Why I Decided to Move to Finland

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Why Finland?

My love for Finland came out of nowhere. Just one day I had this strong urge to go, maybe move there, possibly study there. And I can't pinpoint where this came from. Other than me being very into a Finnish band when I went through my emo-phase, then my metalhead-phase, I can't think of anything that caught my attention at a young age. But nevertheless, I one day decided that Finland was for me, and this is why:

A City by the Sea, Helsinki by Plane

It all started when Facebook advertised summer courses at the University of Helsinki. The advertisement is usually geared towards people's interests, so I guess my search history of the Dudesons (a Finnish stunt group) and traveling inspired Facebook to grace me with this advertisement. So me being me, read it, got inspired, and said, "why only take a summer class?" So then I went full throttle and researched a master's, because why not?

Green Everywhere in the City, Sibeliuspuisto

Well eventually that research became serious, and I really thought about what kind of country that I was living in. I knew that I wanted to be somewhere where I felt safe and could enjoy living in a big city, but also live in a small enough city where I felt like I could be connected to the outdoors or have enough non-polluted air. And then I researched facts about different countries. What really attracted me is that Finland was voted one of the safest countries in the world, the happiest people in the world (though the Finns don't believe that), and one of the best places to be a woman in the world. Safety, happiness, health, and equality were all very important to me, and most of the Nordics offered this.

Helsinki Cathedral

But there was something about Helsinki that just felt right. It's beautiful and unique. It's a city by the sea, a place I never thought I would live. It's peaceful and full of things to do. And it fit just right for my personality. Plus I can get by with English, which is a major plus. After spending a year in Finland, I have not regretted this decision once!