Try botswana. Summer 32-42+ Degrees , And spring room temp. 15-20 Degrees Celsius= basically our winter).. it may get colder but its rare to get to anything below 5degrees.. and its usually a cold front from RSA. Oh and a 3 month rainy season which rain may or may not come.
Finnish has two verbs for knowing someone: Tiedän hänet (literally I know him/her) : I know that person but we are not close Tunnen hänet (literally I feel him/her) : I know that person and we are close
I personally prefer to explain the difference as "know of" vs. "know", since "tietää" doesn't necessarily say or imply anything about closeness or how well you know someone. Just that you know who is being referred to.
In French, we have different words for the English "friend", and that says a lot about each culture. Lots of relationships that Anglophones would call "friends", we don't. So I think it's a similarity between Finnish and French cultures.
@@Niksuttelia No, they aren't. But well outside... Oh yes I know, I live in Finland now, moved to the countryside, In the Middle of nowhere, and the people here... Oh gosh, I never thought there would exist such people!
@@susannebrunberg4174 you know maalais järki does not mean book smart it means generally smart. You guys lack basic knoledge. I've met a dude from helsinki who didn't know the difference between a sauna and an electric sauna
Had a foreign student at my school get depressed during long and cold winter. I told him that it sometimes gets us all but its called "Kaamos". Guided him to the school healthcare staff regardless and he told me that it helped. If you find it hard during winter, talking helps :)
Oh, that was very nice of you! This is actually something that i have not thought of myself. But then again, there is a reason why we have school psychologists and general healthcare staff 👌
Thanks for being helpful, I can imagine what he went through. I have enjoyed winter so far but summer was hard for me. My husband on the other hand has struggled with winter and it is a good feeling to get support.
I've lived in Finland for almost a decade now and boy have I completely lost the will to make new friends :'D I used to be really friendly and bubbly, but at this point with my experience with most Finns, I'm like "If they'll come they'll come", which is mind-blowingly (and sadly) the exact same way a Finn would think haha :D
Heh, feel you there. I think typical Finns appreciate the punctuality and keeping the promises. If you fail at that, Finns will surely think twice before sending an invite to meeting or party. Obvious excuses are biggest turndown at least for me. Of course there are us for many trains and wagons, and rest will follow with trolleys, so to say. :D
Oh that's bad, I am half Ukrainian and half Palestinian, I live in Saudi Arabia, and I can't have friends no in Ukraine and no in other Arabic countries, didn't included Palestine because I actually don't live there because war, so I can't have Arabic friends because I am to weird for them, and I can't have Russian/Ukrainian friends because I am to weird for them too. Finding friends is so difficult, no matter were are they from, but I think this is my problem and not the society ):
@Van Nguyen Yes, I know. Been here a few years now... Still haven't any Finnish friends. They are very skeptical, even rude. Not every one, but most... Of course, this isn't Helsinki, it's far on the countryside, but still... I used to say to my friends elsewhere in Europe, that you have to be born in this country to get any friends. Fortunately, I have all my different animals, so I have a lot of work to do. But if I'm honest, this isn't exactly a "dream land". Not only the Finns' view of foreigners, but for the terribly cold weather (all year round), I've been frozen since I got here, doesn't help how much clothes I'm wearing. And last but not least, this is the most expensive country to live in, and I have lived in several, and even by far the most bureaucratic.
@@susannebrunberg4174 To be honest, based on this comment I don't find it surprising that you haven't found Finnish friends. If you put out some positivity yourself, maybe that would be what you'd also receive. Just a friendly tip. :)
If you are moving to Finland and you are of a darker complex it is highly recommended that you take a daily dose of vitamin D during the winter (and the summer if you are really dark skinned). If your skin is darker it prevents you from producing enough vitamin D naturally with the little sunlight here. You can get basic vitamin D supplements from every pharmacy without a prescription. (BTW low vitamin D for a long period of time can cause the bones to get soft.)
Yep, ive been thinking about the same thing. Why is it that (we) Finns are so intrigued by videos about our country even if those videos are made for an international audience 😏
Well yes most of the world doesn't like/understands finish culture... And society... the cold...... Most people are simply ignorant about the world i do...appreciate culture such as finland's for example... estonia's austria's and so on... People are only really interested at their own countries or popular touristic nations snd their touristic colture France for example and paris... Everyone knows of the french and French culture and so on Not enought tourists come to Finland... Not too many movies and music and... are exported from finland... Yeah one of the reasons the us is such a super power.. isn't just it's early economic success but also it's export of culture With holywood.... And the introvert culture..... Well people don't generally learn about closed up cultures... (Unless they allready visited/experienced/... learned to appreciate)
I can agree with all of the points talked about in this video. Being that my parents are from Finland they've taught my sister and I all these ever since we were young. My sister just moved to Finland after graduating college here (she's going to get her masters). This summer we were thinking about how all the other foreign exchange students were going to do while moving and how they will get used to everything. Thanks for making something like this, it was a very informative video!
Hey Oscar and thanks so much for sharing this! Super interesting to hear this kind of a perspective. Hopefully your sister had a successful move without any major hitches. I think integrating into the Finnish (Nordic to be exact) society is definitely a big challenge for anyone coming from outside the Nordic nations. This is one of the big reasons why i wanted to set up this channel in the first place because i think that there is a massive lack in communication about these things and i wanted to fill in that gap 👍
While i did not word this quite like you did, i do talk about this in the video. The things mentioned in the video are in no particular priority order. But yeah, finding your first jobs in Finland is not easy and the importance of networking is emphasised a huge amount. I try to push this information out as often an as can because of the importance that it has. Another issue related to this one is actually that most internationals coming to Finland do not know how the local job and recruitment markets work (and why should they). This is a massive issue since our recruitment market works in a very different manner compared to many other countries. It takes time to getting used to this and its one of the biggest reasons behind the challenges that many face. Again, something that im trying to fix with this channel.
@@RoadtoFinnish Thank you taking the time to reply :). I do believe all of us need to research about how the job market works before moving (and your channel is a big help!), however, the quantification of the importance of network and trust-based employment is difficult to comprehend without actually living there. I realized it the hard way :D
There only one job out of 6 that I, in a sense, have gotten with connections. So, I would think it depends on the field of work you're trying to get. Although, I'm a Finn by birth.
@@RoadtoFinnish could you kindly explain the not knowing how the recruitment market works? Besides the websites being in Finnish, what else would one need to know? Thanks
Once you earn that trust and gain a friend, don't go and break that trust because we can also hold a grudge for a long time. Severe enough of a mistake on ones part can even break families apart and it can take even decades to fix those broken relationships.
Very true. Just one yelling pressuring phone call amd you do not exist in their minds any longer and no blackmailing will work, but quarantee, Finns will NEVER talk to you again. At least I would chicken out lol.
That's a really good point you made on the recruitment websites. It would be really important to get those translated in other languages than Finnish and Swedish.
I really think so! Even if the majority of jobs on these sites are still in English, at least it would be easy to see that if the page was in English. However, currently people have no idea because they arent able to even navigate these sites..
So this has actually nothing to do with the government but rather it is purely bad planning from these companies. I understand that the majority of their applicants are Finnish or Swedish speaking people BUT not serving the English speaking job market is just really, reeeally bad planning considering the importance of the international applicants for the future of the Finnish job market.
Sure.... but i mean... entery level jobs... If you're studying in a finish university should you not be proficient enough to navigate those sites Maybe with some google translate help... You will after all need to understand some finish to work Even if the majority of the population has good english....
Starting to get cold... at -18C. Here in SE QLD we think that the everlasting winter has come when it falls below about 7C... I actually really liked the Finnish reserve when I was there. I was only there for two weeks, or I might have gotten quite lonely, but I loved that when people smiled they meant it, it was never just a social gesture.
