Helsinki Times

A second home to envy

The start of my first expat column has the same feel to it that my arrival in Finland did five months ago: refreshingly difficult. I have encountered difficulties such as the four attempts to get to Malmi registration office, and the near hour spent on Albertinkatu looking for the magistrate’s office (in my defense there was building work blocking the entrance). I am here in the metropolitan world of Helsinki for the same reason that I am sure some of you readers are.

That’s right, I am obviously referring to the beauty of Nordic women. Now don’t get me wrong – being of Irish descent, I know a beauty when I see one.

Sure, there are moments when I do wonder to myself why Finns never cross the road at a red light, even without a car in sight, or why there are five different words that just mean beer. I cannot understand why the electrical sockets do not have an off switch. I also do not understand why here the term ‘half one’ means 12:30. This has caused me a lot of needless headaches and lots of lengthy apologies for my supposed lack of punctuality.

These things, however, are trivial and actually quite endearing for a place that should be so much more popular than it is. Take these three facts for example:

1. Education is free up until the day that you just physically can’t learn anymore.

2. The use of the euro, which means easier accessibility for the rest of Europe (something I think England should have woken up to a long time ago).

And 3., the place is clean and well run due to excellent efforts by the government. Helsinki is a model example of how to run a city.

When I first visited some eight months ago, that fact of cleanliness and efficiency nearly brought me out in a rash of envy. From living in a commuter town an hour outside of London, where the pinnacle of excitement was spending a ridiculous amount of money going to Camden town and doing the same things we did at home, to spending a short trip on the brightly coloured metro where my travel card will let me get on buses, trams, the metro and even boats! This was truly a revelation in my eyes.

The exact moment that I knew I would never want to live anywhere else was on a sunny late April day, sitting at the top of the Senate Square’s giant stairs and looking down on a peaceful, spacious and architecturally beautiful slice of this fine city. Combine that with the coffee being available roughly every 10 meters in the city centre and you are on to a winner.

So I hope people can excuse me when my reaction to a question that I get from many Finnish customers at my place of work the question being

“What on earth are you doing here?” is one of shock and surprise.

I love Finland, you love Finland, Conan O’Brien loves Finland and if that is not enough for you, then take your euros elsewhere.