Realistic cost of living in Tampere for exchange student

[raamv]

Hank,

I've tried to reply to your PM three times now but the messages just seem to stay in my outbox.

Mrs. H

either one of your sent box or his inbox is full..
when he gets it he ll get a notification telling him to delete old messages to get the new ones..

[mrshourula]

Also, if she is gonna travel, you need travel insurance too..

Thank you raamv for the many good suggestions -- especially travel insurance as I hadn't thought of that. Of course she will be traveling as much as she can fit into her schedule.

[raamv]

you hit the question right on the spot...thats Y people are able to help or point you in the right direction...and it also shows that there are lots of them with positive attitudes instead of " you are all negative" comments we get in this forum..
it shows how and why Preparation and planning helps instead of coming ad hoc and sayin ..Where do I find the living in Tampere info..Makes both of our lives easier..
Now why cant everyone be like you!!

[sinikala]

(Amounts are based on 1 USD = 0.662246 EUR)

The USD is currently at €0.656 and if the last couple of years are any predictor, then by the end of 2008 will it probably be closer to €0.57.

Not an issue if you provide her with the €€s upfront, but you might wish to factor that in your own budget if you are planning to top up her account as she goes.... looking at the number you are thinking of, unfavourable exchange rates may sting you for $1k or more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7270604.stm

[mrshourula]

(Amounts are based on 1 USD = 0.662246 EUR)

The USD is currently at €0.656 and if the last couple of years are any predictor, then by the end of 2008 will it probably be closer to €0.57.

Not an issue if you provide her with the €€s upfront, but you might wish to factor that in your own budget if you are planning to top up her account as she goes.... looking at the number you are thinking of, unfavourable exchange rates may sting you for $1k or more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7270604.stm

Sinikala,
Yes, I see your point about front-loading her account with €€s and can do that to some extent. (There is no encouraging news about the US economy so no reason to expect the dollar to rise.)

Poor dear, she asked if I thought, given that she is a Finnish citizen, she might find a part-time job while there. I kindly parroted back all the things I've learned from my two years of reading FF and said that even with her two years of Finnish classes I doubted her skills would land her a job. She got mad at me and said I was just being negative (seriously). In this area, one simply can't win

[Mark I.]

Poor dear, she asked if I thought, given that she is a Finnish citizen, she might find a part-time job while there. I kindly parroted back all the things I've learned from my two years of reading FF and said that even with her two years of Finnish classes I doubted her skills would land her a job. She got mad at me and said I was just being negative (seriously). In this area, one simply can't win

See Hank your effects!

(get my coat)

[sinikala]

(Amounts are based on 1 USD = 0.662246 EUR)

The USD is currently at €0.656 and if the last couple of years are any predictor, then by the end of 2008 will it probably be closer to €0.57.

Not an issue if you provide her with the €€s upfront, but you might wish to factor that in your own budget if you are planning to top up her account as she goes.... looking at the number you are thinking of, unfavourable exchange rates may sting you for $1k or more.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/business/7270604.stm

Sinikala,
Yes, I see your point about front-loading her account with €€s and can do that to some extent. (There is no encouraging news about the US economy so no reason to expect the dollar to rise.)

Oooh... not quite what I was thinking, all the cash upfront would surely work out more expensive still.

Unless she is extremely responsible with her (your) money (yes such people do exist!) then giving her all the cash upfront will result in you needing to give her more in the end anyway.

I meant that you should factor in your total budget that the exchange rates probably won't go in your favour.

Poor dear, she asked if I thought, given that she is a Finnish citizen, she might find a part-time job while there. I kindly parroted back all the things I've learned from my two years of reading FF and said that even with her two years of Finnish classes I doubted her skills would land her a job. She got mad at me and said I was just being negative (seriously). In this area, one simply can't win

Depends what sort of work she's planning on looking for, I don't see why she shouldn't try to find a part time job, it would probably help improve her language skills. Perhaps a more positive approach would be to tell her to try, but not to be downhearted if she doesn't find one ... then se on ihan fifty-sixty miten käy.

[mrshourula]

Oooh... not quite what I was thinking, all the cash upfront would surely work out more expensive still.

Unless she is extremely responsible with her (your) money (yes such people do exist!) then giving her all the cash upfront will result in you needing to give her more in the end anyway. I meant that you should factor in your total budget that the exchange rates probably won't go in your favour.

Depends what sort of work she's planning on looking for, I don't see why she shouldn't try to find a part time job, it would probably help improve her language skills. Perhaps a more positive approach would be to tell her to try, but not to be downhearted if she doesn't find one ... then se on ihan fifty-sixty miten käy.

Okay, I understand what you are saying now. She is pretty good with money (better than me who just impulsively purchased an iPhone because it is one of the coolest things on the planet right now) but who knows what will happen when she starts partying with the fun-loving Spaniards living in Lapinkaari I keep hearing about

[Hank W.]

... She got mad at me and said I was just being negative (seriously). In this area, one simply can't win

See Hank your effects!

I've created a monster, a monster !!!