As a Swede from the Gothenburg area, I find this very interesting. Finland really has a lot in common with Sweden! I have visited Finland but only a short drive through in the north when going from Karesuando in Sweden and over to Finnmark in Norway, so I’ve never actually stopped and explored in Finland. Hoping that will change soon though, been wanting to take Silja Line over to Helsinki for years now, hoping it will happen sometime once it’s safer and easier to travel again. I’d also like to take the sleeper train north from Helsinki up to Rovaniemi both to see more of the country and for the experience itself, and then head over to Sweden, go out to Kiruna and the mountains there, before going over to Narvik in Norway to relive childhood memories from my adventures in the north part of Sweden and Norway
Thats really cool to hear! Do let me know if you have any questions or worries about the relocation process and id love to help you out to the best of my ability 👍
@@avinavigator3948 Finland some words if you need First Words are Finnish/ and other is English example Koira / Dog
Terve, Hei, Moi = Hello/Hey Anteeksi = Sorry Mitä = What Aika = Time Kello = Clock Kauppa = Store Kaupunki = City Kahvi = Coffee Maito = Milk Sokeri = Sugar Suola = Salt Kalja = Beer Alkoholi = Alcohol Karkki = Candy Vesi = Water Kaakao = Chocolate Milk / Some Animals/pets Karhu = Bear Kissa = Cat Koira = Dog Lintu = Bird Apina = Monkey Other Stuff/ Lelu = Toy Saippua = Shampoo Pesusieni = Sponge Raha = Money Lääkkeet = Medicines Things Like Car/Bus Auto = Car Bussi / Linja-auto = Bus Mopo = Moped Crossi Pyörä = Dirt Bike Taksi = Taxi " If You need more words ask me il try to answer some day or even instantly :D But Here you go! , if you need :)
It might be a bit rough since you are moving in just before the winter, but power through the first one and you'll see the wonder that is spring in finland. When it comes to social life, don't be afraid to approach finns and ask for help if you need it. Finns might seem a bit reserved, but that's only on the outside, and helping others is considered a base value. So it might actually be the way to get to know people, just ask for their help in something. Honesty and forthrightness are a valued part of our social culture, and great tools for anyone who wants to make friends around here. Pouring a couple of beers in them won't hurt. Lol. Where in finland are you moving to? Anyways, we aren't complicated people. I'm sure you'll do fine.
Oh yeah, i think ill do this later this year once i have material from all the seasons :D. Still need to film during autumn rains and once we get some snow.
@Susanne Brunberg Oh i disagree. The winter is something that you will get used to. Some people dont like it and thats cool. However, its absolutely not something that one could not cope with, or even fall in love with. In fact, winter is one of my favourite times of the year.
Also, don't miss out on kindergarten, school and/or work here because of the snow. That is, you may even have a snowstorm, but you will not stay home. You can get pretty harsh feedback from your boss if you stay home because of this. Here in Finland, we put winter tires on cars for the winter. But if you do not want to travel by your own car, then you can use a taxi or public transport such as bus, tram, metro or train. Otherwise, a bus trip will often be cheaper than a taxi or your own car. And public transport is surprisingly safe in this country.
Well Helsinki can always have no snow winter, you never know. Helsinki is also insanely cold in winter because it's by the sea. -15c there is equal to -25c inlands (even we who live more north and inland lol at Helsinki residents crying at -15c but I have been there at that weather... And it's awful. The wind just gets to your bones)
Perfect video and nice video. This is what many bloggers don't say. As an African, my very first contact with a finish in 2008, I knew they are very friendly.
@@kar460 Yeah the ice is not often solid enough because we get a mix of warm and cold weather during the winter. Its creates layers of solid and melted ice that is unstable for heavy vehicles. Still perfect for a snow mobile but not for cars. The winters used to be much colder with not that many fluctuations in the weather. This made for a much better ice pack.
@@RoadtoFinnish we don't have that problem yet. People can still drive on the lake with their vehicles. People here loves to ice fish. We used to have so much snow that'll go to the roofs. I'm glad we no longer have that nonsense.
The shortest day, i.e. the day with the shortest amount of daylight, is NOT in mid-winter, not in Finland nor anywhere else. The shortest day of the year, or the winter solstice, as it is called, is actually "the first day of winter", like they say it in English speaking countries, and it occurs either on the 21st or on the 22nd of December depending whether it is the leap year or not. After this day, the period of the daylight of each day becomes longer till the summer solstice (June 20/21) when after that date the period of the daylight of each day becomes shorter and shorter till the next winter solstice. This is the reason why for example the period from Oct till late Dec feel the darkest in Finland. In Jan-Feb, there´s usually snow in the ground, which reflects sunlight and "lightens up" you mid-winter days.
I thought it's usually considered good manners to learn a phrase or two of the language spoken in the country you're going to? Even if it's a rare and obscure language like Finnish it will open many doors, and also gives much deeper insight into what's going on in the local people's heads.
Oh absolutely yes! I agree with you 100%. It will definitely make it easier to integrate into the host society if you learn at least some basics. Definitely true but i still think its not quote-on-quote "mandatory" to survive here.
While I get your point and it makes sense, I just want to say that learning a fee phrases doesn't give insight into what's going on in a Finns head, naaahhhh not at all. You get insight if they choose to let you gain insight and you must have won their trust.
I really enjoy these videos of Finland and of it's culture, it is true about the Finns being some what standoffish, but growing up in a Finnish Household with three generations of elders makes me what I am today. and they were right about the things that you mentioned in the video. Kittos, keep up the good work.
In Finland people are reserved and not as proactive to talk and make conversations and get to know you.. All true. But in some other countries people are open to you to small talk, and everything but when you actually need it they disappear. At least Finnish people have good social economy ahaha and are not that fake like others. My experience as an italian
Hey Marco and thanks so much for sharing this perspective! I think that your point about the social economy is really on point. This is actually what ive heard from most of my class mates who took a semester in the US. Many of them felt that while American university students are more sociable, the friendships that you build there are more transactional and shallow while in Finland, you are able to make deep friendships.
@@RoadtoFinnish Yes that is exactly what I meant, I do not need outgoing and fake people who can only do shallow small talk and when you actually want or need something more than that small talk they just disappear and become even more shy than finns ! Finnish people have good "social economy indeed" and are more likely to show your friendship with actions and something practical. I had Finnish friends who I thought them as cold, and detached but the same cold friends went a long way to really help me when I moved, one friend drove me from Kittilä to Joensuu! Her name is Raija Palosaari she was an entreprenour in Lapland! Her sister helped me to move stuff inside my house and e everything. That definitely changed my mind about Finns!
@@marco1324661 Oh this is such a great example. Its funny because even as i reflect about this myself, its really hard to pinpoint the reasons for why Finns tend to be open to help each other out when asked to. Im sure that this has a hundred different reasons going all the way back to the second world war and the fact that we were able to stave of an invasion and to become independent only by pulling on the same rope. On the other hand, because we Finns do enjoy and pursue a good work-life balance, it also means that not all is just about ourselves. These are not quite directly connected but i hope you see the point. When everything is not about competing and beating other people, you are able to reserve quite a lot of your energy into empathy towards other people. Wasnt supposed to get all philosophical but its a super interesting cultural aspect to think about.
@@RoadtoFinnish Yes this is so true, we like to criticize finns a lot actually because of being less "sociable" but when it comes to respect, honesty, and helping these are things finns are very good at! The theory you proposed may explain it i dunno but i have seen finns are more about "doing" rather than "small talking" and its good in my opinion. One less positive feedback ? I have seen in some areas like work or relationships there is the lack of criticism, finns never criticize directly at your faults or things you do wrong i have seen and this way you never know how to improve. But this is more individual i guesa but there is a trend i have seen i guess or am i wrong?
Yeah its really hard to say whether this last point of yours is a national trait but i do get what you mean. A lot of Finns try to avoid conflicts like this. Whether it has a significant impact on people's abilities to improve can be debated but ive never thought about this myself so cant really comment there 🙂
Regarding asking for help, it's fine to ask for help if there's something you can't do by yourself. Do not ask for help if you just want to make things easier for yourself. Finns are really wary about getting used.
What's not to like about Finland? It is a highly developed and technologically advanced country with a very high HDI (Human Development Index) complete with great food, beautiful nature, saunas, a nation of coffee lovers, Fazer Chocolate, a massive love for heavy metal, extremely reserved people (I am very reserved myself so this wouldn't bother me at all. I myself don't do small talk) and curse words like Perkele etc. But yeah...I definitely hear you, there are things to adjust to and like anywhere else there will be challenges to begin with. I am aware the language is very difficult (that said, most people speak very good English over there), it is expensive and the winters are severe but I know I would love it out there. Such a beautiful country with fascinating culture.
