A good start

It’s finally here, I’m finally here! First impressions are important and, for me, my first impression of Finland was surprising – in a good way.

I expected Helsinki to be more big-city-like, many people on the streets, lots of cars, sort of noisy… But it was very different and very calm: people riding their bicycles, walking their dogs, chilling on the beach. It was a very nice ...  (continue reading)

Travel to Finland is a wonderful birthday gift

I noticed my wishes come true, when I don’t think about them all the time. A good example of this observation is how I received the final decision letter about participating in thisisFINLAND Foreign Correspondents’ Programme 2015 from the Embassy of Finland in Astana.

After sending in my application for the programme I was so busy with other things that I totally forgot about it. Eventually, ...  (continue reading)

Success stories over a cup of coffee

Ethiopia and Finland definitely are worlds apart, except for one thing: coffee. Ethiopia is the birthplace of coffee and Finland consumes a good amount of this delightful beverage.

My knowledge about Finland doesn’t go past several development indexes and annual reports in which the country seems to top almost all the time. Sectors such as education, health and freedom of press seem to be just ...  (continue reading)

A Karelian Rice Pie And a Cup of Coffee: FCP through the Years

The Finnish Ambassador’s residence in central London is, compared to its neighbours at least, rather an unassuming abode. Set in the middle of Kensington Palace Gardens, the hushed and cordoned avenue behind Prince William’s pad at the far end of Hyde Park, the house dates back to the 1850s and has been the home of Helsinki’s man in London since 1952.

At both ends of the street ...  (continue reading)

Excess of These Five Things Will Make You Totally ‘Finnish’

After almost three weeks of being back from the FCP, I was wondering how Finns are different from the people in rest of the world and came up with a checklist, ‘excess of things that make you Finnish’.

a) Coffee: I am almost a Finn by now in this sense. Go for an official meeting, conference, seminar, music concert, family dinner..whatever it might be coffee is a must. You have ...  (continue reading)