How do they live in Finland? Finland: my pros and cons of living in exile Pros of living in Finland

During a one-week stay in Finland, I began to associate this country with quality and an exemplary way of life in many ways. Of course, you can find fault with everything and look for flaws, but in general the country is very favorable for life and recreation. In Finland, in general, a rural atmosphere prevails, although there are many multi-storey buildings, as well as private ones, but even the cities look like suburbs due to the abundance of forests. For Finns, it is very important that cities are green and there is a forest nearby. The Finns themselves, the residents of Suomi, call themselves suomalainen, and only foreigners call them Finns. There is a very tolerant attitude towards everything here. Finns are very calm and even melancholic, they are not in a hurry, they do not worry with a special approach to life - everything will somehow triple. They have a peculiar sense of humor.

Rest. Finns have a vacation of 5-7, and sometimes 7-8 weeks a year. In summer, it is popular to take a 5-6 week vacation at the end of June after the Ivan Kupala holiday; during this period the country comes to a standstill. It is also popular to then take a week off during the children's holidays. In Suomi there is a craze for dachas, and if they don’t have their own, they go to their parents or friends. Recently it has become popular to buy a small island on the lake and build a summer house; there are many of them, so there is enough for everyone. Finns value nature, love large territories, and care about the environment. Finland provides ample opportunities for active recreation in both winter and summer. The attitude towards Russians is either good or neutral. Tourism in Finland is closely connected with Russia, not only because Russians often go to Finland on vacation, many Finns are interested in Russia, especially recently, interest has been growing. Finns love to travel to St. Petersburg on the Allegro high-speed train, as well as to Karelia. In general, Russia and Finland have strong neighborly relations.

Sauna for a Finn this is the holy of holies! Every respectable home must have a sauna! Even one-room apartments built after the 90s have their own sauna. Finns visit her every evening after work. All important decisions are made in the sauna. Since ancient times, they first built a sauna, and only then a house, and lived in it while the house was being built. Children were born here and the ablutions of the dead took place. The sauna is of great importance in the life of every Finn.

Hobby. There are many athletes among the residents of Finland, especially in motor sports - this is a serious hobby and even a kind of mania. An important event in the life of a teenager is the appearance of a scooter, and then a motorcycle, a car, which is discussed in great detail. You can study for a license at the age of 17, but you get it at 18, like everywhere else. Many people prefer not to waste time and unlearn it in advance, so that in the first days of adulthood they will receive their cherished right to drive a vehicle. It's rare to see a Finn without a driving license - it looks strange. If large American cars used to be popular, now there is a trend towards reducing the size of the car, they began to buy compact class cars with low fuel consumption. Also, some people prefer to buy hybrids, and electric vehicles are starting to appear - they are the future, even some buses will be powered by electricity.

Education free! Including in higher schools, and also for foreigners! In Finland, everything has been done to obtain a quality education, regardless of citizenship. There are programs in Finnish and English. Finnish education is considered one of the best in the world, although syllabus not as busy as, for example, in Russia. Education in Finland is valuable because it provides knowledge that can be really useful in life. For example, how a washing machine works, how to make repairs, how to handle a computer, cooking, sewing, etc. A strong emphasis is placed on language learning. All Finns speak English well - this language is considered the main language to learn, like Swedish. It is normal if a child learns 4 languages. The Russian language is also studied, but at will, and it is even more relevant than Swedish, since the popularity of Finland among Russian tourists is high and continues to grow. The school system resembles the American one: primary grades 1-6, college 7-9 is compulsory education, and 3 years graduate School. There are an average of 20 people in a class. Educational materials and lunches are provided free of charge to schoolchildren, they do not pay for anything at all, and they are even provided with notebooks and pens. Students are only required to attend and actually study. Students buy textbooks and lunches are paid, but they are very cheap - 2 euros buffet. Academic year begins in mid-August and ends at the end of May. They study first shift five days a week.

