Study in Finland

Even though Finnish people tend to be quiet, yet they are very friendly and easygoing when spoken to.

Finland is a beautiful country. I am a particular fan of Finnish nature! Everyman's rights mean that you are allowed to wander freely in natural areas, even on private land, and pick berries, mushrooms and flowers. There is a wealth of forest, lake, sea and island landscape to enjoy here - all at little to no cost. Because Finland is so far north, there are four distinct seasons and so your local nature spot always looks different - autumn leaves, winter snow, spring buds, or summer glory. There is a lot of trust in the society here: people are trusted to be sensible and responsible, and generally they are. This means that you have a lot of independence (as do children and young people) and safety is not a concern. Public services are easily available at low or no cost. Students receive free student healthcare, discounted meals and public transport, and the city provides a wide range of recreational and sporting facilities for residents of the town. It is easy to travel from Turku to many other cities in Finland, by bus (cheap) or by train (a bit more pricey) - Helsinki and Tampere are both 2 hours away by bus. There are also ferry connections to Sweden and the Åland Islands. Finland is also a short plane trip away from many major European capitals!

The locals are the friendliest I've seen, couldn't feel more welcome than this!

In winter, Finns are withdrawn and do not associate much. Most places look like ghost towns with minimal people outdoors. But summer has everybody outside, warm and jovial and you can earn a smile or even a chat from a stranger in the metro. Of all the celebrations in Finland, Vappuu that is celebrated on 1st May captured my heart the most. It displayed the academic wealth that the country possesses. Most people both the young and old adorned their graduation caps and the streets were filled with merrymaking. Finland has magnificent scenery, nice parks, beautiful forests, a rich history, and is also known as the land of a thousand lakes. Locals religiously respect their environment and personal space. The country is accessible to many other countries by train, ship, bus, and flight. Different regions have unique planning themes and most infrastructure is blended well into nature. Much as the metros are faster than the buses, they are not so good when one wants to site see since they mostly pass underground. However, there are a good number of buses that provide site seeing services. Anything unexpected for the international students? The midnight sun during summer and a big nice fall on the snow in winter!

Finland is a quiet place, but one that knows how to have fun. People might seem shy at first, but once you befriend a Finn they are a friend for life. A vegan paradise, and a real mix of cultures in every sense of the word. Finland loves its karaoke almost as much as its sauna - so get used to seeing your friends and peers singing badly and getting naked.