Would you like to meet Finnish friends?

Lisbeth · Post by **Lisbeth** » Tue Jul 26, 2005 9:58 pm

Did you know that the Red Cross's multicultural department in South Helsinki has a friendship agency? The purpose of the friendship agency is to help immigrants and other foreign people living in the Helsinki region to meet Finnish friends who can tell them more about living in Finland, offer advice on practical matters and the chance to discuss in Finnish, or whatever language you prefer! This also offers your Finnish friend the opportunity to find out more about your culture, and maybe to practice their language skills too. You can meet your friend for a coffee, a walk, maybe for a common hobby on a time that suits you both, but please note that the purpose of this service is not to help you to find a girl- or a boyfriend!

If you would like to meet a new friend, this is what you should do:
1. Contact our office in Betania-talo (Perämiehenkatu 13, in Punavuori). You can either pop in on Monday nights between 5pm and 7pm or email us at spr.etela-helsinki@redcross.fi.
2. Tell us a little bit about yourself, and what you would like from your friend. Don't forget to include your contact details!
3. The friendship agency or your new friend will contact you as soon as possible!

So if you thought it is difficult to meet new Finnish friends, please contact us and we will try help you

Liisa and Piia
The Friendship Agency

**Sponsor:**

Emi · Post by **Emi** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:18 pm

i wonder if the agency helps only people from Helsinki area or can it be a person from any other place in Finland?
<<desperate

Lisbeth · Post by **Lisbeth** » Wed Jul 27, 2005 12:23 pm

Hi!

Unfortunately our department mostly only deals with people from the Helsinki region, but you can always contact your local Red Cross to find out whether they offer a similar service. You can find contact details for your local department from our webpage http://www.redcross.fi.

Liisa and Piia
The Friendship Agency

HzE · Post by **HzE** » Tue Aug 09, 2005 7:12 pm

I think it would be worth to check out if any schools have those friend-things.

piruja · Post by **piruja** » Sun Aug 21, 2005 11:44 pm

In Spain there is an advertaising on tv which is a company who send you at home the kind of friend you are looking for....hyvaa idea!!!

yaxxi · Post by **yaxxi** » Tue Nov 01, 2005 11:22 pm

In Germany there is a webpage new-in-town.de. Quite a good place to find new people who share the same interests.

Henry-Finland · Post by **Henry-Finland** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 1:28 am

Emi wrote:i wonder if the agency helps only people from Helsinki area or can it be a person from any other place in Finland?
<<desperate

Hi!
Mind to check out my location.

I thought I knew all foreigners on this island and would like to form a club for foreigners. My wife is Russian, that's why I know some other foreigners also that has stranded here.
I am Finnish-Swedish.

Henry

yaxxi · Post by **yaxxi** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:08 pm

I have made this forum for Jyväskylä http://www.jyvasvillage.net.ms also to meet some more foreigners, but so far no one has found it *hehe*

yaxxi · Post by **yaxxi** » Thu Nov 10, 2005 12:09 pm

piruja wrote:In Spain there is an advertaising on tv which is a company who send you at home the kind of friend you are looking for

Wow, can I order Brad Pitt or Ethan Hawke or Josh Hartnett?

mayumispa · Post by **mayumispa** » Tue Nov 22, 2005 11:57 am

to the staff of the Friendshhip Agency

thanks for finding time in helping others.

questions, can you provide help by email?

i have some personal questions about understanding some finnish attitudes. i have a female finnish friend, and i dont have any other finn friend.

maybe you can spare sometime to help me understand somethings.

im just curious.

thanks again.

always sincere,
Carlos from Milan,Italy

maloos · Post by **maloos** » Thu Nov 24, 2005 4:33 pm

Hi,
I`m new here.

miss_brina · Post by **miss_brina** » Mon Jan 23, 2006 10:29 am

well im not really an immigrant.
But I have just come from Canda to come study here. Im sorry to admit, that i am one of those terrible people who only speak one language. But I hope all you out there will forgive me for that. Just looking to meet some new people.
CHEERS

Rahela-Hanna · Post by **Rahela-Hanna** » Tue Feb 07, 2006 5:40 pm

Lisbeth wrote:Did you know that the Red Cross's multicultural department in South Helsinki has a friendship agency? The purpose of the friendship agency is to help immigrants and other foreign people living in the Helsinki region to meet Finnish friends who can tell them more about living in Finland, offer advice on practical matters and the chance to discuss in Finnish, or whatever language you prefer! This also offers your Finnish friend the opportunity to find out more about your culture, and maybe to practice their language skills too. You can meet your friend for a coffee, a walk, maybe for a common hobby on a time that suits you both, but please note that the purpose of this service is not to help you to find a - or a boyfriend!

If you would like to meet a new friend, this is what you should do:
1. Contact our office in Betania-talo (Perämiehenkatu 13, in Punavuori). You can either pop in on Monday nights between 5pm and 7pm or email us at spr.etela-helsinki@redcross.fi.
2. Tell us a little bit about yourself, and what you would like from your friend. Don't forget to include your contact details!
3. The friendship agency or your new friend will contact you as soon as possible!

So if you thought it is difficult to meet new Finnish friends, please contact us and we will try help you

Liisa and Piia
The Friendship Agency

Oh, man, I would love that! Is it real? Can they help you with residence permits, and jobs, and the like?

Rahela-Hanna · Post by **Rahela-Hanna** » Sat Mar 11, 2006 8:18 pm

maloos wrote:Hi,
I`m new here.

Welcome, Maloos!

You a Finn?

zedkoman · Post by **zedkoman** » Tue Apr 25, 2006 11:07 pm

I signed up with a the friendship agency and they gave me an awful pair up. I know they do goood work but i was just not compatible with the people they signed me up with. are there any alternatives to this program. lately ive been depressed and thinking how !"#¤% it is not speaking finnish and not having a girlfriend. so sad...

it kind of sucked that they gave a non finnish family to be friends with when i am in finland and my main goal is to learn the language. does anyone know another place out there?

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