BeFriending Finland #10: Wanna Hang Out?

Dear all, welcome to the tenth episode of our exciting quest of understanding Finnish culture and people. Today’s topic in BeFriending Finland is hanging out. If you enjoy this, be sure to check out parts #1, #2, #3, #4, #5, #6, #7, #8 and #9 too!

I have a colleague who did her exchange year in South Korea. She has told me some awesome facts about Koreans, like when they are born, they're already one year old. No kidding! And how all Koreans age a year in New Year. Still not kidding.

But one thing in particular caught my ear. Let me tell you about it.

She said: "When a Korean invites you to hang out, it is normal that there are other Koreans around. That's how you get to know lots of people." I can see how this might be confusing to a Finn.

People hangin out in Bremen, Germany

See, when we invite somebody to hang out with us, it is - unless specifically said so - meant to be one on one quality time. If there are other people, it is a party. (There's not too many of us here so a group of five can easily form a party...) Maybe it's shyness, maybe it's devotion, maybe it's just a lack of people to invite, but that's just the way it is.

So when a Finn asks if you want to hang out, it means just the two of us. As friends. And when you ask a Finn to hang out with you they don't expect to find other people there. It's kind to mention if there's gonna be others so the overly shy Finn doesn't feel ambushed.

I actually find the Korean way better. It would be SO much easier for people to make new friends, find future spouses or simply change interesting ideas and learn, if we would hang out more with people we don't know. So next time, just bring along your friends and see what happens!

 If I was a South Korean, I'd be 26 now. How old would you be? And do you hang out in groups or not?