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[Bookcase]

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[jarikaija]

Can you share your story of how you came to be a long term resident, or citizen, in Finland?

I would love to hear how you all started out, what kind of permit you came on, and about your experience of how you became established in Finland.

Sorry, but I can't resist...

It was cold and windy saturday morning. About 4am at Pori, hospital...
My mother kick me out to this cold and dark country 1966. I got my citizenship
same moment. No need to wait Since then I tried to survive here...
But sure, when I get retirement, I move to Thailand

[Bookcase]

Sorry, but I can't resist...

It was cold and windy saturday morning. About 4am at Pori, hospital...
My mother kick me out to this cold and dark country 1966. I got my citizenship
same moment. No need to wait Since then I tried to survive here...
But sure, when I get retirement, I move to Thailand

I'm fascinated, tell me more...

Olet syntynyt Porin ensimmäisen jazzfestivaalin vuosi

Thaimaa on suosikkikohteistani paikka ja hyvä paikka eläkkeelle.

[jarikaija]

Sorry, but I can't resist...

It was cold and windy saturday morning. About 4am at Pori, hospital...
My mother kick me out to this cold and dark country 1966. I got my citizenship
same moment. No need to wait Since then I tried to survive here...
But sure, when I get retirement, I move to Thailand

I'm fascinated, tell me more...

Olet syntynyt Porin ensimmäisen jazzfestivaalin vuosi

Thaimaa on suosikkikohteistani paikka ja hyvä paikka eläkkeelle.

I just wonder... Many people think abroad, that the Finland is something
great and so on... In my opinion, since born here 1966, I haven't seen
anything what will confirm that. And nowadays things goes fast worse
and more worse day by day.

I pay a lot taxes from my salary. And an one of those "taxes" is for
healthy insurance... Ok, what happends when I go to doctor? Yes,
I still have to pay.

And about prices and living expenses at finland... whohoooo...
I know, when I get retirement, I will NOT have a good life here.
I have to count every cents what I get and can use... No way...

So, the only way is move away from finland, to country, where I
can live a quite good life with my small salary rest of my life.
And since I have a Thai wife, the easiest way is to move to
Thailand (or some neighbour country of Thailand) and enjoy
warm weather and beautiful wife.

And yes, I HATE snow...

[network_engineer]

• And nowadays things goes fast worse and more worse day by day.

• I pay a lot taxes from my salary. And an one of those "taxes" is for healthy insurance... Ok, what happends when I go to doctor? Yes, I still have to pay.
  And about prices and living expenses at finland... whohoooo...

• I know, when I get retirement, I will NOT have a good life here.

• I have to count every cents what I get and can use... No way...

• And yes, I HATE snow...

Preach it brother!

[Y77]

666

[agroot]

I just wonder... Many people think abroad, that the Finland is something
great and so on... In my opinion, since born here 1966, I haven't seen
anything what will confirm that. And nowadays things goes fast worse
and more worse day by day.

How are things getting worse? Do you have less snow now?

[network_engineer]

How are things getting worse? Do you have less snow now?

Would snow be the measure of how well things are? Really?

I'll leave it to the respondent to answer the question poised! At least my personal view is that

• the quality and timeliness of healthcare has gone down

• Schooling quality has also gone down.

• Daycare quality is marginal and now increasingly difficult.

• Too many corruption scandals.

• Taxes have gone up, but benefits have gone down (inverse relationship).
  • including that of taxing pensions for overseas residents, e.g. taxes taken but no benefits given. The retirees in Portugal is an example! Only governments!

• Elderly care has been going down from the recent spate of events.

• Medicinal pay-outs for chronic illnesses have also gone down.

• Unemployment security too has gone down.
  • [This is a contentious point, hence I used to the words "unemployment security" and not unemployment benefits. You see, when a person starts to pay an unemployment insurance, there is a contract, i.e. it is a safety net contract that IF something happens, you are at least temporarily protected. Not in the open market, but only a government breaches its own promise hence my dislike of that species. It is akin to getting an insurance for [anything_take_your_pick] and when you make a claim, they say the contract has been unilaterally changed and you therefore [you must be wearing dark purple underwear with pink stripes during the incident] else you are not covered

• Nonsensical rhetoric dividing people based on race and skin colour has gone up

I am sure there are more. Sure, Finland is still a relatively good place to be, and there for sure are worse places. Question always remains: Are we competing downwards (for the worse) or upwards (for the better).

