Coed saunas exist in Finland, or so I’ve heard, but the general consensus is that they’re creepy. How are you?”. It’s the best decision I’ve made. Frantically, I rummaged through the shelf that held our coffee mugs and sippy cups. (1 liter), Boneless chicken breast I mention that I’m American and somehow that makes sense to her. They chat. This wasn’t my choice; I assumed I would live there for the rest of my life. The United States isn’t even in the top ten when you rank actual coffee consumption per person. People in Finland enjoy universal healthcare and a successful school system , both of which contribute to a higher standard of living for all. Dear America: If you love kids, let your schools show your affection, rank actual coffee consumption per person, Meet Rebecca Soni: Olympic gold medalist swimmer, When inspiration calls: Go to where it leads, Finland just equalized family leave, with 7 months for each parent. I descended the stairs first and submerged my whole body into the sea, except for my head. If you lived in Indiana instead of Finland, you would: The statistics used to build this comparison are calculated using data from users just like you. Nope. A few moments later, my American buddy timidly opened the door to the sauna and located a spot on the lowest bench, still gripping his towel as if his life (or manhood) depended on it. (1 kg), Gasoline In the United States, if I ask someone how he or she is doing, that person knows that I’m most likely being polite and I’ll be met with the standard answer (“Good, thanks”). The percentage of adults living with HIV/AIDS in Finland is 0.10% while in The United States it is 0.60%. I’ve learned from my colleagues to adopt the Finnish way of taking breaks to drink coffee — from actual mugs. Very wrong. Finland came in first in the World Happiness Report from Gallup for the second year running. The average Finn drinks twice as much coffee as the average American. She thanks me for asking and goes on to explain how she’s not sleeping very well. In the land of 3.3 million saunas, it is inevitable that you will eventually find yourself naked with people you don’t know. I explained that Finns go naked — but men and women have separate saunas. I assumed my friend would show his face a few moments later, but he never came. She stammers, looks down and then, mumbles, “Uh, I’m okay.” I wonder if I just offended her by my warm greeting? I nod without saying anything, caught off guard by her honesty. And before asking this question, you need to ask yourself if you can handle the truth. The average Finn drinks twice as much coffee as the average American. She smiles faintly and under her breath, she mutters “Oh, that explains it.” In that moment, she surely has forgiven me for asking “How are you?” without caring. In many ways life in Norway and life in USA are pretty similar. For more information on how we use cookies consult our revised, Attention travel industry: The Black Travel Alliance is just getting started, How group travel can actually be good for your mental health, The Hunt for Beyondland: The Great American Family Road Trip, Everything you need to know about having sex while social distancing. In Finland, I’m navigating across a different cultural landscape and I’m watching several of my American habits slip away. I was convinced that my American friend would fall in love with the Finnish sauna culture, savoring the searing heat and the refreshing dip in chilly seawater. At one dinner party, I’m reaching for a slice of rye bread and to be polite, I ask a middle-aged friend of my wife’s family how she’s doing. We eat lunch at our desks, catching up on emails. (8 km), Utilities for two Living in Finland is an incredible experience for a number of reasons, including the culture, the cuisine, the seasons, and the landscapes. When I emerged from the sauna, my friend was changing into his clothes. Finnish friends have taught me to avoid putting my head under so that I won’t suffer permanent brain damage. US Expat Taxes for Americans Living in Finland – What You Need to Know. (0.33 liter), Bottle of water I shouted gruffly to my wife, “Why don’t we have one decent thermos in this house! Of the top five locations this year, four are Nordic countries . Please enter price information for your location (India) to help assist us in making these comparisons more accurate. After I had grabbed my towel from the railing at the top of the steps, my friend — true to form — climbed down the stairs so that the water was up to his knees and, immediately, he bolted back up the steps where he quickly snatched his towel. This time I leave out “How are you?” and surprisingly, she looks more comfortable. They sit down. This happens even when things are not going well at all for that individual. This includes personalizing content and advertising. This was when I started to wonder if I had ruined my friend’s trip to Finland. Arrgh, this will spill all over me