TALLINN, MILAN, WARSAW, COPENHAGEN, BEIJING, CULVER CITY, HELSINKI Finland has already basked in the reputation of the world’s happiest country seven times in a row. For Finns, it can cause astonishment but also pride.
In Finland, our happiness is well known, but do foreigners know it too?
asked people in Estonia, Italy, Poland, Denmark, China and the United States what they know about Finland and what thoughts Finland’s first place in the happiness survey evokes in them.
Something to learn in Estonia about the attitude of Finns?
From Tallinn Mari Virkus33, knows about Finland, among other things, that it is even colder and darker here than in Estonia, the school year is a little longer and Independence Day is in December.
– And I know that there are a lot of churches in one area in Helsinki. I got lost among them once, when Mobiilidata didn’t work abroad yet. They all looked the same!
Virkus finds it amazing that Finland is number one in the happiness comparison.
– It’s a bit funny, because I think a large part of the sadness is due to the dark and cold, and it’s even a little darker and colder in Finland. But it’s really great!
– Maybe here it would be worthwhile to take a closer look at what Finns do differently. We could find more joy and reach a little higher in the happiness comparison than the 30+ position we are currently in, Virkus states.
Reindeer, northern lights, saunas and good social security
On Wednesday, Italian newspapers reported extensively on the selection of Finland as the happiest country in the world. Finland has seen more and more in the Italian media anyway, so the former prime minister Sanna Marinifor joining NATO than for its education system.
Milanese Martina Dona34, has not been to Finland, but knows a bit about the country.
– It is a Northern European country. There is a lot of sauna, and part of the year it is really dark. There are northern lights and reindeer.
According to Donà, Finns’ happiness is connected to beautiful and clean nature and the services provided by the welfare state.
– Compared to Italy, there is certainly less bureaucracy and things work better.
Donà admires Finland’s social security and education.
– They say parental leave is longer than in Italy, working life is more humane and the salary level is better. I read somewhere that university studies are supported more, and there is funding for doctoral level studies as well. Unlike here in Italy.
Finnish education and Santa Claus are celebrated in Varova
From Warsaw Kuba Fadinski know that Finland is a developed country, recently joined NATO, the capital is Helsinki and it is very cold in Finland.
– I have heard that the Finnish education system is very good. Some of our politicians compare the Polish education system to Finland. They say that Finland is the Mecca of education, 20-year-old Fadinski says.
A Ukrainian studying in Warsaw Anastasia Listnytsia21, has been to Finland and says he really likes Finland and all the Nordic countries.
The happiness of Finns is self-evident to him:
– Of course Finland is the happiest country in the world! That’s where Santa Claus and reindeer are.
Melancholy winters and good education
Finland knocked Denmark off the top of the world happiness statistics seven years ago, and since then the country has firmly held onto the silver spot.
Finland does not appear in the Danish media often, and people regret their little knowledge of the northern neighbor. However, Finnish education has a good reputation. In addition, the Danes have warmly welcomed Finland to NATO.
Copenhagener Ditte Norgard know that Finland is the happiest country in the world. He has been to Finland and says he likes Finland a lot.
– I hope I can get there again.
Norgard even likes Finnish winters:
– There is something melancholy about your winters, which I like very much.
In his opinion, Finland’s NATO membership is good for both Finland and Denmark. He considers Finland’s history in relation to its big eastern neighbor, the Soviet Union, to be wonderful.
– I really take my hat off to you.
Happy and safe, but also a little bored?
On the streets of Beijing, Finland’s ranking as the happiest country in the world once again is news.
The Chinese media has not reported on the happiness survey in recent years, possibly because China does not rank high in the comparison.
Someone who works as an entrepreneur in the cosmetics industry Johnny the choice was not surprising. His friends who have visited Finland have praised the country.
– It really sounds like a happy and safe country, says Johnny.
He would like to take a trip to pure Finland for a couple of weeks, but the idea of a longer stay in the Nordic country does not excite the entrepreneur who has spent his whole life in the crowded city of Beijing.
– Is it a bit of a boring place in the long run? Johnny ponders.
A 38-year-old working in the financial sector Wei says that he has read and heard about Finland’s high standard of living, clean air and good food.
– Finland is clean and has a lot of space because there are so few residents. That’s great, he commented.
Not so surprising after all?
Wade Contreras Culver City, California knows where Finland is and that it is cold in Finland. He has also heard of a young woman as Prime Minister of Finland, although he does not remember Sanna Marini’s name.
He has not been to Finland, but he is not surprised that Finns are the happiest in the world.
– I’ve been to Europe a couple of times, and I’m not surprised that people are happier there than in the United States, unfortunately. I wish we were ranked higher here.
He can’t say the exact reason for his happiness.
– I don’t know, maybe they drink more vodka or something, Contreras laughs.