I arrived in Finland almost one month ago and culture shock has definitely set in. Culture shock is something that everybody is likely to experience at some point in their life whether it is through travelling or simply being somewhere that is out of their comfort zone. It can be described as a disorientation brought on by differences in culture, attitudes and an unfamiliar way of life.
The Finnish culture is very different to that of England and I think the biggest challenge, apart from the language, has been the transition from London to the small city of Pori.
During my first week here, I bought a bicycle along with all the other Erasmus students and I found it very strange that it was acceptable to cycle on the pavement, as in England this is illegal.
I enjoy cycling but I am missing the London underground and how quick and easy it usually is to get around.
Despite feeling in a state of culture shock I am trying to immerse myself in the culture and combat homesickness. One of our lecturers took us Nordic walking in the forest and we walked 11 km stopping only for a quick sandwich and some juice.
Finns really enjoy spending their summer in log cabins by the lake and we decided to make use of the weather and travelled to Ahalainen where we stayed in a beautiful cabin for the weekend, we went fishing and spent time on a rowing boat on the lake, it was extremely relaxing after a busy and stressful few weeks.
Another Finnish culture is Sauna so when myself and the other exchange students met in Rauma for a get together day I decided to try it out. We went into the sauna and then into the Baltic sea which was freezing and then back into the sauna. It was actually really refreshing and I'm really glad I did it.
Overall, I think that culture shock is a natural state and it is important to try and keep busy to combat the feeling of being overwhelmed and I'm sure that soon enough I will adjust to the Scandinavian way of life!
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