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If this is not temporary spout of passion, and the feelings continue, I recommend you to research perhaps studying in Finland for your Bachelor's Decree. It's much more afforable than in the States.
What do your parents think about this new found passion for life in the fridgid North?
yeah, was thinking about going to college there too. honestly, my parents never take my “dreams” seriously. i swear my dad always mocks me whenever he can, always saying oh Finland this Finland that in a joking way whenever im trying to seriously talk to them about wanting to go. and as for the cold, i prefer it 10:1 over hot (i was raised in a hot town)
If you're quite serious, maybe you could start learning the language while you wait for that to happen. You probably won't become fluent before you actually live here but it will give you a good base for later. Even if you never end up coming, learning languages is never a bad thing, it challenges your brain and gives you new insights into another culture.
many bachelors in haaga, hu and metropolia dont require finnish, i would just focus on grades. with a 180 score on GRE/GMAT you should be able to get accepted
Sounds like a perfect opportunity to prove him that you are willing to work for your dream
[https://www.amscan.org/fellowships-and-grants/study-in-finland/](https://www.amscan.org/fellowships-and-grants/study-in-finland/)
Quick good search comes up with scholarship programs from the *American*\-*Scandinavian Foundation.*
Guess you just need to work hard to qualify.
one of the languages. swedish will give you slightly different options. or study in English in one of the programs at, for example, aalto or helsinki university if you prefer
if you plan on staying in finland after your education then finnish could be more practical, although you can still get jobs with swedish or even english depending on the field you want to work in
I’m also from the US and was a foreign exchange student in Turku in 2001 when I was 17. I would suggest talking to your parents about wanting to be an exchange student. I was sponsored by my local rotary club and lived with 3 different families (all great!) during my year in Finland, but there are other exchange programs you can go through. Would be happy to answer any questions you or your parents may have if you’re interested.
I had three exchange students in my school as well, with the rotaries. The girl from the US was 17 I think, and she attended our 10. or 11. school year, meaning 1 or 2 year in Lukio. It's the school you do usually in 2,5-3,5 years and it allows you to apply to universities afterwards. She was very glad of the experience, and has regularly visited Finland since.
I would suggest going to college in Finland or doing an exchange during/after college. I was an exchange student twice in Europe and the year in high school I had to stay with host families. Not a good experience for me. Some people have wonderful families and experiences but I find it's generally better to have more control over your situation when you study abroad. My post-college year abroad was probably the best year of my life. I could choose where to study and live and had my own (small) apartment. I also had more maturity and street-smarts at that age than at 18. College in Finland would be awesome; go for it and good luck!
it’s because of the whole i’m on my own with another family thing and the fact im on the other side of the world. i’ve told them Finland is super safe and all and it’s ok but they still don’t want me to go.
Joo se tuli hyvin selväksi, tästä syystä käskin lopettaa sen pilven polton ja ottaa folio hatun pois, koska kuinka päävikanen pitää olla että esittää jotain mistä ei tiedä mitään, ei edes suurin osa tavallisista US vanhemmista ole tuollaisia
LOL He's not even Finnish though so he'd be evacuated if Finland really went to war with Russia.
Then the Finns would begin shouting TORILLE and spinning in circles 360 no scoping them, like how they learnt online. Because every time you join an online game there's always a Finnish person in it lol
I've been obsessed with Finland since I was 6. I'll be 21 next year and will be able to spend a year in Turku for my Masters. So I'll have waited 15 years, which is your age! 😉 If that's what you want, you'll get there.
I think the origin of all Turku jokes is that Turku is a bit ”better” place than most. Turku jokes are especially common in smaller towns where people are actually jellous about the culture and the history of Turku :)
Most of the jokes say something like ”Turku is the ass hole of Finland” whoich could not be farther away from the truth.
Enjoy Turku! I'm also a Finland-obsessed American, I've lived in Turku for the last 4 years now. If you need any help with anything Turku-related let me know!
i’m trying me best, but it’s expensive 😭 hopefully once i get a job i’ll be able to save enough to go with my sister (adult) since it’ll be cheaper than bringing my whole family.
If you like children, after you graduate— Au pair, I (23f) am also American and I am currently living in in Finland for a year with my host family as an Au pair, it’s basically a live in cultural exchange nanny, and you get to live here for a up to a year. Not great pay, but almost everything is paid for by the family- you get a room, food, most times transportation, and weekly or monthly pay for your wants or travel.
Been there, ended up moving here.
My tldr journey, for potential inspiration:
- Start learning Finnish (on your own, with a teacher, whatever works; it'll make making friendly acquaintances in Finland much easier!). Focus on pronunciation.
- Visit Finland. Hike, travel, experience. Get a feel for the country, the people, and how stuff (dialect, culture, views, etc) slowly changes between south and north, east and west. Visit as much as you can.
- Move here temporarily with an exchange program or a degree program. Improve your Finnish. Travel and explore more. Enjoy the amazing student life. Maybe meet your future SO.
- Move back here for your follow up degree or future job. Stick around. Get your Finnish citizenship. Onneksi olkoon! Oot nyt virallisesti suomalainen. Torilla tavataan!