[Upphew]

• Too many corruption scandals.

• Taxes have gone up, but benefits have gone down (inverse relationship).

Too few corruption scandals if you ask me. While the scandals might be up, the corruption is down. Way down. Free lunches are nowhere to be seen. Nor are long weekends in Lappland. Fine wines, not to mention cognacs or whiskies... gone.

Taxes are up from the eighties but down from the 2000.

• the quality and timeliness of healthcare has gone down

With quality I can believe you are right. I would bet my money that timeliness has gone up, not down.

[network_engineer]

Too few corruption scandals if you ask me

I could agree, if it were said, too few by global standards, one too many for Finland considering the recent spate of taxies, saunas, sopeutumisraha etc.

With quality I can believe you are right. I would bet my money that timeliness has gone up, not down.

I've heard that as well, it seems the situation varies between different counties, and even within counties they differ by area it seems!

[jarikaija]

I just wonder... Many people think abroad, that the Finland is something
great and so on... In my opinion, since born here 1966, I haven't seen
anything what will confirm that. And nowadays things goes fast worse
and more worse day by day.

How are things getting worse? Do you have less snow now?

- Too much refugees, who doesn't need any real help. And doesn't integrate ever here.
- All time more taxes
- All time more controlled by stupid laws
- No freedom to talk anymore what want

x1000 other things...

[jarikaija]

Taxes are up from the eighties but down from the 2000.

So short sight thinking!

Yes, tax about work less now, but they add A LOT more OTHER new taxes and increased (will increasing too) those other taxes and payments!!!

[jarikaija]

I just wonder... Many people think abroad, that the Finland is something
great and so on... In my opinion, since born here 1966, I haven't seen
anything what will confirm that. And nowadays things goes fast worse
and more worse day by day.

How are things getting worse? Do you have less snow now?

Smart ass?

[Upphew]

- Too much refugees, who doesn't need any real help. And doesn't integrate ever here.

What would you expect with modern communications, ancient diplomacy and cheap mobility? Certainly people move to place of milk and honey. You should publish some truths in Arabic, might work better than rules and regulations here...

- All time more taxes

Ah to be young and earn little. Now that I'm old and I earn more the tax burden is higher. Check what veronmaksajat.fi has to say about kokonaisveroaste.

- All time more controlled by stupid laws

Stupid people get stupid laws and regulations. If you piss on your shoes the government will sweep in to ban it. Pikavippi's will get more regulation as they have done piss poor job self regulating. Now the herald of deregulation, taxis, will go under looking glass and most likely will get some new regulations.
Maybe you know more about laws and abide by them? I remember in my twenties driving waaay over 100km/h in 50km/h speed limit.

- No freedom to talk anymore what want

Bull. !"#¤%. You can spew what you want from your mouth. Back in the day you could do the same, someone might have decided to put fist to your mouth but you could do that. It is more likely to take responsibility to what you say in court now and more unlikely to get some instant feedback in physical form. But no one is stopping you.

[Upphew]

I just wonder... Many people think abroad, that the Finland is something
great and so on... In my opinion, since born here 1966, I haven't seen
anything what will confirm that. And nowadays things goes fast worse
and more worse day by day.

How are things getting worse? Do you have less snow now?

Smart ass?

When I was young and carefree lad, Christmases were snowy, Santa brought epic presents and I hold those memories dear to my heart. Now the Christmas means shopping, cooking, cleaning, rushrushrush in slush, counting pennies, worrying if the wee ones like their presents. At least the shops are open longer and I can do shopping online.

So while the less snow question might be cheeky on the surface, it is quite good one as memories tend to grow sweeter over time. I thank my parents who gave me those Christmas memories. And while I haven't asked I have a hunch that their financial situation wasn't better then than what I have now.