5 things we will miss about Finland

Now that we have stayed in Finland for about 9 months it is time to say farewell! Before leaving for Germany, we sat together and put down our thoughts regarding Finland. We were wondering what we treasured the most about Finland. We both agree about the friendliness of people and the implicitness to using the English language (btw. without the latter one we would have been totally lost here)
However aside from that both of us made their individual experiences within the Finnish culture. Have a look at our lists:

The Kauppahalli in HKI

5 things Katharina will miss about Finland:

• The Finnish Calmness: There is no rush, no pressure, no hurry – the people are happy with what they have and everything you do is good! And you don’t have to worry – it will work out some how.
• The Finnish Kindness: Everyone, no matter if you know him or if he is a total stranger to you, is always willing to help you in every situation.
• My Finnish friends: Although it is not that easy to make friends in Finland, I will miss the ones I made. In the beginning it is quite hard to get in touch with Finnish people, but once you managed it, they can become really good friends.
• Kauppahalli: I fell in love with these old and traditional market halls. There you can buy delicious food or directly have lunch with a lovely atmosphere.
• Candy Town: A paradise for candy lovers – something I don’t have in my hometown and I will definitely miss.

5 things Raisa will miss about Finland:

Sauna in our cottage
in  Lapland

• Sauna: Sauna in Finland is a very unique experience and I would recommend anyone visiting this country to give it at least a try. In the beginning, I didn't dare to go to the Sauna. I thought that it might be too hot for me or I would die in there :D. However I changed my mind and appreciate the Finnish Sauna as a calm, cozy place to get away from everyday life.
• Nature: The Finnish nature is way different from anything I have seen before and it is not only the difference between the rustic Lapland in the North and the urban areas in the South. Even though Turku is quite a big city, it is very rich in wildlife. When I went jogging at dawn I usually encountered rabbits, pheasants, lots of birds and all kinds of other small animals. Especially , during spring it was quite entertaining to watch all those animals in the suburban areas.
• Bike paths: Finland has probably one of the most bike-friendly infrastructure. Bike paths can be found almost everywhere and people are actually using their bikes all year round - at least in the city areas.
• Weather: As Turku is located at the Baltic Sea, I would have expected way more precipitation. However, it rained less than in Germany. Actually the weather has been relatively good during my entire stay.
• Simplicity and Kindness of the Finns: Even tough it is pretty hard to get in touch with Finns, I have met plenty of people who helped out, translated, gave directions etc. which made it a lot easier to get adjusted to the country.

A forest area close to Halinen

These have been our experiences during our exchange year. I hope you will have similar experiences, if you ever visit Finland! You should ;)

Raisa