Finland some words if you need First Words are Finnish/ and other is English example Koira / Dog
Terve, Hei, Moi = Hello/Hey Anteeksi = Sorry Mitä = What Aika = Time Kello = Clock Kauppa = Store Kaupunki = City Kahvi = Coffee Maito = Milk Sokeri = Sugar Suola = Salt Kalja = Beer Alkoholi = Alcohol Karkki = Candy Vesi = Water Kaakao = Chocolate Milk / Some Animals/pets Karhu = Bear Kissa = Cat Koira = Dog Lintu = Bird Apina = Monkey Other Stuff/ Lelu = Toy Saippua = Shampoo Pesusieni = Sponge Raha = Money Lääkkeet = Medicines Things Like Car/Bus Auto = Car Bussi / Linja-auto = Bus Mopo = Moped Crossi Pyörä = Dirt Bike Taksi = Taxi " If You need more words ask me il try to answer some day or even instantly :D But Here you go! , if you need :)
Foreign Friends Story: So my husband (then boyfriend) came to America with his Economics Masters from U of Athens but wanted one from University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. He failed the TOEFL. Hanging around the library trying to blend in, (lol) he met a kid who was Armenian. Same as Greeks, right? So they hit it off. That boy said "Hey you can't get into Wharton because your English sucks, but you have enough math to get into the Moore School of Engineering (at UofP) and I'll tutor you to make sure. THEN he took the entrance test, challenged the admissions and got ADMITTED! His guidance counselor and phD mentor was Yugoslavian and they are still friends 30 years later. Thank God for that Armenian boy, who is also still a close friend. He gave him LIFE in the USA and now he's an international lecturer!
Oh gosh I'm super reserved myself. Not that I can convince my husband to move there, but say I did, I'd ever make friends hahaha I recently started learning the language, got a long way to go, but I can't wait to visit someday.
Oh thats so funny to hear 😅. I think you would do quite well here. Perhaps you need to figure out a good reason for you and your husband to move here after all.
@@aWildHiker6444 Because it's a country for "Lonely souls", in other words, it's so hard to get any friends here, so I am still confused about this. The Finns like to have their "own Finn-friends" but not any foreigners... And they aren't that honest and trustworthy, as has been claimed here... Not all anyway. Then, I personally don't really like, is their attitude to alcohol, it seems, they have some difficulty being able to have fun without getting completely drunk. Why is that, I don't know... Neither the screaming. If you can't talk, it's better to remain silent . Another thing is, they swear all the time, of course you swear and use ugly words in other countries too, but not so much that "every other word is a profanity", lol. I'll probably never get used to that.... Just a few examples.
I think I’ll move to Finland for a winter. Perfect time to read, read, read - with a nice fireplace. Catch up on my reading :-). And if there are any good salsa clubs, maybe go out salsa dancing :-)
June 21st, 2021.... (connecting the dots)... Hey! My mom and I were in Helsinki Finland. We were staying in Jatkasaari (my laptop doesn't have accent dots). We were on our way to the Vaasa area to visit family for the summer (we are dual Finnish American citizens... although I was born and raised in Florida, she was born in Tampere). We had just flown in the early morning on the 19th. We are home now as we were only in Finland for a month. I love Finland, Suomi on todella kaunis maa! (learning Finnish!) Olen Amerikalainen ja Suomalainen!
Oh thats really cool to hear! Were you guys staying in the Clarion hotel or somewhere else? I actually live right next to it in Jätkäsaari so its a familiar neighbourhood 👍
@@RoadtoFinnish OMG😱 we stayed at an Airbnb right near the Clarion! Wow, we could have ran into each other😂. Our Airbnb was in a building across the street on Välimerenkatu. We could see the Clarion front our balcony!
As Stephen Sondheim's sublime lyric about the midnight sun goes, "The sun won't set! It's useless to hope or to fret -- It's dark as it's going to get. The hands on the clock turn, But don't sing a nocturne just yet."
This sunlight thing is on the spotlight more often than not. Many people seem to forget about the kaamos and the midnight sun, is that although very real, they are just the extremes. Especially in Helsinki, I think most of the year the daylight hours are something most Europeans would see as pretty normal. Both of these extremes will pass in two months or so, the rest is somewhere in between. February is actually one of my favourite months in Finland, since it's still a winter wonderland with almost normal daylight hours (about 9-16/17). Dawn and dusk also get a lot longer during the winter, which offsets the short daylight. In addition to the 5,5 hours of daylight during December/January, you also get about one hour of long sunsets and sunrises. Again, great video, keep it up!
Oh yes, ill try to get back to as many people as possible. Its becoming a bit more difficult as the channel grows but i also understand that these videos do not always answer every single question that people have about the particular topics, so i think its really important for me to give that extra advice in the comments. 👍
Here in Detroit our seasonal swings aren’t quite that bad but it’s definitely noticeable. Fun fact, my birthday is June 20, second longest day of the year. Stays light outside until about 9:30 or 10pm depending on how cloudy it is.
Thats really interesting to hear! Actually, now that you mentioned it, how is your experience with snow in Detroit? I mean, does everything still function as normal when you get a lot of snow or do you have to close places down for a while? This might sound like a dumb question but there are a lot of places in the US and even in the UK where it is all chaos the second any snow comes down 😁
@@RoadtoFinnish In general places stay open with a typical snow because in Detroit (only 20 minutes from Ontario, Canada) we are prepared for snow, plows & salt are ready. With a massive snow storm things will definitely shut down as plows can’t remove it fast enough for people to go about their business in time. In states that don’t get snow as often, or typically at all and get surprised with a rare snow storm the smallest bit of snow will shut them down. It’s rather amusing because in Detroit we would just shrug and drive right through it like nothing lol.
Im Estonian and some say, that Estonians are sometimes bit slow. But for me Finnish sometimes looks bit slow and so called "yeah, no hurry, take coffee break"... And Finnish people can drink lots of coffee. I mean... A LOT... 😃
I guess this can help but to be quite frank, you would need to stay here for quite a bit longer than just a week or two to get the idea. Staying in a hotel for a week will not really give the idea of what it is like living here full-time. But i do get your point. the winter can sometimes be a bit of a douche 😅
I just stumbled across this website, and it sounds very helpful in understanding a very notable culture. I completely understand the 'friend/acquaintance' idea and respect the idea of earning trust, even though I'm from the traditionally open, friendly American south. I'm looking forward to learning more about your country and people!
Thanks man, i really appreciate that 😁. I think this could have been improved quite a bit but to be honest, im still pretty much a novice with photoshop. Still, learning a lot while making these.
I'm American and the Finnish side of my family always said I was so much more like them than my other European family members. I thought they meant looks and now realize that was wrong. 😐
My favourite story about being a foreigner in a Finnish grocery store happened some 15 years ago in Tampere. I was in our local store, Valintatalo at that time, and there used to be flats nearby where many foreign university students would stay shorter or longer time. I was doing my shopping when I notice this obviously foreign young man standing in front of the shelves for refridgerated items and holding a small product in his hand, between thumb and index finger. A store clerk walks towards him and he asks: - Excuse me, but is this butter. And the woman replies: -Yes, and continues walking away. I rush up to the poor guy and say: - No, that is not butter, it is fresh yeast. 🙂
I wonder if perhaps taxi drivers are the exception to the rule. I vacationed in Helsinki about ten years ago and the drivers were quite talkative. I must also say that people were very friendly.
hmm the prices are high but my expectations to live there are still great enough keeping eye for finland even when its hard for foreigners i do feel like a Fin a bit but il look for more informative videos like this thanks for this chanel (kiitos)
The best way to get Finns to trust you is to make yourself look like person how can be trusted, help them, do favors without them asking. You show that you are good use, you are "good friend to have" then they will get interested to be friends with you.
I agree with this pretty much all the way. Naturally this is not the only trait that we are looking for but yeah, being a person that someone can rely on without asking is definitely something that is going to build that trust. And this does not mean that you have to "bribe" people to like you 😅. Rather, just be there when your buddies need you the most - without asking. No better way to tell them that you are a friend.
