Helsinki: Travel guide, prices and free housing · 2026

LLLiubov LopakovaDec 10, 2019Read

Barcelona, Paris, Stockholm, Helsinki, London, Reykjavik, Vienna, New York, Miami, Boston, Washington, Amsterdam, Brussels, San Francisco, Los Angeles - these are the major cities I have already visited, and you know what? I found my favorite! This is a case where a city truly deserves its massive global popularity. Los Angeles is a unique city. I'm serious. A huge metropolis with completely different neighborhoods. So, which one is the most memorable? Of course, it's Hollywood! This is where the most famous film studios were born, this is where the Oscars ceremony takes place at the Kodak Theatre, here is the Walk of Fame, and everything around is vibrant—just like in movies and video games. By the way, the first film ever made entirely in Hollywood was the 1910 short film 'In Old California'. In short, spend your money on experiences.

NTNadezhda TorsogoevaDec 16, 2018Read

America... A word that holds so many warm memories, hitting you from head to toe like a tsunami in moments of nostalgia. I am sure that for everyone, the Work and Travel trip became a turning point in their life. We became more responsible, hardworking, tolerant, mature, less squeamish, and most importantly, we learned to value time and not waste it. Tiring flights to NYC with a seven-hour layover in Helsinki, two days without sleep were definitely worth it to finally end up in the capital of the world! NYC, I love you – that's what I wanted to scream at that moment. Those huge skyscrapers majestically reaching into the sky, that yellow taxi honking from everywhere, those endless crowds of tourists curiously looking at the sights, those blinding lights of the sleepless Times Square. That is how NYC appeared to me. At some point, I felt like the heroine of a movie about a girl from a small Siberian town who ended up in the center of a crazy metropolis in search of adventure. By the way, she did manage to find those adventures) After wandering around NYC and spending the night at Starbucks, we headed to the bus station, where a bus picked us up to Lake George. It is a small town where Americans come to have a quiet, peaceful vacation. There are picturesque forests, wild nature, and most importantly, Lake George, or as it is otherwise called, the "queen of American lakes," the main charm of the town. But besides natural beauties, the town was not deprived of entertainment for every taste and color: here you can find museums, amusement parks, boat tours, parasailing behind a speedboat, a huge number of restaurants, bars, cafes, and every Thursday they held live concerts in the local park. At the beginning of the season, there was an unreal "Bike week". Throughout the week, the city streets were filled with the coolest motorcycles, from classic retro styles to modern models. The roar of the engine, spreading throughout the city, thrilled to the bones. And at the end of the season, we were awaited by the "Car Show", an event dedicated to cars. What a sight! Americans know how to relax and have fun. Speaking of Americans. Their smile is not that forced after all) I noticed that they assume every person is good by default, and until you ruin the impression of yourself, be kind, accept their smile and smile back. That's how it works in America) You actually get used to their mentality quickly, or rather to their boundless politeness and constant "excuse me" and "have a good day". Also, Americans are generous with compliments. Once at the supermarket checkout, a nice girl told me: "I really like your outfit!", which slightly embarrassed me, and at the same time it was pleasant. Well, I'm not used to compliments from strangers))) "Your English is so good" or "Oh, such a beautiful handwriting" – that's what you could also hear) There are not that many overweight people there, and in general, I consider this the most common myth. Americans play sports, watch their health, maybe not everyone, but the majority. I worked all summer as a housekeeper in a small hotel right on the shore of the lake. Sometimes ducks helped clean the rooms, curiously walking along the terrace and looking into all the doors. Besides me, other students worked there too. Someone from Turkey, someone from Albania, someone from Georgia, someone from Kazakhstan. A real cultural exchange) In our free time, we went to the beach, to the movies, or just walked along the cozy streets of Lake George. But something stuck in my memory the most. The day we managed to get free tickets and go to the "Great Escape" amusement park. It was something! We arrived 3 hours before closing and decided that we would only ride the attractions with the red "maximum thrill" label. A childhood dream came true. How I screamed, and not so much from fear as from the emotions overflowing me. The Americans themselves sat with a stone face, and the children rode several times in a row. But one time w

