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| Living in Finland: readers' perspectives | Living in Finland: readers' perspectives |
| (2 days later) | |
| 6 December marks Finland’s celebration of independence from Russia in 1917. Every year blue and white flags hang from shop windows and cakes are decorated in in celebration. When we asked Finnish people to tell us what it was like to live in Finland, we had a huge response – more than 1500 contributions. Here are some of their perspectives from snow babies to ice hockey and national service. | 6 December marks Finland’s celebration of independence from Russia in 1917. Every year blue and white flags hang from shop windows and cakes are decorated in in celebration. When we asked Finnish people to tell us what it was like to live in Finland, we had a huge response – more than 1500 contributions. Here are some of their perspectives from snow babies to ice hockey and national service. |
| Starting out | Starting out |
| Because of Finland’s extreme climate, it’s very important for newborn babies to get used to sub zero conditions quickly. Melissa Georgiou explains that when her son Milo was born, a snow suit was included in the ‘baby box,’ given to all new families by the government. This box contains everything a newborn baby needs, and the box itself can even be used as a crib. The idea behind the baby box is that despite any differences in the socio economic backgrounds of parents, every child should have the same start in life. Melissa also mentions that mothers are given a generous maternity pay of around 450 Euros per month while they stay at home, and the child benefit is also 100 Euros until the child is 16. To get used to the low temperatures, parents are often advised to leave the baby outside for their day naps, providing the temperature doesn’t drop lower than minus 10 °C. Melissa says ‘it’s a common sight to see prams parked outside cafes with babies sleeping, while the mothers are indoors having a coffee break.’ She feels that the government provided snow suit, the baby box and the daytime naps in fresh air, have given Milo a great start in life. | Because of Finland’s extreme climate, it’s very important for newborn babies to get used to sub zero conditions quickly. Melissa Georgiou explains that when her son Milo was born, a snow suit was included in the ‘baby box,’ given to all new families by the government. This box contains everything a newborn baby needs, and the box itself can even be used as a crib. The idea behind the baby box is that despite any differences in the socio economic backgrounds of parents, every child should have the same start in life. Melissa also mentions that mothers are given a generous maternity pay of around 450 Euros per month while they stay at home, and the child benefit is also 100 Euros until the child is 16. To get used to the low temperatures, parents are often advised to leave the baby outside for their day naps, providing the temperature doesn’t drop lower than minus 10 °C. Melissa says ‘it’s a common sight to see prams parked outside cafes with babies sleeping, while the mothers are indoors having a coffee break.’ She feels that the government provided snow suit, the baby box and the daytime naps in fresh air, have given Milo a great start in life. |
| Milo. Our Finnish/Australian snow bunny. | Milo. Our Finnish/Australian snow bunny. |
| This is our 8 month old boy Milo. He is having his first play in the snow while wearing his government issue 'baby box' snow suit. In Finland, people let their babies sleep outside (in the pram) in sub zero conditions. It helps them sleep better apparently. | This is our 8 month old boy Milo. He is having his first play in the snow while wearing his government issue 'baby box' snow suit. In Finland, people let their babies sleep outside (in the pram) in sub zero conditions. It helps them sleep better apparently. |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| melissa0 | melissa0 |
| 27 November 2014, 20:46 | 27 November 2014, 20:46 |
| Embracing the winter | Embracing the winter |
| With Finland being prone to heavy snowfalls each year, children are encouraged to make the most of the wintry weather from an early age. Eerika Roos-Kulviks’ youngest daughter, Isabel starting snowboarding at 17 months. Her oldest daughter Aida started out at a similar age, and now at six, she’s a really competent snowboarder. Eerika’s husband is also a keen ‘boarder,’ be it snow, surf or ice, and he was keen to introduce snowboarding to the girls, when they were very small. Eerika explains that while children in Finland have always been expected to ski when they turn 2 or 3, the trens is to now get them on the slopes even earlier. Finland has extremely long winters, and it makes sense that winter sports are so popular from an early age. It’s therefore no surprise that Finnish sports stars are most often based in winter sports, with snowboarders, skiers and ice hockey players all reaching the world’s elite in their respective categories. | |
| Baby snowboarder at Ruka | Baby snowboarder at Ruka |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| Eerika Roos-Kulvik | Eerika Roos-Kulvik |
| 13 November 2014, 19:36 | 13 November 2014, 19:36 |
| Hockey fun for all | Hockey fun for all |
| There’s been a perception in the past that, while both boys and girls are brought up to be good skaters, it’s the boys who’re expected to join ice hockey teams while girls go in for figure skating. Now that’s changing – a number of Finnish towns took part in the recent World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend in October, part of a worldwide initiative to encourage girls to get involved in ice hockey. Finland was well represented with towns all over the country hosting their own girls’ hockey events, with some ice hockey household names like Team Finland’s goal tender, Eveliina Suonpää, doing a lot of the coaching across the country. Anu Laitila shared this photo from the event in Helsinki for participants aged between six and eleven. The early sessions involved getting used to the hockey gear, before trying it out on the ice. It’s a worldwide problem that girls interested in ice hockey can’t find a female team, having to join a boys one instead, but the annual Girls’ Hockey Day is trying taking steps to change this in Finland. | There’s been a perception in the past that, while both boys and girls are brought up to be good skaters, it’s the boys who’re expected to join ice hockey teams while girls go in for figure skating. Now that’s changing – a number of Finnish towns took part in the recent World Girls’ Ice Hockey Weekend in October, part of a worldwide initiative to encourage girls to get involved in ice hockey. Finland was well represented with towns all over the country hosting their own girls’ hockey events, with some ice hockey household names like Team Finland’s goal tender, Eveliina Suonpää, doing a lot of the coaching across the country. Anu Laitila shared this photo from the event in Helsinki for participants aged between six and eleven. The early sessions involved getting used to the hockey gear, before trying it out on the ice. It’s a worldwide problem that girls interested in ice hockey can’t find a female team, having to join a boys one instead, but the annual Girls’ Hockey Day is trying taking steps to change this in Finland. |
| Also girls love ice hockey! | Also girls love ice hockey! |
| In Finland also girls play ice hockey! Picture taken from Girls Hockey Day in Helsinki 12.10.2014 | In Finland also girls play ice hockey! Picture taken from Girls Hockey Day in Helsinki 12.10.2014 |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| Anu Laitila | Anu Laitila |
| 15 November 2014, 16:03 | 15 November 2014, 16:03 |
| Ice is nice | Ice is nice |
| Another popular winter hobby in Finland is ice fishing. Teija Saastamoinen shared this photo of her daughter and fiancé in Sevettijarvi, one of the most northern villages in Finland, located about 1200 kilometres north from Helsinki inside the arctic circle. Fishing is one of the biggest industries in the village, along with reindeer farming. Traditional ice fishing is a popular social event for local people – and visiting tourists, interested in Sami culture. It’s often competitive and with prizes including top of the range fishing equipment and reindeer meat. Teija says her daughter has a rather more relaxed ice fishing style than her fiancé, as seen in the photo, but still managed to catch two graylings. Other fish that can be caught in this way are trout and arctic charr. | Another popular winter hobby in Finland is ice fishing. Teija Saastamoinen shared this photo of her daughter and fiancé in Sevettijarvi, one of the most northern villages in Finland, located about 1200 kilometres north from Helsinki inside the arctic circle. Fishing is one of the biggest industries in the village, along with reindeer farming. Traditional ice fishing is a popular social event for local people – and visiting tourists, interested in Sami culture. It’s often competitive and with prizes including top of the range fishing equipment and reindeer meat. Teija says her daughter has a rather more relaxed ice fishing style than her fiancé, as seen in the photo, but still managed to catch two graylings. Other fish that can be caught in this way are trout and arctic charr. |
| Ice fishing in Sevettijärvi, Lapland. | Ice fishing in Sevettijärvi, Lapland. |
| May, 2014. | May, 2014. |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| Teija Saastamoinen | Teija Saastamoinen |
| 17 November 2014, 17:31 | 17 November 2014, 17:31 |
| Midnight sun | Midnight sun |
| Midnight sun | Midnight sun |
| Midnight sun on the longest day of the year at a friend’s summer cottage at lake Asunta (Asuntajärvi) in Central Finland. Midsummer festivities also included bonfires, cookouts, a sauna and spending time together outside the cities’ reach. This was definitely the best time to return to Finland after living abroad for quite a while. | Midnight sun on the longest day of the year at a friend’s summer cottage at lake Asunta (Asuntajärvi) in Central Finland. Midsummer festivities also included bonfires, cookouts, a sauna and spending time together outside the cities’ reach. This was definitely the best time to return to Finland after living abroad for quite a while. |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| helinen | helinen |
| 19 November 2014, 9:21 | 19 November 2014, 9:21 |