I always hear Finnish ppl not liking small talk or being the first one to start a convo, idk what we did but we had a lot of finns starting a convo with us. We were a month there, started from Helsinki, went all the way up to rovaniemi and then back to the south. On the campsite, in a library, being on walks in the forest or just on hiking, they talked with us a lot. Also in the Sauna where it was soooo weird for me to talk with naked strangers about personal things. I also told my husband that they are a bit too much chatty for me. So idk were we landed but seems like the older ones are very interested in foreigners
The winter isnt so cold anymore, i can be outside easily with hoodie and pants, but sometimes, it gets to -25 celsius (mostly in the january-february) and my eyelashes freeze, also the small amount of hair in my nose but also sometimes in the summer the weather can be hotter than in spain (especially in june)
Wonna learn a small trick of to speed up that trust/friendship barrier for favors... ask for a tiny... small favor It will ease things up.. (reasonably) And obviously don't run back asking for something big But it helps people open up a lot... If they feel like they helped you A specially with colleagues No one wants to put up the work when it comes to someone else they don't know but people do want to feel good about themselves And feel helpfull So a tiny thing like that will help a lot Establishing trust (Obviously nothing too small and meaningless But also nothing too big it's a difficult balance but you should be able to think about what favor you can ask for which'd work out great... Ideally use their skills... Skills and abilities you Don't have... Something you yourself can't do/do easily but to others comes easily (and they know it) Is a good example... Again nothing too complicated but just enough to make people feel useful and good about themselves)
That is so funny about starting a conversation at lunch or on a bus :-). In the Eastern European countries, it’s an opportunity to share one’s entire life story - happily :-).
Yeah, it is true that Finns are generally very good in English. This is, however, exactly what makes the fact that many Finnish companies still require Finnish language skills so absurd. I guess this is just a legacy thing as in - all of the company documents and tools are in Finnish and it would be a huge project to change the entire corporate culture and language from Finnish to English. Having said this, most of these firms will sooner or later understand that they have to take the leap and start taking in more international talent. Otherwise they will be screeeeeeewed.
Oh no. In fact, im one of those rare people who actually greets the other dog owner when our dogs sniff each other on the street. Most of the other owners just stare at the pavement or at the dogs 😅. Feels super awkward every time i say hello and there is no eye contact or answer from the other party.
Here in finland for 3 and a half years and haven't yet made friends, even though I am not really looking towards a friendship which might seem strange for someone. Forget to mention that I am 19 years old ukrainian, I know finnish quite ok on b2.2 level or a bit higher and studying at lyceum in Vaasa. Wanted to get a summer job somewhere, but as a pacifist person I think I will not success so I am a bit afraid.
Ach yes. Ive had a bunch of friends compete in Jukola. I think people would be interested in that but its a bit out of my league considering that on this channel we focus on higher education and early career development in Finland. A great idea though and i really hope that someone would make a video about this topic 👍
Weather is shit here in west coast. Its mostly windy and very the beginning of summers are cold. Autumn is long as hell and it gets very dark near christmas because theres no usually even snow before new year except in Lapland. Winter time is wet, cold and dark. Why wet in here? Betweentimes temperature rises abow 0 celsius and there are wet snow in everywhere, then it gets colder again and gets slippery. So its dark, wet and cold most of the year. Welcome! 😁
Thanks Jarkko for ruining my vision of the west coast 😅. Ive been to Hanko quite a lot during the recent years and its definitely as you described but i would have hoped that e.g. Vaasa would be a bit different due to the higher latitude.
In fact the seasons in Finland are autumn, winter, spring and road construction.
😅
Spot on!!!!!!
Totta!
;)
totta ainakin tampereella :D
me watching this as a Finn: 👁👄👁
Me writing the script to this video as a Finn 🥸
Me watching whislt I’m on holiday in Finland
Exactly
Suomi perkele!
Les goo veli
Meanwhile here in South Africa the seasons are : winter, summer lite, summer pro, summer deluxe ultra edition
😅 yeah i dont even want to imagine.
Try botswana. Summer 32-42+ Degrees , And spring room temp. 15-20 Degrees Celsius= basically our winter).. it may get colder but its rare to get to anything below 5degrees.. and its usually a cold front from RSA. Oh and a 3 month rainy season which rain may or may not come.
Finnish has two verbs for knowing someone:
Tiedän hänet (literally I know him/her) : I know that person but we are not close
Tunnen hänet (literally I feel him/her) : I know that person and we are close
Thats well summarised!
I personally prefer to explain the difference as "know of" vs. "know", since "tietää" doesn't necessarily say or imply anything about closeness or how well you know someone. Just that you know who is being referred to.
Jäbä hei
Sä oot oikeassa
In French, we have different words for the English "friend", and that says a lot about each culture. Lots of relationships that Anglophones would call "friends", we don't. So I think it's a similarity between Finnish and French cultures.
On the other hand, once you have “passed” the mutual trust thing, you’ll have a real friend for ages
Unless you fuck it up. One broken promise and im gone, every time.
@@maryammakinen1284 Pitää paikkansa,true dat.
Very much true Emmanuel! You are 100% correct here.
@@maryammakinen1284 true... for all of us (foreigners), never lie to a Finn
So true. We Finnish people vaalue honesty. If you are true and honest to us then we are true and honest to you.
me watching this as a Finn: _interesting_
also me living in the capital, watching you walk around places, and being like: "wait i was there last week"
😁 damn, you caught me!
@@RoadtoFinnish 😆
You know it is called maalais järki because everyone inside kehä3 is dumb
@@Niksuttelia
No, they aren't. But well outside...
Oh yes I know, I live in Finland now, moved to the countryside, In the Middle of nowhere, and the people here... Oh gosh, I never thought there would exist such people!
@@susannebrunberg4174 you know maalais järki does not mean book smart it means generally smart. You guys lack basic knoledge. I've met a dude from helsinki who didn't know the difference between a sauna and an electric sauna
surviving kaamos: 1) Vitamin D (extremely important ) 2) bright light lamp, 3) going outdoors exercising
A great list! Definitely recommended 👍
For me it's alcohol so i don't think it so much :)
@@TheAns51 🤦
Totally agree! I'm studying in a finnish school 3 weeks already, and I'm so happy, that I took the D vitamin from Russia!
4) Sausages
Had a foreign student at my school get depressed during long and cold winter. I told him that it sometimes gets us all but its called "Kaamos". Guided him to the school healthcare staff regardless and he told me that it helped. If you find it hard during winter, talking helps :)
Oh, that was very nice of you! This is actually something that i have not thought of myself. But then again, there is a reason why we have school psychologists and general healthcare staff 👌
Thanks for being helpful, I can imagine what he went through. I have enjoyed winter so far but summer was hard for me. My husband on the other hand has struggled with winter and it is a good feeling to get support.
I've lived in Finland for almost a decade now and boy have I completely lost the will to make new friends :'D I used to be really friendly and bubbly, but at this point with my experience with most Finns, I'm like "If they'll come they'll come", which is mind-blowingly (and sadly) the exact same way a Finn would think haha :D
Heh, feel you there. I think typical Finns appreciate the punctuality and keeping the promises. If you fail at that, Finns will surely think twice before sending an invite to meeting or party. Obvious excuses are biggest turndown at least for me. Of course there are us for many trains and wagons, and rest will follow with trolleys, so to say. :D
Oh that's bad, I am half Ukrainian and half Palestinian, I live in Saudi Arabia, and I can't have friends no in Ukraine and no in other Arabic countries, didn't included Palestine because I actually don't live there because war, so I can't have Arabic friends because I am to weird for them, and I can't have Russian/Ukrainian friends because I am to weird for them too. Finding friends is so difficult, no matter were are they from, but I think this is my problem and not the society ):
Im proud of you, Jatka samaan malliin:))
@Van Nguyen
Yes, I know. Been here a few years now... Still haven't any Finnish friends. They are very skeptical, even rude. Not every one, but most...
Of course, this isn't Helsinki, it's far on the countryside, but still...
I used to say to my friends elsewhere in Europe, that you have to be born in this country to get any friends. Fortunately, I have all my different animals, so I have a lot of work to do. But if I'm honest, this isn't exactly a "dream land".
Not only the Finns' view of foreigners, but for the terribly cold weather (all year round), I've been frozen since I got here, doesn't help how much clothes I'm wearing.
And last but not least, this is the most expensive country to live in, and I have lived in several, and even by far the most bureaucratic.
