14/10/2026
ENG/CZ One thing that surprised me when I moved from Czechia to Finland: a conversation could go quiet, and nobody seemed in a hurry to do anything about it. đ
Iâd be wondering whether to ask another question. The other person might simply be thinking about the one Iâd just asked.
That difference stayed with me.
Of course, every person is different. But in my experience here, thereâs often room to pause before answering. To consider what youâve heard and choose what you want to say.
After 12 years, Iâve come to appreciate that. I donât have to answer immediately or fill every gap. And we can enjoy a coffee or a walk together without talking the whole time.
Iâm MĂĹĄa, the Czech half of Arctic Nest. This is the first in our new series, âFinland, through my eyesââpersonal observations about the things that have surprised me, made me smile or changed how I see everyday life.
Starting with silence. Though with Teemu usually doing more of the talking, I sometimes get to practise listening instead. đ
How are quiet pauses seen where you come fromâcomfortable, awkward, or simply normal?
â MĂĹĄa
CZ Jedna vÄc mÄ po pĹestÄhovĂĄnĂ do Finska pĹekvapila: rozhovor se na chvĂli zastavil a nikdo nemÄl potĹebu ticho hned vyplnit.
JĂĄ pĹemýťlela, na co se zeptat dĂĄl. DruhĂ˝ ÄlovÄk moĹžnĂĄ jen pĹemýťlel nad odpovÄdĂ na mou pĹedchozĂ otĂĄzku. đ
Za 12 let tady jsem si oblĂbila ten prostor pĹed odpovÄdĂ. ChvĂli poslouchat, promyslet si, co chci ĹĂct, a aĹž pak mluvit.
V novĂŠ sĂŠrii âFinsko mĂ˝ma oÄimaâ vĂĄm budu sdĂlet svĂŠ postĹehy ze Ĺživota tady. ZaÄĂnĂĄme tichem â i kdyĹž s Teemu, kterĂ˝ toho vÄtĹĄinou namluvĂ vĂc neĹž jĂĄ, na nÄj doma moc prostoru nezbĂ˝vĂĄ. đ
â MĂĹĄa
