ok so basically Finland has a lot of dark skinned people and normally they don't have bad experiences so really sorry this country is normally silent and they don't like socialising with anyone pretty much ...
Dude, you are lucky to be living at Sodankylä, there are the Sodankylä Midnight Sun Film Festivals every summer! They show modern and vintage quality films there, its weird feeling coming out of cinema after a film at night, and the Sun shines at the sky! Heartily recommended. While Sodankylä is rather small town even in Finland scale, it is very peaceful and the nature is very close. Welcome to Finland, man!