Sisu La Via Finlandese al coraggio, al benessere e alla felicità or Finding Sisu by Katja Pantzar

Sisu La Via Finlandese al coraggio, al benessere e alla felicità or Finding Sisu by Katja Pantzar is a book published by Marsilio about the life-style of North European countries, and in particular, Finland.
American, Katja was a very successful reporter, in grade everyday of approaching some stars for an interview and working at big levels; then the chance and opportunity of a work in Finland, just for a year. She fell in love for the place of origin of her parents and she decided of remaining.
Why?
Because Finland is a privileged place under many aspects, and because sunny Katja explains, everything is more simple and what it is important in USA or Canada, like also an expensive life, too many pills for curing everything, in Finland is not.

Katja suffered of a chronicle sadness, depression from the age of 25; when she afforded to Finland the local doctor refused to continue to prescribe her that pill because it gave her too dependence. She suggested to the reporter of going outside, of walking, bicycling; plus, she added that, with a best life-style, staying outside for a long time everyday, eating well, she would have sorted out her depressive problem. It was absolutely true.

In Finland, no sure if you know it, parents love to keep babies born from few weeks outside the house also when in winter and when temperature is at -15 degrees because body must be strong; they will become more healthy; so you mustn't be surprised if adult and young people search for cold water during the winter-time.
They tend to swimming in cold water, and it helps in particular brain and all body system. The author is an enthusiastic of this activity.
It helps to staying more active. Senses are more vigils.
Then sauna is another important chapter, because if, in the first case you search for cold, in the second, a warm place where you can share the experience of a sauna with other women, or also with men and women; sauna purifies from toxins and help relaxation.

What Tanja discovered of Finland was that they have another system of living also in the approach with common life; people go for used things and they fix broken ones. Nothing, where possible, is thrown away with superficiality. It's a sisu for the soul, after all because every object we keep in our house means memories.

Finnish don't tend to buying new clothes, or new furniture. They save money and it helps.
Also when a furniture is new it must be strong and resistant to the time.

Being a protestant country, people are also rigid regarding money.
In families if there is money no one will remark that aspect. 
In Finland if a person "appears" with  beautiful houses and big cars is not seen positively at all. Do they love austerity? No. Just...
They don't love appearance, so important in many other countries.

Children: maybe you know that having children in Finland is a fantastic experience because the State is close to you in every second. Before the arrival of the baby the couple receive also an enormous gift-package containing all the essentials clothes and tools necessary for the first months of life of the baby. And there are wagons of things, including a little book. The author adds that she is not so surprised that Finnish's education is so important and most of them are voracious readers. A good journey starts from the beginning. The box containing all these gifts could be used theoretically for putting the baby during the first months of life although most people tend to use it for toys. Pre-school years are a dream in Finland. School is completely free like like also canteen, because finnish folk insist that if a kid doesn't eat can't learn and that every kid must eat. University is free, including for all tpeople living in the EU territory; maybe it will be that Finland is the land where lives Santa Claus, but these gifts for families are stunning and plenty of dignity. Mamma mia! let me add.
Helping a family means for the members having less thoughts, staying more happy and productive at work.
During kindergarten there is not an aggressive approach at school, but children enjoy to spending time learning, singing, and socializing.

Food is crucial for Finnish. They love nature and they love to spend a lot of time cultivating veggies and berries of every sorta also when they live in a city, thanks to little gardens that they cultivate just outside the city, and also when they live in the capital Helsinki is strong their connection with woods, forests. Helsinki is a green area and everyone appreciate and use the city for movement, exercise, bicycling, walking, swimming.

They love to eat nutrient but healthy bread, fish is helpful as well, and they tend to reach their work-place using bicycles, as also does the author of this book, also during the hard and cold winter-time or walking.

Healthy people, Finnish developed the concept of Sisu from centuries.
It means resilience during the adversities, strength, determination.
And that simplicity and appreciation for old things and simplicity that makes the difference.

I was thinking, while I was reading this book that there is some Finnish blood in my body as well.

I thank Marsilio for the physical copy of this book.

Anna Maria Polidori