5 shocking differences between Finland and USA 

my shock was at uni, our library is almost at full capacity until 4, then all of a sudden, around 4.30, it gets empty. The campus looks deserted after 5 except some of us internationals roaming around 😅. Finns value their free time like crazy.

Finland is the finest place like heaven 🥺❤️

We have been conned in the US to think that our tap water is not good to drink. but it is fine almost everywhere. Good observations!

The two of you are so adorable and have such nice personalities! I'm really, really, really hoping I can visit Finland either late 2022 or 2023.

I don't know how I missed this one! I love your chemistry together and knowing some of the differences such as Finnish sandwiches. In America, we would call them open-faced sandwiches which are usually smothering in gravy or sauce! P.S. I like the Finnish sandwiches better!

I enjoyed this video a great deal, both from the standpoint of hearing about cultural differences and from having the sharing and discussion be so friendly and pleasant. There is so much divisiveness here in the USA right now and it was so fun to see you two ladies have a good time explaining some of the differences. It was very nice to bring some focus back to my Finnish heritage through Varpu's friendly and enthusiastic demeanor.

So fun & informative as always 💕 Love seeing these differences!!

I really enjoyed this video! You ladies are wonderful to watch!

I didn't know that you don't get payed extra in USA for work on Sunday... In a lot of Europe countries you get fully payed for being at home if your kid is sick... but Finland definitely has one of best working conditions in the whole world.

This was very interesting! I am American but I come from a Mexican-American family in south Texas. We drink coffee day and night here. It must always be fresh! Never microwaved. If it's been out for a bit, a fresh pot will be put on. It is customary to offer coffee to visitors and would be considered in bad taste to give them anything other than fresh. Asking for a fresh pot of coffee to be brewed in restaurants is not unheard of here at all. It's just common courtesy. Also, in my family, Christmas Eve is the big celebration for us. All gifts were opened at midnight or for those of us that attend religious services, after church or after midnight mass. Or for the young ones, they would be opened before bedtime. Christmas day was the day to be spent with immediate family at home and is meant to be a relaxing one. Another one would be ice cream...it used to come in box containers up until the early 90's perhaps. So, it is not an uncommon sight for those of us who were around back then.😊 There are other similarities to Finns but one thing I will point out is the labor laws here in the US. Unfortunately, not all employers follow them. Yes, we do and should pay differential for working overnight shifts but there are variances that should be stated in your employment contract in accordance with US labor laws. Any chances we could see you both in a live session listing more differences? I really enjoyed this!

Thanks so much for this amazing video. You both are lovely and so informative! I would love to know more about Finnish education for school children. I am a Finnish American, and my Finnish cousins choose a vocation at age 15 or 16. Here in our family, we celebrate Christmas Eve as our big holiday with dinner, church, seeing holiday lights, opening gifts to each other by the fire. Christmas morning we have stockings from Santa overfilled with small gifts and treats and have a big breakfast. Keep up the great work 💜

Ice cream always came in a box growing up in the 60s and 70s in Minnesota

Finland, Land of a Thousand Lakes. America, Land of the Free, Home of the Brave. My two favorite countries! l have citizenship in both.

Bread, butter, meat, cheese. The cheese holds open sandwhich together, and you can grab it if you want and you don't get sausage/cold cut fingers. The only exception is lenkkimakkara sandwhich with mustard.

This is a great! Planning a trip to Suomi in 2022 and I am soaking this all up! Kiitos!

thanks for the video, very detailed and unique cultural exploration

This was so fun! I am very curious to know more about Finnish sandwiches! My brain can't wrap my head around them! :)

Young Lady - your command of English is very good. I love hearing you draw out your "U"s! Thank you for your hard work on these videos. Your happy demeanor is a very nice gift. I hear Jade's drawl a little bit, being from Missouri.

American bottled water is usually from the tap, despite marketing claims. There was a news report years ago where they discussed this. You can buy distilled water in bottles, though.