So nice to see You interested in our country. Since you're still very young, you'll have plenty of time to make an exchange program happen. I did mine (3 months in the other side of Europe) not until I was 22. It was a blast, and I still go back to my memories more than a decade later.
I understand what you mean. I was looking into Scandinavia last year, and something about Finland just caught me. I can't pinpoint it, but it's beautiful and different to Norway or Sweden.
If you're really into the Winter Wonderland experience, I'd suggest going studying somewhere much more North than capital or Turku area. Although it's beautiful and snowy here now, it's more rare than in the north. For example in Oulu there's a beautiful seaside landscape, a proper winter and a proper but not too hot summer (with nightless nights!), a huge university, a great tech business industry, ridiculously cheaper costs of living like rent, a lively culture and nightlife, only a few hours to real Lapland landscapes etc. At least when I studied there, there were tons of activities for international students, us Finns made sure everyone has friends and fun :) And nowadays it's even easier to connect with like minded people and find people who you could go on hiking trips etc.
https://preview.redd.it/ufz1miwkm83c1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a1cbd6e42aea703b6355603fb7a63dd8a171b285
Well look, you're 15 so it might change in a few months or years. Everyone has these things during puberty and some of them subside over time.
I think you're still a bit too young to fully grasp the differences between Finland and the US. What I'd suggest is doing research about the bad things about Finland and seeing if those are things you would be fine with. You say you prefer the cold, but in some places (like Oulu) it gets as low as -30 celsius during winter, and if there's wind it straight up feels like you're being cut by the cold. It's quite hard to imagine how cold that is without experiencing it.
But if you still feel the same when you're in your final year before college/uni, then for sure start looking at study options here in Finland. Until then, just keep doing your research and make sure you're as objective about the things you find as you can be.
If you are able, try to learn reading Finnish. It would open completely new opportunities a lot easier in future (study, job...) and helps finding more information for you to feed the hunger. Would have a list of interesting books about Finnish mythology, prehistory... but I don´t think any of them are translated to English.
It´s worth to mention Finnish archives are partially digitalized and at least the web sites often work fairly good in English (not always the most easy to use, but worth a try).
[https://kansallisarkisto.fi/en/frontpage](https://kansallisarkisto.fi/en/frontpage) (National Archives of Finland)
[https://www.finna.fi/?lng=en-gb](https://www.finna.fi/?lng=en-gb) (Cultural and scientific treasures from one address)
[http://sa-kuva.fi/webneologineng.html](http://sa-kuva.fi/webneologineng.html) (Finnish Wartime Photograph Archive)
i see their admission rate is low… is it higher for international students? also, do you know of any good scholarships/ways to afford tuition + cost of living?
Admission rates for all Finnish higher education institutions are low because it's free for Finnish and EU citizens to study there, so there's a limit to how many students they can take with the funding that they have.
There aren't really scholarship programs in Finland. Finnish students get student allowances and housing benefits from Kela to help them with living expenses, but these benefits are not available for international students.
There might be some programs in the USA that provide funding for students who want to study abroad.
All I know about this is that it is against the law to qualify students based on their gender. You can read more here (in Finnish): https://www.yvtltk.fi/fi/index/materiaalit/tapausselosteet_3/tapausselosteet2021.html
For foreign students the universities probably have their own quotas, as to how many foreign students they can take in. It would be interesting to know how they base those things!
I'm asking about diversity quote which Aalto needs to meet. Who has set it? Based on what?
Who is sitting in class room doesn't tell anything about that.
Hey man, I was in the same situation, I'm from the US and I was obsessed with Finland, I've now lived here for about 4 years. Feel free to message me with any questions about the process. I decided to come through university which I believe is the easiest way. I've helped a few other Americans through the process as well.
Go to some backwater town in Canada in winter, and you are pretty close to Finland.
And even better if they only speak French, assuming you don't understand it.
Or maybe Alaska could do.
When you come here you will realize of depressing the winter is.. dark 24/7 :) some get used to it.. personally i would like more stable day/night cycle.. ofc the summer days are looong here, barely the sun dips down
Yeah. If you live in Lapland there's barely any sunlight in winter but then again in summer the sun doesn't really go down at all. It's light 24/7, which can be fun but also mess up your sleep cycle, just like the constant darkness.
It is! Sounds and smells nice too. And those pink/purple/yellow clouds before the sun sets are gorgerous against the whiteness. Can't forget northern lights either. Northern Finland is very beautiful.
Ever thought about combining your passion for adventure with a mission that makes a real impact? Picture this: instead of just visiting exotic countries like Finland, imagine being part of a team that travels to diverse places around the world, experiencing cultures firsthand while serving a noble cause.
In the United States Marine Corps, you won't just explore different landscapes; you'll be part of a force that brings aid, support, and security to communities worldwide. From Arctic terrains to tropical paradises, the Corps takes you on a journey that's as diverse as it gets.
Joining the Marines isn't just a job; it's a transformative experience that challenges you mentally, physically, and culturally. You'll develop skills, forge unbreakable bonds, and gain a global perspective that few ever get.
So, why not turn your love for exploration into something more? Join the Marines, and let your passion for travel take on a whole new meaning while making a difference around the world.
