NORMAL LIFE: That Russian Outpost

I work for an American company which acquired an established, successful Finnish company, well-known throughout Europe. Sometimes, I feel like the piggy in the middle at work. I am neither Finn so I have no loyalties to the old organisation nor am I American with any alliance with the new organisation.

I am often overhearing negativity directs towards Americans by my Finnish colleagues. To date, my American colleagues have refrained from doing so which is probably wise since Finland is my chosen place of residence and any negative view would probably be met with some fierce resistance, although I bear no true alliance, although respect, towards the Finns.

One particular comment I heard recently took me by surprise. Somewhat overloaded, Popeye, one of the engineers, vented his frustration towards the amount of work stemming from our colleagues in the US. Apparently, he feels that his opinions and ideas in the workplace are not respected by his US colleagues and he attributes this to the fact that the 'US perceives Finland to be some kind of Russian outpost or something'.

Yesterday afternoon, during a regular one-to-one meeting with my boss, he asked how my relationship with Popeye was going; this was just a follow-up because I had convey - in confidence - some concerns about Popeye recently. I told him about the 'Russian outpost' comment to which my boss nodded in clear agreement. 'Yes,' he said 'they think we are like the Ukraine.'

I spoke to Bree about this after work and we concluded that this just goes to show how ignorant the Americans are. But it's not just the Americans that think this way. Even my own father sometimes refers to 'Finland's communist past' when we discuss domestic issues; this is ironic given that Finland doesn't have a communist history since it was always an autonomous region during the period of Russian rule and, when the last Czars were killed by the Communists in 1917 heralding Finnish independence, a truly democratic nation was born.

It's funny how many preconceptions there are in the world. I suppose that explains why my views are often at odds with many people back in the UK because I have seen, heard and therefore learnt, deep elements of another, largely unknown and therefore misunderstood, nation and culture.

But going back to the example at work, I suspect there may be another factor at work. Could it be that my Finnish colleagues are expressing nationalist sentiment and therefore resentment towards the American acquisition?

Going back to the likelihood of American ignorance, yesterday provided a timely example. I was on the online chat with a colleague in the US when I point out that the Queen of England is currently in the US (see here). My colleague responded: 'Yes, I heard about that... it's to do with some Anniversary or something....' I was stunned.

The Queen, over 80 years old, was visiting to pay respect to the 32 students who were gunned down in April as well as to commemorate the 400th anniversary of the first English settlement in the US. That's all, darling! Perhaps I should concede that they are ignorant after all!