(no subject)

[gothwalk]

We've been thinking about the possibility of moving to Finland in about four years time, when inannajones has her Masters and possibly one in European Studies as well. The plan would be for her to work there while I go to college, probably in Helsinki or Turku. Why go to Finland to go to college? Well, it's free. Not the pretend free like here, where it costs you 700 euros to register and similar crap, but actually free. And rents are so much lower it's actually scary, so our cost of living would be much lower - as in, less than half, if I'm calculating even nearly right.

I'd do a course taught in English or Swedish, most likely, and come out at the other end with nearly nine years work experience, a degree (probably geology, geography, or sociology), and four and a half languages (English, Irish, French, Swedish and some Finnish).

We're not setting plans in stone yet, but we are thinking about it, and I've sent mails to Finnish universities, asking what I need to do.

Comments

[loupblanc.livejournal.com]

I never had to take any but you should know that some universities ask you to take an entrance test before taking you in a degree course. Depending on the language in which the course is taught it may be a test in English or Finnish or even perhaps Swedish.

Ask about the entrance test if you ask for more information about a course.

[microgirl.livejournal.com]

Why Swedish and not Finnish?

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

Because Finnish is a very very difficult language to learn - it's not in the Indo-European group, which means that all its structures are very different, as is most of the vocabulary. Whereas I can almost read basic Swedish already, and say things like "Jag heter Drew, jag är en pojke." (That's with the benefit of "Swedish in Three Months", and a Finnish keyboard, admittedly. And ö is a bastard vowel.)

Re:

[microgirl.livejournal.com]

Yeah, but, y'know, Finnish would just be so cool for exactly those reasons!! :)

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

I'll be picking it up as I go, hopefully, but it's too tough to do a university level course in straight off. Maybe the Masters. :)

[dryad-wombat.livejournal.com]

Hello there :) -- I noticed you'd added me as a friend, and crept to your journal to say hello, and here you are poised on the brink of a thrilling move. Finland!!! I have not been there myself, but in the last few weeks I keep meeting people from Finland or who have spent time there, and I've been gathering travel brochures with breathtaking pictures of Scandi-wegian landscapes, and it really does look fabulously engaging.

And also, of course, when you are fluent (perhaps you are already? :) you can both read Tove Janssen's perfect Moomin books in the original. You lucky pair!

[dryad-wombat.livejournal.com]

:)

[gothwalk.livejournal.com]

Nina (inannajones) is fluent in Finnish, being a native. Tove Janssen's native language was Swedish, even though she lived in Finland. :)

We won't be moving there for some years, though - we're going up to inannajones' homeplace for Christmas. Which I'm really looking forward to.

[ex-aurealis993.livejournal.com]

Hi, found you by loupblanc's journal friends; I'm a native Finnish and recommend studying in Finland! I'm personally heading for The University of Turku for studies in geography in a few years. :)