@@susannebrunberg4174 To be honest, based on this comment I don't find it surprising that you haven't found Finnish friends. If you put out some positivity yourself, maybe that would be what you'd also receive. Just a friendly tip. :)
If you are moving to Finland and you are of a darker complex it is highly recommended that you take a daily dose of vitamin D during the winter (and the summer if you are really dark skinned). If your skin is darker it prevents you from producing enough vitamin D naturally with the little sunlight here. You can get basic vitamin D supplements from every pharmacy without a prescription.
(BTW low vitamin D for a long period of time can cause the bones to get soft.)
Why in the summer though?
I live in the USA and I am not a student, I am not moving either, but I find your videos very imformative. Thanks for making them.
I just discovered this channel trough recommendations and I just want to say: I feel like most people here are Finns and it seems kind a funny.
Yep, ive been thinking about the same thing. Why is it that (we) Finns are so intrigued by videos about our country even if those videos are made for an international audience 😏
@@RoadtoFinnish yep when I discover video about Finland and then go to comments it's just all Finnish people
I am just intrigued by the accents of native Finns when they speak English! :D
@@junkabella6324 yeah. My English is like mash up of many different accents!
Well yes most of the world doesn't like/understands finish culture...
And society... the cold......
Most people are simply ignorant about the world
i do...appreciate culture such as finland's for example... estonia's austria's and so on...
People are only really interested at their own countries or popular touristic nations snd their touristic colture
France for example and paris...
Everyone knows of the french and French culture and so on
Not enought tourists come to Finland...
Not too many movies and music and... are exported from finland...
Yeah one of the reasons the us is such a super power.. isn't just it's early economic success but also it's export of culture
With holywood....
And the introvert culture.....
Well people don't generally learn about closed up cultures...
(Unless they allready visited/experienced/... learned to appreciate)
I can agree with all of the points talked about in this video. Being that my parents are from Finland they've taught my sister and I all these ever since we were young. My sister just moved to Finland after graduating college here (she's going to get her masters). This summer we were thinking about how all the other foreign exchange students were going to do while moving and how they will get used to everything. Thanks for making something like this, it was a very informative video!
Hey Oscar and thanks so much for sharing this! Super interesting to hear this kind of a perspective. Hopefully your sister had a successful move without any major hitches. I think integrating into the Finnish (Nordic to be exact) society is definitely a big challenge for anyone coming from outside the Nordic nations. This is one of the big reasons why i wanted to set up this channel in the first place because i think that there is a massive lack in communication about these things and i wanted to fill in that gap 👍
Ei vittu mitä paskaa. Onhan tuo parempaa enkkua ku sanna marinille ostetut intialaiset botit
@@ankimakia4086 lol hyvin kirjoitettu xd
"Finding a job appropriate to your experiences and qualifications without existing connections is a nightmare" should be on top of the list.
While i did not word this quite like you did, i do talk about this in the video. The things mentioned in the video are in no particular priority order. But yeah, finding your first jobs in Finland is not easy and the importance of networking is emphasised a huge amount. I try to push this information out as often an as can because of the importance that it has.
Another issue related to this one is actually that most internationals coming to Finland do not know how the local job and recruitment markets work (and why should they). This is a massive issue since our recruitment market works in a very different manner compared to many other countries. It takes time to getting used to this and its one of the biggest reasons behind the challenges that many face. Again, something that im trying to fix with this channel.
@@RoadtoFinnish Thank you taking the time to reply :). I do believe all of us need to research about how the job market works before moving (and your channel is a big help!), however, the quantification of the importance of network and trust-based employment is difficult to comprehend without actually living there. I realized it the hard way :D
There only one job out of 6 that I, in a sense, have gotten with connections. So, I would think it depends on the field of work you're trying to get. Although, I'm a Finn by birth.
@@RoadtoFinnish could you kindly explain the not knowing how the recruitment market works? Besides the websites being in Finnish, what else would one need to know? Thanks
Once you earn that trust and gain a friend, don't go and break that trust because we can also hold a grudge for a long time.
Severe enough of a mistake on ones part can even break families apart and it can take even decades to fix those broken relationships.
I would love to say that this is not true, but unfortunately it is (not in all cases but sometimes yes). So yeah, id say this is pretty good advice.
Very true. Just one yelling pressuring phone call amd you do not exist in their minds any longer and no blackmailing will work, but quarantee, Finns will NEVER talk to you again.
At least I would chicken out lol.
@@lll9409
That's actually pretty childish! It's about grown up people, not any teenagers...!
That's a really good point you made on the recruitment websites. It would be really important to get those translated in other languages than Finnish and Swedish.
I really think so! Even if the majority of jobs on these sites are still in English, at least it would be easy to see that if the page was in English. However, currently people have no idea because they arent able to even navigate these sites..
It's really insane that they have not been translated, feels like the goverment incentivices unemployment among foreigners.
So this has actually nothing to do with the government but rather it is purely bad planning from these companies. I understand that the majority of their applicants are Finnish or Swedish speaking people BUT not serving the English speaking job market is just really, reeeally bad planning considering the importance of the international applicants for the future of the Finnish job market.
@@RoadtoFinnish Privately or publicly owned, regardless the same notion persists.
Sure.... but i mean... entery level jobs...
If you're studying in a finish university should you not be proficient enough to navigate those sites
Maybe with some google translate help...
You will after all need to understand some finish to work
Even if the majority of the population has good english....
Starting to get cold... at -18C. Here in SE QLD we think that the everlasting winter has come when it falls below about 7C... I actually really liked the Finnish reserve when I was there. I was only there for two weeks, or I might have gotten quite lonely, but I loved that when people smiled they meant it, it was never just a social gesture.
As a Swede from the Gothenburg area, I find this very interesting. Finland really has a lot in common with Sweden! I have visited Finland but only a short drive through in the north when going from Karesuando in Sweden and over to Finnmark in Norway, so I’ve never actually stopped and explored in Finland. Hoping that will change soon though, been wanting to take Silja Line over to Helsinki for years now, hoping it will happen sometime once it’s safer and easier to travel again. I’d also like to take the sleeper train north from Helsinki up to Rovaniemi both to see more of the country and for the experience itself, and then head over to Sweden, go out to Kiruna and the mountains there, before going over to Narvik in Norway to relive childhood memories from my adventures in the north part of Sweden and Norway
I’m moving to finland next month and your videos help a lot to plan the shift.
I'm from finland so I under stand
Thats really cool to hear! Do let me know if you have any questions or worries about the relocation process and id love to help you out to the best of my ability 👍
@@RoadtoFinnish means a lot, thanks.
@@avinavigator3948 Finland some words if you need
First Words are Finnish/ and other is English
example
Koira / Dog
Terve, Hei, Moi = Hello/Hey
Anteeksi = Sorry
Mitä = What
Aika = Time
Kello = Clock
Kauppa = Store
Kaupunki = City
Kahvi = Coffee
Maito = Milk
Sokeri = Sugar
Suola = Salt
Kalja = Beer
Alkoholi = Alcohol
Karkki = Candy
Vesi = Water
Kaakao = Chocolate Milk
/
Some Animals/pets
Karhu = Bear
Kissa = Cat
Koira = Dog
Lintu = Bird
Apina = Monkey
Other Stuff/
Lelu = Toy
Saippua = Shampoo
Pesusieni = Sponge
Raha = Money
Lääkkeet = Medicines
Things Like Car/Bus
Auto = Car
Bussi / Linja-auto = Bus
Mopo = Moped
Crossi Pyörä = Dirt Bike
Taksi = Taxi
" If You need more words ask me il try to answer some day or even instantly :D
But Here you go! , if you need :)
It might be a bit rough since you are moving in just before the winter, but power through the first one and you'll see the wonder that is spring in finland. When it comes to social life, don't be afraid to approach finns and ask for help if you need it. Finns might seem a bit reserved, but that's only on the outside, and helping others is considered a base value. So it might actually be the way to get to know people, just ask for their help in something. Honesty and forthrightness are a valued part of our social culture, and great tools for anyone who wants to make friends around here. Pouring a couple of beers in them won't hurt. Lol. Where in finland are you moving to?
Anyways, we aren't complicated people. I'm sure you'll do fine.
Looking forward for the video "how to survive the finnish seasons" !!
Oh yeah, i think ill do this later this year once i have material from all the seasons :D. Still need to film during autumn rains and once we get some snow.
with depression
It's hard. It's much, much harder than as you'll ever think
@Susanne Brunberg Oh i disagree. The winter is something that you will get used to. Some people dont like it and thats cool. However, its absolutely not something that one could not cope with, or even fall in love with. In fact, winter is one of my favourite times of the year.
