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HI Ayesha!

Finland is not as "diverse" as Sweden, so it's not as easy to just surround yourself with other foreigners. Finns are gentle and kind but you have to do all the work if you want to make friends.

Don't worry, it's not "absolutely freezing", especially by Canadian standards, and anyway, it's always warm indoors. Summers are fabulous.

Yes, this is an expensive city, you got that right.

Check this out:

Hi Ayesha,

I went to school in Finland and it may have been the school, the program and the town that I lived in which was Turku, but I have an alternative view to offer. It wasn't easy in Turku, and I've lived and traveled to various countries on my own, as a single female. I understand the idea of being accepted for free to a University is great, as I did, but you will spend a lot just living. Housing may be affordable since its student housing but going out, hobbies, travel etc. is costly.

I have met some Finns that are friendly and easy to talk to but honesly, overall i would have to say that the Finns that i have met in Turku, whcih im told has a different culture that is more aloof than the norm in Finland, is that Finns are far from warm. They are not bad but I wouldn't call them welcoming or even really all that interested in others. They are quite insular, almost like a large tribe that fears outsiders. This may have been more pronounced since I am black. Since you are not, things may be easier. I do not drink as I'm a Muslim and socializing is centered on drinking for most people i think. In fact, I often saw alcohol served on campus to staff at conferences. I found that people were a lot friendly after a drink but after the effects ware off, the next day the person you had a great conversation with may not remember you or feel embarrassed about their behavior and avoid you or just simply feel they have no obligation to interact with you based on the previous interaction. Continuity is a awkward. I think that is the word, awkward. I found I met many awkward Finns who seems to have some sort of social anxiety disorder. Even many professors were quite odd and unable to communicate in fundamental ways. Of course all of this could have just been my luck. My choice in university and program but honestly, I have never met a people like the Finns. Its been over a year and I still have difficulty explaining my experience to others. It was painful, due to the racism. It was more painful due to the indifference of faculty to student life for international students and their indifference in teaching. I have never had so many boring lecturers in all my life. There is no sense of obligation to engage people and try to communicate better. Its seen as a chore or a falsity for some reason. I do admire how straightforward and unpretentious Finns are. That i think is great, but wish there was more balance in the national character, if I can really say there is such a thing.

This is all food for thought. Take it with a grain of salt. I just think that my perspective is rare, considering I couldnt blend in the society and was shunned many a time. They are used to European Erasmus students so I guess they just weren't used to the kind of diversity I brought to the table LOL. I dont regret it but at the same time, knowing what i know now, wouldn't have applied to school there. Sweden, is quite different and they have had a longer experience with immigrants and integration in their society.

Good luck with whatever you choose.

well God bless the idea of free school u dnt know how relieve i am thank u once again to the ppl of Finland and the country at large.

Helsinki aint no Cheap, The best thing ( if you want to get maybe some part time jobs ) is for you to start learning Finnish language while you are there, and then when you get here push the learning more ) avoid English speaking friends ( in a good way ) find Finnish speaking friends so you can learn the language, and then comes the part time jobs. THIS IS JUST MY OPINION

I am quite sad you feel that way One4All. I would like to apologize on behalf of us finns. There is no excuse for treating people differently just because of skin color. Sadly you are quite right in your thoughts of finns. We are not very used to immigrants or any kind of foreigner who is not a tourist. Many traditional finns are scared of this change and how different cultures will affect them while the younger, more modern finns get excited about meeting someone from a different culture. I think partly you had very bad luck but partly it is also quite....."normal" (if you can use that word....) that you were treated differently, more awkwardly, because you weren't from around here. Sadly, I don't think you are alone in this My hope is that the more people move to Finland, the more used to new cultures finns will become and with that more accepting aswell. My sympathies goes out to anyone who has to go through that kind of discrimination.

I moved to Northern Finland, from Canada and weather is not much different unless your coming from southern Ontario
(it'll be a tad more colder)... The Finns normally keep to themselves, they are quite shy but once you show them warmth you'll gain a true friend. I've now travelled through Finland and Sweden. I find both countries multicultural, in the southern parts, of both countries. I'f your wondering about work, message me if you want advise from a fellow Canadian for work opportunities.

hola estoy leyendo lo que la gente escribe y realmente para mi punto de vista todo es relativo por que si vos tenes intenciones de trabajar de vivir bien con un poco de esfuerzo y perseverancia en finlandia o en cualquier parte del mundo lo podes lograr y sobre todo algo muy importante nunca olvidarse de dios que el es el unico que puede hacer que tu vida sea de progreso y de bien.gracias por permitirme opinar.

For some reason I never got an email saying there were responses to this post till today.
Thank you all for your insight, it actually helps a lot, especially as applications have just opened.

Dang!!
That kind of scares me and sounds awful.
Yes, perhaps you had worse luck than I would based on your skin colour, but I happen to have a very, VERY Muslim name despite many people thinking I look Italian or Portugese (which is wrong).
So, that could cause some problems for me, as well.

And I have gotten so used to knowing where to go for cheap things in Toronto, so an expensive city that doesn't speak English sounds quite terrifying to live in.

Was the education level good? Was it just the social experience that you didn't like, or did you find it all very hard?

I'm really not sure what to do now

Oh, come on! As if they would recognize Ayesha is a Muslim name...
I don't think one4all's skin color was a factor. The people in Turku are famous, they do that to everybody, even Finns from other parts of the country.

It is possible to get along in Helsinki in English. Of course, you will profit more from your experience if you make the effort to learn Finnish. Especially if you expect somebody to offer you a job.

But maybe it is safest for you to stay home.