Hello, I just came upon this wonderful video about US and Finland differences. Very informative! Coffee- we never microwave it and we use a Keurig single serve pot or a filtered cone drip Melitta for the best coffee ever. My grandparents were from Sweden and Finland, so my mother grew up celebrating on Christmas Eve, and that's how she raised me, and that's how we celebrate with our family. It's my favorite time of year with all the bright decorations and traditions! Thank you for your videos. I hope to one day visit the Finnish village where my grandmother was born and raised, and we still have family there 100 years later Your videos are very helpful. Kiitos!

Also the Boxing day in US is better known in Finland as Tapaninpäivä, as that day happens to be my name day as a young, I usually got some presents on that day also, apart of my christmas presents... *lol*

I am a Finn. In my family the gifts were always from Joulupukki aka Santaclaus. It just isn't a thing really to brag that 'I gave this' just like the thing that once you gave that gift it is absolutely not yours to ask after or make any comments about it's use. As for things like bottles of something alcoholic which may at times come as a gift from work friends or well others too - if your family like mine does not use any of that stuff and has no use for it - then we would simply put it in cabinet and pass on to someone else after putting in another a gift bag making sure there is no sings that someone gave it to you. Or the thing that you NEVER look at a gift horse in the mouth - meaning - you never but never complain a word about a gift if you like it or not. So if you don't - then you will just like with the alcohol in my family - simply pass the thing on to someone who can use it or may like that kind of a thing. I would really feel deeply insulted being returned a gift - cause it is not really about any object, or a thing - but about the thought that you put into taking the person in consideration.

New Zealand definitely the coffee thing same as Finland, you might get offered a cup of coffee or tea at a home visit. We have lots of ice cream tubs wouldn't think of cutting ice cream with knife. That would be different. We have 2 bits of bread for sandwich as well, we have really nice bread here in supermarkets. We have summer around Christmas time, so alot of people will camp at the beach, a BBQ is very common around Christmas time and lots of seafood.

very impressive and informative video!

Great video ladies!

Interesting video ❤ i love it 😍

In the States we use to drink from the tap some safe area they still do but it could be risky.

Tap water is great in Minnesota you don’t have to filter it, big company’s give 2 weeks vacation …….

Interesting. In the U.S. we used to (maybe 30 years ago) have ice cream in square or rectangular boxes, but I guess it isn't very common any more.

Ice cream does come in rectangular boxes in the US, or it least it did when I was a child. I don’t buy ice cream anymore. We used a scoop with it even in the box, though at a birthday party where the whole box would be used at once it would very occasionally be sliced but that was weird.

Ma’am, a note: America is pretty big with the culture of Georgia has elements that are different from other states such as Maine…Arizona.

Fun video!

The cultural concept about celebration in before and at holy days is different, because the more original Finnish traditions are more solemn and having too merry celebrations on a holly day would have been seen unrespectful. Therefore parties on the eve are a more appropriate timing for such nonsense as having fun.

Nice video ladies. You were both spot on from both country perspectives, especially the food topic. I will add one thing that I will respectfully disagree with Jade on. Here in the US, I would never microwave my coffee to heat it up. I would just brew some more. :) Question for Jade or maybe Varpu too if you are familiar with Peanut butter from the US. Is there “real” peanut butter available in Finland? It is one of my favorites here and I have not found anything similar to it in Finland when I have been there. It is much thicker here and I believe the closest thing there is VERY “liquidy”. When the time comes and my residence permit is approved, I will have to bring an extra suitcase and fill it with “Skippy” peanut butter. lol

Yes - I want to go to Lapland with my family this winter. We do hope to see auroras, but understand it’s basically good luck. I think we will plan to get there end of February or into the beginning of March in 2024.

