Don't you mock my nation

My sisters told me something really horrible today after they had watched a certain American tv-show where a food specialist travels around the world learning about the food culture abroad. Good show I am sure, but it is a fact that the reality basis in the Finland episode was just crap.

First of all, the episode was shot in the winter at a very wet and ugly time, which already gave a negative vibe to it. Well, there is no denying that it looks like that here sometimes, but had they shot it in the summer, it would have been so much more pleasant to watch. I guess it was just a way to emphasize how negative everything is here.

But what really pisses me off, is the way they described our nation, the image they (purposely, I am convinced) tried to give of Finnish people.

NO, we don't drink vodka with every meal, we are not drunk all the time, we have other interests in life than alcohol. Besides, vodka refers more to Russia. Finland is a whole different country, just for your information. We are not all depressed, we are not an entirely manic-depressive nation. There are also people here who are happy, clean, sober, succesfull and positive. 

This post is speaking directly to foreign people: don't believe everything you see in TV about my land. What is so ridiculous, that though they ate very traditional Finnish foods in the show (and I'm glad you liked them, you American guy), otherwise the cultural dimension was so twisted. Really, it is proved and generally known that we have one of the best education and health care systems in the world, so do you really think we get there with vodka in cereals every morning? Come on. You should have seen our healthy, FREE, daily school meals.

Please, I am asking you very nicely, if you are making a tv-show in a foreign country, try to behave according to good manners. It doesn't feel nice to us to hear the host complaining how he wouldn't even want to come here... Only because his preconceptions of the country are based on empty, false ideas. I am almost personally offended for this shocking insult towards my dear country. Generalising a whole nation to be what the very low percentage of the troubled is, is just wrong. I am sure I am not the only angry Finnish person here at the moment. 

Here's some Finnish power and beauty for you instead of the alarming and exaggerative images you might have seen in that (failed, in my opinion) episode of that show.