It has been edited for length and clarity. I moved to Helsinki without ever visiting Finland because I read that it was the happiest place on earth. I knew that the weather was going to be a huge change, but there have been other interesting surprises along the way. While it's not unusual to take off your shoes before entering someone's house, most Finnish offices also have a no-shoe policy. Some offices will have "indoor shoes," but for the most part, colleagues will wear socks. When I first moved from Colombia, I didn't bring any socks since I came from a warmer climate.
I had to go out and buy interesting, fun socks with different fabrics and styles for the workplace. I bought some Pikachu socks and socks with funny logos. There's a strong culture of saunas in Finland. Everyone usually has a sauna in their house or their residential building, and many offices even have one at their workplace.
The interesting thing, which I was not aware of until I moved, is that it's the cultural norm to enter the sauna naked. People will chat and talk in the sauna, completely undressed.
It's normal because the naked body is not considered taboo here. People have a high level of respect and decorum for each other, so there are no awkward stares or gawping. Personally, I have only used my building's sauna. It's not mandatory to go undressed, so in the beginning, I would wear swimming trunks. Over time, I've become more comfortable going naked.
During the summers, especially in July and August, there is barely any darkness, and the sun is always shining. I found it surprising how much time and effort people spend in choosing the right blinds and curtains. But I soon realized without the proper materials it can be difficult to sleep. I had to put extra curtains on my blinds so that I could sleep well and not have a detrimental impact on my sleep hygiene.
