I recently moved from Berlin to Helsinki to join the Cru so I’d like to share some thoughts and observations on my experiences about living in Helsinki so far, as well as recommend some favorite restaurants in my new home town:

First of, it is great to be in a place where everyone speaks English. Germans (and Berliners in particular) speak better English that they are given credit for but you still come across people who do not speak English when dealing with banks, customer care, internet providers and local government.

The second thing that I really love is that Finland is basically a cash-free society. You can go for weeks without having to use cash since every place you visit has an electronic payment solution. You mostly insert or swipe your card, enter your 4 digit pin code and your purchase is completed. This is very different from Berlin where you have to make sure to carry cash, find an ATM that won’t charge you 3-4€ per transaction etc.

Dealing with the authorities to get a tax card, health insurance, and residency approval has all been a breeze. Similar to my home country of Sweden (and unlike Germany) pretty much everything has been computerized so once you get your “social security number” you can apply for everything online or over the phone. It was very easy and quick to get everything sorted and most letters and information from the government was provided in English as well.

Finding a place to live proved to be more expensive and difficult than in Berlin (but easier than Stockholm). For the first months I have stayed in a temporary apartment provided by a relocation agency. Thanks to a little help from friends and acquaintances I have now found my own place that I will move into shortly. Compared to both Stockholm and Berlin Helsinki is a lot more “compact” and easy to walk/bike around which I love – a 30 minute walk to the office is a great way to start the day.

Finally, here’s some tips – if you are in Helsinki and are feeling a bit hungry I have found two awesome places for eating out so far: La Patrona is a great place which serves really good Mexican food and Sävel has the best burgers in town.

Photos via Flickr/Creative Commons:
terrace by Visit Finland
Restaurant Day by tulenheimo
Helsinki city view by Ilpo Torn
Aleksanterinkatu shopping street by Milton CJ