I moved to Helsinki from Petrozavodsk, Karelia, to study law there and, of course, to experience life in a new setting! There I will share my thoughts and photos of daily life in Helsinki and Finland as a whole.

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29 Nov 2015

Supremacy of Finnish cows




It may be fun to learn Finnish from reading what it written on milk packages sometimes.
Milk from Finland
Because Finnish cows are the best in the world*
Assumption is not based on any sort of research, but only on our subjective view. We like Finnish cows. And we like you!


Small comment from me: according to milk producer`s design Finnish cows are the best because presumably they are flying (doesn`t seem to be a really good thing).

Joulutorttu

How to feel Christmas mood when it is +8 outside?
Bake joulutorttu - traditional Finnish pastry for pikkujoulut (Little Christmas parties) and Chirstmas itself!



25 Nov 2015

Happy Birthday, Faculty!

This year my university is celebrating 375-year-anniversary, and whereas first half of the year I was reading news about upcoming celebrations not being sure whether I will get engaged in them as well, now I can proudly say that "Opiskelen oikiksessa" (I study at the Faculty of Law).

But what to do if you cannot study for exam anymore?
Go and learn about studying, namely, about the history of Faculty of Law, new challenges of legal education and practice and certainly, about stories of great lawyers told by great lawyers! When embarking on amazing journey of passing 3 exams in 3 weeks (not a real challenge, probably, but still... a challenge!), you sometimes lack time to look at the law in broader framework and certainly an international student doesn`t have enough free time to learn more about Finnish history.

Just one thing I could regret about - the event was in Finnish, leaving so many international students out of the board.


Tarja Halonen giving speech.



24 Nov 2015


In Helsinki, I feel myself a sort of bad weather refugee - whereas others keep complaining about darkness and bad weather, I am happy that I am still not surrounded by tons of snow as it would happen were I in Petrozavodsk right now. But, well, I need to accept that a bit of snow looks really picturesque and with such a view from my window I will abstain from decorating any sort of Christmas tree this year!



20 Nov 2015

Recently, I was reading an article about my home town, listing the advantages of living in a small city compared with a capital, one of them being that you are saved from spending one hour of your life in underground every day. Well, for a Helsinki resident metro is a good chance to enjoy great views as well!


16 Nov 2015

Escaping darkness on the Finnish streets

.. and another way to fight autumn mood - take a walk along the brightly lit pedestrian bridges!

@Ratina bridge, Tampere
Photo by Vasilisa Paukova

13 Nov 2015

What to choose?

I recall that at the time when my interview at Her Campus (click to read) was published, my day were less hectic. Today I was being interviewed for the third time of my Helsinki life, feeling puzzled how to manage time between law studies, language studies (even though I am happy to be relieved from Finnish language studying related struggles - this all happened so many years before!), favourite hobbies (I often see dreams when I am dancing  - I miss my dance team back home), networking and just relaxing. And it is still taking into acount the fact that being Karelian, I don`t need to get adopted to challenges Nordic weather is providing us with every day. Actually, moving to Helsinki was a good way to escape first snow at the middle of November.

However, Helsinki offers so many ways to struggle with autumn worries. It starts from the Fazer cafe and shop just around the corner, continues with student events of all types being held every day, dozens of Christmas decorations which makes me get into more festive mood. Not to mention Christmas calendars  - in Russia, we are just starting to have those (and still linked to New Year`s eve date, as far as I remember). It is just pity that some of them, with surprise toys, are tied for children, not adults, as the surprises are pictured on the package sticker. I just wish there was a special edition for grown-up children as well!

 And a good advice for such a book warm as me - just escape to terrace at the 7th floor of Kaisatalo and enjoy the breath of fresh air. Good both in sunny and rainy days!


8 Nov 2015


Well, it is obvious that Christmas decoration hysteria in early November is mostly done for the benefit of trade. But still, what a great way to fight off autumn depression it is. This weekend Tampere welcomed me with dozen of christmas owls, setting festive mood in my mind! 

7 Nov 2015

Porthania valtaus




Speaking out worries and wishes is a custom there. In my home city, the action starts from collecting signatures whereas there it seems to start from actual communication. One may say that still public discussion doesn`t have that much weight and may be trapped in the financial difficulties or obstacles of the political will, but communication is the key point there. In conversation new ideas are born, networking is created, and I just regret a bit that I was running to the EU law lecture at the moment when I was given this leaflet. Well, my justification would be that to use mechanisms (including legal mechanisms) you need to try to get the academic grasp of them!