Finns attitude towards Indonesians? (or South-east Asians)

jonhardjopranoto · Post by **jonhardjopranoto** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 6:56 pm

Hi all!

I am thinking of studying in Finland, at the University of Helsinki to be precise. I have sent my application for two MA programs and now I am waiting for their decisions. Should I be accepted, UH is definitely in my priorities. I am a straight A student from Indonesia and I have studied in the States for one year previously. I am just curious about the general attitudes of Finns towards Asians, Indonesians in particular, since I know that not many of my countrymen are in Finland. I also have read about the animosity that has taken place between some Finns and immigrants from Africa. To be honest, I do not know what to think. I am excited about the opportunity to study in one of the champions in education should I be accepted, yet I am also a bit afraid that some people might not be that welcoming. I know that Finns stare and are reserved people, and I can understand that. Besides what I already know, can anybody shed some light about what I asked?

Kiitos in advance.
Jonathan.

**Sponsor:**

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 8:39 pm

nenenk-nenek

You face less "racism" than going to Japan or Korea let alone Australia...

As you say, if nobody seen an Indonesian before.... Think of yourself as an explorer finding new lands.

OK, so if you are observant you might need to go vegetarian in the school cafe and look around to find stores selling halal meat and hot spices, but at least in Helsinki area it is easy.

( I've seen an Indonesian before, my best friend in school was the Indonesian ambassadors son

)

Beep_Boop · Post by **Beep_Boop** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 8:39 pm

Honestly, you don't really need people to welcome . You'll find that your tutors, college mates, and other Finns around you to be very nice and friendly. Don't worry about anything else. It's very rare that anybody will verbally abuse you, and it's even more rare that you'll be physically targeted.
Some folks will definitely make you feel not welcomed. Some of those will even say it straight to your face.
But do you really care about that? If I were, I wouldn't. If you come here to study, you'll just be fine. You'll study, have a nice social life with your university friends, and you'll have a nice time. 0.5% of that time will have a non-welcoming vibe, but who cares?!

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 8:46 pm

In academic circles nobody gives a damn where you are from or your skin color, its the substance between the ears that matters!

If you are stupid or can not cope with Nordic Feminism, yes, you won't get far. And thats your own probem... its not racism.

Beep_Boop · Post by **Beep_Boop** » Sat Jan 31, 2015 10:46 pm

Pursuivant wrote:If you are stupid or can not cope with Nordic Feminism, yes, you won't get far. And thats your own probem... its not racism.

Häää?! Tä?!
Oh, okay. It's Saturday night. Yeah, carry on, mate.

Pro tip: Pass that joint around.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 1:35 pm

adnan wrote:
Pursuivant wrote:If you are stupid or can not cope with Nordic Feminism, yes, you won't get far. And thats your own probem... its not racism.
Häää?! Tä?!
.

I wasn't meaning you as you, I was meaning a generic 'you' who goes to study in the university.

Theres every now and then these cases some foreigner in the university is whining about racism and usually the reason for their failed courses is that they can't pass the test ( and as the test is the same for everyone else, it means the person failing it is stupid or lazy or both, or spoofed their application papers and should take kindergarten first before phd) or then they have an attitude problem in dealing with the staff - usually female staff as Finnish universities tend to be female-dominated in some faculties. And hotbeds of Nordic Feminism.... Universities are the most liberal and foreigner-friendly establishments around so people having problems usually themselves are causing the problem.

jonhardjopranoto · Post by **jonhardjopranoto** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 5:40 pm

nenenk-nenek

You face less "racism" than going to Japan or Korea let alone Australia...

As you say, if nobody seen an Indonesian before.... Think of yourself as an explorer finding new lands.

OK, so if you are observant you might need to go vegetarian in the school cafe and look around to find stores selling halal meat and hot spices, but at least in Helsinki area it is easy.

( I've seen an Indonesian before, my best friend in school was the Indonesian ambassadors son )

Hi Pursuivant, it is interesting that you know the Indonesian word for an elderly lady

Two of my uncles live in Australia and I have never heard anything bad from them. But I think you have a point: Australians have certain stereotypes of Indonesians because many of us live there. They have been in contact with us for a long time. Finns, however, have not been in contact with us that much, so my behavior will determine.
I am not worried about Halal or not, as I am a non-Muslim. But I do prefer non-pork food. Most likely I will cook.

And yes I am on FB, and if you do not mind, I can send my FB details to your inbox and you can introduce the ambassador's friend to me

In academic circles nobody gives a damn where you are from or your skin color, its the substance between the ears that matters!

If you are stupid or can not cope with Nordic Feminism, yes, you won't get far. And thats your own probem... its not racism.

I survived the learning environment in an American college for a year(and I assure you it is very different from that of Indonesia). I managed to get into the Honor's Roll twice and President's List once. I don't care about genders. I am there to study and to learn from whoever it is. In fact, I want to be a university lecturer, so academic life is fun for me.