In general, the state supports large families benefits. According to statistics, there are 2-3 children or more in a family, it is very rare when there are 1. Both mothers and fathers can go on maternity leave, depending on the decision in the family itself. A child can be sent to kindergarten from the age of 10 months. Many women prefer to work, although they can be on maternity leave for 3 years, but go out earlier. Allowance for a child under 17 years of age is paid to everyone, regardless of family income: for one child - 104 euros, for the second 115, for the third - 146 euros, for the fourth - 168, for each subsequent - 189 euros. Those. to a family with three children, the state pays almost 365 euros monthly.

Job. There is unemployment in Finland, especially among inexperienced specialists, but if you have the desire and need, you can always get a job, especially in the service sector. There is a demand for specialists in the field of medicine and tourism. Foreign students have the right to work part-time for no more than 20 hours a week. Russian immigrants in Finland often work in the tourism sector. There are not enough doctors in Finland; there are special courses for Russian specialists. The salary is quite high, if the average is 2-2.5 thousand euros, then for doctors it is from 4 thousand euros. Surgeons are especially valuable.

Life expectancy is long. The retirement age is 68 for men and women. Some live so long that the state is forced to pay out more in pensions than they have earned and paid to the state in taxes over their lifetime. The average pension depends on the place of work, including government institutions more favorable pension conditions, which average 75-80% of wages. In Finland, retirement is a solemn event, in honor of which there is even a procession, like a holiday - they mark a fertile time for relaxation and travel. Many pensioners go to various clubs and dances. If there have been no contributions to the pension fund, then the minimum pension is 600-700 euros - this is considered very little. Taxes are quite high, depend on income and range from 18 to 50% - this is what the Finnish fairy tale is based on, there is also an inheritance tax.

Medicine almost free in public clinics and hospitals, but expensive in private clinics. Service in public clinics for children under 15 years of age in Kuopio, and in other cities up to 18 years of age, is free. The system of family doctors has been developed. You cannot call a doctor at home. If the case is very serious, they call an ambulance, but mostly they bring the patient themselves. An appointment with an adult in a public clinic costs 11-13 euros, and in a private clinic it costs 60-100 euros, excluding tests and medications. Therefore, it is beneficial to have insurance and use it to go to private clinics, where the quality is the same, but there are no queues.

Housing. As I already said, in Finland there are multi-storey buildings, but private single-storey buildings are more common. The cost of living is quite high, especially in Kuopio - a little cheaper than in Helsinki. Apartments in new buildings can cost about 450 thousand euros, and plots on the first coastline 100 thousand euros. The demand is quite high. Property can be acquired regardless of citizenship, but this does not give the right to live in Finland permanently. A multiple-entry visa is issued with permission to reside for a total of no more than six months during the year. Loyal credit system for the purchase of housing - 4% mortgage. If both spouses work, then you can safely pay the required amount for 20 years without significant damage to the budget. To obtain citizenship, you need to live for 6 years, and student years are also taken into account. You must pass a Finnish language exam and there must be no crime. Moreover, immigrants who enroll in Finnish language courses are paid a stipend of 200 euros monthly.

New housing is being actively built in the country, and money is also being invested in renovating old ones, for which residents of municipal housing do not pay a cent.

Finns are very meticulous about arranging their homes; they like to plant flowers in the yard, suitable for the warm season in summer and cold-resistant in winter. The courtyards are very well-groomed, and not only because the residents pay for utilities, which include mowing the lawns, removing garbage, the Finns themselves organize additional cleanup days, and do not hesitate to pick up a broom.

Despite the fact that Finland has created good living conditions for people, they still find a reason to complain; 3 traffic jams on the way to work for as long as 3 minutes is an event for discussion. Popular topics are high taxes, “bad” roads and high utility bills.

Finland is Russia's northern neighbor, characterized by magnificent nature and a cool climate. It is good not only to relax, but also to live. That is why many Russians who choose a country for permanent residence choose this option. Some put first place the similarity in the mentality of our peoples. Others are satisfied with nature and climate similar to those in Russia. And someone strives to come to this country because they note the rapid pace of development of its economy.

But before making a final decision, it is necessary to answer the questions “What is the standard of living in Finland?” and “Is this country worth immigrating to?”

