First of all, Jussi, thanks! Virtual friends, virtual problems... "e-addiction". I'll do my best not to become a Bahmu-Prigoana case
for Finnish fora.
I should be happy that some people can't believe media can lie like this. It feels so good to afford to trust the others...
But I do remember some others telling endless stories in the Romanian newspapers and TV news about how Finland "has finally opened its gates". To Romanians that is, not to Finns wishing to experience life abroad... Why would Finns do that? Why should we care anyway?
So I could say it is possible for news to be so (sick and) wrong. Especially in countries where the communist TV "offer" was SO exciting before 'the fall of communism'.
Now this improved version of old TV (is it a capitalist version?) says life is great. And You can do it.
You know TV, he's an old friend, you've been around this friend for so many years.
TV doesn't really know how things should be done. He's never got a job. Other than being paid by you, that is.
He's never been abroad actually. Not with the same stories, anyway.
He doesn't have kids, he doesn't miss his parents. His problems end when you push a button.
I'm not saying to throw TV away. It would be such a shame.
It is possible that in Romania counting trees is becoming insanely easy. They are cutting them down (don't ask me who and why, I'm trying to quit ingesting Romanian news) especially in that mad Bucharest. I know that.
Life can be hard in Romania, I know. But in the 5 o'clock news they say stories of children committing suicide because mom and dad have been away for too long, and in the evening news you hear about gates being finally open for Romanians to leave Romania. (Bill Gates included) It's ironic that the handiest explanation for this paradox would be that somebody is trying to win some hearts and some votes out of admitting that really good life can only happen abroad AND they, the good guys, are finally handling the w/hole thing just to let Romanians chase their dreams.
We had a visitor in January. Some acquaintance from Romania wanted to work in Finland. I've poisoned a week or so reading... texts, I guess... from Uranus to understand better what's happening. Told the guy. He is smart, he has common sense. He understood. But his wife and his brother-in-law not so much. His kid was cool about it anyway. The problem was that the brother-in-law lives a successful life somewhere in EU. He had guts and news say guts is what it takes to succeed. We - me and my husband - are just some lame nerds (and we know it and admitted that when it came to networking in Finland).
So he came. I think it was the first week of January. Stayed at a hostel, 'visited' all those recruitment agencies he could find from the list provided by the employment office. I went with him in the first days. I'll never forget the look on those people's faces when we told them the guy doesn't speak English that well. Don't mention Finnish. The Romanian news didn't seem to mention it anyway...
So after a week or so he went home. He was very impressed with his experience here. Nice people, he said. Wanting to help but things don't work the way he could think of back home. Bad cars. Cheap. What's wrong with these Finns riding the bicycle and buying such unappealing cars? And a rather low income, how can that be? Is this EU?! Or is it ME?
They must be much more modest than what we are used to back home, he said. I like his common sense. It felt horrible that I left him stay at a hostel, spend a lot of money. But my spouse said that's the way to go/learn. It wasn't a matter of luck, a week or a month or three. So rip the bandage off. That is the money he willingly chose to spend as an investment in a better life. TV is so instructive, teaching people how to get a better life.
Take chances. I can only agree. But also be aware. So I have to agree with guru Hank
It's been 10 months now. Nobody ever asked us about moving to Finland to work.
Needless to say, this is only my perspective and I'm clearly not the best informed around here. That's only my experience so far.
I said..."That is why she is a professor and you are only an engineer!"
Would you stop mocking the engineers?
They are the result of "natural evolution" too
Intrebati-i pe romanii de aici, intrebati-i pe alti imigranti, intrebati-i pe finlandezi. Intrebati-i si pe cei de acasa daca vor intr-adevar sa plecati. Nu-i nevoie sa-i si credeti sau sa le urmati sfaturile. Doar sa va asigurati ca nu veti cheltui banii intr-un loc unde chiar nu este atat de usor nici traiul, nici gasitul unei slujbe.
Si eu vreau sa ne intoarcem. Cumva, candva. Azi ascult Pavel Stratan, Parazitii si Vank. Si acasa ramane Romania. Aveti grija de voi
si mergeti cu Dumnezeu inainte!
Cheers!
fred