An Expat Talks about Living in Jarvenpaa, Finland

What is the name of the city or town that you are reporting on?

Jarvenpaa

Describe how you "dreamed" expat life would be before you moved overseas. Please provide as much detail as possible.

I thought that life would be straight forward, that people here would be friendly, no bureaucracy in the offices. I was hoping that everything would go smoothly with the integration to the society, that one could trust another person when they promised to do something. What did go right is that the country is clean, very beautiful and colourful during the summer and autumn.

How has your expat experience met the expectations you dreamed about before you moved abroad?

Nothing went as I thought, as I had hoped. Coming from London (lived there all my active life) where the shops stay open, they have the products that one wants (I'm vegetarian). Shops have only product that the shop keepers think that you need, not what you want. Some products are advertised but not available. I was hoping that all would be done with efficiency, but was I wrong. The country is dead during the July. The post is worst, post live the post office 17.00 local time Monday to Friday and on Friday hardly any post is delivered.

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How has your expat experience NOT met the expectations you dreamed about before you moved abroad?

I come across lots of slowness because of bureaucracy, not the variety of food products as in London. People here think because they have some certificate from some school that they know they subject, they do not understand what a lifelong experience means. Even neighbours are not so friendly when they know that one comes from abroad. Only the old generation is more open minded (friendlier), the younger generation is too set to the idea ‘I want , I want and I want it now’. In technology the country is almost 20 years behind, slow Internet, no DAB radio, trains have problem during the winter (although the winter is here every year), when snowing the roads are not kept open fast enough, no food shopping online, etc I could make a book.

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