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Great Places to Eat in Helsinki

Where to Eat in Helsinki

How to Survive Bastille Day

La Fête Nationale in Paris and Trying to Survive

Dog Sledding in Lapland

Living My Dreams and Going Dog Sledding

The Lux Festival

Lux: A Show of Lights in the Dark City

Finally Going Ice Swimming

Facing My Fears and Going Ice Swimming (And Freezing My Feet Off!)

Walking on Ice

Walking on Ice: Kinda Like Walking on Sunshine

Ukraine Travel Tips

Traveling in Ukraine: An Overwhelming and Incredible Experience

Tips for Traveling in Belarus

Traveling in Belarus: What You Should Know

Story Time: They Wouldn't Let Me In!

Almost Getting Denied Entry into Belarus

The Secret Tool Called Secret Flying

Shhhh... It's a Secret!

Great European Weekend Trips

Weekend Trips: The Best Cities For a Getaway

An Extrovert Thanks to Finland and Travel

Still an Introvert But Learning How to Extrovert

Dealing With Harassment

Traveling to Countries Where Harassment is Common and Still Enjoying the Experience

Traveling Overweight in Europe

Overweight in Europe: How to Enjoy Yourself and Keep Traveling

Hiking in Finland

The Great Outdoors ... With or Without Snow

Celebrating Finland 100

Enjoying All of the Celebrations of the 100th Anniversary of Finnish Independence

Finnish Parks

Why Parks in Finland Are So Amazing

Trying to Like Sauna in Finland

How to Survive Finnish Sauna: A Tale by a Sauna-Hater

Living in the Snow

Living in the Snow: The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly

Tips for Traveling in Moscow

Moscow: A Complicated City for Tourism With an Incredible History

Tips for Traveling in Morocco

How to Travel in Morocco and Have a Good Time

Fine Dining at the White Rabbit

The White Rabbit: One of the Best Restaurants in the World

Hammam in Morocco

Experiencing Hammam and Stepping Out of My Comfort Zone

Vacationing With A Finnish Family

The Finnish Countryside: The Perfect Getaway Vacation

The Joys of Christmas Markets

Christmas Markets: The Best Time to Travel

Dealing With the Language Barrier in Russia

How to Overcome a Difficult Language Barrier

Experiencing My First Culture Shock

Culture Shock: Why I Chose to Embrace It and Value It

All This Thanks To Italy

Italy: Where My Love of Travel Began

My Favorite Travel Photos

The Photos of My Travels That I Love

Moving Home to California

Readjusting to Life in the US

What I Have Learned Since Moving to Finland

Living in Finland: 5 Lessons That I Have Learned

Finally Growing Up

Growing Up Through Travel: Why I Finally Feel Like an Adult

How Travel Made Me a Strong Independent Woman

Becoming A Strong Independent Woman Thanks to Travel and Changing for the Better

The Wonders of Travel Blogging

How Travel Blogging Inspired Me

Drinking in Finland

Drinking in Finland: How Finns Handle Their Alcohol

Alcohol Laws in Finland

Figuring Out the Strict Laws for Buying Alcohol in Finland

Why I Love Finnish Sunsets

Finnish Sunsets: The Brilliantly Bright Side of Early Sunsets

The Struggle of Living in the Dark in Finland

Winter in Finland: When You Don't See the Sun for Months

Traveling With Germaphobia

Traveling as a Germaphobe: Some Tips on Enjoying Your Adventure

Drinking While Traveling

Drinking and Traveling as a Solo Female Traveler: Why I Avoid It

What to See in Etretat

Etretat: An Impressionist's Dream

The Ferry to Estonia and Finnish Drinking

Party Boat in Finland: A Booze Cruise and a Beer Run

What to See and Do in San Francisco

San Francisco: Every European's Favorite West-Coast City

Safety in Finland

Is Finland as Safe as They Say It Is?

One of the main reasons why I moved to Finland is because it is known for being a relatively safe country. There are very few instances of violence, and as a woman, I can walk home at any time and not be harassed. And I love that about Finland. But it is interesting to compare my ideas of safety to the ideas of the Finns. So here is the truth about safety in Finland.

No Harassment

As a woman, there is no major harassment that you would experience in other countries. You can walk around and people won't follow you. Men don't catcall. And women are relatively free. This might just be Finnish nature to not draw attention to yourself or its because people actually respect each other here. No matter what it is, I have really enjoyed this as a woman. Sure there will always be some people that act up, but they are relatively few here compared to other countries where it is the norm.

The Bad Parts of Town

After living in Paris and growing up near San Francisco, I really don't consider to have any bad parts of town. I feel safe wherever I go here. Even in the creepiest places, I still feel 80% safer than I would in Paris or San Francisco. But what is funny is that many Finns avoid certain parts of town because it is known to be the bad part of town. Sure there are some people that drank too much and throw beer bottles at walls. Or there are people on drugs. But generally they stick to themselves and their friends group rather than interact with strangers. So you can easily stay safe without much effort in these parts of town. Even walking through the train station late at night is relatively safe compared to walking through a train station in Paris during the day. So maybe it's just my experiences, but I feel safe in Finland. 

Just the Drunks

The only people that are concerning are the drunks or the drug addicts. But usually they keep to themselves. They are the ones most likely to harass you, but they are usually too drunk to keep it up for long. They are also what make the "bad parts of town" so sketchy. But generally they just hang out with themselves. Sure they might accidentally bump into you, sure some may ask you for money, and sure they are always loud. But in Helsinki, that is as bad as it gets. So I will gladly take the Finnish safety. 

What to See in Chernobyl

Chernobyl: The Creepiest Ghost Town Ever

The Truth About Finnish Food

Figuring Out Finnish Food: Is it as Bad as They Say it is?