Canadians coming to Helsinki and have no idea what to expect

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Jentle
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Canadians coming to Helsinki and have no idea what to expect

Post by Jentle » Wed Oct 29, 2003 9:43 pm

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?



Canadians coming to Helsinki and have no idea what to expect

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dusty_bin
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Post by dusty_bin » Wed Oct 29, 2003 11:34 pm

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!

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Wed Oct 29, 2003 11:39 pm

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.

Jentle
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Location: Helsinki [as of January 13]

great...

Post by Jentle » Thu Oct 30, 2003 2:10 am

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]

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Thu Oct 30, 2003 6:45 am

:mrgreen: 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* ?
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

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Kemars
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Post by Kemars » Thu Oct 30, 2003 8:54 am

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.
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.
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.

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... 8)
How much wood would a wood chuck chuck if a wood chuck could chuck wood?

BAT

Post by BAT » Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:14 am

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.

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:42 am

dusty_bin wrote:Finland is something like a giant glacier, Helsinki is built on ice.
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 :shock: "...

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.

kultary
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Post by kultary » Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:43 am

Come on.. you're Canadians. It's going to be pretty much the same as home, except...

1. When people refer to 'elk', they really mean 'moose'.
2. You won't be hearing "eh?" at the end of every sentence

- Ryan

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Thu Oct 30, 2003 9:44 am

Yes, but aboot accents, you'll be hearing 'tä?' instead of sentences...
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.

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MinnaRaisanen
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Post by MinnaRaisanen » Thu Oct 30, 2003 10:10 am

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! :twisted:
We don't stop playing because we grow old; we grow old because we stop playing.

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Guest

Post by Guest » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:17 am

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...
Minna, WHERE have you been? Last winter was sunshine pretty much all the time!
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*

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Thu Oct 30, 2003 11:29 am

Well, you just need to move in Canada... say to the shores of Great Slave Lake... just like Finland :twisted:
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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.

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MinnaRaisanen
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Post by MinnaRaisanen » Thu Oct 30, 2003 12:49 pm

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 :shock: Not trying to 'make' Finland sound so bad...maybe it just is for me... :cry:

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

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Hank W.
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Post by Hank W. » Thu Oct 30, 2003 1:30 pm

Look now Arno, Great Slave Lake is just like Finland!!!
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Funny Canadians comeing here :mrgreen:
Cheers, Hank W.
sitting here like a lemon looking for a gin.


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