Working in English

[littlefrank]

well now you've mentioned class war...

[FFCBOY]

Not one to butt in but anyway if the guy is claiming kela raha and can afford to go on holiday for two weeks good luck to him, have a few 's on me..

[hychamaz]

Not one to butt in but anyway if the guy is claiming kela raha and can afford to go on holiday for two weeks good luck to him, have a few 's on me..

Thanks man, of course I told Kela and didnt get paid for those 2 weeks that I wasnt working with the job counselor. Man u guys expect the worst from everyone. It still makes me laugh. This is why I am leaving the Forum as so many others have. FINLAND had made you some harsh SOBs (with some great exceptions). Cheer up! Its not that bad!

[Pursuivant]

Man u guys expect the worst from everyone.

Not at all, though we hardly ever find anyone to exceed our expectations quite like that.

It still makes me laugh.

I bet you laugh all the way from KELA to the bank.

[agassi 23]

hi there:

i got here like 20 days ago and i have the same issue than you...i don't speak any finish, so i'm looking for an english spoken job as well, by the way i'm waiting for the permit for workink, but i hear that if you have a job's offer your permission could goes faster and they can give it to you sooner that should be. So if you have the contact could you please be so kind to let me know or help with all of this
have a great snowy day hehehe.

[mrjimsfc]

hi there:

i got here like 20 days ago and i have the same issue than you...i don't speak any finish, so i'm looking for an english spoken job as well, by the way i'm waiting for the permit for workink, but i hear that if you have a job's offer your permission could goes faster and they can give it to you sooner that should be. So if you have the contact could you please be so kind to let me know or help with all of this
have a great snowy day hehehe.

Well, depending on what kind of work you are willing to do and where you are willing to live, here is a job in a small out of the way sort of place (actually in Sahankylä about 10 or 12 klicks out of Kauhajoki). You could be a real cowboy, herding cattle, mending fences, sleeping in the bunkhouse (you have to fix your own food), plowing up the fields and chasing around in the forest on your trusty tractor named "Sisu". You can wear a cowboy hat on your head, a red bandana around your neck, yell "yeehaw", say "howdy partner" and it's OK because you're in the wild west (of Finland that is) and everybody does that (or not).

[dspsousa]

If you have an area of expertise you can try to search for companies in that area and propose yourself. If they really need someone they might be willing to give it a try, even if they didn't have non-finnish speakers before. You english skills should be good enough, though.

I'm not just saying that. I actually got a job like that, in the design field, I proposed myself to a lot of design agencies who were not looking for someone english speaking and I did get a job - it took a while but I did get one.

When companies post ads looking for someone and you think you could do the job, just reply.

In this site you can access many job search sites, automatically translated from finnish to english:
http://dailyfinland.com/

There is also links to house searching etc.

[Lazydriver]

You are one piece of work. Again someone else on "attack mode". Did it even cross your mind to consider asking me "why I had such a difficult time attempting to learn Finnish". To me that would have been the polite thing to do before going on in your speech about how people who "dont learn it just dont try to use it enough". And "you gotta be persistent".
If you would again have asked me I would have told you that I have a learning disability and as much as I battled it and I could not sit through my classes in Kerava or Riihimaki.

People, please dont assume that I am not a hard worker and looking for the easy way out. I do my best. Things said here can really be funny at times, but when you accuse people of things without knowing them, you can really be hurtful. And over the last 1 1/2 years (that I have been reading here) that happens way too often.

Don't cry man I wasn't attacking you. I am just telling you that you gotta work hard and don't give up because I know from personal experience that its hard but I also know that the hard work pays off. I thought that would give you some motivation. I wasn't saying you are dumb and my comments still would have been the same had I known you had a learning disorder. And wouldn't it be more offending if I said "Hey, why can't you learn Finnish, do you have a learning disorder or something?" At least you got to go to a class to study Finnish. I didn't have that. I learned from a couple books and "on the street" and then after getting a job I learned there, FROM USING IT. And again, I am not the smartest person in the world and don't learn languages just like that. Actually I studied German for 5 years and don't know but a few words. I can now speak Finnish well but can't tell you any rules of why one word goes like this and another like that, I just know cause I learned it while speaking it.
Anyway, sorry to have offended you but if you get offended that easily then you got a tough time ahead. Good luck buddy.

Exactly, if you move to a country, you've got to learn the language as fast as you can. To do otherwise would be disrespectful. It's like Mexicans who refuse to learn English when they come to America, but if this gabacho here didn't speak Spanish the minute he stepped into Mexico, he'd be asking for trouble. Granted, we're all trying to make a better life for ourselves.