@@RoadtoFinnish
Oh dear... But you're a Finn... When not used to extreme cold around the clock for about 9 months, it's simple a nightmare!
Also, don't miss out on kindergarten, school and/or work here because of the snow. That is, you may even have a snowstorm, but you will not stay home. You can get pretty harsh feedback from your boss if you stay home because of this. Here in Finland, we put winter tires on cars for the winter. But if you do not want to travel by your own car, then you can use a taxi or public transport such as bus, tram, metro or train. Otherwise, a bus trip will often be cheaper than a taxi or your own car. And public transport is surprisingly safe in this country.
During this past summer we had over 50 days with 24C or more...Its more than enough, thanks.
😅 yeah agreed. Im more than happy for a holiday in Greece if i want any more of that.
Noo the + 25 was nice! After sauna it felt nice to come out to +30 and sit on porch and drink beer 👌. I just like rather hot than cold.
No ainaki yks suomalainne
Thanks! You're videos are brutally honest, Finnish style and I love them.
"A proper winter"... :) Can't wait.
Oh its wonderful! One of the highlights of my year is to go to Lapland to celebrate new years. Its pretty magical even if i say it myself 😅
Well Helsinki can always have no snow winter, you never know.
Helsinki is also insanely cold in winter because it's by the sea. -15c there is equal to -25c inlands (even we who live more north and inland lol at Helsinki residents crying at -15c but I have been there at that weather... And it's awful. The wind just gets to your bones)
@@duckeh1952
It's gets through your hole body for nine months... It's really, really hard for me
Thank you! This is all so fascinating! Wish we'd had you when I was just off to college! You make me want to visit Finland!
Finns give personal space untill we go in sauna 🤣🤣
I dont see any irony here (or wait 🤪)
Haha most Finnish comment
Perfect video and nice video. This is what many bloggers don't say. As an African, my very first contact with a finish in 2008, I knew they are very friendly.
I love the darkness and miss the gold winters we used to have when I was growing up in the 60’s and the 70’s.
Yeah... the same. I remember when in the late 90s you could drive on the sea ice with a car. Not really happening anymore.
@@RoadtoFinnish why not?
@@kar460 not frozen
@@kar460 Yeah the ice is not often solid enough because we get a mix of warm and cold weather during the winter. Its creates layers of solid and melted ice that is unstable for heavy vehicles. Still perfect for a snow mobile but not for cars.
The winters used to be much colder with not that many fluctuations in the weather. This made for a much better ice pack.
@@RoadtoFinnish we don't have that problem yet. People can still drive on the lake with their vehicles. People here loves to ice fish.
We used to have so much snow that'll go to the roofs. I'm glad we no longer have that nonsense.
The shortest day, i.e. the day with the shortest amount of daylight, is NOT in mid-winter, not in Finland nor anywhere else. The shortest day of the year, or the winter solstice, as it is called, is actually "the first day of winter", like they say it in English speaking countries, and it occurs either on the 21st or on the 22nd of December depending whether it is the leap year or not. After this day, the period of the daylight of each day becomes longer till the summer solstice (June 20/21) when after that date the period of the daylight of each day becomes shorter and shorter till the next winter solstice. This is the reason why for example the period from Oct till late Dec feel the darkest in Finland. In Jan-Feb, there´s usually snow in the ground, which reflects sunlight and "lightens up" you mid-winter days.
I thought it's usually considered good manners to learn a phrase or two of the language spoken in the country you're going to? Even if it's a rare and obscure language like Finnish it will open many doors, and also gives much deeper insight into what's going on in the local people's heads.
Oh absolutely yes! I agree with you 100%. It will definitely make it easier to integrate into the host society if you learn at least some basics. Definitely true but i still think its not quote-on-quote "mandatory" to survive here.
While I get your point and it makes sense, I just want to say that learning a fee phrases doesn't give insight into what's going on in a Finns head, naaahhhh not at all. You get insight if they choose to let you gain insight and you must have won their trust.
Can't wait to explore Finland once this pandemic's over.
Oh i hear you!
They are very kind and helpful...I were there 3times...and I miiiiiis....
Thats super cool to hear! While we might not be that proactive about other people, most Finns are more than happy to help if you just ask for it.
Totally watched this before i was born in Finland, Thanks!
😅
I really enjoy these videos of Finland and of it's culture, it is true about the Finns being some what standoffish, but growing up in a Finnish Household with three generations of elders makes me what I am today. and they were right about the things that you mentioned in the video. Kittos, keep up the good work.
In Finland people are reserved and not as proactive to talk and make conversations and get to know you.. All true. But in some other countries people are open to you to small talk, and everything but when you actually need it they disappear. At least Finnish people have good social economy ahaha and are not that fake like others. My experience as an italian
Hey Marco and thanks so much for sharing this perspective! I think that your point about the social economy is really on point. This is actually what ive heard from most of my class mates who took a semester in the US. Many of them felt that while American university students are more sociable, the friendships that you build there are more transactional and shallow while in Finland, you are able to make deep friendships.
@@RoadtoFinnish Yes that is exactly what I meant, I do not need outgoing and fake people who can only do shallow small talk and when you actually want or need something more than that small talk they just disappear and become even more shy than finns ! Finnish people have good "social economy indeed" and are more likely to show your friendship with actions and something practical. I had Finnish friends who I thought them as cold, and detached but the same cold friends went a long way to really help me when I moved, one friend drove me from Kittilä to Joensuu! Her name is Raija Palosaari she was an entreprenour in Lapland! Her sister helped me to move stuff inside my house and e everything. That definitely changed my mind about Finns!
@@marco1324661 Oh this is such a great example. Its funny because even as i reflect about this myself, its really hard to pinpoint the reasons for why Finns tend to be open to help each other out when asked to. Im sure that this has a hundred different reasons going all the way back to the second world war and the fact that we were able to stave of an invasion and to become independent only by pulling on the same rope. On the other hand, because we Finns do enjoy and pursue a good work-life balance, it also means that not all is just about ourselves. These are not quite directly connected but i hope you see the point. When everything is not about competing and beating other people, you are able to reserve quite a lot of your energy into empathy towards other people.
Wasnt supposed to get all philosophical but its a super interesting cultural aspect to think about.
@@RoadtoFinnish Yes this is so true, we like to criticize finns a lot actually because of being less "sociable" but when it comes to respect, honesty, and helping these are things finns are very good at! The theory you proposed may explain it i dunno but i have seen finns are more about "doing" rather than "small talking" and its good in my opinion. One less positive feedback ? I have seen in some areas like work or relationships there is the lack of criticism, finns never criticize directly at your faults or things you do wrong i have seen and this way you never know how to improve. But this is more individual i guesa but there is a trend i have seen i guess or am i wrong?
Yeah its really hard to say whether this last point of yours is a national trait but i do get what you mean. A lot of Finns try to avoid conflicts like this. Whether it has a significant impact on people's abilities to improve can be debated but ive never thought about this myself so cant really comment there 🙂
Regarding asking for help, it's fine to ask for help if there's something you can't do by yourself. Do not ask for help if you just want to make things easier for yourself. Finns are really wary about getting used.
A great point. This is exactly why i talk about the differences between "real friends" and friendly acquittances.
What's not to like about Finland? It is a highly developed and technologically advanced country with a very high HDI (Human Development Index) complete with great food, beautiful nature, saunas, a nation of coffee lovers, Fazer Chocolate, a massive love for heavy metal, extremely reserved people (I am very reserved myself so this wouldn't bother me at all. I myself don't do small talk) and curse words like Perkele etc.
But yeah...I definitely hear you, there are things to adjust to and like anywhere else there will be challenges to begin with.
I am aware the language is very difficult (that said, most people speak very good English over there), it is expensive and the winters are severe but I know I would love it out there.
Such a beautiful country with fascinating culture.
Finland is indeed beautiful. Thanks for sharing.
It really is!
I allready visited this country for 3 times in 3 years, and now i moved here. I love Finland😍😍❤❤
Thats so cool to hear Pim! I hope you dont mind me asking but are there are specific things that you particularly like about Finland?
