Stinkyspider

Hey everyone - me and my family have recently moved ( 3 months ago) from Hampshire to Helsinki and i am so so so homesick.
Does this feeling pass as i'm already planning a route back and this won't be easy as we sold our house!
Also My partner loves it here and is in high spirits my two children are only age 6 and 2 and seem to like the adventure of it all but know we will never really fit in with the Fins. My partner is from a baltic country and as i found out this is how he felt in the U.K.
i know i need to give it more time but i'm just crying everywhere at the moment especially the supermarkets as i can't find the things i'm used to like birthday cakes and the safe calming feeling of m&s!
Any words and experiences of comfort welcome with open arms!

dmu

Hi, and welcome to the Forum! Post again in the dedicated "Scandinavia" forum above, your post might attract more response there.....
Sorry I can't help more than suggest asking at the Town Hall whether there are "English Clubs" that you could join, but with two young children, you obviously won't have much free time for yourself..... On the other hand, give a thought to your children's future and get them playing with their new-found schoolfriends/neighbours to learn Finnish, while you continue to speak English to them. You'll make friends with the other Mums at the school gates and birthday parties, and I imagine that most Finns speak English (like the Scandinavians and Dutch, they're obliged to, as not many people bother to learn their languages....). I admit that this doesn't help concerning yearnings for all things British, but you'll gradually get used to doing without! (You can buy British food and M&S on-line, but Brexit has made it complicated....)
We all went through this stage - Good luck!

Finknottle

I know it's hard at the beginning but you need to to try and wean yourself off British things and get used to the local alternatives (& there will be alternatives*) - in fact doing so can be both fun and rewarding, particularly if you find an alternative that turns out to be better!

Good luck!

* I grant you an exception in the case of Marmite!

dmu

I agree about Marmite! Luckily I can get it in my rural French supermarket - at a price....

Jon-Bxl

Hi

I found these online shops...

I've never tried it, but if not a google search could find others. Im sure they have found ways around customs regs. I picked 2 one has a UK site the other an EU

Or try searching for online Irish shop - we have lots of similar products

https://www.britishcornershop.co.uk/

https://www.british-shopping.eu/home

Its silly to stereotype but the Finns seem initially quite reserved/distant.... But once you get to know them they are very friendly.... They'll even get naked with friends in the sauna

Good luck and ...... Tervetuloa Suomeen

Jon