As a journalist, I have been investigating criminal murders, drug trafficking, corruption, human rights violations, espionage, politicization and criminalization of the entire system for years... In short - misfortune. Due to the daily reporting, there is almost no tragedy that I have not dealt with: traffic accidents, murders in bars or when the victim's cell phone is stolen, icicles falling on someone's head, massacres... Almost in a few minutes I can detect, and with understanding, the decadence of society, individuals, institutions. I know how something happened, where it leads and what will happen next. I understood a long time ago how the system works and when it doesn't.
And I learned a long time ago that I am happy only because I am still alive, in one piece, able to work, love, dance and fight. However, what some of you reading this or I are happy about is actually sheer happiness, often commensurate with mere tragedy - today you are there, tomorrow you are gone.
Well, comrades, gentlemen and brothers, our criteria are low - we consider happiness a coincidence. You woke up alive - what more could you want? Family together - you are too rich! And it is like that until one day one of us stops to wait for the train under a new canopy... And the canopy collapses, and life and happiness collapse, and whoever is left is left with an unhappy system.
However, the truth is that there is no greater happiness than mere luck. But there is stronger luck, which is to say more constructive ‒ systemic. Even after researching all the accidents, I got the opportunity to research systemic happiness in the happiest country in the world - Finland.
Why are Finns the happiest?
Happiness is "the meaning and purpose of life, the whole goal and end of human existence", said the wise Aristotle. And so it is with Finns. Their main motive is not to acquire political power, material wealth, to be the best in strength, beauty or luxury, but to be happy.
The first view of Finland from the plane is of endless, green areas surrounded by the cold sea. About 70 percent of the country is made up of forests, and clean air and clean water are the standard. For happiness, it is important to breathe fresh and clean air and drink a glass of clean water wherever you can. The Finns know this and that's why they get up in the blink of an eye to protest if someone decides to cut even a single tree. They easily block roads or squares because they are aware that hectares of forest can be cut down in a day, and it takes decades to regrow. And their ecological awareness makes a clear distinction: forests are air, it makes the lungs breathe and it is easier to maintain health.
The easiest way to get to Helsinki from the airport is by train. About 30 minutes in a clean train that is not late and runs often. Happiness is also when the time of travelers is valued.
The main departure station is in the very center of Helsinki. You can immediately immerse yourself in the city. It's good luck not to break down and wander around looking for taxi drivers or public transport that comes "if you're lucky".
Old facades, regularly maintained, seem to take you back almost a century. The refraction of the colors of the bricks and stone under the early summer sun is beautiful. Most of the road in the center is made of macadam blocks, intersected by tram tracks. Those stone cubes are old because the Finns do not tolerate corruption and those politicians who would dare to change them every two years, without a valid explanation for the citizens, would lose the elections once and for all. Finland regularly ranks at the very top of countries with the lowest level of corruption in the world.
You don't need internet to find accommodation. Ask anyone on the street - they will find a way to explain and you will really feel that they care to help you. Why? It's simple, it's so human. Finns trust each other, as well as the police, judiciary and state institutions.
With the first sunny days, the streets are full of people. And I have never seen more humble and happier people. They are dressed so casually and comfortably, yet elegantly. It is almost impossible to see a woman with artificial nails, hair or noticeable and invasive aesthetic corrections. Simply, they seem to live in peace with their rights.
Finns also lose their jobs, they are also expensive, they divorce and argue, they also get sick and know what depression is, but they are also aware that with all these difficulties it is possible to be happy. Because they feel a social and political security that tells them that losses are an integral part of life, but they are not the end of the world.
Neat and clean streets are full of benches - in life it is important to stop and enjoy. Drink coffee. And they really like to drink it, alone or in company, while working or resting. Finland is the only country in the world that legally guarantees its employees the right to two prescribed coffee breaks during working hours.
POSTCARD FROM HELSINKI: The most important thing is to be happy
Equality, liberty and happiness
When they are born, all little Finns, rich or poor, fit into one box. It is already a tradition that every child receives the same from the state and that way it is emphasized how important equality is. Then the box is kept as a symbolic first home for newborns.
Finland provides so-called baby boxes to all expectant mothers. Every year, the government gives away about 40.000 boxes, which also come with accompanying equipment - bed linen, socks, jackets, beanies and other clothing. Mothers who do not want the accompanying equipment can take money worth 210 euros instead. There is also a mattress in the box, so it becomes a comfortable bed for babies.