Finland some words if you need
First Words are Finnish/ and other is English
example
Koira / Dog
Terve, Hei, Moi = Hello/Hey
Anteeksi = Sorry
Mitä = What
Aika = Time
Kello = Clock
Kauppa = Store
Kaupunki = City
Kahvi = Coffee
Maito = Milk
Sokeri = Sugar
Suola = Salt
Kalja = Beer
Alkoholi = Alcohol
Karkki = Candy
Vesi = Water
Kaakao = Chocolate Milk
/
Some Animals/pets
Karhu = Bear
Kissa = Cat
Koira = Dog
Lintu = Bird
Apina = Monkey
Other Stuff/
Lelu = Toy
Saippua = Shampoo
Pesusieni = Sponge
Raha = Money
Lääkkeet = Medicines
Things Like Car/Bus
Auto = Car
Bussi / Linja-auto = Bus
Mopo = Moped
Crossi Pyörä = Dirt Bike
Taksi = Taxi
" If You need more words ask me il try to answer some day or even instantly :D
But Here you go! , if you need :)
Foreign Friends Story: So my husband (then boyfriend) came to America with his Economics Masters from U of Athens but wanted one from University of Pennsylvania Wharton School. He failed the TOEFL. Hanging around the library trying to blend in, (lol) he met a kid who was Armenian. Same as Greeks, right? So they hit it off. That boy said "Hey you can't get into Wharton because your English sucks, but you have enough math to get into the Moore School of Engineering (at UofP) and I'll tutor you to make sure. THEN he took the entrance test, challenged the admissions and got ADMITTED! His guidance counselor and phD mentor was Yugoslavian and they are still friends 30 years later. Thank God for that Armenian boy, who is also still a close friend. He gave him LIFE in the USA and now he's an international lecturer!
Me, a german: I’ve already decided I wanna move to Finland. U can’t change my mind
Oh gosh I'm super reserved myself. Not that I can convince my husband to move there, but say I did, I'd ever make friends hahaha
I recently started learning the language, got a long way to go, but I can't wait to visit someday.
Oh thats so funny to hear 😅. I think you would do quite well here. Perhaps you need to figure out a good reason for you and your husband to move here after all.
Don't come... Just a little advise...
@@susannebrunberg4174 And why is that? If you're going to suggest something, then a reason would be appreciated!
@@aWildHiker6444
Because it's a country for "Lonely souls", in other words, it's so hard to get any friends here, so I am still confused about this. The Finns like to have their "own Finn-friends" but not any foreigners...
And they aren't that honest and trustworthy, as has been claimed here... Not all anyway.
Then, I personally don't really like, is their attitude to alcohol, it seems, they have some difficulty being able to have fun without getting completely drunk. Why is that, I don't know... Neither the screaming. If you can't talk, it's better to remain silent .
Another thing is, they swear all the time, of course you swear and use ugly words in other countries too, but not so much that "every other word is a profanity", lol. I'll probably never get used to that....
Just a few examples.
@@susannebrunberg4174 Your comments through out are so negative! Beginning to think your own attitude is the reason for your unhappiness.
I think I’ll move to Finland for a winter. Perfect time to read, read, read - with a nice fireplace. Catch up on my reading :-). And if there are any good salsa clubs, maybe go out salsa dancing :-)
June 21st, 2021.... (connecting the dots)... Hey! My mom and I were in Helsinki Finland. We were staying in Jatkasaari (my laptop doesn't have accent dots). We were on our way to the Vaasa area to visit family for the summer (we are dual Finnish American citizens... although I was born and raised in Florida, she was born in Tampere). We had just flown in the early morning on the 19th. We are home now as we were only in Finland for a month. I love Finland, Suomi on todella kaunis maa! (learning Finnish!) Olen Amerikalainen ja Suomalainen!
Oh thats really cool to hear! Were you guys staying in the Clarion hotel or somewhere else? I actually live right next to it in Jätkäsaari so its a familiar neighbourhood 👍
@@RoadtoFinnish OMG😱 we stayed at an Airbnb right near the Clarion! Wow, we could have ran into each other😂. Our Airbnb was in a building across the street on Välimerenkatu. We could see the Clarion front our balcony!
You really did well in this, all of that is true especially those 2 last ones, it did described us really well.
Thanks for the feedback. I do appreciate it. Just making sure though, did you know that I am Finnish myself?
Finland is a great country. Hyva Suomi ❤️
As Stephen Sondheim's sublime lyric about the midnight sun goes, "The sun won't set! It's useless to hope or to fret -- It's dark as it's going to get. The hands on the clock turn, But don't sing a nocturne just yet."
This sunlight thing is on the spotlight more often than not. Many people seem to forget about the kaamos and the midnight sun, is that although very real, they are just the extremes. Especially in Helsinki, I think most of the year the daylight hours are something most Europeans would see as pretty normal. Both of these extremes will pass in two months or so, the rest is somewhere in between. February is actually one of my favourite months in Finland, since it's still a winter wonderland with almost normal daylight hours (about 9-16/17). Dawn and dusk also get a lot longer during the winter, which offsets the short daylight. In addition to the 5,5 hours of daylight during December/January, you also get about one hour of long sunsets and sunrises. Again, great video, keep it up!
Love your channel, learning a lot. 😊
Awesome! Thank you! As i mentioned in the previous comment, do let me know if you have any questions about this or any other related topic 👍
@@RoadtoFinnish Will do 😉. Nice to know you are reading comments ☺️
Oh yes, ill try to get back to as many people as possible. Its becoming a bit more difficult as the channel grows but i also understand that these videos do not always answer every single question that people have about the particular topics, so i think its really important for me to give that extra advice in the comments. 👍
Thank you for this information! :)
My pleasure!
It's cool oliver....I hope I can Pursue my PhD in Finland next year 🥰
Here in Detroit our seasonal swings aren’t quite that bad but it’s definitely noticeable. Fun fact, my birthday is June 20, second longest day of the year. Stays light outside until about 9:30 or 10pm depending on how cloudy it is.
Thats really interesting to hear! Actually, now that you mentioned it, how is your experience with snow in Detroit? I mean, does everything still function as normal when you get a lot of snow or do you have to close places down for a while? This might sound like a dumb question but there are a lot of places in the US and even in the UK where it is all chaos the second any snow comes down 😁
@@RoadtoFinnish In general places stay open with a typical snow because in Detroit (only 20 minutes from Ontario, Canada) we are prepared for snow, plows & salt are ready. With a massive snow storm things will definitely shut down as plows can’t remove it fast enough for people to go about their business in time. In states that don’t get snow as often, or typically at all and get surprised with a rare snow storm the smallest bit of snow will shut them down. It’s rather amusing because in Detroit we would just shrug and drive right through it like nothing lol.
In Oulu midsummer 21.6 sunrise is 02.18 and sunset 00.22 (22.6). And midwinter 21.12 sunrise 10.29 sunset 14.04. 3h34m daylight. 🤣
Beautiful video! I'm in Finland now, i live in Italy
Thats so cool! From what part of Italy do you come from?
@@RoadtoFinnish I'm in Heinola now, we came from Bergamo
Another great video, Oliver!
Thanks a bunch! As always, do let me know if you have any ideas for future videos 👍
Im Estonian and some say, that Estonians are sometimes bit slow. But for me Finnish sometimes looks bit slow and so called "yeah, no hurry, take coffee break"... And Finnish people can drink lots of coffee. I mean... A LOT... 😃
😅 that is pretty true indeed.
My cousin married a finish girl and she is the most friendly and warm person I know.
Great details and presentation, subbed.
Thats really cool to hear! Welcome to the community 👍
Before moving here one should visit in January of February. Winter can be quite harsh for those coming from warm-climate countries
I guess this can help but to be quite frank, you would need to stay here for quite a bit longer than just a week or two to get the idea. Staying in a hotel for a week will not really give the idea of what it is like living here full-time. But i do get your point. the winter can sometimes be a bit of a douche 😅
I just stumbled across this website, and it sounds very helpful in understanding a very notable culture. I completely understand the 'friend/acquaintance' idea and respect the idea of earning trust, even though I'm from the traditionally open, friendly American south. I'm looking forward to learning more about your country and people!
drink a lot of milk, buy vitamin - to counter the lack of sunlight during winter
Yep! Also make sure to go out into the sun as much as possible when its out. Makes a huge difference 👍
UK: our winters are really bad
Finland: hold my beer 🍺
I enjoy your videos, they're really informative 👍🏼
I instantly clicked after seeing the thumbnail, didn't even read title of the video😂😂
You cant possibly understand how much time i spent trying to make myself look like im all frozen solid 😅 . Oh the things we do for a few clicks.
