I love when people have an ability to do self-irony and can laugh at themselves and I am happy to say to you that Finns have this ability and it's amazing! Can you see the photo of my profile? Do you wonder who is this boy, or... girl, or... little man? Read further and I will reveal the secret!
The boy in my photo profile is called Matti and he is "a stereotypical Finn who appreciates peace, quiet and personal space" and the main character of series of comics called "Finnish Nightmares". In funny pictures we can see Matti in different life situations, how he tries to give the best attitude to others and wants to receive the same behaviour back: be polite, do not intrude in personal space and do not bother everyone with his presence. As you have already guessed, something goes wrong...
Here are some examples of these Finnish memes (and they are also part of the culture!):
They are so funny and cute, aren't they? "Finnish Nightmares" have their own pages on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram and I think you should follow them, especially if you are an exchange student in Finland. Why? Because these pictures are one of the ways to understand Finns and Finnish society, their feelings, norms and values. But what is more important, that in some pictures you can recognise yourselves! Honestly, I can say that nearly every picture with Matti illustrates me! And this helps me and will help you to understand that we have more in common with Finns than we thought 😉