National identity while abroad!

I have been thinking lately about my identity and how it has changed after I moved to Poland. While living in Finland I didn't think about my national identity as it was something automatic. Of course I have always been proud of the success of Finns. In ice-hockey, Eurovision, Finnish companies that are doing great in the international field and many more (unfortunately not football :(). I'm still proud of all the success and happy how good picture people have about Finland in general. But now everything related to Finland is more dear to me. I consider Wroclaw as my home and it is so dear to me, but it is not Finland.

Here everything related to Finland came luxury for me. Probably you noticed that I became so happy about Finnish rye bread :D  When here in the city happens anything related to Finland, I want to be there to watch football, volleyball, movies, concerts... anything!

After I moved here I became the Finnish girl. That is my identity, that is what people remember about me even if they don't remember my name. I'm proud to be the Finnish girl but it changed my identity as it changed how people see me. In Finland my identity was different as it was not so closely related to my nationality. Of course I'm so much more than just a Finn, I'm a student, I'm a girlfriend, I'm a daughter..... Now my nationality has just taken the leading role.

Before moving to Poland I wanted to think that there is an European identity. Probably there is in some level but the national identity comes first. Always! As even within the Europe people think in so different manners. I don't know if European Union integration is able to change the way of thinking for more pro European.

-The Finnish girl