Rosstat data for 2014 indicate that Russia's northern neighbor is very popular among Russian emigrants. Only the USA, as well as Canada and Germany are ahead of it. Finland attracts our compatriots with its job offer and salary level. But these reasons are far from the only ones.

average salary

Finland today is one of the priority destinations chosen by Russians seeking to escape from the protracted crisis and find sources of livelihood in foreign countries. After all, this state offers good work.

The priority of the chosen direction, first of all, can be explained by the close location of this country. After all, for example, you can get from St. Petersburg to Finland in just 3.5 hours. The level of salaries also attracts Russians. By the way, according to this indicator, Finland is one of the first places in Europe. Thus, in 2017, the average monthly salary in this country was 3,340 euros. Moreover, all amounts of remuneration for labor are necessarily fixed in an agreement concluded between employers and trade unions.

For many foreigners, life in Finland is attractive precisely because of its level. According to statistics, the holders of the most impressive salaries are men who have crossed the threshold of their 65th birthday. Low-skilled workers also receive good remuneration here. For example, a cleaning lady is paid about 2 thousand euros.

The salary level in Finland depends on the gender of the citizen. Women in this country are paid 20% less than men.

But it is worth keeping in mind that foreigners who do not speak the language and do not have sufficient qualifications find it difficult to get a job. The most convenient professions are those that do not require a residence permit. Their list includes:

Translators and teachers;

Artists, athletes and coaches;

Research staff;

Workers in the tourism services sector.

There is a shortage of professional personnel in Finland. That is why the following are in great demand among the country's employers:

Computer scientists;

Health workers;

Teachers and teachers;

Financiers;

Educators.

A huge number of free places are offered in the field social work. After all, it is not customary for Finns to care for elderly relatives on their own.

Taxes

However, life in Finland, despite the good level of salaries, is not so rosy. The country imposes very high taxes. It is these payments that are the main obstacle for those who decide to find a job in the country. Moreover, the amount of taxes is proportional to the size of the salary. The higher it is, the more you have to give to the state.

Such a system, which is built in the country, makes promising and highly paid work unprofitable. Unskilled specialists live much easier than those who strive for career growth. The principle of the country's tax system is based on equalization of rich and poor. The goal of the Finnish authorities is to ensure that all people have approximately equal incomes.

Standard of living

As for this indicator, despite the high taxes, it is quite high. The standard of living in Finland has been among the top ten highest in the world for many years.

The state guarantees stability in the payment of pensions and benefits, and provides high-quality medical care. However, if we look at the lives of ordinary people in Finland, many of them are still dissatisfied with their salaries. After all, it is enough only for the most necessary things.

Food prices in Finland are very high. For example, only a limited number of families can include fresh fruits and vegetables on their menu. Mostly on the Finnish dining table are pasta, cereals and semi-finished products. And such a set of products is the only way to survive until your next paycheck.

People have to pay a significant part of their income when using transport. Moreover, this applies to both its public and personal appearance.

Protection of Nature

Russians who come to this northern country are often surprised by the attitude of its inhabitants towards environment. Great importance Finns attach great importance to waste recycling issues. They sort household waste into groups and then send it to special factories to obtain recyclable materials.

The streets of the cities of this country are also striking in their cleanliness. And in nature you can often find even forest animals.

Roads of Finland

The country enjoys undoubted respect among those who travel through it by car. Our compatriots note the excellent road surface, road cleaning and timely repairs, as well as thoughtful traffic patterns.

It is thanks to the roads built to last that cars last much longer here. Used cars don't look like a rusty trough. They are very decent vehicles, but only of an outdated model.

Cycling is also widespread in Finland. Bicycle paths and parking lots have been created especially for it, road signs and maps have been placed warning of dangers on the road. Here citizens comply with the laws, to which they are obliged by large fines provided for violating traffic rules.

Education

This is one of the main reasons why our compatriots leave their native country and move to the northern state. IN last years Finnish higher education educational establishments are very popular among Russian graduates. After all, they guarantee a high level of education and are affordable due to the fact that students (including foreign ones) study there completely free of charge.

