Tomorrow is the Finnish Independence Day I already began to think about it today. I had to buy some more food at my nearby grocery store as it will be closed tomorrow to honor Independent Finland. What does independent Finland mean to me? I don't have first-hand experience from wars that Finns had to fight in order to have our country independent, but learning things in history classes, hearing war stories from grandparents and seeing injured old people who have gotten their injuries in WWII and maybe lost limbs, remind me of what I can enjoy today. Things that I appreciate for having been born and raised in an independent country (especially when I was a kid):
-I didn't have to learn compulsory Russian at school. Countries that were conquered by the former Soviet Union had compulsory Russian in their study plan. Finns can choose which foreign languages to study!
-we don't have foreign soldiers here
-when I was hungry as a kid, I could eat quality meat and other food, and food purchases weren't restricted.
-Nokia was able to grow into a big capitalist company and I can use a cell phone made in Finland
-my mother could use disposable diapers on me when I was a baby. In Estonia still 20 years ago they only had the kind of diapers you have to wash. Well, it is cleaner for the nature, but if you are a tired mom and kids are screaming, Finnish mothers could choose the easier diapers for their babies.
-I have been able to travel abroad all my life without problems due to my Finnish citizenship.
-I have lived all my life in well-insulated homes and I don't have to freeze in winter time. This is not the case in many countries of the former Soviet Union. Also if something is broken here, it will be fixed.
This is my favorite:
-as a citizen of independent Finland, I can choose to leave if I want and move back if I want, and I won't be called a traitor of my home country
Think about this, guys. If you meet a lovely Finnish woman, her nationality won't make it impossible for her to leave Finland to live with you abroad
HYVÄÄ ITSENÄISYYSPÄIVÄÄ, SUOMI!!!
Compositions from Jean Sibelius, the Finnish national composer:
Jean Sibelius: Valse Triste
http://www.yle.fi/player/player.jsp?...isto%2F02167_4
Jean Sibelius: Finlandia
http://www.yle.fi/player/player.jsp?...isto%2F02167_3
Jean Sibelius
Pictures from WWII in Finland:
