Expat Life

10 Things that have changed in Finland in 10 Years

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10 years ago today, I landed in Helsinki to start my exchange program, which was supposed to be one year. Many years later, I am still here, and I couldn’t imagine myself being anywhere else. I always get a little melancholic on this day, and think a lot about how things have changed, how I have evolved and what things are like today. 10 years is a long time, and both Helsinki as a city and Finland as a whole, has changed a lot. I asked around a bit and put my mind to it – here are 10 things that have changed here in the last 10 years. Not all good – but mostly things have changed for the better.

Helsinki: Best places to get some work done (Part 1)

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Freelancers, students, visitors who need to get down to business: this post is for you. I enjoy my home office but on days where I really need to get things done it’s the safer option for me to be away from my sofa and fridge. Here’s my part one of the best cafés and workplaces in Helsinki. Criteria? Mainly coffee and wifi.

City Escape: a day hike in Porkkalanniemi

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Little getaways from the city, especially in the summertime for day hikes and exploring the areas closeby Helsinki, are my favourite thing to do! I had seen so much of Porkkalanniemi on social media, and I’m not sure why it took me this long to get there. I knew it looked nice, but it totally exceeded my expectations! Magnificent views, rocky shores – actually reminding me a lot of the Åland Islands where I had been recently. Porkkalanniemi is now my favourite spot for a day hike, and let me show you why.

Working from home: tips for a productive home office

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While I split my working days between my home office and co-working space Sofia Future Farm, the next weeks will be exclusively home days. We live in extraordinary times, and this means some changes for everyone. Maybe you are used to working from home, or you’re in a totally new situation where you’re put on home office duty in times of Covid-19 – maybe there’s a tip or two here that help you along this ride. Working from home certainly has its perks, but sometimes it’s a struggle to really be productive. Mention your own tips in the comments!

How is life in Finland as a woman?

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A couple of weeks ago, I was interviewed by a German video programme about how it is to live in Finland as a woman, and how society is different here compared to other countries – with the new female government being the inspiration for the piece. While I consciously decide not to really share any specific political views, this is a discussion that is more a societal than a political one to me, and there have been instances where I thought about the implications of what it means to be a women in Finland in 2020, compared to home country Luxembourg, or Germany, where I studied.