EFA

Expatriate Family Adjustment

Skii-ing Everyone who moves abroad will experience a period where the excitement wears off and the reality of everyday life must be dealt with socially and/or professionally. Homesickness and culture shock often appear at this stage. Some symptoms of the culture shock are:

- A lack of interest in people, events and surroundings
- Constant criticism and comparison of Finnish norms to your own cultural norms,
- Homesickness
- Refusal to learn the Finnish language

There are a few things people can do to alleviate homesickness and culture shock. Although many expatriates might stay for a few years, try to learn at least the basics of the Finnish language. It will help with help to understand the Finns.
It is very important to make new friends. Don't wait for others to call you but take the initiative yourself. Try to get involved in clubs or associations.
Search for professional help if the depressive feelings associated with culture shock become too overwhelming, and start limiting the daily life

If more information is needed please contact aaltje.bos@ouka.fi

Clubs/ associations
Cross-cultural awareness
Dictionaries
Enterprise
Expats
Family activities
Foreigners in Finland
Healthcare
History of Finland
Information guides
Literature
Metric measurements

National holidays
Nothern lights
Pension / retirement
Police
Politics
Religion
Repatriates
Sauna
Shopping in Finland
Season
Sport facilities
Useful places
Women

Clubs /associations:

http://www.expat-finland.com/connections/societies.html

Martta federation
http://www.martat.fi/in_english/

Contact address Oulu:
Pohjois-Pohjanmaan Marttapiiriliitto ry
Toiminnanjohtaja Tuija Biskop
Kajaaninkatu 36
90100 OULU
p.(08)311 5304
f.(08)311 6455

English Club of Oulu
www.finnish-britishsocieties.com/oulueckotisivu.htm

Società Dante Alighieri comitato di Oulu
oulu.ouka.fi/yhdistykset/dante/Dante_etuitaliano.htm

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Cross-cultural awareness:

Culture shock http://edweb.sdsu.edu/people/CGuanipa/cultshok.htm

Dictionaries

HyperDictionary
http://www.hyperdictionary.com/

English to Finnish
http://www.freedict.com/onldict/fin.html

http://efe.scape.net/index.php

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Enterprise

Ministry of Trade and Industry
http://www.ktm.fi/index.phtml?menu_id=1&lang=3

work for yourself
www.career-in-your-suitcase.com/WFY_Extract.htm

Business environment policy
http://www.ktm.fi/index.phtml?menu_id=2&lang=3

Doorstep selling
http://www.ktm.fi/index.phtml?menu_id=84&lang=3

Employment and enterprise services
www.te-keskus.fi/web/ktmyht.nsf/FrameSetENG?OpenFrameSet

How to set up a company in Oulu region
oulu.ouka.fi/ouluseutu/yrityspalvelut/howtosetup/index.htm

Invest in Finland
http://www.ktm.fi/index.phtml?menu_id=1&lang=3

Spouse employment centre
www.shellspouseemployment.com

Tekes
http://www.tekes.fi/eng

Importing and Exporting food
http://www.elintarvikevirasto.fi/english/

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Expats:

Expatriates

Helping families meet the challenge of moving abroad
http://www.expatica.com/xpat/xpatsite/hr.asp

Hr Village:
http://www.hrvillage.com/eureka/benefits/expatriate.htm

Family life abroad:
http://www.familylifeabroad.com/articles.html

British expat:
http://www.britishexpat.com/whatsnew.htm

Institute of migration:
http://www.migrationinstitute.fi/db/stat/eng/cat.php?
catid=5&catname=Immigration

International English:
http://www.iesaf.net/bb/viewtopic.php?t=4440&sid=
19eea5efcb848b8384b68aa948c81d34

Family activities:

http://www.oulutourism.fi/eng/

http://www.ouluthisweek.net/index.cgi?kieli=English&sivu=

Oulu Automobile museum
http://www.sahk.fi/fi/Alue_Oulu/oulunautomuseo-e.html

Zoo and flowerpark
http://www.kukka-jaelainpuistoescurial.fi/

Japan house
http://www.ranua.fi/?deptid=6512

Finland´s biggest villageshop
http://www.tuuri.fi/englanti.html

The Northern Ostrobothnia museum
http://oulu.ouka.fi/ppm/English/index.html

Science Centre
http://www.tietomaa.fi/tietomaa2000eng/index_eng.html

Amusement park
http://www.suomentivoli.fi/english/index.asp

The Nature Conservation Society http://www.sll.fi/yhdistykset/olsy/english.html

Hiking areas
http://www.metsa.fi/hiking/hikingareas/oulujarvi/index.htm

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Finnish food

National Food Agency Finland
http://www.elintarvikevirasto.fi/english/

http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=26062

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Foreigners in Finland

http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/foreign.html

European immigration and integration Finland
http://www.utu.fi/erill/instmigr/art/koivuk6.htm

foreigner´s life in Finland
http://www.kaapeli.fi/mamu/englis~1.htm

http://expat-finland.com

Healthcare:

Go to: Arrival >> Healthcare

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History of Finland

A web history of Finland
http://virtual.finland.fi/History/

Information guides:

Oulu polytechnic:
Survival Kit
http://www.otek.oamk.fi/survivalkit/to_the_reader/