It's not just paid vacation, you get vacation money too. It's usually roughly half of you monthly wage.

you two are adorable, lots of good information. However I would comment and say that Jade seems to be only speaking of her own knowledge about America. We are a huge country with many cultural differences within the country. With regards to Christmas vs Christmas eve it depends on the culture, most Italian Americans, and Polish Americans celebrate on Christmas eve as opposed to a big celebration on Christmas day. And with regards to work schedules, time off, vacations, maternity leave etc, again this depends on many things. If you work a 40 hour week Monday through Friday and are then asked to work a weekend you would get paid time and a half. If you are in the medical profession such as a nurse and have to work on a holiday you are paid double time. Most young people entering a profession out of college get two weeks paid vacation and usually work up to about five weeks off a year. Most companies are required to offer paid maternity leave and fathers can take paid paternity leave. Most maternity leaves are six weeks paid time off, they may apply for more time off and it is then unpaid leave. Teachers have a lot of time off but it is all unpaid, they are paid for the days they work, which is typically anywhere from 180-185 days a year depending on the district they teach in. Again, love your channel, just reminding everyone that America has a lot of cultural differences.

Nooo 🤣🤣🤣🤣 I can' t with the sandwich one😆. Isn' t it supposed to be like a book? (I mean, pages between two covers) If the cheese is not "trapped", I guess it' s a toast🤔 And refilling your water bottle from a restaurant restroom? 🤯 It speaks by itself🧚🏻‍♀️🌿⛲🌈

7:49 the tap water in Helsinki is the best water I've ever had ❤

Please note that she is describing SOUTHERN American culture. Many of the things she says is not true in the NORTH where I lived/live in NY or New England states.

Since childhood, I find strange people in faraway places fun and interesting. I think Finns are mostly nutty and would be fun to know.

Nice video ☺️

Really hope to move to Finland someday!

Now now now... that's just crazy talk! Cheese goes on top of the sandwich! And don't even get me started about the insanity of microwaving coffee!

When I was growing up much ice cream came in rectangle cartons. Now most people used the scoop on the ice cream. My dad would open up the carton and slice the ice cream. 🍨

I always drink from the tap! I should have saved my comments for after the video! Lol

I am definitely a hidden finn 😭 why can i relate so much with finnish practices.. everytime i watch your video it makes me want to move to finland even more 😭

Tap water is fine in the vast majority of places in the US. Some of it might have a high mineral content, but it's safe to drink.

That is one thing. Lauantaimakkara in the states is more for a lunch not breakfast.

not everyone in US will microwave coffee - not me, but I'm a coffee junky. I want the freshest coffee possible.

The first difference is one I love about Finns (I'm Icelandic): If a Finnish person has nothing meaningful to contribute, he/she will simply stay silent! The hidden flip side: If a Finn says something without being asked, it will be quiet and unassuming, but you had better LISTEN and HEED his/her words! There is likely a compelling reason for such "effusiveness" on behalf of a Finn. The purity of the tap water is simply a Nordic thing. ALL the Nordic nations have spring-like tap water. Period! I believe the same goes for the main Christmas Celebration Binge (food and gifts), all the Nordics start the binge at 18:00 on Christmas eve, some even at 17:00. Christmas day proper is reserved for lying back, moaning about the overeating yesterday and in our case in Iceland, having a coze with one of the Christmas gift books (a Dane would say "hygge sig med en bog").

As an American, I would never put butter on a cold cut sandwich. Butter only goes on toast or a roll or bagel without meat or cheese..

I just got back from Finland, been there for 16 days with my wife and three kids. Well, the people there really like their coffee, but our coffee is the best. 😀 We had no problem drinking tap water there. We can drink tap water in our country, but not everybody likes the taste of water. In our country the maternity leave us 14 weeks with full pay (average of three months before taking the leave) but additionally, maternity leave may be extended to a full year but without pay after which the person that took the leave has to be returned to the same job. First six weeks have to be taken by a woman to recover from birth, after that the leave can be taken by father. Same goes for gay families

Really interesting, ī find it shocking how little time off you get in the USA. In the UK we get 1 yrs maternity, 6 months full pay then so many weeks half pay. My AL entitlement is 6 weeks. My Sick pay is 6 months full pay and 6 months half pay. Also some paid carers leave if child, parent, etc are ill. Also entitled to flexible work he's depending on your needs. This is public sector work, private companies differ but not that much.

6:25 So when it comes to coffee, Finns are like Brazilians. Coffee all day, wants more coffee, make new coffee. I can't imagine someone putting coffee in the microwave in Brazil.

