There have been a few things that we have noticed since living in Boston that are different than the way they are done in Finland. I am not saying that one is better than the other, as I actually find myself at a strange middle. I am North American, but I have been exposed to European cultures for the past three years. In a way, I have been Finland-ized. But of course I cannot completely let go of the 28 years of North American culture exposure I had prior to our move to Europe.
For the most part, coming to Boston has helped me realize how good our life is in Finland. No offence to Boston, as it is a beautiful city full of history and pride. Particularly in Brookline, where the neighbourhood is very friendly and warm. However, there are some things here that are different.
1. They bag your groceries here for you. I have to admit this is a point for Boston, as I am pretty sure there isn't a single grocery store in Finland which will bag your groceries. They actually ask me if I want paper or plastic. It is all very strange. And since I am not used to this, I am still not aware of the etiquette of whether I am allowed to help or not.
2. On the flip side, they double bag everything and seem extremely wasteful with their plastic bags. Of course I recycle them but it still seems like such a waste. I have tried buying their reusable bags they sell at the grocery store, but they are extremely weak and break very easily. I don't think its rocket science to make reusable bags that can ACTUALLY BE REUSED!?
3. Dressing properly. I have to say, this is a big point for Finland. The common motto in Finland is that there is no such thing as bad weather, just bad clothes. If you dress properly, you can be outside and enjoy yourself no matter what Mother Nature throws at you. Middle of February we spent a day at the Childrens Museum and it happened to be a snowstorm that day. I was shocked at how many kids and adults were outside without the proper clothing. Even in April when the warmer weather was just starting to sprout, parents seemed very eager to start dressing themselves and their children in shorts and flipflops while my kids were still wearing their winter jackets. I have to ignore the thoughts that I might just be an overbearing mother and say that some people just seem a bit too eager for spring to come.
4. Lack of public nudity. The first time Maddy and I went to the public pool, the entire womens change room is surrounded by stalls. Turn the tables to Finland, where it is basically one giant room with zero stalls. Here in Boston, you can actually shower and get dressed without even a slight possibility of having a nipple slip. I would say this is a point for Finland, but one time an old woman was getting dressed in a Finnish change room and bent over her bare ass to put on her underwear right in front of my face (literally, almost hit me in my cheek with her cheek) so I think this might be a draw.
5. Food portions. Holy cow, its no wonder that North Americans are overweight. Take a typical sized meal at McDonalds in the US vs in Finland and there will be a shocking difference. The large in Finland is like a small in the US. It is gross.
6. Cash back. The grocery store and the 7/11 convenience stores offer cashback, which is wonderful when you are too busy to hit a bank machine. Plus it just counts as a normal debit card purchase so you aren't charged any special fees for using the ATMs. No waiting in Otto lineups. Point for Boston.
7. Sugar. In everything. Mostly cereals. I am not proud of this, but my kids are addicted to the North American crap food. Of course it is my fault, because Im the one who purchased the junk from the grocery store and then actually fed it to them. I am afraid of what will happen when we return to Finland, as both of the kids will be suffering from Goldfish and FrootLoops withdrawal....
8. Friendliness. I had been warned about Bostonians and how unfriendly they are. But once we got here, that rumour could not have been any less true. Everybody here has been extremely friendly towards us, even just passing you by on the street. This goes completely against Finnish culture, where you don't even make eye contact with somebody unless you know them. Makes it much more enjoyable to get up on a beautiful sunny day and have a friendly conversation with someone else who is out walking their dog, for example. One thing about Boston that I will definitely miss when we return to stark-faced Finns.
I am sure I will have more to comment after our New York City trip as well.
Kim
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