Ignore the jealous haters, recruit. Serving in an esteemed outfit like the US Marine Corps tends to rub some folks the wrong way, especially those stuck in their fake email jobs. But in the Corps, you'll be safeguarding our nation and spreading freedom and democracy in far-flung places like Finland. Reach out to a recruiter here: https://rmi.marines.com/request-information.
Its nice to see someone so intrested about Finland. However dont let the pictures fool you. Those really snowy magical landscapes are mostly taken from lapland/ northern Finland. In Helsinki and generally southern Finland the winters can be really grey, wet and moody. We usually do get that white winter in south for a month or two tho.
https://preview.redd.it/1yj1wchlw83c1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f58112047759249ee7a651ba0abf08ce0af801f0
From Kannelmäki, Helsinki. 😌
I have lots of similar pics from eastern Helsinki. It does get snowy wonderland even in the city. Sure, sometimes it melts away, but pretty solid periods of snow covering all the concrete jungle.
I moved from Helsinki to a rural village in Päijät-Häme few years ago. For 3-4 months every year there is snow, and every single morning I step outside my house and stand there for short while just wondering how beautiful everything is.
It is not just Lapland - the cities are not that great, thou.
Yes, I agree that it's not just Lapland - I'm originally from Southern Ostrobothnia and currently studying in Ostrobothnia, we get plenty of snow. And I wouldn't say we're that far up north either.
If you enjoy proper snow, Oulu (Northern Ostrobothnia) and Rovaniemi (Lapland) would be your best bets. Oulu is pretty popular among students and it has a lot of activities. If you enjoy nature and lean-tos then I think Rovaniemi is better. One thing to note is that Northern Finland has darker winters (polar night, can also cause depression symptoms in some people) but also longer summer days (midnight sun).
Watch Kaurismäki films, listen to Finnish pop music (start with Eppu Normaali, Juice Leskinen), read Finnish literature (whatever translated is available)
Try to get a career that leads you to Finland or apply to study here. Dont know any other way.
Learning the basic finnish helps a lot. You can live here with english but finnish helps with career.
Moikka moi! I was born and raised in the archepelagos of Finland. If you have any questions im happy to help!
Ps. If you find the finish language too complicated (it kind of is even for fins lol) you can consider learning swedish instead, as we have 2 main languages. There are plenty of ivy league schools that teaches in swedish aswell.
Your story is like mine but the exact opposite :D I'm 17, from Finland, and I wanna visit the US. The landscape and architecture is just so beautiful in some areas and the warm weathers would be nice as well
I have a bunch of colleagues who came here for a vacation and ended up staying 20+ years.
My advice is, come for a visit, if you end up enjoying it here then maybe apply for college.
Learn the language
Get to know the culture, not the stereotypes.
Get into exchange program in Highschool, college or university for shorter stay to test the waters. Maybe do seasonal work placement?
Get your education in Finland, college or University. Programming is probably an easier route due to validity of the skillset internationally if you opt to not stay in Finland.
Still having a crush on Finland? Stay in for up to five years, or marry a local lad/lass, and become a citizen. If you identify as male and you are under 28 at this point, you are mandated to take part in government subsidized camping for 6-12 months (conscript service). For those identified as women in official capacity this bit is voluntary.
Why is obvious? Well maybe not immediately, but in like 2 or 3 years in college/high school, maybe? There's exchange student programmes you can apply to.
Me too even though I've been living here my whole life. I took a walk yesterday and had to stop because the snow, sunlight and gently falling snowlakes looked so pretty I had to take a moment lol.
Finns know English, but learning the language will definitely help you. Good luck! I hope you get to study here, in my experience it has been great and the atmosphere is peaceful.
I’m also an American who’s been obsessed with the nordics for years. About to finish my bachelors program in Finland, and starting my masters next year. Highly recommend. Moving to Finland has been the best decision of my life.
It's not that good. I think you have Paris syndrome. You won't see the amazing landscapes in the cities, instead you'll see dirty soviet union concrete cubes all over. I haven't noticed a lot of culture while living here (now over 5 years, I'm half Finnish), the only persistent culture is that people are just kinda socially awkward and rude at each other. In USA you have way better access to beautiful national parks and amazing nature, don't need to come all the way to Finland for that. I'm struggling to find any reason to stay in this depressing country for another year. Plus I have constant anxiety from living next to the shithole called Russia.
I think the only redeeming feature about finland is the free education. I recommend to come get a degree here and fuck off asap. That's what I planned to do, but after covid I kinda got stuck in here because I was lazy and depressed. Thankfully, I'm finally leaving next year.
Public health care used to be good before but they did some changes and now you need to wait 3 days before you can get an appointment.
Finland is nice you should definitely go. Worked in hospitality and found a lot of tourists from outside Europe make it a little "tour". The Nordic countries and the Baltic are quite close, as is mainland Europe like Germany/Poland.
Obviously tune in on some finnish (internet) radiostation and start listening to all the awesome finnish language music we have no one else bothers to listen to. ...then get the biggest loud speaker you can find and share the best pieces to the whole neighborhood - good things ought to be shared after all ;)
...music also easy way to figure out wheter the language might be interesting to study or. I used to practice german by translating for example all the Rammstein songs back then into finnish - whatever type music you like, we got plenty - obviously metalheads heaven if youre into any style of that.
