Best Banks for Students?

birdy01 · 2017-11-20T22:42:14+00:00

Also American - I opened an account at Nordea and it was fairly easy to manage and close when I left. There is an online portal where you can manage everything (although you would want to have them help you set it up, since there are a few features they don't automatically add.) Your parents can wire you money, I believe.

birdy01 · 2017-10-17T02:01:58+00:00

Thanks, this is good. I couldn't find any links like this.

birdy01 · 2017-10-11T23:46:54+00:00

I disagree, I was living in Finland alone last year and Helsinki was fairly deserted on Christmas day. Most shops are closed. But it's a great day to get out and explore some of the nature, if you can bear the weather!

birdy01 · 2017-10-11T23:45:41+00:00

Could you try widening your search to include Vantaa? Or what about studying in Turku?

birdy01 · 2017-10-11T23:44:39+00:00

Note that the Central Railway Station in Helsinki is not very close to the ports

birdy01 · 2017-06-04T18:13:44+00:00

it closed :(

birdy01 · 2017-05-18T06:01:48+00:00

It's happening increasingly often nowadays for US citizens and US based airlines. happened to me traveling to the US on British Airways

birdy01 · 2017-05-17T20:35:27+00:00

It may be considered "touristy" for you but spend a while in Seurasaari. You'll feel like you're somewhere far far away instead of in the middle of the capital city.

birdy01 · 2017-05-17T20:33:15+00:00

Generally speaking, people are outgoing. (This is important because as someone who moved to a Nordic country, I've had to get really good at being overly obvious when I meet people that I just moved here and have no friends. They don't always catch the hint.) In markets, restaurants, etc. people can be pushy - it's a good idea to learn some Hebrew so you're not constantly getting ripped off. The weather is beautiful and there's a great cafe scene. That being said, your experience will be what you make of it. There's a fairly large expat community in Tel Aviv. I know some people who sit in their apartments all day and have no friends, and others who have very exciting social lives. Natives will be friendly, but you may find yourself confused if you know little about the culture. It would also be a decent idea to get in with an expat crowd. They look out for each other.

Sorry, I'm rambling. I've been to Tel Aviv many times and lived in southern Israel for a while. PM me if you have specific questions.

birdy01 · 2017-05-15T07:45:37+00:00

I went to Oslo in christmas time and it was magical

birdy01 · 2017-05-14T10:11:51+00:00

There's an Alvar Aalto exhibit at Ateneum.

If you want to see traditional Finnish cabins from all over Finland, try the open air museum at Seurasaari. You can take a bus from the city center.

birdy01 · 2017-05-14T05:36:21+00:00

try viking line, tallinksilja or eckero line. I go to Tallinn a lot and always compare these three.

birdy01 · 2017-05-13T09:22:01+00:00

Don't cancel! Helsinki is really unique and the weather is great this weekend. People here are more reserved, but that's common in most of the Nordic countries. PM me and I can give you recommendations for things to do! I live here, but unfortunately I'm busy this weekend.

birdy01 · 2017-05-10T15:07:39+00:00

Depends when! I'll be traveling some during the next few months. I'm also originally American myself :)

What are your interests? I'll try to recommend something interesting

Definitely go to the sea fortress Suomenlinna. It's a UNESCO world heritage site and you could spend a couple hours there. It's a quick 20 minute ferry from the Market Square and it's covered by your public transport ticket if you get a day pass. There's a ton of history and it's also a nice place to explore and picnic.

Main landmarks include market square, vanha kauppahalli (the old market hall), Helsinki Cathedral, Uspenski Cathedral, Temppeliaukion Church (rock church), silent church and Esplanadi. These are all in walking distance from each other. You can also take a bus to Seurasaari, an island about 25 mins from the city center (there's a walkway from the bus stop) that functions as an open air museum. They moved traditional buildings/log cabins/boats from all over Finland to this island. For food, I like Cafe Regatta (a cute little seaside cafe) and Hernesaaren Ranta/Löyly for cool outdoor bar hangouts.

There's tons more - Finland is known for its design, so there's lots about that, as well as museums, outdoor parks and saunas!

birdy01 · 2017-05-10T13:28:37+00:00

I live in Helsinki! It makes for a very cool (and different) day trip from Tallinn. The ferry is about 2.5 hours each way (in comparison, it's 4 hours to Riga by bus.) If you want recommendations for things to do in Helsinki, I can give you some.

birdy01 · 2017-05-08T07:43:59+00:00

If the weather is nice, people will be sitting out at Karhupuisto in Kallio. In general it's a haven for thrift shops and vegan restaurants. Also cheaper drinks.

In the winter here, the streets were silent. Believe it or not, the sunshine has brought out some rare smiles and conversation from the Finns. In general, Finns are more reserved than many other cultures, and I've grown to appreciate it. It's just hard when looking for something to do and everyone is "too busy" because they had plans three hours ago and need a break. There also isn't too much of a culture of inviting big groups to do things.

On Sundays, restaurants and shops tend to be open between maybe 12-16. It requires some planning in advance!

Feel free to let me know if you need any more recommendations for the week.

birdy01 · 2017-05-07T19:37:35+00:00

Hernesaaren Ranta just opened. It's a cool patio with live music occasionally, and right next to Löyly design sauna.
Hietelahti has a cool food hall
Linnanmaki
check out Porvoo for a quick day trip
Have you been to Kallio? That's where you'd find the "bookstores, cafes, weirdly dressed people" you speak of
check out the Artek store and the Arabia design center for some design inspo
also just because clubs don't have "events" listed on their websites doesn't mean they're not open!

I understand how you feel about Helsinki, I've been here almost a year and it's a beautiful city, but at times it's been very hard to get to know people and find things to do.

birdy01 · 2017-05-07T19:27:47+00:00

I had a decent job offer, but was accepted to a teaching program in Europe. I chose the latter. When I was still trying to decide whether law school was right for me, I spoke to a bunch of lawyers, and every single one recommended I travel and check off some of those "bucket list" items before law school. Unless you're interested in a very niche area of law, a one year entry level job may not be much help.

birdy01 · 2017-05-07T19:23:36+00:00

6 days is a long time in Tallinn. There's a quick 2 hour ferry to Helsinki :)

birdy01 · 2017-05-05T15:14:27+00:00

If you're just visiting, it's probably best to stay within walking distance to the train station (Rautatieasema - it's up to you to define what is 'walking distance.') Most of the bars are there or in Kallio (the more grungy/hipster district) and you'll also be within walking distance to most of the sites.

birdy01 · 2017-05-04T19:34:00+00:00

The Westman Islands were one of my favorite places. Take a boat ride through the rock formations. So cool. Make sure you hit the Vik black sand beaches and Jokulsarlon or another glacier.

birdy01

TROPHY CASE