I spend a couple months in Helsinki in 1996, taking a trip out to Saint Petersburg, and was amazed. Not only is Finland AKA Suomi the home of Nokia and Linux Torvalds AKA Linux but it is a nation of futurists.

Not only do the Fins still fear Russia (rightfully so) and gather in dance halls prancing about to old-people music — even the whipper-snappers — but they also have a noble culture of the Sauna, 1st world socialism (a system of heavy taxes with a strong ROI to the citizens), strong feminist ideals and gender equality, a love of nature, a passion for life, a tendency towards heavy drinking, and a capitol city named world design capital for 2012!

Helsinki’s designers have always been central to its culture. But after the collapse of the neighboring Soviet Union, with whom Finland shared a special trade agreement, its economy faltered. Thanks to a new crop of cutting-edge designers–plus the rise of bigger technology companies like Nokia–the last few years have seen the city become a global center for design–in part thanks to the design district which was created to corral many of the rising fashion, furniture and graphic entrepreneurs. And today, the Scandinavian city beat out 46 other cities to be named as the World Design Capital for 2012, which is awarded every two years by the International Council of Societies of Industrial Design (Icsid) World Design Congress in Singapore.

Helsinki is like that too-handsome National Merit Scholar cum Captain of the Football Team who also plays in the youth orchestra, sings in the church choir, and had a showing of his sculpture.  I must say, I love Finland and miss Helsinki (during the summer) something awful!