In general, education in this country is considered the best in the world. And these are not empty words, but a proven fact. Education in Finnish schools is also at a high level. This is evidenced by the fact that, according to international tests, high school students in this country show better knowledge than graduates in the United States. At the same time, for our children such learning will seem very simple, since it is similar to an ordinary game.

The equipment of Helsinki schools and universities is at the highest level. These establishments even have machines that rent out iPads.

Everything is free. Moreover, this also applies to foreigners. Payment is possible only at the stage of obtaining a master's degree. Becoming a student at a Finnish university is not at all difficult for a foreigner. Proof of knowledge is enough in English an IELTS or TOEFL diploma and passing a simple school test.

Medicine

As in most EU countries, the Finnish healthcare system is financed from municipal and federal budgets. Moreover, more money is allocated from the treasury locally than at the state level. In this regard, the list of free services provided by healthcare institutions may vary significantly from region to region.

Medicine in Finland is at the highest level. This can be confirmed by the average life expectancy of the country's population. She is 81 years old. For example, there is an instruction according to which an ambulance team should arrive when called in no more than eight minutes. At the same time, prices for paid medical services in Finland are not as high as in other countries on the Scandinavian Peninsula. The main reason for this lies in nurses. Here doctors earn much less. But in general, in terms of the level of the healthcare system, Finland is in third place after Germany and Israel. The cardiovascular system and oncology are treated very effectively here. Mortality from these diseases is reduced thanks to high-quality diagnostics and timely diagnosis.

The high level of medical care in Finland was made possible thanks to the well-educated staff, as well as the equipment of operating rooms and doctors' offices.

Social Security

What else is good about life in Finland? In addition to all the advantages listed above, the state is the guarantor of a high level of social protection for various categories of citizens. Among them are the unemployed and people with disabilities, young mothers, as well as low-income social groups.

The National Pension Office provides the following benefits to those who live in Finland:

Increase in salary for children;

Payments upon birth of a child;

Parental benefit;

Sickness benefits;

Compensation for treatment costs;

Amounts of money for the unemployed;

Child care benefits;

Payments for rehabilitation;

Disability benefits;

Two types of pensions;

Housing allowance, as well as payments of a similar nature for those who have reached retirement age;

Compensation for travel to school.

Automation at the state level

Life in Finland is very convenient. All routine processes in the country have long been automated. Officials serve in the government apparatus minimal amount. Moreover, they perform all their functions only for the people, and not in order to replenish their own wallets with bribes.

For example, the procedure for re-issuing documents for a car takes no more than 5 minutes. The computer contains information about each person that can be useful for all occasions. A single population database contains, for example, medical histories and accounts of residents of the country.

Labor Relations

There is a trade union in Finland. Moreover, the legislation is aimed primarily at protecting workers, not employers. All legal acts initially written for small businesses, not for oligarchs. All legislation is quite transparent. In Finland, workers are not at all afraid of bosses. There is no “call to the carpet” practice here. Already from childhood, every specialist develops responsibility, initiative, independence and a desire to improve the work process. Of course, this does not mean that all Finns are super-professionals and super-people. There is a shortage of designers and builders, doctors and engineers in the country, and various services for the population sometimes operate at a low level.

Relationships between men and women

No matter how many years you live in Finland, it is quite difficult to get used to the fact that couples pay separately in a restaurant. It is also surprising for a Russian person that in public transport women are not given a hand and doors are not opened for them. In this country, men court with more than restraint and do not throw money around. However, at the same time, Finns are caring and faithful husbands, ready to even stay on maternity leave with their children. After all, a woman will be hired faster for her knowledge and experience. The beauty of the fairer sex does not come first. Maybe that’s why young Finnish women don’t look as well-groomed as Russian women, they take less care of their appearance and even dress worse. But older people are very different from ours. This especially applies to pensioners.

In Finland, couples where the husband is more than two years older than the wife are considered rare. Girls choose their soulmate, as a rule, based on moral qualities young man, and not because of his financial situation. After all, Finnish women are independent due to their high level social assistance and accessibility to education.