| Midsummer night in Vikajoki, Lapland | Midsummer night in Vikajoki, Lapland |
| Silent moment in Vikajoki, Rovaniemi, Lapland. Video was taken at midnight in a small river called Vikajoki. | Silent moment in Vikajoki, Rovaniemi, Lapland. Video was taken at midnight in a small river called Vikajoki. |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| Jaakko Hakala | Jaakko Hakala |
| 28 November 2014, 6:53 | 28 November 2014, 6:53 |
| Impact of neighbours | Impact of neighbours |
| Finland was part of Kingdom of Sweden for more than 500 years | Finland was part of Kingdom of Sweden for more than 500 years |
| This photo shows how Finland really is a part of the scandinavian heritage and culture: Swedish is the second official language in Finland. All official texts, including all road signs are always written in both languages. Also Swedish language is compulsory for every student in the primary school. | This photo shows how Finland really is a part of the scandinavian heritage and culture: Swedish is the second official language in Finland. All official texts, including all road signs are always written in both languages. Also Swedish language is compulsory for every student in the primary school. |
| From the13th century to the year 1809 Finland was part of Kingdom of Sweden, that is more than 500 years. Swedish was the language for official correspondence. The commonly spoken Finnish language gained more status in 1548 when the Bible was translated into Finnish. Sweden lost Finland to Russia in a war in 1809. After the Russian revolution there was a bloody civil war in Finland. After that Finland became independent in 1917. The young nation was united during the Second World War: Finns fought united against attacking Soviet Union, managing to keep the independence. Finland was never occupied. | From the13th century to the year 1809 Finland was part of Kingdom of Sweden, that is more than 500 years. Swedish was the language for official correspondence. The commonly spoken Finnish language gained more status in 1548 when the Bible was translated into Finnish. Sweden lost Finland to Russia in a war in 1809. After the Russian revolution there was a bloody civil war in Finland. After that Finland became independent in 1917. The young nation was united during the Second World War: Finns fought united against attacking Soviet Union, managing to keep the independence. Finland was never occupied. |
| My family lost their home in 1940 and again in 1944 when Russia took the town of Viipuri, a city on the eastern border of Finland, established in 1293 by the Swedish monarchy. | My family lost their home in 1940 and again in 1944 when Russia took the town of Viipuri, a city on the eastern border of Finland, established in 1293 by the Swedish monarchy. |
| Many wars against Russia paint the Finnish history. But the slavic mentality of neighbouring Russian people does resonate with the Finns. I believe Finns in general do like Russians but have repetitive bad experiences of their rulers. | Many wars against Russia paint the Finnish history. But the slavic mentality of neighbouring Russian people does resonate with the Finns. I believe Finns in general do like Russians but have repetitive bad experiences of their rulers. |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| Timo Koho | Timo Koho |
| 22 November 2014, 14:47 | 22 November 2014, 14:47 |
| Military and security | Military and security |
| On Independence day a national military parade will be held in the city of Hämeenlinna in Southern Finland. Hannu Mononen offers an insight into the country’s national defence and security policies, and says that the Finnish system of compulsory national service is the most cost-effective way to defend a country that covers a land area of over 130,000 square miles (compared to the 94,000 square miles of the UK). Conscientious objectors are offered civilian service instead of the military. Finland has a small population, only 5.7 million, but their reserve force of 230 000 is one of the largest in Europe. Hannu maintains that unlike its neighbour Sweden, Finland simply couldn’t afford a professional army which is why they rely on their own defence force for Finnish military security. Finland’s relationship with Russia is of no concern to Hannu at present, he’s satisfied that Finland’s president, Sauli Niinistö is in good communication with Russian president, Vladimir Putin. Finland has parliamentary elections in April 2015, and while national security issues might well be on the agenda, Hannu is confident that there’s no majority desire in the country to become a member of NATO. | |
| Leopard A4 tanks charge in simulated combat | Leopard A4 tanks charge in simulated combat |
| Finnish Army Leopard A4 main battle tanks charging in simulated combat in Parola in June 2012, commemorating the 90-year anniversary of this arm in the Finnish Defense Forces. | Finnish Army Leopard A4 main battle tanks charging in simulated combat in Parola in June 2012, commemorating the 90-year anniversary of this arm in the Finnish Defense Forces. |
| Sent via GuardianWitness | Sent via GuardianWitness |
| By | By |
| FinnBloke | FinnBloke |
| 20 November 2014, 10:55 | 20 November 2014, 10:55 |