in the subway, I thought. This entry gives an estimate of the percentage of adults (aged 15-49) living with HIV/AIDS. Like you, many of my habits have been shaped by my culture of origin. But I was wrong. I just didn’t know how until recently. Family stuck on screens? Before moving to Finland, I averaged about one cup each day in Boston; now I’m up to four cups. (65 m2 apartment). Since we had already agreed to swim in the sea, I followed him out of the sauna and outside onto the deck where there were stairs leading into the water. Clutching his towel around his waist, he growled “no way” indignantly. Both are wealthy democracies, after all, and from a distance, a lot of things are very similar. (500 grams), Milk And Europeans don’t take coffee to go!”, Search for a topic, destination or article, We use cookies to understand how you use our site and to improve your experience. MyLifeElsewhere is a collaborative project. I ditched my towel in the changing room and walked back into the steamy sauna. Not only that, but she’s convinced that she needs to take medication for her sleeping disorder, but she won’t be able to get medication for some time. I start with the traditional American pleasantry, “Hi. (1 kg), Oranges Given our on-the-go obsession with coffee, one might suspect that Americans would far outpace Finns in coffee consumption. (1 kg), Potatoes ?”, Johanna—without the slightest hesitation—snapped back, “Because we live in Europe. Consumer Prices in Iceland are 26.45% higher than in United States: Consumer Prices Including Rent in Iceland are 16.51% higher than in United States: Rent Prices in Iceland are 2.57% lower than in United States: Restaurant Prices in Iceland are 43.34% higher than in United States: Groceries Prices in Iceland are 17.91% higher than in United States Everywhere I go in Helsinki I’m offered coffee. We provide several metrics to compare the cost of living including cost of groceries, transportation, and more. And it’s hard to say no. But a couple of weeks ago, I had an American relapse. By logging in or registering, you agree to our. And the most surprising thing is that I rarely take coffee to go. 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Here’s how to help. And of course, we drink coffee on the run. On another occasion, I’m at Hesburger — the Finnish fast food equivalent of McDonald’s — and I step up to place an order. Without saying a word to each other, we headed back inside. We average the price of thousands of data points entered by users across the world. About 20 minutes later, I stroll up to the counter again and order an ice cream sundae with caramel sauce. Hawaii is finally open to US tourists without quarantine restrictions, but entry requirements vary by island, Download the In Finland, “How are you?” is a dangerous question — because you may actually get a truthful response. And not care whatsoever. (Keep in mind that it’s November, so the sea hasn’t frozen over yet in Helsinki, but it’s getting close). I needed to rush out of our apartment, and I didn’t have time to sit down for a cup of coffee. If someone dares to share that he or she is just “okay” or “fine”, I know that this person is going through a major crisis and I should probably back off. I had a feeling that moving to Finland would change me. The fact that Finland is leading the world in coffee drinking, behind the Netherlands, doesn’t … In America, we like things on-the-go. I didn’t realize that I had reached this level of Finnishness until last month. The jaw of the young Finnish woman behind the counter drops. A YEAR AGO, I moved to Helsinki with my Finnish wife Johanna and our one-year-old son. (0.33 liter), Local cheese (1 kg), Onions Apparently, he had just taken a long, hot shower in his bathing suit and he was ready to put this sauna experience behind him. mobile app. This provides a comparison of the average cost of living from cities within Finland and United States. I moved to Mexico for a better life during COVID-19. 100 people in Finland and 17,000 people in The United States die from AIDS each year. These sacred Native lands in the US are seriously threatened. In Finland, people slow down when they drink coffee. Too much information, I’m thinking. There are an estimated several thousand Americans living in Finland. The fact that Finland is leading the world in coffee drinking, behind the Netherlands, doesn’t surprise me at all. I found a spot on the top platform — along with another naked man. I knew exactly what this situation called for. Signing in allows you to ask questions in our community, contribute to our cost of living database, and more. (1 liter), New Volkswagen Golf 1.4 (standard edition), Taxi trip in downtown area 07/03/2017. They sip leisurely. Before entering the sauna via the changing room, I smiled and quipped to my friend, “This is where we leave the towels, man.” My friend was not amused.

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