Relations in the country between spouses are built exclusively on mutually beneficial partnership and equality. There is no concept here that the husband should earn money, and the wife should do the cleaning, laundry and look after the child. Very often, neither the wife nor the husband knows how much money is in the accounts of their spouse. Nobody needs this. Women in this country are independent and can easily find a part-time job.

Food

What do Finnish supermarkets offer their customers? Their shelves contain only high-quality food products for which the country is well known. Products from Finland are glucogen-free foods. They are also foods with varying levels of lactose and none at all. Many products from Finland have an “eco” format.

But no matter what category the product belongs to, there is no doubt that it has passed the necessary quality control. If a deviation from the norm is suddenly discovered in a batch, it is withdrawn from sale. Already purchased goods can be returned to the store.

Real estate

The cost of houses and apartments in Finland can hardly be called low. However, the demand for real estate in this country is constantly growing. It is purchased by emigrants who have moved to the country for permanent residence, as well as those who prefer to vacation here.

How much does an apartment cost in Finland? Prices for such real estate depend on the area of ​​housing and the city where it is located. For example, in Imatra, a three-room apartment is sold for 650 thousand euros. In Hamina, real estate is much cheaper. Here you can buy a two-room apartment for only 32 thousand euros. The highest prices are in Helsinki. Here you can buy a one-room apartment for no less than 100 thousand euros.

I didn’t live there, but I visited many times and, in addition, my sister was married to a Finn and lived in Finland for a total of about 7 years. I am guided by her experience and my observations.

Cheap and high-quality food products; there are no expired products in the store. Clothes are also quite cheap, there are many cool brand stores. In general, it’s easy to find whatever you want there.

My sister’s husband has already told me this, but they have very loyal and attentive teachers in schools. No one will scold you for a poorly written essay, test, etc. The main thing is that the student feels comfortable learning. And they also have a lot of vacations.

The nature there is very beautiful. Many lakes, many forests, many animals - everything has been kept as pristine as possible. And if you go somewhere beyond the Arctic Circle, for example, to Levi, then it’s like a different planet there.

There is free higher education for both locals and immigrants.

It's safe there. Many people don’t even lock their houses; often there isn’t even a fence.

High level of ecology, water can be drunk straight from the tap.

Their lifestyle is too calm and measured. Even if you love peace and tranquility (like me), it will seem to you that everything is too bad. Nothing happens, nothing changes, even in the seemingly large city of Helsinki, life goes on at a measured pace. Here, as in the jokes about the Finns, no one is really in a hurry, because there is simply nowhere to rush. If you come from a large city, the pace of their life can be difficult and even annoying.

Monotony in everything. In entertainment, on trips to cafes/restaurants, on trips to nature. Even when you drive along the road by car, it is an endless, monotonous straight highway surrounded by forest on both sides. They don't seem to like change at all.

If from some everyday/urgent problems, then I can say that there is nothing to do there without a car, even if you live in Helsinki. All cities are quite far from each other and Finns like to live in private houses somewhere in the middle of the forest. For example, my sister's husband traveled almost 100 km one way to work every day. By the way, gasoline is expensive.

Finns are not very sociable and open. Even communication with relatives is not as frequent as with us. Even to get together with a group of friends you need some kind of occasion/holiday. Although maybe for some this will be a plus.

It would seem to be a contradiction to the previous point, but Finns love to drink. Sitting in a bar with a couple of glasses of beer and watching some hockey or football match seems to sound good and even normal, but for some reason they just like to get drunk to the point of unconsciousness. Drunken groups meet in huge numbers on weekends; they behave loudly and defiantly, even aggressively. And on Monday everyone is quiet and peaceful again.

Finding a job, especially for young people, is very difficult. Experience and higher education required. It's a good idea to have connections in the place where you want to work. A win-win option only if you are a great specialist in your field.

If you are used to a warm/temperate climate, this will be quite cold for you. The weather, in terms of degrees, is approximately the same as in St. Petersburg (Helsinki, Lappeenranta), but there is much more snow in winter and it takes longer to melt.

