How do you think of your own country?

Question

Which qualities does it have and which downsides? And if you had the chance, would you move?

Mister Micawber · Accepted Answer

Hello, sasofso—and welcome to English Forums.

I come from the US,and it has many good points and bad points which are quite different from the good points and bad points of other countries (for instance. Canada and Japan—each of which I have lived in for more than 20 years). I am certainly most comfortable in my own country, in spite of its problems. The culture we are born into is usually the one that we find easiest to maneuver within.

However, you can see that I have moved twice and would move again if I were not so old and sedentary now. The world is a wonderful kaleidoscope of problems and pleasures.

Cool Breeze · Answer

I'm from Finland and I agree with Mr M that one is usually most comfortable in the culture he is born in. Many Finns have moved to warmer climes, such as the Canary Islands, after retiring from work, and I like to take holidays abroad, but I would never leave Finland for good even though I could do that if I wanted to.

One of the things I value greatly is the freedom to say and do what I like and the fact that there's hardly any corruption and I can trust any policeman I meet on the street. The government doesn't tell me which countries I can visit or buy things from. Such restrictions would not be tolerated here.

Last October I met an Englishman in Tenerife. When he heard I was from Finland, his first words were, "It's dark there!" (They usually say, "It's cold there!") I had always subconsciously thought that there was plenty of daylight here.

It made me think. The annual amount of daylight is actually the same all over the world. At the poles, it's six months of darkness followed by six months of daylight. Right now, the sun shines less than six hours a day in Helsinki, but at the height of summer, it gets dark for only a couple of hours.

Summers in southern Finland are warmer than summers in central England, but the winters are colder. That's not a problem with district heating plants and double or triple glazing in windows. It's never cold indoors. Many people enjoy all kinds of winter sports and children like to play in the snow. (I don't. I just watch ice hockey on TV.)

I have lived in England for a few months only but I have visited quite a few countries on all continents except Australia. For me, Finland is the best. I suppose that's natural. A Finnish tennis player called Jarkko Nieminen was interviewed a few weeks ago and asked where he will settle down after he retires from playing tennis. He said he had been to 65 countries and would definitely stay in Finland.

CB

Mister Micawber · Answer

Cool BreezeI have visited quite a few countries on all continents except Australia.

Oh, you mustn't miss Australia, CB—it's a wonder!

How do you think of your own country?

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