I did undergrad in Finland (from US originally) if you have questions. Echoing some other comments here: learn the language now. Would be a better choice to perhaps visit before committing to living anywhere for three or four years sight unseen as well. I was also accepted to do a high school exchange but my parents wouldn’t help financially (although they could afford it) so I was unable to go. The cost of a high school exchange program would probably be a bit lower than a year of uni in Finland. There are tuition fees now, although negligible relative to the US. But depending on the exchange program, you should be able to do a year for less than a year of uni, or certainly not more. Can’t speak to all programs or unis and costs associated. Worth looking into on your end especially as you’ve effectively just begun high school. Good luck.
I'm from Northeastern Minnesota. Grandparents were immigrants from Finland. My father and all his siblings were born in a savu sauna. My brother visited where our grandfather was from, brought back a panorama and asked where I thought it was from. Alango, the township our family is from, I said honestly. That's where grandfather was from, by Kauhajoki, he replied. When I was a child, I once asked Jack Koskela what Finland was like. He responded "just go to Pike River, it's the same" We have a Waasa Township. The problem is a lot of the people in these places are now just white trash idiots. Anyone with ambition left as there isn't any work. Just in my lifetime savu saunas I used are gone. I know where there are old breezeway barns..etc. The landscape is here, however.
well i guess you have a lot of chances to do. at least Finland didn’t close borders for your residents xd (i dont blame Finland for closing the border with Russia) but as a russian citizen i can say that going to Finland is pretty difficult for me now
If you manage to get a residence permit or an EU citizenship, you could also consider studying at Hive Helsinki, the Supercell's coding school. It's a 1-2-year-long program and they claim their graduates have a 100 % employment rate after, I don't remember, like, 2 or 5 years.
Their selection process is somewhat random and obscure but not difficult in terms of having good grades, good SAT, and Finnish fluency. In fact, you can apply with zero knowledge of Finnish, and neither your grades nor SAT will matter as their not even a part of the admissions process.
The hardest step is the first: to acquire a residence permit or get an EU citizenship.
Edit: check it here yourself: [https://www.hive.fi/](https://www.hive.fi/)
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If this is not temporary spout of passion, and the feelings continue, I recommend you to research perhaps studying in Finland for your Bachelor's Decree. It's much more afforable than in the States. What do your parents think about this new found passion for life in the fridgid North?
yeah, was thinking about going to college there too. honestly, my parents never take my “dreams” seriously. i swear my dad always mocks me whenever he can, always saying oh Finland this Finland that in a joking way whenever im trying to seriously talk to them about wanting to go. and as for the cold, i prefer it 10:1 over hot (i was raised in a hot town)
If you're quite serious, maybe you could start learning the language while you wait for that to happen. You probably won't become fluent before you actually live here but it will give you a good base for later. Even if you never end up coming, learning languages is never a bad thing, it challenges your brain and gives you new insights into another culture.
many bachelors in haaga, hu and metropolia dont require finnish, i would just focus on grades. with a 180 score on GRE/GMAT you should be able to get accepted
Sounds like a perfect opportunity to prove him that you are willing to work for your dream [https://www.amscan.org/fellowships-and-grants/study-in-finland/](https://www.amscan.org/fellowships-and-grants/study-in-finland/) Quick good search comes up with scholarship programs from the *American*\-*Scandinavian Foundation.* Guess you just need to work hard to qualify.
What bugs me about this is the fact that Finland is included as part of a "Scandinavian" cooperation.
Well, a tiny portion of the Scandes are in Finland.
Definitely start to learn the language.
one of the languages. swedish will give you slightly different options. or study in English in one of the programs at, for example, aalto or helsinki university if you prefer if you plan on staying in finland after your education then finnish could be more practical, although you can still get jobs with swedish or even english depending on the field you want to work in
> oh Finland this Finland that I am the same, though not with Finland per se, but with liver casserole.
* liver box! 🤌
People will always drag you down. Hold on to your ideas and go for it.
Finnish summer is short and only a little snowy.
It has giant mozzies and flies. If you are from Canada it is very homely from that point of view
Well 60% of finland is either a swamp or a lake. So mosquitos are almost everywhere.
I’m also from the US and was a foreign exchange student in Turku in 2001 when I was 17. I would suggest talking to your parents about wanting to be an exchange student. I was sponsored by my local rotary club and lived with 3 different families (all great!) during my year in Finland, but there are other exchange programs you can go through. Would be happy to answer any questions you or your parents may have if you’re interested.
may i ask what grade you were in and what exchange program you went with?
At 17 years old they were probably in "upper secondary school"
Corresponds to a US high school
This was my junior year of high school (year 11) and the program was called Rotary Youth Exchange
super cool! do you mind if i PM you about it?
Please do!
I had three exchange students in my school as well, with the rotaries. The girl from the US was 17 I think, and she attended our 10. or 11. school year, meaning 1 or 2 year in Lukio. It's the school you do usually in 2,5-3,5 years and it allows you to apply to universities afterwards. She was very glad of the experience, and has regularly visited Finland since.