I would choose Kuopio as my home base in Finland.
Kuopio is great!
Oh, an five hours of daylight does not mean sunlight... You might not see the sun even in the south for 3 months.
Oh comon Hedwig, you should be used to this. After all, you are an Arctic Owl - and a magical one at that 🤪
Can't wait to experience polar night & lights
Oh just wait for it. Its so weird especially the first times 😅.
Aurora borealis are very rare down south and the polar night will drive you into into depression. The older you are, the worse it gets.
The thumbnail work is insane!!! Props to ya.
Thanks man, i really appreciate that 😁. I think this could have been improved quite a bit but to be honest, im still pretty much a novice with photoshop. Still, learning a lot while making these.
This would have been good to know before I got born 👍
Ach, damn the passage of time!
I'm American and the Finnish side of my family always said I was so much more like them than my other European family members. I thought they meant looks and now realize that was wrong. 😐
Finland is the best Becouse i live here
go in tampere and go eat "mustamakkara" its very good
Ach this would be fun. Not sure when i could do this though. I dont travel to Tampere that often.
I like our winters.
My favourite story about being a foreigner in a Finnish grocery store happened some 15 years ago in Tampere.
I was in our local store, Valintatalo at that time, and there used to be flats nearby where many foreign university students would stay shorter or longer time.
I was doing my shopping when I notice this obviously foreign young man standing in front of the shelves for refridgerated items and holding a small product in his hand, between thumb and index finger. A store clerk walks towards him and he asks: - Excuse me, but is this butter. And the woman replies: -Yes, and continues walking away.
I rush up to the poor guy and say: - No, that is not butter, it is fresh yeast. 🙂
"Perkele" is a keyword in Finalnd. It Does magic. When you say it loudly, even a black bear Runs away.
@Marko L1977 Fixed
I am 3rd generation Finnish. I have always wanted to visit Finland, even if not living there.
Found this video and subscribe immediately
Enjoy your video a lot 👍
very informative and useful.
(One of your new fan from Bangladesh)
Welcome aboard! Im happy to hear that this brought you some value. Do also let me know if you have any questions that you'd like me to help with.
I wonder if perhaps taxi drivers are the exception to the rule. I vacationed in Helsinki about ten years ago and the drivers were quite talkative. I must also say that people were very friendly.
hmm the prices are high but my expectations to live there are still great enough
keeping eye for finland even when its hard for foreigners
i do feel like a Fin a bit but il look for more informative videos like this
thanks for this chanel (kiitos)
The best way to get Finns to trust you is to make yourself look like person how can be trusted, help them, do favors without them asking. You show that you are good use, you are "good friend to have" then they will get interested to be friends with you.
I agree with this pretty much all the way. Naturally this is not the only trait that we are looking for but yeah, being a person that someone can rely on without asking is definitely something that is going to build that trust. And this does not mean that you have to "bribe" people to like you 😅. Rather, just be there when your buddies need you the most - without asking. No better way to tell them that you are a friend.
I always hear Finnish ppl not liking small talk or being the first one to start a convo, idk what we did but we had a lot of finns starting a convo with us. We were a month there, started from Helsinki, went all the way up to rovaniemi and then back to the south. On the campsite, in a library, being on walks in the forest or just on hiking, they talked with us a lot. Also in the Sauna where it was soooo weird for me to talk with naked strangers about personal things. I also told my husband that they are a bit too much chatty for me. So idk were we landed but seems like the older ones are very interested in foreigners
The winter isnt so cold anymore, i can be outside easily with hoodie and pants, but sometimes, it gets to -25 celsius (mostly in the january-february) and my eyelashes freeze, also the small amount of hair in my nose
but also sometimes in the summer the weather can be hotter than in spain (especially in june)
Yep, its pretty crazy nowadays. I really miss the late 90s when we still had proper winters and more predicable summers.
Greetings from Finland m8:) 😁🇫🇮
Hello, hello, hellooo! 🇫🇮
Wonna learn a small trick of to speed up that trust/friendship barrier for favors... ask for a tiny... small favor
It will ease things up.. (reasonably)
And obviously don't run back asking for something big
But it helps people open up a lot...
If they feel like they helped you
A specially with colleagues
No one wants to put up the work when it comes to someone else they don't know but people do want to feel good about themselves
And feel helpfull
So a tiny thing like that will help a lot
Establishing trust
(Obviously nothing too small and meaningless
But also nothing too big it's a difficult balance but you should be able to think about what favor you can ask for which'd work out great...
Ideally use their skills...
Skills and abilities you Don't have...
Something you yourself can't do/do easily but to others comes easily (and they know it)
Is a good example...
Again nothing too complicated but just enough to make people feel useful and good about themselves)
Aika hyvin puhut lontoota 😉, helppo ainakin suomalaisena ymmärtää.
Kiitos kiitos. Paljon on tullut harjoiteltua vuosien aikana 👍
That is so funny about starting a conversation at lunch or on a bus :-). In the Eastern European countries, it’s an opportunity to share one’s entire life story - happily :-).
There are 2 ways to getting to know us fins work hard for it or ask them out for pub night
😏 no comment
Live in Finland for over 20 years and never needed to learn Finnish. Finnish people are incredibly well studied on english. Maybe thanks to RuneScape.
Yeah, it is true that Finns are generally very good in English. This is, however, exactly what makes the fact that many Finnish companies still require Finnish language skills so absurd. I guess this is just a legacy thing as in - all of the company documents and tools are in Finnish and it would be a huge project to change the entire corporate culture and language from Finnish to English. Having said this, most of these firms will sooner or later understand that they have to take the leap and start taking in more international talent. Otherwise they will be screeeeeeewed.
Watch next: things that you need to know about Finnish people: ruclips.net/video/7S1sowV1KUk/видео.html
L107..thanks you bro..share..👌👍🙂
Thank you too! Awesome to have you here
See you soon finland! ❄
Definitely! Stay safe and remember that while things might feel a bit hectic in the beginning, its just going to be like that for a while.
your english is so good :0
Thanks a bunch, i do appreciate that 👍. Ive had a lot of practice over the years.
Yeah people don't necessarily say good day when walking past in Finland
Oh no. In fact, im one of those rare people who actually greets the other dog owner when our dogs sniff each other on the street. Most of the other owners just stare at the pavement or at the dogs 😅. Feels super awkward every time i say hello and there is no eye contact or answer from the other party.
Here in finland for 3 and a half years and haven't yet made friends, even though I am not really looking towards a friendship which might seem strange for someone. Forget to mention that I am 19 years old ukrainian, I know finnish quite ok on b2.2 level or a bit higher and studying at lyceum in Vaasa. Wanted to get a summer job somewhere, but as a pacifist person I think I will not success so I am a bit afraid.
You Should do a Video about Jukola/Venla Relay. That is a big thing in Finland and in the orienteeringworld. :) //Routsi follower
Ach yes. Ive had a bunch of friends compete in Jukola. I think people would be interested in that but its a bit out of my league considering that on this channel we focus on higher education and early career development in Finland. A great idea though and i really hope that someone would make a video about this topic 👍
That last point should be standard everywhere.
Weather is shit here in west coast. Its mostly windy and very the beginning of summers are cold. Autumn is long as hell and it gets very dark near christmas because theres no usually even snow before new year except in Lapland.
Winter time is wet, cold and dark. Why wet in here? Betweentimes temperature rises abow 0 celsius and there are wet snow in everywhere, then it gets colder again and gets slippery.
So its dark, wet and cold most of the year. Welcome! 😁
Thanks Jarkko for ruining my vision of the west coast 😅. Ive been to Hanko quite a lot during the recent years and its definitely as you described but i would have hoped that e.g. Vaasa would be a bit different due to the higher latitude.
Im a finnish person and yt reccomended it to me
I live in Finland and i speak IT and i was Born here
Kiitos RUclipsn algoritmi. Tiesin tämän kaiken, mutta katsoin silti innoissani :D
mä en todella ymmärrä miten tää lähti näin laukalle suomalaisten keskuudessa 🤦♂️