Canadians coming to Helsinki and have no idea what to expect
Canadians coming to Helsinki and have no idea what to expect
We're 3 university students from canada that are heading to Helsinki for a term in January and have no idea what we are in for. Does anybody have any advice?
Are you girls?
Have you got your bear knives already?
Finland is something like a giant glacier, Helsinki is built on ice. In the winter the sea freezes so that you can walk to Europe, which is to the south.
There used to be penguins, but now they are only on one island, they are very friendly though.
Did I ask, are you girls?
You see we men, don't get out much in winter and it is noce of there are girls around.
Sorry, feeling tired, dopey and ill. Someone else can tell the truth about Finland, the meat rationing and stuff!
Have you got your bear knives already?
Finland is something like a giant glacier, Helsinki is built on ice. In the winter the sea freezes so that you can walk to Europe, which is to the south.
There used to be penguins, but now they are only on one island, they are very friendly though.
Did I ask, are you girls?
You see we men, don't get out much in winter and it is noce of there are girls around.
Sorry, feeling tired, dopey and ill. Someone else can tell the truth about Finland, the meat rationing and stuff!
- Hank W.
- The Motorhead
- Posts: 29973
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
- Location: Mushroom Mountain
- Contact:
You forget to mention the man-eating reindeer (caribou) they seldom wander below the reindeer-perimiter (ring III), but they can be really vicious if molested by the Americans. The Americans always want to pull them from the leg, you know?
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
great...
thanks for the useful information. we'll remember to mark 'bear knives' on our list of essential items to bring. and we'll be sure to keep our eyes open for those man eating caribou...but i'm sure we will be able to spot them quickly being 'man eaters' ourselves. [yes that does mean we are females]
- Hank W.
- The Motorhead
- Posts: 29973
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
- Location: Mushroom Mountain
- Contact:
OK, so then now that you have got the basics; is there any specific questions you wish to be addressed? Helsinki in January might be pretty and cold, pretty cold, or sogging wet. Usually unusually cold, if you ask me. Here's a pretty much up-to-date 'survival guide' that covers the basics: http://myy.helia.fi/~kanto/SurvivalHELSINKI02.pdf
... just wondering - why on earth *Helsinki* ?
... just wondering - why on earth *Helsinki* ?
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
Scandinavia is pretty much an ice cube from December through around May 1st.. though sometimes it creeps above -5c*. Still very cold, so dress warm.
But then if your from Canada (depending if from the west coast) your used to this type of weather, so why am I or anyone else explaining to a Canadian to dress warmly in winter... he he he)
Enjoy your stay when you come here. I am sure we will have pub crawls around that time...rather be inside that outside...
Dusty-Bin is right about the walking business to Europe.. if it wasn't for the shipping lane that cuts through the gulf of Finland, you could have drove or walked to Estonia last winter. =) That should give you both a really good idea of how cold it can get.dusty_bin wrote:Finland is something like a giant glacier, Helsinki is built on ice. In the winter the sea freezes so that you can walk to Europe, which is to the south.
But then if your from Canada (depending if from the west coast) your used to this type of weather, so why am I or anyone else explaining to a Canadian to dress warmly in winter... he he he)
Enjoy your stay when you come here. I am sure we will have pub crawls around that time...rather be inside that outside...
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?
Hello,
I'm a fellow Canadian who has been living in Finland for over 3 years now. Where in Canada are you all from? Depending on where, the winter will pretty much be the same Helsinki gets a bit windy though, so you'd need to bring some extra scarves so you'll be well wrapped.
There will be money matters and settling in matters that will need to be attended to, but I'm sure the university has a guide for foreign students. Have you been able to find out about that from the university?
The Finnish language is fun, so plan to study it a little while you are here. You can definitely get by with just English, but you'll enjoy your experience more if you can pick up some of the language too.
It is great you found . - feel free to write with more specific questions so we can be more help. Also, you can PM me if you have any questions just for me.
I'm a fellow Canadian who has been living in Finland for over 3 years now. Where in Canada are you all from? Depending on where, the winter will pretty much be the same Helsinki gets a bit windy though, so you'd need to bring some extra scarves so you'll be well wrapped.
There will be money matters and settling in matters that will need to be attended to, but I'm sure the university has a guide for foreign students. Have you been able to find out about that from the university?
The Finnish language is fun, so plan to study it a little while you are here. You can definitely get by with just English, but you'll enjoy your experience more if you can pick up some of the language too.
It is great you found . - feel free to write with more specific questions so we can be more help. Also, you can PM me if you have any questions just for me.
- Hank W.
- The Motorhead
- Posts: 29973
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
- Location: Mushroom Mountain
- Contact:
Actually, the snowfall and galazed roads last weekend caused all the emergency wards being clogged due to people slipping. A friend from London was over and was amazed "theres so many people on crutches "...dusty_bin wrote:Finland is something like a giant glacier, Helsinki is built on ice.
And as Kemars said its really funny to be telling Canadians to bring sensible shoes, but then again I hear you have there a tropical climate compared to here...
BTW does Korkeasaari have penguins? I remember the Polar bears got the boot?
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
- MinnaRaisanen
- Posts: 830
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 9:46 am
- Location: Helsinki
Yeah, I have to ask too...why Helsinki!?!?!
I am a fellow Canadian and the one thing that I did not know to expect was the total darkness of Finland in winter!! It's terrible!! I am from Toronto and we at least had some beautiful sunny days during the winter time and here that just doesn't happen that often...Although, if you last through to the summer you are in for a treat - this is a beautiful place for about 2 months of the year...and the people seem to be in somewhat good moods...
On that note, watch out for all the ANGRY Finns during the winter....just keep you head down and mind your own business if you don't want to get bonked on the head and thrown in the snow!
I am a fellow Canadian and the one thing that I did not know to expect was the total darkness of Finland in winter!! It's terrible!! I am from Toronto and we at least had some beautiful sunny days during the winter time and here that just doesn't happen that often...Although, if you last through to the summer you are in for a treat - this is a beautiful place for about 2 months of the year...and the people seem to be in somewhat good moods...
On that note, watch out for all the ANGRY Finns during the winter....just keep you head down and mind your own business if you don't want to get bonked on the head and thrown in the snow!
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw
Minna, WHERE have you been? Last winter was sunshine pretty much all the time!MinnaRaisanen wrote:I am from Toronto and we at least had some beautiful sunny days during the winter time and here that just doesn't happen that often...
I shot some of the most beautiful pictures last year's winter. Absolutely fabulous, absolutely sunny!
Why is it that everyone makes Finland sound so bad? *sighs*
- Hank W.
- The Motorhead
- Posts: 29973
- Joined: Sat Jul 06, 2002 10:00 pm
- Location: Mushroom Mountain
- Contact:
Well, you just need to move in Canada... say to the shores of Great Slave Lake... just like Finland
Last edited by Hank W. on Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:32 pm, edited 1 time in total.
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.
- MinnaRaisanen
- Posts: 830
- Joined: Wed Jun 11, 2003 9:46 am
- Location: Helsinki
Arno...maybe the sun came out a few times, but all I know is that after 7 months of last year's winter I was so far from feeling like myself that I was almost frightened Not trying to 'make' Finland sound so bad...maybe it just is for me...
Hank...NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS!
Hank...NEVER IN A MILLION YEARS!
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.
George Bernard Shaw
George Bernard Shaw