Angela arrived in Finland in October 2021. She was working as a helper in Hong Kong when she heard about the opportunity offered by the HSS to train and come to work in Finland. “Everyone knows Europe, but Finland on its northern edge is a country unknown to many at first,” says Angela. “HSS training provided an opportunity to learn a new language and profession that made it possible to set out to pursue your dreams in Finland.”
“My life changed completely when I came to Finland,” says Angela. “I get to do a job that requires professional skills, and I am valued in so many ways. It is also wonderful to use my skills and strengths in. I can influence my work, and my supervisor listens to my ideas.” Finnish co-workers also receive praise: “I am encouraged and advised – and sometimes we laugh together with all the employees” – Angela describes her work at rest home Mainiokoti Adante in Espoo, Finland.”
Angela works 7 to 8 hours a day and attends online training twice a week. There is also plenty of free time in Finland: “I go to the gym almost every day for group exercise classes, and I have also visited the sights of Helsinki”. A special warm memory is her winter visit to a cafe by the sea where she got to walk and sled on the ice and then enjoy hot chocolate, which was the best she had ever tasted!
Four seasons in Finland have provided experiences for Angela and her Filipino friends. “When I first saw the snow, I didn’t believe my eyes! I had been wondering what the snow looks and feels like since I was a child – and now I got actually to see and feel it”. Sauna is a fundamental part of Finnish culture, and Angela has also learned to enjoy the relaxing warmth of the sauna. The air is fresh, and the atmosphere is very calm – it is the total opposite of life in a hectic, polluted city.
Angela looks into the future with a positive mind. Finland is one of the safest countries in the world, and free education is also offered here. Angela dreams of a career as a local nurse, as she enjoys working in Finland and wants to stay here to work. “In Finland, I have felt welcome, and I know that the care industry will continue to offer jobs here.”