Helsinki, a magical city

If I'm honest, I don't know where to start. I spent five months in this city and all I can say is that during this time I fell more and more in love with it. There's something magical about it, something that enchanted me and made me smile. As well as having met some amazing people, I've visited places which I never though I would.

I think if I'm going to give you concrete information, I should take it step by step:

Architecture and countryside

Amazing. The seasons there are amazing. The oranges and browns of the autumn turn into the greys and whites in the wintertime within a week. I think the colours there are so rich that not even the human eye can perceive and accept them with clarity. There are thousands of beautiful corner in the city, as there are throughout the country, wonderful countryside, and indescribable buildings. You'd never find anything like this in the area of Alicante which I come from.

Climate

Yes, it's cold in the winter. While I was there it was the coldest it had been in a hundred years (for a few weeks, the temperature was minus twenty degrees). However, it's not the end of the world and we managed it (and I say this coming from somewhere where the weather is normally very hot! ). If you don't mind the snow, you'll be able to enjoy the countryside even in the wintertime.

Culture and traditions

The Finnish have a lot of traditions which differ to Spanish ones. Maybe this is why I like this country so much. However, I also love learning about and seeing new things (like, for example, going to the supermarket and discovering salads in flower pots! ).

Leisure, free time and partying

Partying is expensive, very expensive. As an Erasmus student however, you look for the cheapest deals to save as much as possible. Some tips for this are drinking cheap beer, looking for the cheapest bars and the best offers and going to every ESN-organised party (Erasmus Student Network) to make the most of their deals. In Helsinki, there's also thousands of things to see and do, and since it's the capital, you have access to loads of different kinds of transport to travel around the country or beyond its borders. I always loved just wandering through the city, too, as it was always full of people and buzzing with atmosphere - there are also museums, gyms, shopping centres, cinemas (with films in their original languages) and thousands of other things which only a capital city like Helsinki can offer.

Cuisine

I've never seen such a wide variety of bread, yoghurt, cheese... going to the supermarket is in itself an amazing experience as there is just so much to choose from... and you want to buy everything! On the other hand, Finnish cuisine is great. Reindeer is delicious (or at least I think so), and they serve potatoes with everything (my favourite food). Finnish bread and milk are both also really different to in Spain, in fact, they're probably better. In general, you can find everything you want here.

Prices

Living in Helsinki is very expensive. Going food shopping is expensive (I've spent 20 euros on ten items before, and that's in Lidl, the cheapest supermarket). Going out is expensive, eating out is relatively expensive (unless you search well, as there are cheaper places), flats are expensive, beer is expensive and living in general is expensive. I knew it would be like this before I came though; I was told that Helsinki was one of the most expensive cities in the world.

Transport

Ten out of ten (though at the moment while snow's covering everything, there are a few problems). There are trams, buses, trains, and metros for getting around. Students only pay 20 euros a month for their travel card and can travel around the city for free using this.

I hope I've given you a good summary of what life in Helsinki is like, and some good information. Without further ado, I'll bid you goodbye, as I'm off to try and learn some Finnish.

Moi moi!