Let Me Finnish: Living International in Finland

This week, we’re joined by Simon Granroth, politician in the Helsinki municipal elections with the RKP, the Swedish People’s Party. His website and all his social media can be found at http://www.simongranroth.com.

Stories Mentioned:

All Points North interview with Finns Party Leader https://areena.yle.fi/audio/1-50717429

Brain Waste in Finland: https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/brain_waste_squanders_potential_and_talent_in_finland/11779404

COVID amongst Foreign Language Speakers: https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/ministry_nearly_a_third_of_new_covid_cases_among_foreign_language_speakers/11843436

Finland as the happiest country: https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finland_ranks_as_worlds_happiest_country_again_despite_corona_crisis/11845734

Finns Party Lead: https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/politics/18898-hs-finns-party-holds-one-point-lead-over-social-democrats.html

Warm Weather!!!: https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/news-in-brief/18900-temperature-could-exceed-10-next-week.html

Give us a visit at www.LetMeFinnish.com for transcripts. Check out our Instagram and Twitter @LetMeFinnishPod

This episode discusses the Swedish Speaking Finns, otherwise known as Finnsvensks, and how they got their reputations as the most privileged minorities in the world. Resources for this story and the weekly roundup can be found below.

https://sfp.fi/en/frontpage/

https://www.foreigner.fi/articulo/lifestyle/who-are-the-finnish-swedes/20181220172445000965.html

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Finland_under_Swedish_rule#Finland_as_part_of_the_Kingdom_of_Sweden

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Languages_of_Finland (Sorry for Wikipedia!)

Weekly Roundup

https://www.nbcnews.com/news/world/fly-you-moon-japanese-billionaire-seeks-8-people-space-voyage-n1259429

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/yle_poll_sdp_support_drops_as_race_at_the_top_intensifies/11820104

https://areena.yle.fi/audio/1-4355773

https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/18791-avi-for-southern-finland-stands-by-decision-gyms-can-take-in-10-people.html

In this episode, we discuss Finnish saunas. Please follow us on Instagram or twitter @LetMeFinnishPod and check out our website at LetMeFinnish.com

Information provided by:

finland.fi

sauna.fi

Women in Management Positions:

https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/news-in-brief/18765-record-number-of-women-in-management-roles-in-finland.html

More doggos than people registered in Finland:

https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/news-in-brief/18742-finland-registered-more-dogs-than-children-last-year.html

New Coronavirus Restrictions:

https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11212596

This week’s episode features a candidate for Helsinki City Council, Arvind Ramachandran. Listen in for discussions on his goals as a candidate and member of the city council. If you’d like, please follow us on Instagram @LetMeFinnish and visit our website at letmefinnish.com

More information about Arvind and Elections systems:

Arvind’s Website and the Left Alliance:

https://arvindramachandran.com/

https://vasemmisto.fi/frontpage/

Elections Website:

Vaalit.fi

Weekly Roundup Stories:

Spanish Protests

https://yle.fi/uutiset/tuoreimmat

Election Postponing

https://www.hs.fi/politiikka/art-2000007808783.html

Stricter Restrictions in Uusimaa

https://yle.fi/uutiset/3-11794915

In this week's episode, we are joined by Assi Askala, who is running for Turku's City Council with the Greens. We discuss some pertinent issues in Finland, and ways to get involved in Finland's political system.

About Voting and Elections:

https://www.eduskunta.fi/EN/naineduskuntatoimii/kirjasto/aineistot/yhteiskunta/Kansalaisvaikuttamisen_tietopaketti/Pages/Vaalit-ja-aanestaminen.aspx

https://www.infofinland.fi/en/information-about-finland/finnish-society/elections-in-finland

https://www.finnwards.com/living-in-finland/finnish-municipal-elections-2021-how-to-become-a-candidate/

Weekly Roundup Sources: 

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/mondays_papers_distance_learning_infection_surge_in_turku_christmas_rush/11695684

https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/finland/finland-news/domestic/18418-finnish-capital-region-extends-coronavirus-restrictions-until-10-january.html

https://www.helsinkitimes.fi/business/18421-stockmann-to-sell-and-lease-back-iconic-department-store-in-central-helsinki.html

If you are a foreigner in Finland and an EU citizen, you can vote in Municipal Elections after just 51 days of living here. If you are from outside the EU, you can vote after having a permanent address here for 2 years.  Ran Goren, who has been working on making this fact well known to the international community in Finland, joins this podcast to talk about what's at stake for internationals in the upcoming  April 2021 municipal elections.

Helsinki/Turku English Speaking Municipal Elections groups:

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Helsinki.Elections.2021

https://www.facebook.com/groups/Turku.Elections.2021

Information about Registering a Permanent Address:

https://dvv.fi/en/foreigner-registration

News Sources Used:

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/new_coronavirus_restrictions_and_recommendations_in_force_in_december/11673834

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/fridays_papers_avoiding_the_capital_more_focus_on_immigrants_country_buses/11668572

In this week's episode we tackle the Finnish Language and find out why on earth is it so different from other languages? 

Finding free masks in Helsinki: 

https://www.hel.fi/helsinki/coronavirus-en/information/face-mask/distribution-points

Weekly Roundup Articles:

https://www.ft.com/content/aa8319e3-c212-4f28-9dd7-121aa121ceed

https://www.hel.fi/uutiset/en/kaupunginkanslia/helsinki-metropolitan-area-declares-active-covid-19-spreading-phase

Finnish Language Sources:

https://journal.fi/tt/article/view/57138/19187

https://medium.com/finland-stories/how-finnish-rose-from-the-language-of-peasants-to-that-of-the-nation-d8986ed049f4

https://www.britannica.com/event/Fennoman-movement

https://herfinland.com/finnish-language-basics/

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Proto-Uralic_language

https://www.britannica.com/topic/Finnish-language

In this episode, we give you a brief rundown of SOTE, the Finnish Health and Welfare reform debate that has been going on for over a decade. We talk about what it is how it can affect international people in the country. For this week's weekly headline roundup, we talk about the US Election and Finnish politician's reactions, unsolicited D-Pics, holidays in Finland during COVID times, and how much YouTubers make in Finland.

SOTE Resources referenced:

https://thl.fi/en/web/social-welfare-and-health-care-reform

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/yle_news_explains_what_is_sote/9516700

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finland_launches_new_health_and_social_care_reform_drive/11592641

https://www.kela.fi/web/en/from-other-countries-to-finland-medical-care

News Articles Referenced:

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finlands_top-earning_youtuber_pulls_in_more_than_230k/11630135

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/finnish_leaders_congratulate_biden_and_harris/11636910

https://yle.fi/uutiset/osasto/news/haavisto_under_biden_us_can_lead_fight_against_pandemic_climate_crisis/11636588

https://www.vice.com/en/article/93w9e8/finland-is-trying-to-outlaw-unsolicited-dick-pics

Hey, everyone. Welcome to Let Me Finnish, the podcast where our sauna stays lit. Let Me Finnish is your English speaking source for all things Finland. Here at Let Me Finnish. We will talk current events, politics, life, and give the scoop on what it's like living international in Finland. I want to be factual, funny, and Finland focused.

Give us a listen anywhere you find your podcasts. Follow us on Instagram or Twitter @LetMeFinishPod and check out our website at letmefinnish.com.  Now before I continue, please let me Finnish.