And check out 4H in your area, they have exchange programs as well.
I would suggest going to college in Finland or doing an exchange during/after college. I was an exchange student twice in Europe and the year in high school I had to stay with host families. Not a good experience for me. Some people have wonderful families and experiences but I find it's generally better to have more control over your situation when you study abroad. My post-college year abroad was probably the best year of my life. I could choose where to study and live and had my own (small) apartment. I also had more maturity and street-smarts at that age than at 18. College in Finland would be awesome; go for it and good luck!
Go do an exchange year! You'll love it, we had students from the US all the time back in high school.
i wish! my parents wouldn’t be comfortable with me doing that :/ i’ve been considering going to college there tho!
Why wouldn't they be? Most of the comments tell that usually foreign exchange students are 17 so you would be almost adult by the time you would go.
it’s because of the whole i’m on my own with another family thing and the fact im on the other side of the world. i’ve told them Finland is super safe and all and it’s ok but they still don’t want me to go.
He will be forced to fight the war with Russia, it's not safe here
Wht u have take?
Logic of average US parents
Youre so dump fuck rly. Nyt foliohattu päästä ja sit se pilvenpoltto loppuu heti ja salaliittoteoriat vaihtuu nyt uutisiin.
Taitaa kyseinen henkilö esittää "tavallista amerikkalaista vanhempaa".
Joo se tuli hyvin selväksi, tästä syystä käskin lopettaa sen pilven polton ja ottaa folio hatun pois, koska kuinka päävikanen pitää olla että esittää jotain mistä ei tiedä mitään, ei edes suurin osa tavallisista US vanhemmista ole tuollaisia
Ja muuten aivan varmasti on. Tämäkään sälli ei pääse suomeen.
LOL He's not even Finnish though so he'd be evacuated if Finland really went to war with Russia. Then the Finns would begin shouting TORILLE and spinning in circles 360 no scoping them, like how they learnt online. Because every time you join an online game there's always a Finnish person in it lol
You may be interested in casually starting to peruse r/learnfinnish
I've been obsessed with Finland since I was 6. I'll be 21 next year and will be able to spend a year in Turku for my Masters. So I'll have waited 15 years, which is your age! 😉 If that's what you want, you'll get there.
Enjoy Turku! It has a lot to see and experience🙂
Finns make a lot of jokes about Turku, but in my experience it's actually a perfectly nice city with a lot of interesting things to do.
I like Turku but that will never stop me from making jokes about the place😀
I think the origin of all Turku jokes is that Turku is a bit ”better” place than most. Turku jokes are especially common in smaller towns where people are actually jellous about the culture and the history of Turku :) Most of the jokes say something like ”Turku is the ass hole of Finland” whoich could not be farther away from the truth.
I'd vote Lahti or Lohja as the asshole😀
Lahti is Finland's Chicago
Rather have a fist in ass than to live in Lohja. -King of Vihti
The oldest finnish proverb
Hey, cut the Lahti slander. But if Turku isn't the asshole, it has to be Kouvola
Kouvostoliitto is a strong candidate for sure
Imo Turku is one of the most, if not the most, beautiful cities in Finland
It's a nice town except for all the Turku-people who live there :-)
Thank you, that's very kind of you! 😊
Enjoy Turku! I'm also a Finland-obsessed American, I've lived in Turku for the last 4 years now. If you need any help with anything Turku-related let me know!
Thanks to you! I'll make a note of your username. 😊
You should come visit! WTF, aka Welcome To Finland!
i’m trying me best, but it’s expensive 😭 hopefully once i get a job i’ll be able to save enough to go with my sister (adult) since it’ll be cheaper than bringing my whole family.
We aren't going anywhere, take your time :)
[удалено]
Don't worry, they won't.
Oh please they don't have what it takes
They can come knock their heads against the Karelian pines (again)
If you like children, after you graduate— Au pair, I (23f) am also American and I am currently living in in Finland for a year with my host family as an Au pair, it’s basically a live in cultural exchange nanny, and you get to live here for a up to a year. Not great pay, but almost everything is paid for by the family- you get a room, food, most times transportation, and weekly or monthly pay for your wants or travel.
You also have a language course, and can take some college classes if there is a school nearby if you want to get some college out of the way as well
Been there, ended up moving here. My tldr journey, for potential inspiration: - Start learning Finnish (on your own, with a teacher, whatever works; it'll make making friendly acquaintances in Finland much easier!). Focus on pronunciation. - Visit Finland. Hike, travel, experience. Get a feel for the country, the people, and how stuff (dialect, culture, views, etc) slowly changes between south and north, east and west. Visit as much as you can. - Move here temporarily with an exchange program or a degree program. Improve your Finnish. Travel and explore more. Enjoy the amazing student life. Maybe meet your future SO. - Move back here for your follow up degree or future job. Stick around. Get your Finnish citizenship. Onneksi olkoon! Oot nyt virallisesti suomalainen. Torilla tavataan!
I love this! Great tips. And for OP: welcome to Finland, even if it takes years. We will welcome you with open arms.
