Visiting Finland for the first time....!!

[rahulashok231]

Hei friends,

I am from India and I am coming to Finland(lappeenranta) during the last week of august to pursue my masters at LUT.

I had a few queries...

1. Since, this will be my first visit to Finland, could you advise me what type of jackets and shoes must I purchase.

2. Since I am a vegetarian, are my options limited...?

3. Is there any culture shock that I must be prepared for...?

4. Are the people welcoming towards foreigners, I am asking this because I heard that Finnish people are reserved and rarely interact with foreigners

5. What type of stoves are generally used....Gas based ones or electric based ones...

6. will smartphones from India work in Finland...?

7. Lastly, I would welcome any other useful info that you might have for me...

Thanks( kiitos) in advance...

[rahulashok231]

Thanks for replying....

yep, I guess its best to buy the winter jackets in lappeenranta itself....

I think I will get along pretty much well....as I am a silent person and love interacting with people..

Currently just started learning Finnish.....have to admit it...its a hard language to master....

And yes, I am pretty much excited to begin my new adventure in the land of thousand lakes(Finland)

[Upphew]

About gas stoves... they might be fine if you have gas pipe coming to your house. If that is not the case then you would have to use the 10/11kg bottles and that might be a added chore that many wouldn't be willing to take.

[Rip]

2. Since I am a vegetarian, are my options limited...?

Avoiding meet is not a problem, but if one wants to avoid also milk products then local non-ethnic (non-indian, non-chinese etc.) restaurants are often difficult to visit. In general University cafeteria has a few options a day of which perhaps one would be suitable(?)

[Rosamunda]

1. There are some really good second-hand shops with nearly new stuff as well as discount stores where you can get good bargains so I think it's best to buy your coat and shoes up here. If you live near to LUT and are basically an "indoor" person then you might not need as much outdoor gear as someone who cycles from the city centre out to the campus in the middle of winter. Lappeenranta can get VERY cold.

2. Most university cafeterias cater for vegetarians and most supermarkets stock a variety of options (soja, pulses etc) and veggies all year round so it isn't as difficult as it used to be to avoid eating meat.

3/4. Try google (you'll probably end up back on this forum!!!). But LUT is multicultural so you won't be the first non-Finn to arrive there! The city relies on foreigners (Russians) for its prosperity. And, I guess even some Finns might feel a culture shock when going there too eg, folk from west-coast Ostrobothnia! Many Finns are also very eager to talk with foreigners, especially younger people. But, as in many countries, there are groups of people who despise foreigners. Ignore them.

5. Electric almost everywhere.

6. Don't know.

7. Take vitamin D supplements in the winter and try to get outdoors as much as you can if the sun is shining.