Realistic cost of living in Tampere for exchange student

[Hank W.]

Icelandair *used* to have good deals... but I guess the flew mostly to the east coast. Dunno, I usually change in CPH as Arlanda annoys the hell out of me esp. out-of-schengen transfers, CPH is an "octopus" though and "my luck" is always to be in a different end of the tentacles.

I was going to suggest Aeroflot, but I wonder what they do these days when someone says "Take me to Havana"

[mrshourula]

Icelandair *used* to have good deals... but I guess the flew mostly to the east coast. Dunno, I usually change in CPH as Arlanda annoys the hell out of me esp. out-of-schengen transfers, CPH is an "octopus" though and "my luck" is always to be in a different end of the tentacles.

I was going to suggest Aeroflot, but I wonder what they do these days when someone says "Take me to Havana"

Icelandair only flies from east coast of US (except for one route that starts in Minneapolis/St. Paul).

The sad truth is that right now there are no good transatlantic airfare deals. Taxes and surcharges (not to mention fees for checking second bags and, on some airlines, for meals) means $400-$500 USD added to the base price of the ticket.

I may just give up trying to piece together an itinerary and get the Finnair direct flight to Helsinki .

[Hank W.]

You need to calculate a price for the "nerves" (both yours and hers) too

Yeah, I was looking for tickets for going to Paris... from an US site I'd gotten something for 100 bucks.... with all the hidden charges it was 350 The Finnish one atleast screwed me straight (as it is with the prices here, if something is said to cost a 1.20 it is that at the register, the VAT is calculated into the prices)

[sinikala]

I haven't used it myself, but Aer Lingus http://www.aerlingus.com are claiming to do SFO to Dublin for under $400 USD inc. taxes ... then you would have to book DUB-HEL as a separate flight, means smaller luggage allowance.

Aer Lingus seems to fly Dublin-HKi a couple of times per week, for as little as just over €100 one way, IIRC you can get offers on Finnair which are around €250-300 return.

Cheapest would possibly be SFO-DUB with Aer Lingus then DUB-TMP with Ryanair, but the latter only have a 15kg allowance for check in baggage! not much use for someone traveling over from the USofA.

[mrshourula]

This is slightly off topic of my original topic but for convenience I'm going to add it to this one:

Medical Insurance
One of my greatest concerns about sending my daughter off to Europe for almost one year is making sure we have all the bases covered in regards to medical/health insurance coverage.

As it stands she will have:

1. Private medical insurance through her study abroad program that seems to meet the Resident Permit requirements (I say "seems" because as a Finnish citizen she doesn't have to apply for the RP so the insurance hasn't been vetted by the folks at Immigration but the policy meets the published requirements).

2. Finnish Student Health Services, once she pays her student union fee.

Is there anything else we should do or purchase? I'm thinking especially of when she travels outside of Finland.

Thank you for any suggestions.

[zam]

Maybe you should by a traveler's insurance that is valid thourghout her study period in all countries?
Then that would cover her medical expenses both in Finland and where ever she decides to travel to. The student health service will only provide mainly only basic health care, so if she'd need some specialized care, you'd need to pay that yourself (subsidised fees, though, about 26 EUR/day in a hospital, or the same amount for specialist's consultation in a public hospital/clinic - after a loooong waiting time). With the private insurance your daughter could use private health services...

[dar1us]

An iphone or CDMA phone will not work here.

the iphone is GSM and it will work. you have to hack it though.

[Tiwaz]

Well, this is for canadians but should be more or less accurate.

http://www.voyage.gc.ca/dest/report-en. ... ntry=90000

Notice the part about medicines though.
I often notice people suggesting bringing medicines from country of origin, but I would advice caution. Specially if your daughter doesn't have lots of spare time while waiting for flight.

If you insist on not trusting freely available local medicine, at least do not make mistake of giving her opened bottle. Still factory sealed containers should go through possible inspections more easily.

Oh yeah, has the issue of how she will access her money been resolved?
Just had a thought that there might be extra costs involved if she has to get money from overseas account or through visa. Or in bad case might even turn out to be impossible. Banks have done their best to make sure only absolute minimum of transactions will be done in person, leading to nice extra cost on everything you do over the counter and potentially long queues due to lack of staff.

[mrshourula]

opps not sure what I did.

