HELP! Need to get out USA!

[zorahna]

Hi:

I've been researching some information about other countries. I really like everything I learn about life in Finnland. I am an American and have lived here my entire 33 years. I can not relate to the culture here at all, and as I am a socialist, life here is becoming simply unbearable. I have always worked, yet struggled to get education, housing, and health care. I have two young children 2 and 9 months and want them to be able to enjoy some quality of life instead of struggle as my family has for the last 4 generations.

I simply can not stand the government in the country on any levels. The Protestant Work Ethic that fuels the dysfunction in this country is completely absurd. I'm trying my best to at least get trained as a Nurse.

I was wondering if I could secure employment in Finnland as a Nurse. I don't speak any Finn, but would love to learn.

Thanks
zorahna

[Mark I.]

Well, Finland is not a paradise either, and as to protestant work ethic - I think it was invented here (even Germans take it more easy).

Good luck.

[sinikettu]

Hi:

I've been researching some information about other countries. I really like everything I learn about life in Finland.

I can not relate to the culture here at all, and as I am a socialist, life here is becoming simply unbearable. I have always worked, yet struggled to get education, housing, and health care. .

I simply can not stand the government in the country on any levels.

I was wondering if I could secure employment in Finland as a Nurse. I don't speak any Finnish, but would love to learn.

Thanks
zorahna

Finland has a central/right political leadership at the present time.
But there is strong SDP influence and the Social Democrats and Left alliances do manage to ensure that there is a minum level of health care and your kids are young enough to benifit from the excellent education.

Finns, in general, are not very pro current American politicians...But they doubt that the alternative political party would be much of an improvement.

But the negative info for you is that to be employed as a nurse here you must be fluent in Finnish and also at least able to understand/communicate in Swedish.

[Hank W.]

Yes, its the protestant work ethic here that fuels the socialism. Nordic countries thrive on it. I think you're mixing up bible-thumping and capitalism with 'protestant work ethic'

I find your situation interesting, as I'm 36 and I was looking to get to the USA when I was younger, you know, to the land of milk and honey where the pavements are made of gold, and prices are cheap, you don't pay anything for gas or taxes compared to here, salaries are triple and one can actually find work... (well, that was in 96 when everything was bankrupt)...

In your situation it would be hard for me to say anything encouraging, as not speaking the local language your chances of getting work here are quite slim, and the job situation isn't looking too grand as the pink-haired old ladies in Florida want their pension money so the pension funds that own the big corporations demand profits and all the factories relocate to China. And native people with no (vocational)education inhabit the pubs at 9am complaining that "these foreign people come and take their jobs".

Atleast you got blessed with kids. I only got debts, a car made last century and a leaky roof

[mumboman]

Finish your nursing and go straight north, Saskatchewan may be the last of the socialist provinces in Canada, the standard of living is high, so are the taxes, its cold as all hell, but finding work as a nurse will be easy, housing is cheap, you can buy a decent place(house not aptartment) for 60,000 CDN and the kids will be able to leave when they are done their education for Alberta.

[Hank W.]

Sounds like the Finnish climate and taxes without the language problems...

[mumboman]

Forgot to mention there's also no people, ie about 950.000 for an area almost twice the size as Finland. Finland's climate would be considered almost sub-tropical, and though english is the language of choice you'll need to learn how to talk like a farmer to understand a damn thing.

[Mark I.]

Spent there once x-mas holidays and new year's time. Had to stay indoors, as it was -40 - -50c all the time.

(Had bad time, but that's noting to blame Saskatchewan for. )

[Oombongo]

Saskatchewan - seems a place of my taste.

[littlefrank]

Unfortunately you are not going to find a 'socialist utopia' here in Europe, what you will find is a lot of 'mini-America's' in the making, privatisation and cut backs in health, education etc are becoming the norm here and poor people struggle to make ends meet, and, of course, it's all their own fault.

My limited experience of American socialists suggests you would find it difficult to fit in, either because you find that the reality of socialist europe doesn't live up to your expectations, or European socialists are far more left wing than the American variety.

I know how desperate you must feel, but try to think how the Russian people must have felt when they'd found out that they'd swapped one autocratic Tzar for another, or the crushing of the Spanish people by Franco, when the rest of the world stood by, allowing Hitler and Mussolini to train their military for fascist expansionism.

America has a rich labour history, the Molly Maguires, the I.W.W. etc, they probably felt as frustrated you do, but they tried to do something about it, they didn't pack up and leave.

Good books.

Upton Sinclair, The Jungle.

The truth about the lynching of Frank Little
by Michael Byrnes; Les Rickey

The Wobblies: The Story of I.W.W. and Syndicalism in the United States
Patrick Renshaw

and there's many more.

Also if you can get a copy of this, it's well worth watching.