What about working? Is it possible to work at the university? Like librarian helper, research assistant, teaching assistant (for undergrad students) or tutors?
Learning Finnish should be a fun challenge for me. I am an avid language learners. The MA programs I am applying are both foreign language philology programs. So if learning Finnish is the requirement to get a better acceptance in the market, no problem. I do plan to buy "Teach Yourself Finnish" by Tertuu something (I don't remember) as soon as I get UH's decision, if I am accepted.

Thank you for all of your responses. I am less worried now.

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 9:58 pm

Yes send me a PM, I'll try to hook you up.
You seem to be well-travelled so after all the official PC-ness in the USA you'll do just fine.

We might come across as abrupt, but theres parts of being direct that you might appreciate. At least its "different".

As for working, with a student RP you get a permit to work 25/hrs week... Theres not hugely campus jobs.. and usually its kids doing civil service or something like that filling them, but if you learn the language more doors open to you.

The only "prejudice" I got against Indonesians is they smoke like a chimney, and this clove or sandalwood tobacco that makes so thick smoke you need to take a golok and cut yourself a space in the room

Pursuivant · Post by **Pursuivant** » Sun Feb 01, 2015 11:33 pm

The UK definitions dont work, 'Asian' in Finland means Chinese-Korean-Japanese.
Anyone south of the Himalayas isn't 'Asian' rather than called by the nationality...

Flossy1978 · Post by **Flossy1978** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 12:45 am

All the Indonesian people I know in Australia seem to be fine.

My family is friends with some and all is good.

If you are studying, it's likely many of your classmates will be foreigners, so you'll be in the same boat.

Don't worry about it.

Come to Finland and just enjoy your time here

Snorri · Post by **Snorri** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 2:42 pm

I am excited about the opportunity to study in one of the champions in education should I be accepted

Finland is not a champion in education on any level (or anything at any level for that matter).. Even thou they have tried to gain some grounds on middle school education via the pisa tests. The univeristies here have never been more than average at best..

onkko · Post by **onkko** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 2:52 pm

tummansininen wrote:I spent a bit of time in Australia (more than 30 years lol) and while there are racist idiots anywhere, I think in general you will see less of it here in Finland than in Australia. In a way, the fact that Finns rarely encounter Indonesians is good - they have no pre-conceived ideas that you're this or you're that (an example: some Finns think all Somalis are unemployed, all Estonians are construction workers and all Russians are here to buy fake designer handbags or a second-hand black Mercedes-Benz).

There are so few Asian people here that only the special idiots will have anything mean to say. I think most days, the racist idiots will just "think" things and say nothing. It's Finland after all, most people don't talk to strangers unless their lives depend on it.

http://fi.wikipedia.org/wiki/Suomen_som ... a_koulutus
Somalis are mostly unemployed and uneducated. So its more like preknowledge than prejudice. Minority of somalis work and minority of working ones work on non public work.
Also many if not most estonian workers work on construction, that is also knowledge. Sure there are some who arent working in construction but being clear minority....

onkko · Post by **onkko** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 3:02 pm

Snorri wrote:
I am excited about the opportunity to study in one of the champions in education should I be accepted
Finland is not a champion in education on any level (or anything at any level for that matter).. Even thou they have tried to gain some grounds on middle school education via the pisa tests. The univeristies here have never been more than average at best..

http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/archive/ ... s-top-500/

Snorri · Post by **Snorri** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 5:04 pm

by onkko » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:02 pm

Snorri wrote:

I am excited about the opportunity to study in one of the champions in education should I be accepted

Finland is not a champion in education on any level (or anything at any level for that matter).. Even thou they have tried to gain some grounds on middle school education via the pisa tests. The univeristies here have never been more than average at best..

http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/archive/ ... s-top-500/

Wonderful.. Thank you for stipulating my point..Do not go here for higher education.. Or education for that matter..

jonhardjopranoto · Post by **jonhardjopranoto** » Mon Feb 02, 2015 5:28 pm

Snorri wrote:
by onkko » Mon Feb 02, 2015 4:02 pm

Snorri wrote:

I am excited about the opportunity to study in one of the champions in education should I be accepted

Finland is not a champion in education on any level (or anything at any level for that matter).. Even thou they have tried to gain some grounds on middle school education via the pisa tests. The univeristies here have never been more than average at best..

http://www.goodnewsfinland.com/archive/ ... s-top-500/
Wonderful.. Thank you for stipulating my point..Do not go here for higher education.. Or education for that matter..

UH's ranking is not bad and it has the program I am really interested in. I know it is not like Harvard et al. but I think it is not bad. I also factor in the experience of studying in an environment where not many Indonesians are. The more Indonesian students one country has, the worse it is for serious Indonesian students (I know this from experience).

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