Between Silence and Sun: Living at the Crossroads of Finnish, Italian and Polish Cultures
Ursula and a Muumi statue in Tampere in front of the only Moomin museum at Tampere-talo, Tampere Hall. https://www.muumimuseo.fi/en/etusivu/
Between Silence and Sun: Growing Up Across Finnish, Polish, and Italian Worlds
Living between cultures is not confusion — it is expansion.
Growing up with a Polish mother in a Finnish environment, and now over 50 years later building a life in Italy, has taught me that culture is far more than language. It is rhythm. It is silence. It is emotion. It is the invisible expectations we carry into every interaction.
In Finland, communication is often very direct and calm. Finnish silence and not saying all can be painful for some non-Finns. Silence should not be awkward; it is natural. Punctuality is a sign of respect. Words are chosen carefully, and “yes” usually means exactly that. Stability and honesty are valued over performance. Finnish women seem to be louder and more talkative than Finnish men.
City Hall and Christmas market in December, Tampere, Finland.
Italy feels different. Communication is expressive and relational. Tone, gestures, and facial expressions speak as loudly as words. Time bends around relationships. Warmth is visible, shared, and sincere. I get afraid sometimes when Italians shout, yell and scream. There is a lot of noise in Italy in many places, even in small villages, for someone raised in Northern Europe. Getting to get used to noise has been quite difficult for me. Though I still remember my time of aupair “la ragazza alla pari” in Roma in the 90´s, could never sleep!
Ursula visiting small Italian towns at south part of Amalfi coast. Dec 2025
Even within Italy, diversity lives strongly. Tuscany may feel more reserved and ironic, proud of its intellectual heritage. In Puglia and the South, family bonds, hospitality, and emotional openness shape everyday life. One country, Italy has many cultural layers. But like in all cultures, there are differences between people and individuals. Every person has the own story to tell. I find this so interesting how every part of Italy is so different and how they speak also differently in different cities and areas, lots of dialects etc. Don´t get me wrong, there are shy or silent people even in Italy.
Polish culture, resting somewhere between North and South Europe, carries emotional depth, resilience, and fierce loyalty to family. There is strength beneath the surface and intensity in close relationships. My mother´s old sisters (over 80 years old) in Poland know a lot of us adult children 50+. Earlier telephone, then Skype was my mother´s main connection to her sisters, now it is Whatsapp.
When these influences meet in one person, something powerful develops. You learn to understand silence and emotional nuance. You recognize that “yes” does not mean the same thing everywhere. You adapt. But adapting is sometimes hard. People need support and help in adapting to a new culture, new language, new country, new environment. Learning a language is one of most important keys to the adaptation. But you need also friends in the new place and support of your family and closest ones.
Living between cultures is not about choosing one identity.
It is about learning to move between them, with awareness, flexibility, and respect. Somewhere between silence and sun, you grow.
If you are interested to move to Italy or to Finland, I will write about that next: How to Navigate Cultural Shock in a new country.
Sunset in Firenze. Arno river and Ponte Vecchio.