Harlan County, U.S.A. [DVD] (1977)
Oscar-winning documentary covers a strike by Kentucky coal miners against a monolithic power conglomerate. Director Barbara Kopple goes beyond the usual "labor story" to focus on the 108 families affected by the dispute and their struggles. 104 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Category: Documentary
Academy Award®
Winner: Best Documentary Feature

Better go now before I start singing, 'I dreamed last night I saw Joe Hill'

[ojanm]

I think there's going to be (and there probably is) shortage of nurses working in the geriatric sector in Finland. Many people were born short after the second world war in 1940s and 1950s. Naturally, they are aging and need more and more health services in the future.

Sure, the wages aren't that good and it's hard work altogether. On the other hand, Finland is a fairly good country to raise one's children.

That's my two cents.

[zorahna]

Unfortunately you are not going to find a 'socialist utopia' here in Europe, what you will find is a lot of 'mini-America's' in the making, privatisation and cut backs in health, education etc are becoming the norm here and poor people struggle to make ends meet, and, of course, it's all their own fault.

I've heard about this when I was researching the American welfare reform. I read that Germany has something called Model USA which they are using to elimate their welfare state. @#$% horrible!

My limited experience of American socialists suggests you would find it difficult to fit in, either because you find that the reality of socialist europe doesn't live up to your expectations, or European socialists are far more left wing than the American variety.

If anything it would probably not live up to my expectations. I couldn't imagine I'd be upset that the European socialists aren't radical enough.

I know how desperate you must feel, but try to think how the Russian people must have felt when they'd found out that they'd swapped one autocratic Tzar for another, or the crushing of the Spanish people by Franco, when the rest of the world stood by, allowing Hitler and Mussolini to train their military for fascist expansionism.

America has a rich labour history, the Molly Maguires, the I.W.W. etc, they probably felt as frustrated you do, but they tried to do something about it, they didn't pack up and leave.

Oh yes. I know about this quite well. The Jungle is one of my favorite books along with a book I read for a class on the American labor movement called: William Z. Foster and the Tragedy of American Radicalism. Yes, I know - fight the good fight. Problem is I've been fighting the good fight for a long time and really nothing changes, or if you do make some progress there are so many @#$% up things, that you can't possible change them all. If I am forced to stay in America, I am going to start the People's Revolutionary Party of America. If you pass a @#$% up bill expect a flaming chair thrown through your window a la French Revolution style. I think I will probably end up imprisoned at some point.

Thank you for your suggestions. I will check those things out. It is quite disappointing to hear that they employment prospects are not good even if you speak the language. Well, maybe I will have to settle for the frozen tundra of saskachtewan - 40 below!!!?? I live in San Diego and it is 80 in January.

Good books.

Upton Sinclair, The Jungle.

The truth about the lynching of Frank Little
by Michael Byrnes; Les Rickey

The Wobblies: The Story of I.W.W. and Syndicalism in the United States
Patrick Renshaw

and there's many more.

Also if you can get a copy of this, it's well worth watching.


Harlan County, U.S.A. [DVD] (1977)
Oscar-winning documentary covers a strike by Kentucky coal miners against a monolithic power conglomerate. Director Barbara Kopple goes beyond the usual "labor story" to focus on the 108 families affected by the dispute and their struggles. 104 min. Widescreen (Enhanced); Soundtrack: English Dolby Digital mono.
Category: Documentary
Academy Award®
Winner: Best Documentary Feature

Better go now before I start singing, 'I dreamed last night I saw Joe Hill'

[superiorinferior]

also at least able to understand/communicate in Swedish.

This, at least, ain't true.

[littlefrank]

' Problem is I've been fighting the good fight for a long time and really nothing changes, or if you do make some progress there are so many @#$% up things, that you can't possible change them all.


You're 33 not an unusual age to experience 'frustrated head banging against a solid wall syndrome' I reached it when I was about 35, that's when I started to describe myself as a Anarcho-Cynicalist.

'If I am forced to stay in America, I am going to start the People's Revolutionary Party of America.'

Why not join the I.W.W. instead?

http://www.iww.org/

In Finnish.

http://www.iww.org/fi

'If you pass a @#$% up bill expect a flaming chair thrown through your window a la French Revolution style.

Don't often agree with Trotsky (Trotskii) but 'Individual acts of terrorism are no substitute for mass action'.


'I think I will probably end up imprisoned at some point. '

So your two kids end up being taken care of by the state and before you know it they're saluting the flag and singing the 'star spangled banner' etc. Just accept that you're not going to change the world in your lifetime but at least your kids will know there is an alternative way of running society.

I got over my 'total' cynicism by visiting Anarchist squats in the Basque region of Spain with my ex, when I was in my early 40's, Ok as a syndicalist I didn't agree with most of what they were doing, but they were mostly half my age and it was good to see they were enthusiastic about trying an alternative way of running their lives.

Another couple of books from a European perspective you might enjoy reading.

'Germinal' by Emile Zola (don't bother with the film)

'The ragged trousered philanthropist' by Robert Tressell

http://www.unionhistory.info/ragged/ragged.php