Salary from birth

Since January 1, 2018, babies born in Moscow receive a dowry box from the city government. This tradition originated in Finland in the 1930s: dowries for babies began to be given first to low-income families, and later to all young mothers. No doubt, the promotion is pleasant, but still one-time. In Finland there is a more useful bonus from the state - child benefit, or lapsilisä, in the amount of about one hundred euros. The surcharge increases slightly for each additional baby born in the family and is paid until the child reaches 17 years of age.

“Children’s” money can be spent, but Finns prefer not to touch it and, by the end of school, give their son or daughter a decent amount - about € 20 thousand. Someone goes on a six-month trip, someone puts it in the bank at interest, and someone uses it as a down payment on a loan for their own home. In the capital region of Finland, children strive to separate from their parents as quickly as possible, and they have much more opportunities to do this than in Russia.

Time for business, time for fun too

Although career occupies an important place in the Finnish self-consciousness, fanatical workaholism is not understood here. You are expected to disappear from the office as soon as the work day ends. Sometimes it gets ridiculous: a person puts off work until tomorrow, even if its completion requires an extra five minutes. The average working week in Finland is approximately 37.5 hours, and by law employers are required to pay overtime at a higher rate or to redistribute the workload so that employees do not work late. But it's not only that. Finns are very careful about their personal time. In their picture of the world, one of the basic human rights is the right to rest, and the employer must respect it. Sometimes this is not very convenient: for example, even on weekends, many cafes close at six in the evening. But Finns put up with this, as they recognize that service sector workers also want to pursue a favorite hobby or pay enough attention to their family.

Each person gets a reflector

In winter (more precisely, from October to almost March), the government of the country obliges citizens to wear reflectors on their outerwear or bags. They can be a figurine on a chain or a bracelet strip: some manufacturers immediately sew it into jackets and coats. Since a significant part of the Finnish population lives literally in the middle of the forest, there is a high risk that a driver on a country road will not notice a pedestrian and will hit him. And in cities, lighting is not ideal everywhere. In Russia, this problem is also relevant, and the popularization of reflectors will certainly save many lives.

Cake for the holiday

Finnish traditions involve serving special dishes prepared according to special recipes on the occasion of a holiday or a specific day of the week. For example, on Thursdays, many cafes offer rich pea soup and sweet pancakes with strawberry jam and whipped cream. However, the cutest gastronomic custom in Finland is the so-called Runeberg cake, or “runebergintorttu”. It resembles a rum baba and consists of columns of almond dough, soaked in syrup and decorated with raspberry jam. Named after the poet Johan Ludwig Runeberg, revered by the Finns, the cakes are sold in stores for only a few weeks a year (from about mid-January to the first ten days of February) and are associated with the holiday: Runeberg was born on February 5th. Nothing prevents us all over the country from pampering ourselves with dessert on the occasion of Pushkin’s birthday: he, they say, loved gooseberry jam and cranberries in sugar.

Free drinking water

Almost every restaurant in Helsinki will provide you with a pitcher or bottle of water, and cafes and food courts usually have taps for pouring water into your glass. Yes, it is not from a cooler or strained from an artesian well, but the water is so pure that you can drink it at home without passing it through a filter or subjecting it to additional processing. True, Finns drink more coffee than water: the short daylight hours coupled with the harsh climate make their presence felt. Here, even in local supermarkets, you can use a coffee maker or coffee machine for a nominal fee. Also, by the way, an option worthy of emulation.

Little Christmas

Finnish Christmas has two features: in addition to the fact that it falls on December 25, it occupies a much more important place in the hierarchy of holidays than New Year, and it is customary to celebrate it exclusively with family. However, for those who want to have fun in a more relaxed atmosphere, the Finns have come up with Pikkujoulu, or “little Christmas”. From the end of November, you can celebrate it once or several times - in different places, with different companies. An excellent tradition, considering that in Russia too, the process of deciding with whom to celebrate the New Year can be very stressful. “Little New Year” will allow you to pay attention to friends, colleagues, and grandparents.

