lone wolf in lone wolf country

No gold for Finland these Winter Olympic Games. But...

The nation with most Olympic medals, throughout the history of the Olympic Games, is… Finland! If you count medals per capita, Finland is way, way ahead of any other nation. I read this with delight in Richard D. Lewis’ fascinating book Finland, Cultural Lone Wolf, a much-needed comfort after many Olympic disappointments this year.

This book makes me grow an inch or so as a Finn. The author (who is English) claims Finland ranks among the top few countries for global competitiveness, economic creativity, environmental sustainability, network readiness, water resource management, minimal bureaucracy, and least corruption. So there. (OK, I'm not so sure about the minimal bureacracy part.)

On Finns, he says we are independent, hard working, innovative, ultra-honest, shy and love our own space. We think before we speak and what we say, we mean. Finnish women are among the most highly educated and equal in the world.

Interestingly, the author also claims the Finns have a feeling of being outsiders, on account of our geographical remoteness, weird language and a few other factors.

I am intrigued. Having lived abroad for years and noticed characteristics in me that set me apart from others, I suddenly realise at least some of these can be explaned by the fact that I am a Finn! It's comforting somehow. That feeling of being an outsider has definitely haunted me - on the other hand, it's haunting me still, here in my home country and home town.

Best of all, I just love how this book describes the Finnish female: "strong-willed, adventurous, restless, often fearless, not without charm, and decidedly in love with life." I am guilty as charged. And proud of it.