Yah but in Canada we get good vacation. I don’t know why US citizens don’t protest about vacation time. Ridiculous.

In my Brazilian perspective the worst American "sin" from this video is the microwaved coffee, and the weirdest Finnish thing is the squared ice cream.

Hah haa yes. I miss Finnish bread so much !! Here in USA the bread is not even remotely as good as it is in Finland !! Hubby gets 4 weeks summer vacation but you don't can't just take it all in ones. I used to work for jewerly factory in Turku and they closed the factory so all the workers can take their summer vacations all in ones. Hubby has worked over 30 years at his job and they do get paid for overtime and holidays so what you said is not entirely correct. Merry Christmas still happens at the 24th at my home. Juhannus is my all time favorite holiday ever ❤ Hei hei.

For every coffee you reheat in the microwave, a barista explotes haha nice video

Is foreign degree valid/acceptable in finland for technical jobs?? I have Bachlores degree in civil engineering, so I was wondering if I could get a technical job as a civil engineer in finland?

In America, we are pushed to find work that is our passion, and thus there is idea that your work should also be your hobby and therefore you don't need as much time outside of work. This is a fiction, of course, because there is so much work that needs to be done that few people would ever describe as their passion. Instead, I think it would be better if we valued all work and also valued our time outside of work the Finnish way.

You're both beautiful! Thank you!

In the States we have MLK day in 1776 it was called Must Leave the King 👑. Times have changed.

Varpu, you are so likeable ❤️

But we do have kerrosleipä in Finland. Then you put the other bread slice on top. 😄

Hi Varpu. Well I am still using your name when talking to you. I hope I am spelling it right. Oh no, Finnish sandwiches only have one slice of bread!! Oh my goodness, what will I do if I tilt it and the toppings slide off. Oh no, I'm not sure I can manage that. How about if I order two sandwiches and put one on top of the other, is that ok? Vacation time: well Finland is clearly light years ahead of the US. We work, or are forced to work, too much for too long. 2 weeks per year is all we get usually, and many do not take it, because they are afraid their employer will not like that and they may be laid off. You get 5 weeks - wow!!!

Jade, I was disappointed to hear your married. Haha! Lucky guy.

USA has adopted the Jewish method of sales which has been in vogue quite awhile. Finnish food looks great and maybe the chains in the USA exacerbates the difference

Sandwich and a slice of bread are different things, I would say. Leipäpala, viipale leipää, voileipä... None of them is sandwich!

i move to finland

What, you didn't know it was from Joulupukki?

👍

OK, JEEEEEEZ ?! I make a new pot on top of old coffee. NEVER WASTE THE GOODNESS OF THE ELIXIR OF LIFE.

public holidays - you do not point out that in Finland you don't get a day off work if the public holiday falls on a weekend. Independence day on Sunday- the regular monday-friday workers don't get a day off work in Finland. hard luck to them. back to work on Monday!! In the USA (and other english speaking countries) a nearby working day would become the holiday. In Finland you can lose 3 days holiday over christmas/new years if you are unlucky and christmas day/boxing day and new years day align with the weekend !!

the water is the best

Hmmmmm🤔Butter on sandwiches in America? 😏 I’m pretty sure that’s very uncommon. At least in my neck of the woods! 😊 Instead we would use mayonnaise or some sort of spreadable sauce. Butter is only for toast or biscuit or rolls. Or simple bread&butter like at a Kindergarten.

I'm just saying, there's huge differences between culture Within the US. Honestly in the NE it sounds much more similar to Finland than Georgia would. Georgia doesn't even have snow. Also we tried killing each other not long ago.