And why wouldn't you want to learn the grammar? I love the sixteen cases and the flexibility it gives me compared to English. How'd you manage to not learn German in five years though? I'm nearly to the point I could survive in Berlin, even with the accent and all, and all I do is listen to metal and take a German I class and have studied on my own for the past three. But then again, I'm motivated. If all I did was just listen to Rammstein and not bother to translate a word they said that struck my mind at the moment, well hell, ich werde weiß die Deutschesprach nicht! Then again, I'm in a Spanish class and I'm learning the language only because I have to, and even there, with no good music (for the most part), I'm still learning. It's all tedious, but it's worth it.

Finnish is a lot easier when you find there's lovely music, unless you're not into metal.

I'm not Finnish, but between the ages of 18 and 28 whilst studying full time and working holiday periods, I didn't have a single foreign holiday. There's just something that rubs me up the wrong way about people who don't have a job, who take benefits and then blow money on a holiday (or cigarettes or booze).

Completely. Agreed.

[interleukin]

Mexicans who refuse to learn English when they come to America

I hate to break this to you, but Mexico is in America just like your United States...

[Lazydriver]

Mexicans who refuse to learn English when they come to America

I hate to break this to you, but Mexico is in America just like your United States...

The formal term North America refers to the continent, the shorthand name America refers to the land of the United States and its inhabitants are called Americans, most of which with American citizenship. The country of Colombia took the other short-hand name for what people called this country. I don't think a proud Mexican who has never set foot in the United States would like being called American (o tú estupido gabacho Americano).

Also, the acronym U.S. is being taken, because in some languages, E.U and U.S. have the same initials! So the only "polite" way at this point to refer to myself would to call myself either a Nevadan, or a United Statesian. Can't call myself Vegan either.

Of course, I'm sure when people think of the United States, the first thing they think of is Vegas. /s

[Pursuivant]

the shorthand name America refers to the land of the United States and its inhabitants are called Americans,

I thought they were called Stupids of Stupidistan... right below the Canucks of Canukistan

[interleukin]

Of course, I'm sure when people think of the United States, the first thing they think of is Vegas. /s

No, actually not. We think of people like you

[Pursuivant]

Well in China or SE asia in general I might be having a problem as I'm tone deaf.

[Rosamunda]

Hi. Am I the only one wondering what "learning disabilities" are? I am sure there are dyslexic people but I am also sure the number is a tiny fraction of those who claim to be dyslexic. Attention deficit order? I couldn't learn Finnish because I looked out of the window during class? Unless someone is mentally retarded, the excuse of learning disabilities is actually fraudulent. This guy just wants a hand up.

I haven't read all this thread (and don't intend to) so this might be out of context but....

The structure of the Finnish language, combined with the way it is taught as a foreign language here in Finland, make it difficult for kids on the "dyslexia" spectrum to cope with it. I have three kids and have been here for eight years and have seen enough to be able to say quite categorically that anyone with learning difficulties who is trying to learn Finnish as a foreign language is in for a very tough ride. Typically kids with dyslexia and ADHD don't perform well in traditional learning environments where the teacher talks and the students listen, make notes and then rote learn the grammar 'n' stuff. Learning wordlists and inflection tables is not what dyslexic kids do best.

As for being retards..... My eldest son who is in lukio frequently scores 9s in physics and chemistry (not the easiest subjects) but gets dismal grades in English and French (even though they are his native tongues). He has really, really struggled with learning Finnish as a foreign language, and is a long way off being fluent even after 8 years spent here in full-time education. Dyslexics and those with ADHD are not "mentally retarded", just wired-up differently. I have assessments from three independent educational psychologists stating he is dyslexic, so I am no fraud either.

I have heard excellent reports from Eira Lukio (it's an adult learning centre), they have a strong reputation for teaching Finnish as a foreign language and also for helping individual students who have learning difficulties. http://www.eiraedu.com/english Eira High is active in preventing exclusion from education.

[ajl]

He just said learning disabilities, so it could be a variety of things besides dyslexia. Those with certain neurological issues or
tramatic brain injuries have many issues, lesser known stuff like non verbal learning disorder to a huge number of memory
issues impact daily life but are not apparent to a casual observer. If you don't know such people, it doesn't excuse assuming
they are just not trying hard or giving excuses. I hope most people don't have to start learning such stuff, but some charity
in the assumptions would go a long way in helping everyone. Maybe there is therapy out there for people who make bad
assumptions and act like jerks, but I haven't heard of that yet; although there are brain injuries which explain that sometimes.
I'm afraid I only know pediatric neurosurgeons & neurologists so I can't refer posters here to them.