Mastering Finland

Petra & Jean finally spill the beans on their dating experiences in Finland and using Tinder, as well as share anecdotes of their most memorable dates. Additionally, Raul opens up about dating in Finland as a member of the LGBTQ community. What is the Finnish dating culture like, you ask? Tune in to find out!

Dallin relocated to Finland specifically to serve in the Finnish military and afterwards stayed to study. He gives us an inside look at the Finnish military culture and life and shares some of his unforgettable experiences from that time. He also talks about how Canadians and Finns are similar and different and gives valuable insight into understanding the value of friendship in Finland. USEFUL LINKS MENTIONED: ⭐Finnish Language Learning Tool https://www.worddive.com/en/

Hosts Petra and Jean dive into the quirks of Finnish social culture, reacting to amusing Facebook posts from expats. They share personal experiences revealing the challenges newcomers face with small talk and feelings of isolation. Heartwarming stories of unexpected kindness spark laughter, demonstrating how genuine connections can flourish. The discussion also touches on cultural differences in social spending, revealing insights about hospitality and friendship norms. Overall, it’s a humorous and relatable exploration of navigating friendships in Finland.

Eline is a Dutch-Finn who grew up in Papua New Guinea for the majority of her childhood. She talks about growing up as a *"Third Culture Kid" and how that had shaped her worldview and identity and affected her life when she moved back to the Netherlands and Finland as an adult. She also shares how she manages to juggle student and single mom life and gives tips to foreigners for living in Finland. Tune in to hear her story and her overall unique perspective on life!  *Third Culture Kid- a child who grows up in a culture different from the one in which his or her parents grew up (https://www.merriam-webster.com)

Paola, originally from Italy, shares her family's remarkable journey of adopting internationally in Finland. She talks about her multicultural family, identity and details the process of adopting her son from India. Find out how her efforts to improve the adoption services for foreigners helped international families and how it also ended up impacting adoption services in Finland as a whole! Links: ⭐Interpedia https://interpedia.fi/en/ ⭐Save the Children https://www.pelastakaalapset.fi/en/our-work-in-finland/adoptions/intercountry-adoptions/ ⭐Adoptioperheet https://www.adoptioperheet.fi/⭐Blog https://www.theelephantmum.com ⭐Support Family https://www.theelephantmum.com/support-family-in-finland/

Jean chats with Lorena who relocated to Finland for her job at Nokia. Lorena gives an inside look at working in a Finnish company, the work culture, and the relationship dynamics with colleagues and the manager. She also shares many resources for organizations she had taken the initiative to join to build her social network/community. Find out how she built her life in Finland and her advice for those interested in moving here! LINKS: ⭐ Luckan https://luckan.fi/english/ ⭐ Women's Cafe in English (Luckan) https://www.google.com/amp/s/allevents.in/mobile/amp-event.php%3fevent_id=200020021168231 ⭐Global Shapers Community https://www.globalshapers.org/hubs/helsinki-hub ⭐Women in Tech Finland https://womenintech.fi/#:~:text=Women%20in%20Tech%20Finland%20aims,and%20open%20for%20all%20individuals. ⭐ Blabla Language Exchange https://www.blablalanguageexchange.com/ ⭐Internations https://www.internations.org/helsinki-expats

Petra chats with diversity and inclusion public speaker/coach and CEO/co-founder of Businesswiz, Priyanka Banerjee. Priyanka's work helps Finnish companies transition to a more internationally-minded environment through hands-on cooperation and trainings. She believes that the successful inclusion of foreigners in the workforce is essential as Finland inevitably moves towards a more diverse society and faces an increase in workforce demands. Don't miss this insightful and refreshing perspective on a hot topic!  LINKS:  https://businesswiz.fi/ | https://www.linkedin.com/in/priyankabanerjee07/ | International Working Women of Finland: www.iwwof.com

Petra interviews Raysa and Katarina, students at the University of Tampere and creators of "Diversity for Future." Their mission is to address the topic of diversity in the Finnish workplace through discussions and personal stories and to highlight the value of international cooperation! LINKS: https://esnfint.org/diversity-for-future https://esnfint.org/international-student-employability-team https://erasmusintern.org/ https://medium.com/@diversityforfuture https://www.linkedin.com/in/raysa-franca/ https://www.linkedin.com/in/katarinasladakovic/

Petra and Jean talk about some of the most popular Finnish inventions and brands (you'll be surprised to see what's on the list!). Get to know a little bit more of the 'Finnish way' through the ingenuity and uniqueness of their creations and ideas!

What better way to prepare for the new academic year than to speak to Raul- a former tutor, student and teacher (triple threat!) at the University of Jyväskylä. Raul gives insight into the realities of life outside of the university bubble based on his own experiences. Raul touches on: ✔️the role of a 'tutor' and the kind of assistance international students can expect as they settle into (university) life in Finland. ✔️CLIL (Content & Language Integrated Learning) ✔️bold tips on how to get noticed by potential employers in Finland!