Man is a dog's friend

When you come to Helsinki from Russia, the first thing you notice is the absence of stray animals on the streets. In the suburbs of the Finnish capital you can easily find a hare, a fox and even a moose, but not an abandoned cat or dog. Firstly, pets here have virtually no chance of running away and getting lost. According to Finnish law, dogs must be kept on a leash everywhere except in fenced areas. A similar rule applies to cats: they should not be allowed outside unattended - only on a leash, at least in major cities. In addition, the animals are microchipped: the fugitive will be caught and identified, and the owner may receive a serious fine for oversight.

adandr/istockphoto.com

Secondly, Finns are practical people and tend to calculate financial risks in advance. Question “How much do you spend per month on keeping a cat?” it's business as usual here. Realizing that it will be difficult to afford a pet, the Finn will most likely postpone this event until better times. Finally, thirdly, getting an animal in Finland is not so easy: in order to pick up a dog or cat from a shelter, you sometimes have to wait on a waiting list for a long time. When a person wants to buy a purebred puppy, the nursery may refuse him. What is important to the breeder is not so much the client’s solvency as his psychological readiness to bear responsibility for a living creature. At this point, the Finns seem, perhaps, especially worthy of imitation, but, of course, there is no need to idealize them.

The inhabitants of Finland, like the citizens of any other state, have their own quirks and customs, which are hardly worth imitating.

Ibuprofen as a cure for everything

Finnish medicine is quite different from Russian medicine. Serious, life-threatening illnesses are treated quickly and top level under basic KELA insurance (something like our compulsory medical insurance policy). Much attention is paid to disease prevention. For example, throughout her life, a woman regularly receives invitations to a free Pap test designed to diagnose cervical cancer, and after 50 years - to a mammogram.

But when it comes to colds, headaches, sports injuries and other unpleasant but not fatal health problems, there is a very good chance that your doctor will advise you to “take ibuprofen until it goes away.” It is clear that there is no cure for the common cold, and this view of medical care allows us to separate the crowd of hypochondriacs from those who really need help. But thanks to the habit of swallowing ibupophen in any unclear situation, you can easily miss the symptoms of a serious illness and see a doctor much later than you should.

Planning horizons

If you are used to getting together with friends a couple of times a week at the behest of your feelings, then, alas, you will have to forget about this when moving to Finland. It might still be possible to get your colleagues out to the bar on a Friday night, but any other meetings need to be planned well in advance. Finns are slow-moving and expect others to respect their habits. So no “let’s have dinner together tonight.” An acceptable and quite polite option for an invitation is to send a friend an email in mid-February with the following content: “Will you have time to meet me on March 4 at 18:00 at such and such a restaurant?” Distribute more efficiently free time This approach helps, no doubt. But the lack of spontaneity sometimes makes daily life completely unbearable.

Diet for guests

Contrary to stereotypes, Finns are very friendly and helpful. They would rather overdo it in their desire to help than pass by. At the same time, the traditions of Finnish hospitality, alas, do not include a hearty meal. The maximum you can expect is one salad, one main course, one type of dessert. The owner of the house will specifically emphasize that he is inviting you to dinner. If there was no warning, most likely you will be offered coffee with sweets or, at best, with a pie. Saving, of course, is a good thing, but the heart of a person who grew up in Russia bleeds when his Finnish friend brews one bag of tea for four. So, when, while visiting your aunt and uncle, they put chicken, fish, Olivier, or jellied meat on your plate, mentally praise the canonical Russian hospitality: in prosperous northern Europe, you would most likely go home hungry.

Crocs

Rumors that Finns wear Crocs and sweatpants to the opera are exaggerated. But multi-colored plastic “irons” are really popular here as part of an everyday summer wardrobe. Let’s decide once and for all: Crocs are shoes for the country house or the beach, and you definitely shouldn’t adopt the dubious fashion of walking around the city in them.

Recently it was exactly four years since I moved from Russia to Europe. In honor of this occasion, I would like to reflect on the pros and cons of living outside of Russia. The topic has already been raised here, so I will try to avoid platitudes, but at the same time I understand that they cannot be avoided.

