After my Finnish final exam today I took a bus home, but since nobody was at home so early and the bus stop is located about 5 kilometers away from our house, I started to walk. The sun was shining, it is still white everywhere and it wasn't too cold, so it was really nice. However, after maybe 1,5 kilometers of going by foot, a neighbour drove by and stopped the car. He asked where I'm going and told me to jump in. This is a perfect example of what we do here. I don't know that neighbour that well at all, but everybody knows basically who lives and where and it is almost automatic and obvious that we help each other.
Whenever I go for a walk or drive somewhere and see someone who also lives here, we wave or greet each other. And note, for me everyone who lives within 3 kilometers from our house is considered a neighbour. I guess people greet their closest neighbours also in the city, but here it is different, we might even stay and talk for a while. "It was minus 27 degrees celcius at our place this morning, what about you?" Young, old, we all get along. This is very nice I think, and especially since we are reserved Finnish people, I appreciate it a lot. I guess what I am talking about is everyday life somewhere abroad, but to me this is not obvious behaviour.
Anyway, I just want to say that little things like offering a ride can really cheer up your day and make you glad. And it is definitely much nicer to get a smile or a greeting from the person walking by instead of a wandering look to the opposite direction. Life in the countryside is good.
Here's a song that always brings a good feeling and some sunshine even to a cloudy day, combined with one of the best tv-shows ever.
Ei kommentteja:
Lähetä kommentti