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In Finland you can get an amount equal to basic unemployment benefits to start a business for a year. You can get last resort social benefits basically forever

In Finland you can get an amount equal to basic unemployment benefits to start a business for a year. You can get last resort social benefits basically forever if you aren’t actively working much or don’t run a business.

CalRobert 5y ago
That's really interesting. I'm naturalised now and we've considered moving to Finland because Ireland's schools seem inferior. among other reasons. One problem is that we've heard it's very hard to make friends, would you say that's true? We've been lucky to build a great friend network here. Incidentally I bought a Muurikka from a Finnish friend last summer and it's the most amazing thing I've ever cooked with. I don't think I'll ever go back to a bbq :-)
- piva00 5y ago
  > One problem is that we've heard it's very hard to make friends, would you say that's true? That's true in all of the Nordics but I believe specially more in Finland. I'm a naturalised Swede and had to put a lot of effort into making friends the first couple of years here. Yes, making friends is much harder than in my original culture (Brazil) but there is also the counter-side to it on the quality of friendships you make that I believe it's worth to take into account. Making friends here is really about bonding and creating deep connections with someone else, not just a cursory acquaintance to go out to bars and do things together. In that sense I do understand completely why people are generally more reserved into expanding their social circles, it takes a lot of effort and a genuine interest in each other to foster a friendship and locals/natives already come with their own social groups from just living here their whole lives. Cracking into these social circles is definitely hard, you will need to find hobbies and activities where you can meet people around a shared interest and usually expand from there, you won't be making friends by simply going to bars, for example. And that's also the isolating part of Nordic cultures, you keep social circles smaller because they are more meaningful but getting started into a meaningful relationship takes time and will make you feel lonely. People are also wary of mixing/mingling social groups as they'll feel responsible for the experience the groups have (at least here in Sweden), it's uncommon for someone to invite their different social circles into the same gathering, except maybe for birthdays. Overall I've adapted quite well and I'm very happy with the friends I made, it is more demanding but extremely rewarding.
- ftth_finland 5y ago
  Piva00 covered the making friends aspect well. On top of that, integrating, learning and making friends in Finnish is playing life on hard level. There are also very few English language schools in Finland.
  - CalRobert 5y ago
    I'd actually want my kids to learn Finnish if we moved - but the clock is ticking! They're two and four. I've also talked to Jason Slaughter of NotJustBikes fame and Utrecht is on the short list.
    - ftth_finland 5y ago
      Having kids helps with getting friends as you end up hanging out with the other parents. The hardest part is likely to get jobs for both parents, unless you are both in in demand fields like IT.

CalRobert 5y ago

That's really interesting. I'm naturalised now and we've considered moving to Finland because Ireland's schools seem inferior. among other reasons. One problem is that we've heard it's very hard to make friends, would you say that's true? We've been lucky to build a great friend network here. Incidentally I bought a Muurikka from a Finnish friend last summer and it's the most amazing thing I've ever cooked with. I don't think I'll ever go back to a bbq :-)

piva00 5y ago
> One problem is that we've heard it's very hard to make friends, would you say that's true? That's true in all of the Nordics but I believe specially more in Finland. I'm a naturalised Swede and had to put a lot of effort into making friends the first couple of years here. Yes, making friends is much harder than in my original culture (Brazil) but there is also the counter-side to it on the quality of friendships you make that I believe it's worth to take into account. Making friends here is really about bonding and creating deep connections with someone else, not just a cursory acquaintance to go out to bars and do things together. In that sense I do understand completely why people are generally more reserved into expanding their social circles, it takes a lot of effort and a genuine interest in each other to foster a friendship and locals/natives already come with their own social groups from just living here their whole lives. Cracking into these social circles is definitely hard, you will need to find hobbies and activities where you can meet people around a shared interest and usually expand from there, you won't be making friends by simply going to bars, for example. And that's also the isolating part of Nordic cultures, you keep social circles smaller because they are more meaningful but getting started into a meaningful relationship takes time and will make you feel lonely. People are also wary of mixing/mingling social groups as they'll feel responsible for the experience the groups have (at least here in Sweden), it's uncommon for someone to invite their different social circles into the same gathering, except maybe for birthdays. Overall I've adapted quite well and I'm very happy with the friends I made, it is more demanding but extremely rewarding.
ftth_finland 5y ago
Piva00 covered the making friends aspect well. On top of that, integrating, learning and making friends in Finnish is playing life on hard level. There are also very few English language schools in Finland.
- CalRobert 5y ago
  I'd actually want my kids to learn Finnish if we moved - but the clock is ticking! They're two and four. I've also talked to Jason Slaughter of NotJustBikes fame and Utrecht is on the short list.
  - ftth_finland 5y ago
    Having kids helps with getting friends as you end up hanging out with the other parents. The hardest part is likely to get jobs for both parents, unless you are both in in demand fields like IT.