Almost 200,000 lakes, saunas, and arts festivals highlight Finland’s unique culture. If you enjoy skiing, hiking, and sailing, and appreciate a balanced mix of life in modern cities and small towns, you should immerse yourself in one of Europe’s most mysterious countries. At first, Finns may seem shy and reserved, but they will open up as they get to know you. Finns focus on common sense, avoid unnecessary stress, and let things take their natural course. Enjoy 24-hour sunlight in summer and round-the-clock darkness during the Arctic winter.

Teenagers in Finland are given a lot of independence and opportunities to spend time outdoors, even in winter. Finland’s active culture includes cycling, canoeing, skiing, soccer, and pesäpallo (Finnish baseball). Your Finnish friends will almost certainly participate in high school dance classes featuring both modern and traditional music, known as vanhojen tanssit.

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Host family and community

Family is very important to Finns, and each family member participates in household responsibilities.

School

Finland has one of the best education systems in the world, so you can expect classes to be both challenging and engaging. You will attend a public upper secondary school (lukio), where the academic year is divided into five or six semesters from mid-August to the end of May. Finnish, Swedish, foreign languages, mathematics, sciences, psychology, visual arts, music, history, and geography are subjects you will study intensively each semester. Relationships with teachers are not very formal; you will be able to address them by their first names.

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Language

Finnish is the national language of Finland. Swedish is also an official language, and both are spoken in bilingual regions. Basic knowledge of English can be helpful. AFS will assist you in finding language courses during the first months of the program and will provide all necessary materials for learning the language. It is recommended that you try to learn at least a little Finnish on your own before your exchange year.

Food

In Finland, meals are not as central to daily life as in some other countries. On weekdays, you will often prepare and eat your food by yourself. On weekends, most families have lunch together and discuss what happened during the week. Meals are simple but nutritious, typically including meat, fish, potatoes, pasta, bread, and other staples. Coffee is a favorite drink among Finns, even teenagers, and it is often enjoyed with a sweet wheat bread called pulla.

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Explore the Programs Available in Finland