Moving to Finland in 2007

[Andy S]

Hi,

I am a brit moving permanently to Finland in September 2007 and am starting to get organised. Minun tyttöystävanni on suomalainen ja me odotamme kaksoset!! We have always planned to come to live in Finland but now have the best reason. Minä ymärrän, kirjoittan ja puhun vähän suomea! Minä menen lauantai koulu englatissa! I know that, as a foreigner I will be able to go to a school to improve my finnish, for up to 9 months I believe! I would appreciate any advice-experience of how to access this resource. We will be living near Riihimäki.

I realise the difficulty in getting employment in Finland, even for those foreigners who speak reasonable Finnish, I am preparing for a 1 or 2 year effort to bring my language skills to a reasonable level! (in order to make unemployment more enjoyable!!)

Kiitos

[Hank W.]

Well - congratulations and the sort of 'are you insane' exclamations where appropriate. (Or in my case totally inappropriate)

OK, are you intending to bring a car? With twins and living in hiirimäki, I'd expect a yes, so *please* search and read the appropriate threads, as you need to act now and not ask silly stuff in 2007 when its too late (six month rules etc.)

For moving over/ household stuff are you intending to move every worldly possession or some? Theres also subjects on moving and 'what to bring' as say some stuff like baby clothes cost astrologically in Finland (not to mention you're doubling the effort)...

So going to live somewhere in the forest in the in-laws farm is all nice, but they've told you that anyone in the village that has a job moved to Gothenburg for the Volvo factory in the 1960's? Well... hiirimäki is not *that* dire of an area, its pretty much the 'suburb' area for commuting to work so depending on your previous expertese/qualifications etc. your chances of finding work are better than most of the 'straight off ryanair' types. And I'm quite impressed over your Finnish (and expect you to get the pun).

Hrm... jobwise/schooling - whats your background/skills? What are you imagining to be doing except say changing nappies and warming milk bottles say this time in 2008?

[Andy S]

Hi
I am bringing a car ( an 10 year old RHD Merc ) which I intend to keep until it (or I) expires!! I will speak with my father-in-law Jarkko and sort out re-registering the car. I sure the folks in Riihimäki would be unimpressed at the thought they live on/in a mousehill!!
I am a psychotherapist and need to get my qualifications OK'd ( by some shadowy finnish organisation) before i start any potential private work which I know will only be possible in Helsinki with english speaking clients. I have a good contact within psychotherapy in Joensuu who is advising me about all this.
I want to be realistic about what to expect and have been to Finland about 10 times over the last 7-8 years but anticipate 'culture shock' for a year or two! until I have consumed enough Koskenkorva, Lapin kulta and makkaroita to begin being assimilated. Yes I guess that bringing up anglo-finnish twins will keep me busy which part of Finland do you live Hank?

[Hank W.]

Well, yes, you'll hit the jackpot as theres a lot of foreigners trying to reecuperate from HBS.. The qualifications acceptance thing its good you have coaching you through the system. As for the car - doctor, heal thyself

Me, between the rings, between the rings. Envy of not living in Rome and picking on those who live outside the limes.

[Rosamunda]

Hi
I am bringing a car ( an 10 year old RHD Merc ) which I intend to keep until it (or I) expires!!

Ours is a 1989 300 TE and still going strong. When we bought it EVERYONE laughed cause we were DINKS with tax-free salaries working out of suitcases... but 17 years down the road we have successfully filled the car to capacity with three lads (two are already teenagers) and a dog and some forest and the car has never needed a major repair (new exhaust last week though). It has been licenced in Finland, France, Switzerland and now Finland again)

You might want to read all the threads about cars though re: winter tyres and engine heaters etc. e.g.We did a Dinitrol as soon as we arrived.

Tervetuloa and good luck with the move.

[Andy S]

Well, yes, you'll hit the jackpot as theres a lot of foreigners trying to reecuperate from HBS..

I think I know a few who are suffering from this very syndrome!
Thanks for the advice hank

[Andy S]

Hi
I am bringing a car ( an 10 year old RHD Merc ) which I intend to keep until it (or I) expires!!

Ours is a 1989 300 TE and still going strong. When we bought it EVERYONE laughed cause we were DINKS with tax-free salaries working out of suitcases... but 17 years down the road we have successfully filled the car to capacity with three lads (two are already teenagers) and a dog and some forest and the car has never needed a major repair (new exhaust last week though). It has been licenced in Finland, France, Switzerland and now Finland again)

You might want to read all the threads about cars though re: winter tyres and engine heaters etc. e.g.We did a Dinitrol as soon as we arrived.

Tervetuloa and good luck with the move.

Thanks People always laugh at me anyway although its often when I haven't got my car with me
I will get an engine heater installed as soon as I arrive and some snow tyres sorted for sure.
Kiitoksia

[BlueWeb]

Hmm, that gives me some hope (that he would have better opportunities than 'straight off Ryanair ppl'). I am also moving to Finland (from the US) with my wife, who is Finnish, in 2007. I know all about bringing a car, etc. and have already gotten everything started on that.

My biggest worry has been the job situation (finding one, to be specific). From what I can see of Andy's post, my finnish is pretty much on the same level as his. I have been studying it quite heavily for about a year and a half and have also attended some classes for Finnish.

I have a few friends in/from Finland that all say I should not worry about finding a job, that it is no problem. I would like to believe them, but then I hear all the horror stories as well. I have a Bachelor's degree in Int'l Business (from a US uni) and right now, I am working as a change manager and implementation project manager in a technology consulting firm. That sounds good, however, I do not do any coding or programming (which seems to be what ppl in Finland are looking most for.)

We are planning on living in Lahti (as it is my wife's home town), but working in the capital area is not a problem either. I am very excited about moving as I really like it there when we've visited often, just worried about employment.