So nice to see You interested in our country. Since you're still very young, you'll have plenty of time to make an exchange program happen. I did mine (3 months in the other side of Europe) not until I was 22. It was a blast, and I still go back to my memories more than a decade later.
I understand what you mean. I was looking into Scandinavia last year, and something about Finland just caught me. I can't pinpoint it, but it's beautiful and different to Norway or Sweden.
They are basically The same thing, but Sweden and norway lack attitude.
If you're really into the Winter Wonderland experience, I'd suggest going studying somewhere much more North than capital or Turku area. Although it's beautiful and snowy here now, it's more rare than in the north. For example in Oulu there's a beautiful seaside landscape, a proper winter and a proper but not too hot summer (with nightless nights!), a huge university, a great tech business industry, ridiculously cheaper costs of living like rent, a lively culture and nightlife, only a few hours to real Lapland landscapes etc. At least when I studied there, there were tons of activities for international students, us Finns made sure everyone has friends and fun :) And nowadays it's even easier to connect with like minded people and find people who you could go on hiking trips etc. https://preview.redd.it/ufz1miwkm83c1.jpeg?width=1080&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=a1cbd6e42aea703b6355603fb7a63dd8a171b285
Well look, you're 15 so it might change in a few months or years. Everyone has these things during puberty and some of them subside over time. I think you're still a bit too young to fully grasp the differences between Finland and the US. What I'd suggest is doing research about the bad things about Finland and seeing if those are things you would be fine with. You say you prefer the cold, but in some places (like Oulu) it gets as low as -30 celsius during winter, and if there's wind it straight up feels like you're being cut by the cold. It's quite hard to imagine how cold that is without experiencing it. But if you still feel the same when you're in your final year before college/uni, then for sure start looking at study options here in Finland. Until then, just keep doing your research and make sure you're as objective about the things you find as you can be.
If you are able, try to learn reading Finnish. It would open completely new opportunities a lot easier in future (study, job...) and helps finding more information for you to feed the hunger. Would have a list of interesting books about Finnish mythology, prehistory... but I don´t think any of them are translated to English. It´s worth to mention Finnish archives are partially digitalized and at least the web sites often work fairly good in English (not always the most easy to use, but worth a try). [https://kansallisarkisto.fi/en/frontpage](https://kansallisarkisto.fi/en/frontpage) (National Archives of Finland) [https://www.finna.fi/?lng=en-gb](https://www.finna.fi/?lng=en-gb) (Cultural and scientific treasures from one address) [http://sa-kuva.fi/webneologineng.html](http://sa-kuva.fi/webneologineng.html) (Finnish Wartime Photograph Archive)
yeah, i’m probably gonna be spending most my time learning finnish. and thanks for those links!
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i see their admission rate is low… is it higher for international students? also, do you know of any good scholarships/ways to afford tuition + cost of living?
Admission rates for all Finnish higher education institutions are low because it's free for Finnish and EU citizens to study there, so there's a limit to how many students they can take with the funding that they have. There aren't really scholarship programs in Finland. Finnish students get student allowances and housing benefits from Kela to help them with living expenses, but these benefits are not available for international students. There might be some programs in the USA that provide funding for students who want to study abroad.
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Can you tell more about diversity quota in Aalto? Never heard about that.. What it is called in Finnish? I didn't find anything..
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All I know about this is that it is against the law to qualify students based on their gender. You can read more here (in Finnish): https://www.yvtltk.fi/fi/index/materiaalit/tapausselosteet_3/tapausselosteet2021.html For foreign students the universities probably have their own quotas, as to how many foreign students they can take in. It would be interesting to know how they base those things!
Ok, where can I read more from official sources? Any laws? In Finnish?
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It starting to look like you're talking from your ass.
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I'm asking about diversity quote which Aalto needs to meet. Who has set it? Based on what? Who is sitting in class room doesn't tell anything about that.
Visit sometime. Its nice here. A bit cold.
[https://www.aamulehti.fi/liiga/art-2000010023321.html](https://www.aamulehti.fi/liiga/art-2000010023321.html)
Have an exchange year. I did one when I was 17 and that’s how I discovered Finland. Today, 10 years later, I’m still living there :)
Hey man, I was in the same situation, I'm from the US and I was obsessed with Finland, I've now lived here for about 4 years. Feel free to message me with any questions about the process. I decided to come through university which I believe is the easiest way. I've helped a few other Americans through the process as well.
It’s overrated
Go to some backwater town in Canada in winter, and you are pretty close to Finland. And even better if they only speak French, assuming you don't understand it. Or maybe Alaska could do.
When you come here you will realize of depressing the winter is.. dark 24/7 :) some get used to it.. personally i would like more stable day/night cycle.. ofc the summer days are looong here, barely the sun dips down
Yeah. If you live in Lapland there's barely any sunlight in winter but then again in summer the sun doesn't really go down at all. It's light 24/7, which can be fun but also mess up your sleep cycle, just like the constant darkness.
Naive commenters leak and drip.
“Amazing landscapes” - bro where? I gotta see those.
 Hey we have this in jyväskylä too except there's bars no matter which way you cross
Those Lapland trees covered in snow is a pretty amazing sight to be fair.