No, just piss her off so she'll get a job just to prove you wrong.

[mrshourula]

I am looking at flights from SFO to Tampere and I'm wondering two things:

1. What is your opinion of SAS? (most interested in safety and reliability)
2. If you had the following choice, which would you pick? In some ways it seems obvious but I don't know Stockholm airport and wonder if 55 minutes is enough time to change planes (to allow for flight delays, etc.)
a. five hour layover in Copenhagen (arriving 7:15 AM) Is the airport close to any place one could sight-see for a couple of hours?
b. 55 minute layover in Stockholm (arriving 10:15 AM)

[raamv]

Cant you book a direct SFO to HEL using Finnair?
Given it is expensive, you avoid all hassles of anyone getting lost in the airport or the city
I would avoid copenhagen like the plague..(when given a choice)
55 minutes will be enough for Stockholm as they only allow people to board with less than 30 minutes remaining..
SAS is good..but Also keep your options for the direct flight, then SFO-Frankfurt-HEL. Sometimes the deals with Lufthansa are pretty good.
The only thing with Frankfurt ( but less than Heathrow) is that they keep changing the gates frequently..

[sinikala]

I am looking at flights from SFO to Tampere and I'm wondering two things:

1. What is your opinion of SAS? (most interested in safety and reliability)
2. If you had the following choice, which would you pick? In some ways it seems obvious but I don't know Stockholm airport and wonder if 55 minutes is enough time to change planes (to allow for flight delays, etc.)
a. five hour layover in Copenhagen (arriving 7:15 AM) Is the airport close to any place one could sight-see for a couple of hours?
b. 55 minute layover in Stockholm (arriving 10:15 AM)

There is little difference in safety between European airlines, SAS had some bad publicity with Canadian Crash-8's
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/De_Havilla ... _incidents
but they would never have been used on the routes you are considering.

There is an express train from CPH Kastrup to the main railway station downtown, Tivoli is within spitting distance of the station http://www.tivoli.dk/composite-5401.htm but doesn't open until 11:00. http://www.rosenborgslot.dk/ is open from 10:00 but is about half an hour walk away (guesstimate as I've not made that exact walk... ).

So in summary, yes it's close enough, there are things to see, 5 hours would be plenty, except she will be there before anything is open.

55 minutes is enough time to change planes in Stockholm for an internal EU flight, I've never flown intercontinental through Arlanda, so if it's coming from outside of the EU, then I suppose that passport control may slow things down, there is no guarantee that the baggage will make it though. And there is a good wait until the evening flights if she should miss her connection. If she misses it, she might have to go via Hki.

BTW ... 10:15 I couldn't find that flight.

The SAS flights Stockholm Arlanda -> Tampere are operated by Blue1, it's SAS's Finnish subsidiary http://www.blue1.fi Weekdays they have 4 flights per day, leaving Stockholm at 07:00, 15:00, 19:55, 22:55 and arriving at Tampere 08:55, 17:05, 21:50, 01:05 respectively.

Unless I'm missing something... none of those times, arrival, nor departure, fit with the 10:15 you mention.

[mrshourula]

55 minutes is enough time to change planes in Stockholm for an internal EU flight, I've never flown intercontinental through Arlanda, so if it's coming from outside of the EU, then I suppose that passport control may slow things down, there is no guarantee that the baggage will make it though. And there is a good wait until the evening flights if she should miss her connection. If she misses it, she might have to go via Hki.

BTW ... 10:15 I couldn't find that flight.

The SAS flights Stockholm Arlanda -> Tampere are operated by Blue1, it's SAS's Finnish subsidiary http://www.blue1.fi Weekdays they have 4 flights per day, leaving Stockholm at 07:00, 15:00, 19:55, 22:55 and arriving at Tampere 08:55, 17:05, 21:50, 01:05 respectively.

Unless I'm missing something... none of those times, arrival, nor departure, fit with the 10:15 you mention.

Thank you for your reply -- very helpful.

And yes, that was an error on my part. It is SAS flight 2636 arriving at 14:15 and departing at 15:00 for Tampere -- so only 45 minutes to change.

[Hank W.]

Thats definitely not enough of a change time... well, maybe it is, but I wouldn't go all optimistic the plane being on time. Then again theres another 4-5 hours loitering around the airport for the next flight...

[mrshourula]

Cant you book a direct SFO to HEL using Finnair?
Given it is expensive, you avoid all hassles of anyone getting lost in the airport or the city

I could do that -- right now a rt on Finnair = $2113 USD (most other flights are about $1500 USD)-- but, as DD isn't returning until the following summer, I am essentially buying a one-way ticket at the round-trip price and then will have to buy another ticket later to get her home. So even a difference of $500 USD will help keep travel costs affordable.

I would avoid copenhagen like the plague..

Thank you. I will heed your advice on this.

SAS is good..but Also keep your options for the direct flight, then SFO-Frankfurt-HEL. Sometimes the deals with Lufthansa are pretty good.

Thanks for the tip on Lufthansa.