Are you going to Finland on Erasmus?

Are you off to Finland?

BEFORE STARTING YOUR TRIP you will have hundreds of questions. You'll be driven mad looking in forums, reading a lot but learning very little. And you've also been worn out by Youtube, with the amount of aurora borealis that you've watched. Here we will answer the questions that affect all of us before and after setting foot in Finland. Ask us whatever you like, we'll answer from the Pole.

1. As winter clothes are more important in Finland than in Spain... Would it be cheaper to buy it there?

No. Neither clothes nor anything else in cheaper than in Spain. If it fits it's a bit more expensive, so if you can buy a jacket at home, you'll pay the national price, even though you bought it in the skiing section. From April / May time you don't need a thick, heavy jacket. Layer up, use a winter jacket and accessories (hats and gloves), you will be fine. - Suggestion: Get a Decathlon card. We aren't being paid to say that, but they have good quality items at a decent price. After paying for a jacket and some ski boots with your membership card you may have enough points to get a little something for free (along the lines of one or two thermal tops or something similar, depending on how much money you've spent). Being Spanish, we love freebies.

2. How do the Finns dress?

What's for sure is that they don't look like the Michelin man, unlike foreigners. Their clothing is similar to any other winter location with snow, almost like a New York style, for example. It isn't cold inside, you can wear a top which you may wear on trams and buses. Often, according to the drivers, you may miss having a fan on these types of transport... Interestingly: the Finns dress very casually. The women almost always wear flat shoes, and jeans are the standout item. In the universities too, the lecturers dress informally (no jackets or ties) and in some classes the students even take off their shoes (not all though).

3. Six months, is 23KG enough?

It could seem very lightweight given the distance and amount of clothing that you pack. However, if you pack cleverly and pragmatically, you'll see that it is enough. If you do need more space what I recommend is: pay for a few more kilos on your flight there. Then, before your return flight, send what you need and/or what you've bought there by courier. You will save money when compared with what you would pay airline companies and it is cheap when compared to what you pay Spanish mail for the same amount. 10KG from Finland to Spain is about 38€. January, 3 P. M

4. Light, dusk at 3 in the afternoon? In January, yes it is. In February though, it's a bit later, and then successively lighter until, in July, it's almost the reverse, with many hours of light. The sun does not rise much though, in fact it's almost horizontal on the horizon during the morning until it sets late in the afternoon. It's a country of extremes. Beautiful, but certainly radical.

5. What is the Midnight Sun? You will see this during the summer months. The intensity will vary according to where you are, in the North or South. The sun rises and falls on the horizon, but it never sets. Watch it for yourself:

6. Aurora Borealis

All of these images and videos that you can see online are beautiful but keep in mind that the human eye is not the open lens of your camera. To the naked eye. the colours are less saturated than they are in the images. Just as beautiful, but measured; those of nature, and not of Photoshop. We'll leave here how we did it ourselves:

Photo gallery