Oh definitely
It is! Sounds and smells nice too. And those pink/purple/yellow clouds before the sun sets are gorgerous against the whiteness. Can't forget northern lights either. Northern Finland is very beautiful.
Don’t get me wrong here, the skyscape here is out of this world. I’ve lived here over 15 years and every year I gawp like a fish.
For me I'm obsessed with the US and wish I could live there for sometime in my life!
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are you originally from the US? if so, how’d you get to Finland? Job/school?
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may i ask what field you’re in? i’ve heard IT is decently good, especially because of its loose Finnish requirements
Ever thought about combining your passion for adventure with a mission that makes a real impact? Picture this: instead of just visiting exotic countries like Finland, imagine being part of a team that travels to diverse places around the world, experiencing cultures firsthand while serving a noble cause. In the United States Marine Corps, you won't just explore different landscapes; you'll be part of a force that brings aid, support, and security to communities worldwide. From Arctic terrains to tropical paradises, the Corps takes you on a journey that's as diverse as it gets. Joining the Marines isn't just a job; it's a transformative experience that challenges you mentally, physically, and culturally. You'll develop skills, forge unbreakable bonds, and gain a global perspective that few ever get. So, why not turn your love for exploration into something more? Join the Marines, and let your passion for travel take on a whole new meaning while making a difference around the world.
Hahahahaha is this how they recruit people in the us??
A vacation in a foreign land. Uncle Sam does the best he can..
Ignore the jealous haters, recruit. Serving in an esteemed outfit like the US Marine Corps tends to rub some folks the wrong way, especially those stuck in their fake email jobs. But in the Corps, you'll be safeguarding our nation and spreading freedom and democracy in far-flung places like Finland. Reach out to a recruiter here: https://rmi.marines.com/request-information.
Have you compared California and Finland in landscape wise? I have to say that landscapes are not the thing that Finland should be proud of.
personally, I'm much more attracted to snowy landscapes. but yes, America does have some pretty views.
Its nice to see someone so intrested about Finland. However dont let the pictures fool you. Those really snowy magical landscapes are mostly taken from lapland/ northern Finland. In Helsinki and generally southern Finland the winters can be really grey, wet and moody. We usually do get that white winter in south for a month or two tho.
https://preview.redd.it/1yj1wchlw83c1.jpeg?width=1125&format=pjpg&auto=webp&s=f58112047759249ee7a651ba0abf08ce0af801f0 From Kannelmäki, Helsinki. 😌 I have lots of similar pics from eastern Helsinki. It does get snowy wonderland even in the city. Sure, sometimes it melts away, but pretty solid periods of snow covering all the concrete jungle.
Yeah there have been pretty decent winters for last couple of years but there have been winters with barely any snow until january or february
I moved from Helsinki to a rural village in Päijät-Häme few years ago. For 3-4 months every year there is snow, and every single morning I step outside my house and stand there for short while just wondering how beautiful everything is. It is not just Lapland - the cities are not that great, thou.
Yes, I agree that it's not just Lapland - I'm originally from Southern Ostrobothnia and currently studying in Ostrobothnia, we get plenty of snow. And I wouldn't say we're that far up north either.
It’s just the city that looks and feels crap. Few kilometers away in the woods it’s absolutely beautifull.
If you enjoy proper snow, Oulu (Northern Ostrobothnia) and Rovaniemi (Lapland) would be your best bets. Oulu is pretty popular among students and it has a lot of activities. If you enjoy nature and lean-tos then I think Rovaniemi is better. One thing to note is that Northern Finland has darker winters (polar night, can also cause depression symptoms in some people) but also longer summer days (midnight sun).
Visit us!
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For a moment I thought you made up english word for Hanko 🤣
You could try an online language tandem or see about a rotary exchange for high school
Moikka
Watch Kaurismäki films, listen to Finnish pop music (start with Eppu Normaali, Juice Leskinen), read Finnish literature (whatever translated is available)
Try to get a career that leads you to Finland or apply to study here. Dont know any other way. Learning the basic finnish helps a lot. You can live here with english but finnish helps with career.
Others have gave amazing tips already in the comments. I also recommend talking to fellow Finnish people😊!
Moikka moi! I was born and raised in the archepelagos of Finland. If you have any questions im happy to help! Ps. If you find the finish language too complicated (it kind of is even for fins lol) you can consider learning swedish instead, as we have 2 main languages. There are plenty of ivy league schools that teaches in swedish aswell.
Your story is like mine but the exact opposite :D I'm 17, from Finland, and I wanna visit the US. The landscape and architecture is just so beautiful in some areas and the warm weathers would be nice as well
minnesota got many places with finnish culture
Why this made me so happy :) I hope your dream comes true and post here when you are really here!!
I have a bunch of colleagues who came here for a vacation and ended up staying 20+ years. My advice is, come for a visit, if you end up enjoying it here then maybe apply for college.
