Not sure if it is Finns only... On a recent visit to London, most people sat silently in the Underground. The only people talking clearly belonged to of groups traveling together, and often speaking something else than English. On the other hand, on a train trip to Tampere, I happened to sit next to a nice granny who gave me pretty much her life history, grandchildren, illnesses and all. The problem becomes how to tell the person that thanks, it was nice talking to you for a while, but now I would like to read this magazine for a while, without offending him/her...
:) How to tell - as a Finn you wouldn't tell, but start reading your magazine and the otherone knows to leave you to it. With polite nightmare of a small talk, about how nice the talk has been, you just invite more discussion until the Finn realizes that discussion has ended and the nightmare is going on :)
Once I was in a bus, listening music and old lady sat next to me. Next to her there was another old lady. The old lady next to me started talking about flowers, her daughter and laundry. The other lady got off the bus and the one sitting next to me didn't stop talking and then I realized she was talking to me!
Not sure if it is Finns only... On a recent visit to London, most people sat silently in the Underground. The only people talking clearly belonged to of groups traveling together, and often speaking something else than English. On the other hand, on a train trip to Tampere, I happened to sit next to a nice granny who gave me pretty much her life history, grandchildren, illnesses and all. The problem becomes how to tell the person that thanks, it was nice talking to you for a while, but now I would like to read this magazine for a while, without offending him/her...
ReplyDelete:) How to tell - as a Finn you wouldn't tell, but start reading your magazine and the otherone knows to leave you to it. With polite nightmare of a small talk, about how nice the talk has been, you just invite more discussion until the Finn realizes that discussion has ended and the nightmare is going on :)
DeleteOnce I was in a bus, listening music and old lady sat next to me. Next to her there was another old lady. The old lady next to me started talking about flowers, her daughter and laundry. The other lady got off the bus and the one sitting next to me didn't stop talking and then I realized she was talking to me!
ReplyDelete