“Foreigners steal our women”

I have heard plenty of times that before the advent of Nokia one of the main exports of Finland were its women, and that still today Finnish women will tend to marry foreigners.  Notwithstanding whether I agree with this sentence or not, it is true that the stereotypical Finnish male has a lot of sisu but lacks in his communication skills. 

Therefore, I suggest that in order to handle the perceived threat to the status quo, instead of complaining, the stereotypical Finnish male demonstrates the same determination to improve his situation.  Some advice to follow could include the following:

  • Listen to what she has to say.  She may not want your help in solving her problems (she's an independent, proud Finnish woman anyway), but a little bit of empathy goes a long way.
  • Leave the bottle.  Really.
  • Use your natural advantages.  The stereotypical Finnish man is handy, so be handy.
  • Telling her "I love you" more than once in a lifetime is acceptable, as long as you mean it.
  • Hug her.  Hugging doesn't need to preclude intercourse.  Other sorts of physical contact like holding hands are fine too.
  • Respect her.  Which doesn't mean leave her alone to do all the housework.
  • Surprise her.  Yes, it might include going to the theatre or some other activity you might not like, but be a man and stick to it.
  • Be there.  Because if she's the right woman she'll be there for you too.

Don't worry, it might sound difficult at first but you might be surprised how low-maintenance the stereotypical Finnish woman is, since she's used to being quite independent too.  You will both learn a lot.  Good luck.

Disclaimer:  I know very few men (and women) who do reflect this stereotype, but if you feel referred to it's not my problem.