Ex-patriate Finnish Friend returning in June.

Morawanuts · Post by **Morawanuts** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 5:10 am

I am an Australian. My friend Hannu will return to Finland after about 40 years for about 6 weeks, to see his ailing brother. He is just an ordinary bloke, 61 yrs old, with probably just enough cash to scrape by. He served with Finnish Forces in Cyprus.

Any hints?

His Finnish language skills are apparently very rusty.

Thank you.

Peter

**Sponsor:**

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 9:19 am

He'll have a culture shock for sure, he might be a bit confused of Finland 1970 not being here

Though if he gets talkative, try ask him what has not changed. Then you can get a good idea of what are these so-called "Finnish things".

Rig him up with a mobile and a prepaid so he can get by locally, otherwise he'll spend a day looking for a telephone booth. And if he needs to call Oz its cheaper from a fixed line, if hes in the boonies then its a lost cause, in Helsinki atleast theres a few Call Centres.

Rosamunda · Post by **Rosamunda** » Sun Mar 16, 2008 11:36 am

Whereabouts is his brother (which bit of Finland)? If he needs some info on travel from the airport to other areas then we can probably help. Moneywise he'll need euros or a bank card (like a Visa or something) they are accepted everywhere. If he is staying in the Greater Helsinki region then transport is no problem (language won't be a problem either) but outside the cities getting around might be more difficult.

My husband moved out of Espoo (near Helsinki) to live with me in Paris and when we moved back here he had been away for 9 years. It was quite a shock for him as the city area had changed a lot in such a short time (and his friends had all grown up and got families etc etc etc). He would get frustrated when he got lost and really mad when, for example, the guy who used to repair chainsaws and lawnmowers had shut shop and moved away without writing to inform him

I think reuniting with old friends helped a lot. Your friend should try and contact some old school mates (not so difficult in a small country). If he can make contact with some locals then he should be OK.

Morawanuts · Post by **Morawanuts** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:42 am

Hank W. wrote:He'll have a culture shock for sure, he might be a bit confused of Finland 1970 not being here Though if he gets talkative, try ask him what has not changed. Then you can get a good idea of what are these so-called "Finnish things".

Rig him up with a mobile and a prepaid so he can get by locally, otherwise he'll spend a day looking for a telephone booth. And if he needs to call Oz its cheaper from a fixed line, if hes in the boonies then its a lost cause, in Helsinki atleast theres a few Call Centres.

Thank you very much, Hank. My friend Hannu seems to be welded to his mobile phone and goes to great lengths to exploit every new mobile phone feature on offer. On that point, I don't think there will be any challenge. I will visit him later today with your advice.

On a tangent subject, Hans had a close encounter recently with what was thought to be a white-tail spider bite. He fell desperately ill, was hospitalised with a leg that turned red and black, and was within a hair-whisker of leg amputation before the various medications pumped into him began to take effect. After that close encounter, I'm sure he is looking forward to stepping onto Finish soil again on two legs, and of course, clutching a suitable pre-paid mobile phone.

Once again,

Thank you Hank.

Peter from Morawa

Morawanuts · Post by **Morawanuts** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 4:52 am

penelope wrote:Whereabouts is his brother (which bit of Finland)? If he needs some info on travel from the airport to other areas then we can probably help. Moneywise he'll need euros or a bank card (like a Visa or something) they are accepted everywhere. If he is staying in the Greater Helsinki region then transport is no problem (language won't be a problem either) but outside the cities getting around might be more difficult.

My husband moved out of Espoo (near Helsinki) to live with me in Paris and when we moved back here he had been away for 9 years. It was quite a shock for him as the city area had changed a lot in such a short time (and his friends had all grown up and got families etc etc etc). He would get frustrated when he got lost and really mad when, for example, the guy who used to repair chainsaws and lawnmowers had shut shop and moved away without writing to inform him

I think reuniting with old friends helped a lot. Your friend should try and contact some old school mates (not so difficult in a small country). If he can make contact with some locals then he should be OK.

Thank you, Penelope.

I think you may have in instinctive insight into Hannu's character. He has a fierce sense of justice, and I can just imagine him taking offense at something Finnish changing without his knowledge (or consent).

I will run your reply past him this afternoon, and find out where his brother lives. As an Australian, I cannot envisage any country on earth more different geographically and in other ways, than Finland.

The issue of childhood friends may be more problematic, as Hannu was orphanned at an early age, but of course, he will deal with that point in his own way.

Thank you Penelope, for your kind reply.

Peter from Morawa
Western Australia

Morawanuts · Post by **Morawanuts** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 5:28 am

penelope wrote:Whereabouts is his brother (which bit of Finland)? If he needs some info on travel from the airport to other areas then we can probably help. Moneywise he'll need euros or a bank card (like a Visa or something) they are accepted everywhere. If he is staying in the Greater Helsinki region then transport is no problem (language won't be a problem either) but outside the cities getting around might be more difficult.

My husband moved out of Espoo (near Helsinki) to live with me in Paris and when we moved back here he had been away for 9 years. It was quite a shock for him as the city area had changed a lot in such a short time (and his friends had all grown up and got families etc etc etc). He would get frustrated when he got lost and really mad when, for example, the guy who used to repair chainsaws and lawnmowers had shut shop and moved away without writing to inform him

I think reuniting with old friends helped a lot. Your friend should try and contact some old school mates (not so difficult in a small country). If he can make contact with some locals then he should be OK.

Good afternoon again Penelope...

Hannu's brother lives in Toula. He asked about the Euro/ Aus$ exchange rate, but he he should get that easily enough from this end.

The issue of transport from Helsinki to Toula, however, is topical. I am not sure if he will be met at Helsinki, or he will need to make his own way to Toula.

Best wishes.

Peter

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:21 am

Well it might be problematic, as there is no such place named "Toula" in Finland... at least with a post number.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 10:29 am

Morawanuts wrote: Thank you very much, Hank. My friend Hannu seems to be welded to his mobile phone and goes to great lengths to exploit every new mobile phone feature on offer. On that point, I don't think there will be any challenge. I will visit him later today with your advice.

Yeah, he needs to have a GSM phone that the SIM can be switched working on 900/1800 band. I'd think a newer phone would do those.

SaxonManFinland · Post by **SaxonManFinland** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 11:39 am

Toula is a Italian Restaurant in Hlsinki, so a good place to visit. Easy to find anyway.

TORNIO ?? up north is the nearest name I could find and OH DEAR !!! I REALLY HOPE he is not going there.

Karhunkoski · Post by **Karhunkoski** » Mon Mar 24, 2008 12:06 pm

Unless it's Tula province just south of Moscow ?

MTB · Post by **MTB** » Wed Mar 26, 2008 3:36 pm

Can I take a (I hope) lucky guess? Tuusula?

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