So, my 5 disadvantages and 5 advantages of living in Europe. But since Europe is very different (that’s why it’s sometimes very annoying when you read someone’s opinion and they talk about Europe as a whole), I will talk about my second homeland - Finland.

Helsinki. Photo by seagale2007 (https://fotki.yandex.ru/users/seagale2007/)

pros

Affordable education

The topic is relevant for me, since at the moment I have started studying again. The training is completely free. Sometimes you need to buy expensive books, but if you get creative, you can borrow them from the library, buy them second-hand, or do without them. In addition, students are entitled to a fairly good scholarship, about 20,000 rubles. If this is not enough, then you can take out a student loan. His percentage is quite low. This is about another 16,000 rubles per month. It should be enough for a student. I don't want to study.

Food

Surprisingly, in terms of quality/price ratio, products in one of the most expensive countries in Europe are more profitable than in neighboring St. Petersburg. St. Petersburg residents know this phenomenon as weekend shopping in Lappenranta. So this applies not only to clothing but also to food. Some things in St. Petersburg are simply resold at one and a half times more expensive. Well, quality. I had already forgotten about the delay. The quality control here is top notch.

Nature

Probably many will find it unusual why northern nature is so attractive. But she is really beautiful and captivating because she is very affordable. To visit the cleanest lake, I don’t even need to go somewhere by car. Twenty minutes on the bike and I’m there. Yes, there are also many beautiful places in Russia, but they are either very far away or dirty (I know firsthand, I’m from Karelia).

State support

As we know, all Scandinavian countries and Finland have followed the path of socially oriented development. Whether this is good or bad is not for us to judge. But they created a kind of “cushion” that prevents a person from falling in difficult situations. No matter what happens, the authorities will give you, even if not a luxurious, but a separate apartment, and will not let you die of hunger. I would even say that you can live quite well and not work. And even if you work as a cleaner or a salesperson, you can live much better than many people from where I came from.

People

Yes, Finns are simple people who have achieved everything in their country themselves. Of course, not all of them are nice, nice and friendly. They can also send three letters)) But if we talk about the average level of politeness, then it is several times higher than in many other countries. You can rely on them not only in business, but also simply at the level human relations. For example, it’s not scary to buy something second-hand. They won't be deceived. Punctuality, politeness, modesty - this seems so familiar to me until I cross the border post with Russia))

Well, now about the cons. You can't go anywhere without them

Job

Finding a job is a sore subject for many in Finland. If you are not a cool IT man, doctor, engineer, then finding a job turns into a lottery. It is very difficult for a foreigner to get a good position without connections. There are areas where there are unspoken rules that we don’t hire foreigners. This is not written down anywhere, but it is a given. Therefore, to compete with the local guys, you need to be head and shoulders above them.

Language

Well, very difficult to study. Lucky are those who came here in school age. They somehow catch words and correct pronunciation on the fly. Those who arrived at a conscious age almost all speak with an accent at best, or do not speak at all at worst.

Lack of communication

Finns are quite private people. Foreigners are nothing new to them, so no one will really ask you about your distant and interesting country. Many of my friends still live in a kind of linguistic ghetto. Russian television, Russian surroundings, Russian websites are all that surrounds them. Remembering your cheerful gatherings in Russia, you involuntarily begin to yearn for Russia and remember your friends with warmth.

Taxes

This back side social path. Taxes are high not only on wages (in particularly severe cases, you can give away half of your earnings), but also the general tax on any product sold is 25%. In addition, there are also various contributions to the pension fund, church tax and much more.

Invasion of immigrants

As BG sang, “we Russians have no need for foreigners abroad.” Even though I’m a newcomer myself, I don’t particularly like immigrants. Although the situation here is still more or less calm. But in neighboring Sweden the situation is different. There are ghettos and ethnic crime there. We don't have this yet, but I think Finland is moving in this direction. Residents of sunny Somalia, Iraq and Syria quite easily obtain political asylum here. But what they give to this country is a big question.

These are, of course, my purely personal observations and do not claim to be true. I just want to sort everything out for myself. I won’t lie, sometimes doubt creeps in: “Did I do the right thing by moving here?” But for myself I answered them.