Hi there,
I'm after any kind of advice/suggestion in regards to my current situation, as I'm currenly unsure of what to do & how to progress, & am hoping some of you on here may have similar experiances.....
The short version of my story is that I met my Finnish girlfriend while living abroad. We returned to the UK in February & subsequently found out we were expecting a baby (due in November). Since then things haven't really worked out & she has returned to Finland while I am still in the UK.
From our ongoing discussions it would seem as if there is no chance of her returning to the UK (depite it being the best & most sensible thing to do for all involved) & I obviously want to be there to bring up my child. Therefore, I am currently considering moving to Helsinki to be nearer them.
My main concerns are around the language & work. I am a Business Analyst for a bank & am earning half-decent money, but should I move I have no real savings to live off & therefore need a job asap (anything considered). As I do not speak Finnish, I'm pretty sure any 'professional' job role is out of the question for the time-being, so am wondering what else (if anything) is available out there...... or if anybody knows of any decent, English-speaking, recruitment agencies out there?
Also, I would obviously learn the language, but would like private lessons on arrival (just to get me up to speed with the basics) - are there many English/Finnish speaking tutor over there at all?
Any help or advice would be greatly appreciated!
Steve
Non-Finnish speaking Brit possibly moving to Finland - Any advice....?
Hi Steve
Below a link to my article.
(moderated)
Please do not hesitate to get it touch if there is somethingI can do for you
Regards
Marja Saviaro
(moderated: no free publicity pls)
Steve,
Life sure is complicated, isn't it? Don't worry, it will all work out in the end so stay confident on that front.
I have been in Finland for over 3 years now. When I first moved here, finding jobs without Finnish was more of a problem. But if you're educated and you have a strong work history (as I do not), then finding a job knowing only English is not as daunting as you might think (although having at least one other European language is usually preferred).
Check out these links for jobs:
http://www.aarresaari.net/english/jobboard.htmwww.mol.fi
A lot of them are listed in Finnish, but it's not indicative of the working language. Working language in most academic and business jobs is English. When you write your motivation letters for job opportunities (as you find them) make sure to emphasize in some way your native English speaking skills. That is a huge asset here. Finland has such a relatively small population that in order to expand they do a lot of international business, which requires, guess what- English! That's how I got my first job here at the Forest Research Institute (that and I'm studying forestry).
If you aren't certain, use google translate, highlight the whole page, and see what opps exist. It's heinous and tedious to go that route at first. I am guessing the baby-mamma is not eager to help the search? When you get to Finland there are several free or cheap adult language courses that will help, and it's a good place to make friends and network a bit. (see: http://www.selma-net.fi/FI/education/co … =educators) Needless to say, as with all of these moves, it's easier to find a job once you're already here.
And to slightly disagree with you on the matter of where the baby should be raised/born- I am not an expert on the situation with the health care and maternity in the UK, but I can tell you that the socialized welfare in Finland will more than adequately assist your situation. Check out the Kela page in English about family benefits http://www.kela.fi/in/internet/english. … enDocument
Yes, I know, in many countries, US included, accepting social welfare is stigmatized, but in Finland it's the norm, so suck it up, do some research. There is probably something you're entitled to as the daddy. You can also call or email them, mostly they do speak English. I can't remember if there's a special service in English on the calling menu, but if not you can ask from the representative whence you get them on the line.
Also check the www.migri.fi website in English. There are a lot of helpful FAQ and other topics listed there for immigrants from the EU and other similar topics.
Best of luck and happy fatherhood!
Megan
Marja, many thanks, but the links have been removed. Please feel free to message me directly.
Megan, thanks for all the info. I'll start checking out the links later on today. Much appreciated! :-)
Immigrant areas to avoid in Finland = certain suburbs in the biggest cities (Turku, Helsinki, Vantaa, Espoo, Tampere, Oulu, Kuopio). A few small cities with poor job opportunities have been made centers of immigration as well. Pure countryside and countryside in the outskirts of the bigger cities are a safe zone. Of course, there is more job opportunities if you live close to a bigger city but I guess it also relies on your own skills of advertising yourself.
Schools is a positive point. You can live in any place in Finland and still you get similar, good basic education in a relatively small school without tuition fees. However, if you end up living in the middle of nowhere in the countryside, your kids may have to travel quite long distance to school. Most places also have much opportunities for hobbies and sports.
Property is quite cheap, depends much on location. Especially in the countryside and smaller towns in central or northern Finland you can buy a house or an apartment for quite good price. Naturally, the costs rise when buying in a big city and city centres.
For more information visit check here:
From London To Helsinki
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