Expat Advice: Dream vs. Reality of Expat Life in Jarvenpaa, Finland
Winter in Finland
An expat who moved to Jarvenpaa, Finland from London has found that life is much slower in Jarvenpaa due to bureaucracy, neighbors are not very welcoming and the internet is slow.
What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?
Jarvenpaa
Describe how you "dreamed" expat life would be before you moved overseas. Please provide as much detail as possible.
I thought that life would be straight forward, that people here would be friendly, no bureaucracy in the offices. I was hoping that everything would go smoothly with the integration to the society, that one could trust another person when they promised to do something. What did go right is that the country is clean, very beautiful and colourful during the summer and autumn.
How has your expat experience met the expectations you dreamed about before you moved abroad?
Nothing went as I thought, as I had hoped. Coming from London (lived there all my active life) where the shops stay open, they have the products that one wants (I'm vegetarian). Shops have only product that the shop keepers think that you need, not what you want. Some products are advertised but not available. I was hoping that all would be done with efficiency, but was I wrong. The country is dead during the July. The post is worst, post live the post office 17.00 local time Monday to Friday and on Friday hardly any post is delivered.
How has your expat experience NOT met the expectations you dreamed about before you moved abroad?
I come across lots of slowness because of bureaucracy, not the variety of food products as in London. People here think because they have some certificate from some school that they know they subject, they do not understand what a lifelong experience means. Even neighbours are not so friendly when they know that one comes from abroad. Only the old generation is more open minded (friendlier), the younger generation is too set to the idea ‘I want , I want and I want it now’. In technology the country is almost 20 years behind, slow Internet, no DAB radio, trains have problem during the winter (although the winter is here every year), when snowing the roads are not kept open fast enough, no food shopping online, etc I could make a book.
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Comments about this Report
guestIneresting ! What is this town population ? Do you speak Finnish language ?
guestNo offence sir, but did you not research the commodities and people of the town before moving? Or are you just temporarily residing there to check it out? It sounds like you are not having the best of times, but it also sound like you expect a lot out of a small town. I know some towns that have zero any thing. Just work together, farm together, eat together, die together. If your town has bureaucracy, I suggest playing the part of a sly fox. Get on the good side of the bureaucrats and make friendly suggestions as to how the town could improve by becoming slightly more modern ( most small town people fear modernization so make sure you let them know you will not push the envelope. ) I am interested to know though if you moved without research temporarily, permanently, or you researched it but the towns portrayal was not so accurate. If you can respond with pictures of life in Finland that would be awesome. And try to remember, living with less externally, can you teach you how to live with more internally.
MarjaPopulation: 40 000. Järvenpää is very small city after London, so I understand your feelings, but still wondering - how much information did you get before moving?
MarjaPopulation: 40 000. Järvenpää is very small city after London, so I understand your feelings, but still wondering - how much information did you get before moving?
guestShopping is not a ‘National Pastime’ in Finland for many reason – only about 5 million (population of greater Houston) in an area ½ of Texas with a language spoken only there (and Swedish as the second official language), i.e. Finland does not have a large market for multiple choices of items. Yes, Finns take their summers seriously because of the long winters, combined with typical European vacation and holidays, people have a plenty of time. As far as education is concerned, Finland ranks among top three in the world – Shanghai, China, Hong Kong, China (cities a size of a country) and Finland – all culturally homogenous societies – US is 26th.
