In our hostel I had the wonderful opportunity to talk to many different people from many countries around the world, one of them was from Japan. He’s name is Daiki and he has already achived a studies major in modern architecture, but the path of learning and discovery is still not over for the 25 year old. He told me a lot of interesting information about Japanese culture.

Many Japanese don’t speak english becouse they don’t have to, as Japan is a very isolated island, where a forigner is as common as pine tree in a desert. He has moved round Finland for a few months now, stopping in a city for a night or two then moving onwards to the next one. He mainly travels by train where he claims are very comfortable and of course slower than bullet trains of Japan. But he likes it that way as long haul trains in Finland contain food carrieges, while in Japan the trains are so fast you don’t get time to eat in peace.

Bullet trains are so fast that the shape of the nose in front of the train is not only designed to be airodynamic, but also to make entry into a tunnel sound less like a large cannon that just fired next to your ear.

As Daiki lived in many hostels round Finland he also met many different people from round the globe. Recently he was living with two roomates, one from Canada and one from the United States of America, where he came to find out what small talk actually is. Small talk is something you don’t hear much of in asia and eastern europe, as it is considered a bit rude when someone asks you “How are you doing?” but it‘s not an actual question you anwser with a long honest response.

As I walk the streets of Tampere I notice what my friend Daiki was talking about as Finland is on the forefront of modern architecture and design that many strive to achive.

Author: Timotej Hvala