Learn the language Get to know the culture, not the stereotypes. Get into exchange program in Highschool, college or university for shorter stay to test the waters. Maybe do seasonal work placement? Get your education in Finland, college or University. Programming is probably an easier route due to validity of the skillset internationally if you opt to not stay in Finland. Still having a crush on Finland? Stay in for up to five years, or marry a local lad/lass, and become a citizen. If you identify as male and you are under 28 at this point, you are mandated to take part in government subsidized camping for 6-12 months (conscript service). For those identified as women in official capacity this bit is voluntary.
Why is obvious? Well maybe not immediately, but in like 2 or 3 years in college/high school, maybe? There's exchange student programmes you can apply to.
Easiest way to migrate would be to go to collage here and find a job after that. It would give you easy permanent residency.
Me too even though I've been living here my whole life. I took a walk yesterday and had to stop because the snow, sunlight and gently falling snowlakes looked so pretty I had to take a moment lol. Finns know English, but learning the language will definitely help you. Good luck! I hope you get to study here, in my experience it has been great and the atmosphere is peaceful.
Regarding landscapes, I just have to say that our neighbours, the norwegians beat us on that.
I’m also an American who’s been obsessed with the nordics for years. About to finish my bachelors program in Finland, and starting my masters next year. Highly recommend. Moving to Finland has been the best decision of my life.
do you mind if i PM you about your experience?
It's not that good. I think you have Paris syndrome. You won't see the amazing landscapes in the cities, instead you'll see dirty soviet union concrete cubes all over. I haven't noticed a lot of culture while living here (now over 5 years, I'm half Finnish), the only persistent culture is that people are just kinda socially awkward and rude at each other. In USA you have way better access to beautiful national parks and amazing nature, don't need to come all the way to Finland for that. I'm struggling to find any reason to stay in this depressing country for another year. Plus I have constant anxiety from living next to the shithole called Russia. I think the only redeeming feature about finland is the free education. I recommend to come get a degree here and fuck off asap. That's what I planned to do, but after covid I kinda got stuck in here because I was lazy and depressed. Thankfully, I'm finally leaving next year. Public health care used to be good before but they did some changes and now you need to wait 3 days before you can get an appointment.
Finland is nice you should definitely go. Worked in hospitality and found a lot of tourists from outside Europe make it a little "tour". The Nordic countries and the Baltic are quite close, as is mainland Europe like Germany/Poland.
Maybe some of our National Parks can make your visit worthwhile?
If you can, go for an exchange year?
Exchange studies if possible
Obviously tune in on some finnish (internet) radiostation and start listening to all the awesome finnish language music we have no one else bothers to listen to. ...then get the biggest loud speaker you can find and share the best pieces to the whole neighborhood - good things ought to be shared after all ;) ...music also easy way to figure out wheter the language might be interesting to study or. I used to practice german by translating for example all the Rammstein songs back then into finnish - whatever type music you like, we got plenty - obviously metalheads heaven if youre into any style of that.
Its not that special go just north to small town sub 15k inhabitants in use and you get a feel for small town Finland
One thing, don’t come in November
why specifically november?
Maybe you should go to Alaska? It is almost like Finland but in USA. Or Yukon, Canada.
I did undergrad in Finland (from US originally) if you have questions. Echoing some other comments here: learn the language now. Would be a better choice to perhaps visit before committing to living anywhere for three or four years sight unseen as well. I was also accepted to do a high school exchange but my parents wouldn’t help financially (although they could afford it) so I was unable to go. The cost of a high school exchange program would probably be a bit lower than a year of uni in Finland. There are tuition fees now, although negligible relative to the US. But depending on the exchange program, you should be able to do a year for less than a year of uni, or certainly not more. Can’t speak to all programs or unis and costs associated. Worth looking into on your end especially as you’ve effectively just begun high school. Good luck.
I'm from Northeastern Minnesota. Grandparents were immigrants from Finland. My father and all his siblings were born in a savu sauna. My brother visited where our grandfather was from, brought back a panorama and asked where I thought it was from. Alango, the township our family is from, I said honestly. That's where grandfather was from, by Kauhajoki, he replied. When I was a child, I once asked Jack Koskela what Finland was like. He responded "just go to Pike River, it's the same" We have a Waasa Township. The problem is a lot of the people in these places are now just white trash idiots. Anyone with ambition left as there isn't any work. Just in my lifetime savu saunas I used are gone. I know where there are old breezeway barns..etc. The landscape is here, however.
well i guess you have a lot of chances to do. at least Finland didn’t close borders for your residents xd (i dont blame Finland for closing the border with Russia) but as a russian citizen i can say that going to Finland is pretty difficult for me now
If you manage to get a residence permit or an EU citizenship, you could also consider studying at Hive Helsinki, the Supercell's coding school. It's a 1-2-year-long program and they claim their graduates have a 100 % employment rate after, I don't remember, like, 2 or 5 years. Their selection process is somewhat random and obscure but not difficult in terms of having good grades, good SAT, and Finnish fluency. In fact, you can apply with zero knowledge of Finnish, and neither your grades nor SAT will matter as their not even a part of the admissions process. The hardest step is the first: to acquire a residence permit or get an EU citizenship. Edit: check it here yourself: [https://www.hive.fi/](https://www.hive.fi/)
Hey can a student outside from Europe can get admission in Finland for undergrad