Oulu University:
Guide for International exchange students:
http://www.oulu.fi/intl/guide.htm

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Literature:

The birth of Finnish literature
http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/kirjaeng.html

http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=27006

Metric measurements:

The electric current in Finland is 220 volts-50-watt

To convert Fahrenheit to Celsius: Subtract 32, multiply by 5 and divide by 9

Table of weights and measures
http://www.abcteach.com/Math/usmetr.htm

Online metric converter
http://www.sciencemadesimple.com/conversions.html

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National Holidays

http://oulu.ouka.fi/palvelut/services/holidays.htm

Northern lights

http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/aurora_borealis.html

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International Christian Fellowship:
http://www.church.fi/oulu/

Repatriates

http://www.nordben.com/files/ComingHome.pdf

Return ticket
http://www.returnticket.fi/index.php?id=3

Predeparture Education

Education for foreigners

http://www.oph.fi/info/maahanmuuttajat/english/index.html

www.tckworld.com - this web site claims to be the largest site devoted to the subject.

http://iss.edu/pages/kids.html - for International Schools Services.
http://www.suite101.com/article.cfm/4210/53241 - this site claims to have material on TCK's and expatriate living and is "real people helping real people."

Sauna

The Finnish Sauna
http://cankar.org/sauna/origins/culture_main.html

http://www.virtual.finland.fi/People/way_of_life.asp

The Finnish Sauna Society
http://www.sauna.fi/pages/today.htm

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Shopping in Finland

www.ouluninvalidienyhdistys.fi/ouluspec.htm

http://www.virtualtourist.com/travel/Europe/Finland/Oulu/Oulu-234012/Shopping-Oulu-BR-1.html

http://www.oulunkaupat.fi/listaus.php?valittu_kategoria=vapaa-aika%20/%20viihde&paikkakunta=kaikki

Food and essentials:
http://myy.helia.fi/~kanto/incoming_shopping.htm

Business hours:
http://www.ktm.fi/index.phtml?menu_id=85&lang=3

Bakery,( leipomoita) (Addresses can be found in the yellow pages.)

Drycleaners, (pesuloita)

Deli

Fabrics/textile (kangaskauppoja)
www.eurokangas.fi/english/

Opticians (silmälasiliikkeitä)

Spices, oriental food:

Supermarkets:

Spar http://www.spar.fi/index.cfm?id=661&lang=englanti
K city-market http://www.citymarket.fi/in_english.html

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Wine and beer: (Alko)

Alko shops http://www.alko.fi/shops

Garden equipment (Puutharha ja taimistoliikkeitä)

Hardware store (rautakappoja)

Hair dressers (Kampaamoja)(parturi-kampaamoja)

Keys and locks, ( lukkoliikkeitä) (avainlikkeittä)

Music stores (Musiikkikaupoja)

Upholstery (Verhoiluliikkeitä)

Sammaltie 51
Kajaaninkatu 9
Niskantie 2
Leppäluodontie 17

· Sportsequipment (urheiluliikkeitä)

Ski´s and skates can be rented at
Nallikari camping.
Nallikarintie
Hietasaari
90500 Oulu.
Phone-55861350
Open 14.00-20.00

Land of consumption
http://www.helsinki.fi/ml/maant/
kaumaa/URBIS/shopping_mall/f_in_f.html

National food agency Finland
http://www.elintarvikevirasto.fi/english

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Season

The seasons.
http://www.fmi.fi/weather/climate_4.html

http://virtual.finland.fi/netcomm/news/showarticle.asp?intNWSAID=25000#sea

Midsummer in Finland
http://virtual.finland.fi/finfo/english/juhannus.html

Finnish ice hockey association
www.finhockey.fi/w20_2004/in_english/

Oulun Kärpät hockey team
http://www.iihf.com/hockey/ECC/karpat06.htm

Frostbite
www.healthy.net/scr/article.asp?PageType=article&ID=1553

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Sports facilities:

Aibudo Ju Jitsu Club Finland
http://www.ajjc.com/engPages/mainEnglish.html

Chess:
http://www.saunalahti.fi/~pterasti/shakki-77/introduction.html

Climbing:
The international climbing club of Oulu:
http://www.rocknrope.cjb.net/

Fitness boxing team Oulu:
http://www.kuntonyrkkeily.net/engsummary.html

Football:
http://www.northernlights.fi/index2.html

Golf:
Golf-Northern Finland
www.finland-tourism.com/web/golf/
index.nsf/(pages)/NorthernFinland?OpenDocument

Golf Oulu.
http://golfpiste.com/kentat/esittely/?seura=7712&lang=en
Contact address:
Jukka Alatalo
Jukka.alatalo@ouka.fi

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Orienteering club:
www.suunnistus.net/pohjantahti/

Skiing:
Ski association of Oulu/Pohjois-pohjanmaan (PoPLi)Liikunta.ry
www.hiihtoliitto.fi/maastohiihto/in_english/
Contact address:
Iikka Kurttila
phone:08-5301 737 / 050 3087711
e-mail: ilkka.kurttila@popli.suomi.net

Tennis:
www.ovstennis.net/index.php?34

Yoga:
www.oulunjooga.net/

astanga yoga
www.astanga.fi/kesa/summer.htm

Outdoor sports
Suomenlatu
http://www.suomenlatu.fi/

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