Nation on a leave
Ake Tyvi - 15.07.2004 21:35
Starting from Midsummer everyone is on a leave in Finland. The whole place becomes a business ghost town, were only Finnish and foreign summer tourists travel across the nation continent.
NATION ON A LEAVE
FIN – Nothing compares to a summer. Sun is everywhere. Men wear their Bermuda shorts and women are dressed into their dresses.
These women dresses really turn men’s head, like happened to my aunt ex-husband’s colleague when he was driving back home with his new automobile. I just wish he had not looked this woman walking on the opposite corridor so long time, because he managed to crash a lamp post with his new vehicle. And we never know, what she told the reason to be to his wife. This case took place in UK during the 90’s. So, summer really has some effect to men, and women.
Summer is a time for a holiday. It is the only time, when one can spend some time with our family and relatives. Starting from Midsummer everyone is on leave in Finland. The whole place takes ‘a shutdown –h –d –t 26062004 00:00’ if I may express this almost in Linus Torvalds’ terminology.
Finnish blue and white collars do not normally even recognize the holiday season, but to some CEOs say “it the worst time of the year”, which I had found hard to believe, until today.
Today was the only day I decided to join The Finnish Information Processing Association. So I dug up their www-pages just to see, that part of their pages were not working at all. That really convinced me. At the middle of the best holiday season, when people have some time to surf www-pages. Naturally I wanted to place an enquiry to the office, why these pages were not functioning, so I dialled their number. After a while a secretary-service answered the phone from a governmental telephone company and I found out that these people were on their summer vacation. I was told there is no way to reach these people since they are on a holiday… Oh well, I was thinking to myself, that is exactly what we all businessmen do when we get tired – we just close the factory or their business bureau, and ignore all clients. That is what they must do in Europe and at the States too! I must say I was not happy to the level of the service The Finnish Information Processing Association’s www pages gave to me.
When I spend a little time around this case it eventually occurred to me, that there is not even a single doubt of the fact, that you possible will get a “I am sorry, we on a vocation, but could you leave a message after the tone and we will get back to as soon as possible” –message if one would try to call to our Ministry of Foreign Affairs as well.
Last time, at the beginning of 1990 the whole nation went into depression during the summer vocation and no one even realised it before they returned on their post. So if someone is on a holiday, then there is no doubt about it. Have a nice holiday, because I will be off now. There is nothing much to do really since everyone has already gone.
Take care and drive carefully.
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