[mrshourula]

Oh yeah, has the issue of how she will access her money been resolved?
Just had a thought that there might be extra costs involved if she has to get money from overseas account or through visa. Or in bad case might even turn out to be impossible. Banks have done their best to make sure only absolute minimum of transactions will be done in person, leading to nice extra cost on everything you do over the counter and potentially long queues due to lack of staff.

We're working on that now.

She has to open a Finnish bank account in order to pay her rent to TOAS. (Although she has a housing scholarship the International Affairs office doesn't pay TOAS directly; instead, they will deposit funds in her Finnish bank account each month which she uses to pay her rent.) So once her Finnish bank account is open, she can move over funds from her US account to the Finnish account every couple of months or so for her living expenses (how often will depend on bank fees and exchange rates.). From what I've read, pulling out funds via the ATM is a reasonable way to get cash. While there will be some fees associated with that, I don't think she will be charged a fee by the Finnish bank to make a deposit via an ATM. Please correct me if I am wrong about that.

She had her first travel dream last night -- and it involved being at the Tampere airport with no money, lost directions to a hotel for the first night and no one would talk to her because she was with a friend who was sobbing hysterically. I think she's getting ready to go!

[Hank W.]

I don't think she will be charged a fee by the Finnish bank to make a deposit via an ATM.

You don't deposit money in an ATM, thats for taking out money. And you don't need that much cash, as bills and such you pay with internet banking and they give you a electron card you can these days pay almost everywhere. But if sh gets money wired over or something like westernunionized, then she needs to go queue in the bank with the old ladies to make the drop. And she better get an ID card (or exchange her US drivers licence, she can tell something to the DMV back home) when shes here as they ask that these days all the time and carrying your passport is a cumbersome thing to do.

[onkko]

We're working on that now.

She has to open a Finnish bank account in order to pay her rent to TOAS. (Although she has a housing scholarship the International Affairs office doesn't pay TOAS directly; instead, they will deposit funds in her Finnish bank account each month which she uses to pay her rent.) So once her Finnish bank account is open, she can move over funds from her US account to the Finnish account every couple of months or so for her living expenses (how often will depend on bank fees and exchange rates.). From what I've read, pulling out funds via the ATM is a reasonable way to get cash. While there will be some fees associated with that, I don't think she will be charged a fee by the Finnish bank to make a deposit via an ATM. Please correct me if I am wrong about that.

She had her first travel dream last night -- and it involved being at the Tampere airport with no money, lost directions to a hotel for the first night and no one would talk to her. I think she's getting ready to go!

Using ATM is covered by monthly fee (few euros, depends on plan) and deposit cash in bank is free (for your own account in euros and i have never seen ATM where deposit is possible but those exists somewhere) and depending on what plan she has its free to use "maksuautomaatti" to pay bills. That of course applies only finnish account so i dont know how it works for foreign accounts.
For paying bills there is very good online bank and thats included on monthy fee.
My opinion is that get a Visa electron (soon visa debit) what is debit card and widely accepted + some cash for places who dont accept (small shops, taxis, buss fee when paid in bus etc). I personally havent had more than 20e in cash total in last year. And there is checks only in museum
My plan in Nordea is few euros and includes use of "Otto" ATM, internet bank and visa electron, atleast in http://www.nordea.fi is info in english, other banks are alandsbanken säästöpankki etc.
And tell him not to worry, finnish people will talk and help if she talks first
PS. Do not get account from Sampo bank, it has huge problems with cards etc..

[Hank W.]

Oh, one of these "american things" - I've probably said this before but here we go. If you give her a credit card for "emergencies" make sure its her card with her name on it. If she tries to use somebody elses card (yours) she's going to be in emergency then.

[onkko]

They can use card with other name in america?

[mrshourula]

You don't deposit money in an ATM, thats for taking out money.

OK. That's different than in US where, among things, we can make cash and the odd check deposit via an ATM owned by one's own bank.

And you don't need that much cash, as bills and such you pay with internet banking and they give you a electron card you can these days pay almost everywhere. But if sh gets money wired over or something like westernunionized, then she needs to go queue in the bank with the old ladies to make the drop.

So I understand about the electron card (sounds similar to what we call a check/debit card with a Visa or Mastercard logo. It looks and acts like a credit card but is debiting funds from a linked account.

And she better get an ID card (or exchange her US drivers licence, she can tell something to the DMV back home) when shes here as they ask that these days all the time and carrying your passport is a cumbersome thing to do.

Added ID card to the list of things to do in Finland. Does she need to provide her own passport size photo for that?

Thank you explaining all these little details.