Which one of the Nordic countries would you choose?

[giuffsalvo]

OK, I'm posting this here, because I've not been able to find a forum related to all 5 Nordic countries...
If you'd have to choose between them (Norway, Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Iceland), where would you concentrate your efforts to find a job?
In terms of

• Quality and scope of the welfare system
• Easyness to find jobs for people who do not speak the local language
• Long-term economic perspectives
• Attitude of local people (Finnish=shy and reserved, like me...Norvegians/Swedish/Danish/Icelanders=?)

Note: I'm an IT professional, recently graduated, and I only speak Italian (mothertongue), English (fluent), and basic German (plus 3-4 Finnish words). I've already been to Helsinki for 48 hours, and I falled in love with the city...I just would like to know something more about the Nordic countries, whose economic model I admire (I have no problem in paying 60% taxes on my income, if this helps in creating a better society)...
I currently work for a company in Scotland, but I want to move to a more "social-oriented" (and less "money-oriented") country...
Kiitos

[Karhunkoski]

Hmm, Iceland would be last on my list, second to last would be Finland. A toss up from the other three.

[Pursuivant]

Iceland would be first on my list just by exotica... Norway if I wanted salary.

[AldenG]

For ease of integration, Sweden and Denmark by far.

Iceland is bankrupt -- literally. There's some question whether it will even exist as a sovereign state five years from now. From a practical perspective, these problems would have to put it last on the list if you want a job or viable social services.

From an IT perspective, Sweden, Finland and Norway lead the list but times are tough all over at the moment.

From a scenic perspective, I haven't seen Iceland and so would put Norway at the top of my list. I happen to like Finnish scenery (all three scenes) but . . . well, there's only the three scenes repeated in variations over and over again, plus the different seasons and lighting options.

Since you like Helsinki you'd probably also like Stockholm (much bigger, though), Copenhagen, and Oslo. I particularly like the ornamental doors and other woodwork all over Oslo. Helsinki is still the most old-Europe, Soviet-neighbor looking of them all, which oddly appeals to me. I want to move into one of the old beige or avocado Art Nouveau buildings with years of traffic exhaust caked on the stucco. But there's plenty of old architecture in parts of Stockholm, too. I'm not recalling the other capitals well enough to comment on that aspect.

You'd find the most international cultural and ferment in Stockholm and Copenhagen. On the negative side, Sweden is by far the most Americanized and homogenized of the countries you named, but there's still vitality in the biggest cities.

[Pursuivant]

Denmark and Sweden have burning ghettoes, might as well move to France

[bonddk]

That's what we tell them but they never listen.....

[maxxfi]

When considering Norway remember that it is not EU,
which could mean extra bureaucratic hassles for
foreigners moving there.

[giuffsalvo]

Thank you for the information...What about the attitude of people?
I mean, you can find different kind of people everywhere (I'm sure even in Finland there are arrogant Finnish people), but there is a thing called "national character"...
Finland=Shyness and reservedness (maybe also a bit of sadness, generally speaking "slavic outlook")
Norway=?
Sweden=?
Denmark=?
Iceland=?

[Upphew]

Finland=Shyness and reservedness (maybe also a bit of sadness, generally speaking "slavic outlook")
Norway=? Sweden=? Denmark=? Iceland=?

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/File:Viking_Expansion.svg

[Pursuivant]

When considering Norway remember that it is not EU,

Well Norway and Iceland are both EFTA countries however implementing the same free movement directives.

[Tweener]

Thank you...another question: Among the 5 Nordic countries, which one do you think is the less "Americanized", and possibly "Europeanized"? In the sense that the American culture of consumerism, living off debts, turbo-capitalism...is less present...
(No offense for American people, but I simply don't like your culture).

[tuulen]

...consumerism, living off debts, turbo-capitalism...

Consumerism is difficult to assess. I am in the US, where some people spend much of their money on material goods, while other people purchase only what they really need and then put the rest of their money into savings. Moreover, that same unpredictability could be similar to any other nation which has a monetary economy and uses money, that some people prefer to spend all of their money, while other people tend to save their money.

Debt could be estimated by looking at the availability of consumer credit in a nation, where a greater availability of credit could indicate a greater debt to cost of living ratio. Like money, some people spend it and some people save it, but if credit is not available then credit debt cannot occur, or, nations having less available credit likely also have less credit debt.

Turbo-capitalism could be estimated by looking at the availability of financial investment vehicles, such as stock markets, bond markets, etc., and the more choices an investor could have, the more turbo-capitalism could thrive.

So, look at the availability of credit and of investment vehicles in your evaluation of a nation.

[sinikettu]

When the company I was working for in the UK started to go pear shaped 16 years ago I had to make the same decision.
I was Nordic regional manager so I had contacts in all 5.
I quickly got down to a short list.
Not Iceland they dont export anything except fish. (but nice place)
Not Norway ..not in fish or oil. (but nice place)
Not Denmark..not in Dairy products or pharmaceuticals . (but beer is good)

Umm,, Sweden or Finland?
Have you tasted Swedish beer? '
I was right if I had chosen Sweden I would not have meet nice folk like Hank ( or my wife )

[volha86]

Sinceramente Finlandia mi piace tanto, la gente e' diverse dapertutto senz'altro, pero' qui tutto e' organizzato, si puo aver fiducia e non si preoccupare che quando va fuori succede un casino bestiale))) magari e' un po' ordinario pero' se vuoi avere ula vita dicente la trovi qui. Non ci sono tanti extracommunitari pero' anche loro se non sono occupati di social surfing sono abituati di comportarsi bene, non c'e' scampo))) Il tempo e' un po' stressante ma quando ha qualcosa da fare non e' cosi importante, dipende da te lo sai.
In bocca al lupo allora a trovare un bel paese!

[Karhunkoski]

volha86 - sei felice!