Your young American friend’s experiences in the US have been verry limited based upon the large amount of misinformation that she has provided. She does not appear to know much about the huge coffee culture in the US: that good coffee is so important in America that this coffee drinking ethos has been exported to hundreds of foreign cities worldwide (to include Scandinavia) via the American Starbucks Coffee store chain; that American consumers spend over $80 billion a year on coffee; and that only those with low standards or in bad need of caffeine would accept drinking old bad-tasting rewarmed/microwaved coffee on any occasion, though there are of course millions of people who don’t really care. The reality of drinking water in most states and cities in the US is that they have very good drinking water, but it does depend on the source (which naturally varies greatly in a geographically large country) and the municipality that is providing it, as this can vary greatly. In California, for example, San Diego has terrible tasting (though not unheallthy) water, that would best be filtered at home while San Francisco has wonderful tasting water that is piped-in directly from the Sierra Nevada Mountains. In spite of this many Americans (particularly in urban areas) still needlessly buy bottled water as they have been programmed by advertising to do so. So maybe one of the biggest differences between the two countries is that Finns are frugal, whereas Americans are very often big money wasters and poor savers. Your friend’s limited experience also seems to have resulted in little knowledge of company vacation policies in the US, and she appears to have only worked for companies with undesirable vacation policies, noting that she did mention a recent job working nights at a warehouse.Typical vacation in the US at a decent. employer would often start with two weeks paid vacation after a year of work in addition to existing paid national holidays, and can usually be taken whenever the employee would like to plan it. Many state, local and federal vacation policies are much better and, over time, offer as much as 26 days paid yearly vacation (with carryover of, possibly, unused vacation leave also allowed to accumulate a bit) as well as 13 days of yearly (and continuously accumulating)sick leave (ie. this after a number of years as a federal employee, which is my experience). While I might prefer the leave benefits and overall government of the welfare-state socialist government models like those prevalent in Europe, there is also much more freedom to be responsible as to how you spend your income in the US, which works well for most, but not so well for many. It should be noted that compared with the essentially homogeneous populations in Scandinavia, for example, the geographically large and diverse population in the US (that includes 50 separate state governments and states with different needs and varying laws) and the powerful corporate and other special interests can make for some seemingly logical socialist political solutions that would benefit the majority, difficult to put into place. While I like your channel, I think that in the future a bit of research and/or a more knowledgeable guest might produce more accurate information to be presented to the world than that to be gained from a nice, though, largely, inexperienced and, apparently, dissolutioned, individual.

You’re so pretty

im american and yes we microwave coffee but its still blasphemous for coffee lovers lol we just dont like to waste in america. my girlfriend is dominican and whenever she wastes a half cup of rice im upset for no reason lol. i know it sound crazy because you hear about how much we waste but the concept of freedom makes us not very socially responsible lol family to family we dont like to waste

Do Finns ever drink iced coffee?

Normal people put cereal first before milk? I knew I wasn’t normal.

You forgot in America most men are chivalrous towards women. Basic manners like opening doors to women, etc. In Finland that is not so much the case.

Jos jäät sairaslomalle kesälomalla, se on sairasloma eikä vaikuta kesälomaan😂

Microwave coffee. Yukky.

Water quality of Finnish bath or toilet water is better than American drinking water.

There is one shocking truth for me. it is about diversification of nature. The USA is situated on beautiful land and Finland in the northern desolate area, nothing more needs to be said. I guess you want to pay attention to politics.

Terve 👋

Coffee in the USA tastes terrible unless it is loaded with sugar and cream, then it tastes like drinking syrup. I have never tasted Finnish coffee. I drink a lot of tea. I am guessing coffee must taste different in Finland. Either that or Finnish people are used to the bitter taste.

Amerikassa ihmetyttää, että kaupassa kassalla lisättään vero hintaan, ja kuinka puhumalla selviää kaikesta😂

"In *THE* U.S.A."

Do Not say America. Remember America begin in Canada and finish in Argentina, so America have many countries, AMERICA is no USA

Finland is way way way way way way way way way way way way way way way better than USA. So much so that it is completely idiotic to take names of Usa and Finland together in the same paragraph even.

Sane people in the US do NOT microwave their coffee!!

If you get shocked so easily, please consider some therapy.😉 Yes, Americans surely aren't afraid to make fools of themselves and use mindless shocking/amazing/great/OMG ... bullshit worlds all the time.

You say that in Canada esp at a fast food they will look at you like go home and make your own coffee. Or they say you have to wait half hour!! Ha! Ha!

Sweden is better in maternity leave 2 years america is a developing country in comparison