This program started way back in 1930 when as many as one in ten babies died during the first year of life. The boxes were a cheap way to encourage women to break old habits and see doctors more often during pregnancy to avoid complications. In Finland, the system guarantees support in case of unemployment, illness or parenthood. Parental leave is aimed equally at mothers and fathers.
The book and the forest
The education system is completely free and equal for all social classes. Children learn from preschool age that they spend part of their time in nature and that it is an equally good place for telling stories and for drawing and playing. The teaching profession is extremely prestigious and selective.
Near all residential areas, kindergartens and schools, there is always a forest, which is equally appreciated as part of the residential area. For Finns, it is mandatory to spend part of the day in nature from the earliest childhood, regardless of whether it is sunny, raining or snowing. Walk or stand outside for at least 15 minutes and connect with nature. Nature is beautiful even when it is cruel on a fat minus.
Finns believe that after school, children should spend time with their family, playing and doing sports. Instead of studying subjects separately, students often explore topics through multidisciplinary projects (eg the topic "Climate change" includes geography, chemistry, biology and economics). Great attention is paid to everyday skills such as cooking, sewing, woodworking and household budgeting.
Cultural centers and libraries are places where Finns of all generations and social classes meet. These are places where they can spend the long, cold and dark winter together and creatively.
All public libraries in the city are completely free to work and stay, and represent the pinnacle of the Finnish philosophy of equality and access to knowledge. Most public facilities are connected in a single city network called Helmet (Helsinki Metropolitan Area Libraries).
How much they value culture, education and creativity is also shown by the fact that in 2017, for 100 years of their independence, the Finns received the Odi library from the state. It is located right in front of the Finnish Parliament. That library represents the living and working rooms, offices, workshops and salons of all Finns. It is a world-famous masterpiece of modern architecture made of Siberian larch and glass. The Oddi Library is divided into three levels with completely different atmospheres: the ground floor is a noisy social space with a cinema and a cafe; the second floor is a "city workshop" equipped with 3D printers, laser cutters, sewing machines and music studios that are free to use; the third floor is a "paradise for books" with hundreds of trees indoors and a spacious terrace.
The public system is designed to make the most of the community's resources, so in addition to books, you can reserve soundproof rooms for meetings or individual work for free, use professional tools, studios for recording music and podcasts, borrow items such as musical instruments, table tennis rackets, household tools and even art paintings.
During the election campaign, right next to the citizens at the poster printer stand the politicians who came running from the parliament to prepare the material. The price is the same for everyone: 15 euros per poster.
The main building of the university library enchants with its facade with large oval openings and windows that let in plenty of natural light. It is the ultimate study and work space on several floors overlooking the city's rooftops. In comfortable armchairs, facing the windows, Finns read newspapers and books or simply indulge in their thoughts while being illuminated by beams of light.
National parks, hot saunas and the refreshing Baltic Sea
There are 41 national parks in Finland. Nuuksio National Park, located less than 40 kilometers from Helsinki, offers a wealth of taiga, hidden lakes and the habitat of rare flying squirrels, and is easily reached in 45 minutes from the capital. Visitors can enjoy over 30 kilometers of marked hiking trails and designated campfire sites. These are circular fireplaces with provided firewood where visitors prepare food and of course coffee outdoors.
It is a feeling of happiness to walk through centuries-old forests of conifers, mosses and ferns that remind of the far north of Finland. There are also more than 80 smaller lakes and peat bogs, some of which are completely surrounded by high rocks. It's a landscape shaped by glaciers, with steep granite cliffs overlooking the treetops.
Apart from the national park, the residents of Helsinki like to spend their good time on the island of Lona. It is very easy and fast to reach. Tourist boats and water buses run regularly from Helsinki's main square. The ride takes only 10 minutes, and the lines are active during the warm season from May to the end of September. In addition to the beautiful nature, cafes and restaurants, there are also saunas on the island, from which you can directly enter the Baltic Sea.
In this way, Finns take care of their health and consider themselves really lucky when the sea temperature is as high as 13 degrees.
In fact, the Finns only confirm the old wisdom with their way of life - happiness is what is free. These are nature and love. And with them, education and healthcare, but also virtues such as modesty, non-corruption, honesty and tolerance.
There is also something that costs money - a cup of good coffee.
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