ККириллstriklend · Nov 20, 2009Read

London feels like home now. We get out for free again and rush into the city. We hop on the familiar Tube. Before that, we see our guys again (different ones this time) trying to get three people through on one unlimited pass (about 7 pounds). They get caught and are being scolded desperately. They don't have a visa either, just like us. If they kick you out here, that's it—you won't be let back in, especially if you managed to break the law under a visa-waiver regime... Our guys are playing dumb, claiming that's how everyone does it in Russia (just like you'd tell a traffic cop there are no speed limits in Russia—that's where these stereotypes about us in the West come from=))) Anyway. We walk to our favorite Trafalgar Square, sit in our favorite McDonald's and an internet cafe. We walk to the Tower, then a bit more, and by 3 AM we realize we are deathly tired. But there's nowhere to sleep. Just as deathly. We hop on the first double-decker bus we see and fall fast asleep on the second floor...)) Who knew that their night buses and day buses are different??)) We ended up 2.5 hours away in some suburb, from which nothing runs to London in the morning. And our flight is at 6 PM)) With three transfers, we reach the Gherkin skyscraper and go for a walk through the City business district. It's awesome here! Everyone is in shirts and ties, no cars because entry into the city is restricted in the morning, and the only shops around are tailors and cobblers)) Then we call Bank of America, where some of our money is left. It turns out that to transfer it to Russia, you have to pay about 150 dollars. And that's regardless of the amount, apparently. Each. We get upset, but immediately come up with a plan. The girls withdraw their money at Barclays because it has no commission for Bank of America cards. And I leave the money there since I still need to order a laptop from the USA online and have it mailed to Russia. Next, we go to buy sneakers for the girls so they have at least some clothing from abroad)) While they are choosing, it turns out we are already late for our flight. We rush to the subway, and 40 minutes before the flight, we are at the airport. Considering I haven't shaved in three days, slept wherever, and washed up and brushed my teeth in a cafe, I really don't look great. After standing in a 20-minute line, I am subjected to a super-search by two men. When they find prayer beads in my pocket, their eyes light up, and it's clear they are about to pull a bomb or half a kilo of heroin out from under my shirt. I even start to get scared myself. 10 minutes until the flight. They let us go in 2 minutes—we run headlong to our (as usual, the furthest) gate and jump onto the British Airways bus 1.5 minutes before boarding ends. If we had been late, we would never see the United Kingdom again. Because that would have been yet another violation of the visa-waiver regime. In short, the last 2 chapters are to remind you to manage your time; it can sometimes cost you dearly)) That's it, the Boeing 737 lifts off, and 3 hours later we are in Finland. We get out, look at my mom who is ready to burst into tears, get our luggage, get into the car, turn on the GPS, and enter the destination in Russian: "Russia, Saint Petersburg"

ККириллstriklend · Oct 28, 2009Read

Quest 7. Airports. I'll keep it brief, but just in case there are others like me flying abroad for the first time: you cannot bring any liquids in your carry-on luggage, except for the standard 100 ml. So, any yogurts or cosmetics you wanted to use on the plane or at the arrival airport will have to be left behind for the vultures (also known as baggage handlers). The same applies to any sharp or cutting objects. Even without the 100 ml rule!)) You should arrive at the airport at least 1 hour and 20 minutes before your flight. On the way back, we made it to the plane 1.5 minutes before departure because I was searched by two FBI agents due to my suspiciously and groundlessly smug face) On average, the boarding process at JFK or Heathrow takes about 40 minutes, considering the giant distances inside the airports. For example, your plane might be at Terminal 5, Sector G, Gate Sector 59, Gate Group A, Gate 6. Believe me, it's likely not close.) At least there are plenty of signs, so you won't get lost... They feed you on planes 1-2 times, depending on the airline. On domestic flights in the USA, they sometimes don't feed you at all, so ALWAYS bring something to chew on for the flight. Nuts, dried bananas, chocolate. It really helps, especially in waiting areas. And by the way, when exiting in America, don't forget to grab a pillow and blanket from the plane. Because the first few nights can be VERY cold, and a pillow is one of those household items whose importance you don't realize until you're left without one=)) Quest 8. Europe and power outlets. On average, we spent 25-35 euros per day in Helsinki. That covers the bus, the boat to the fortress, a couple of snacks, and a keychain.) In London, we exchanged money three times. The London Eye is 15 pounds, plus food, plus a day travel pass for 7 pounds, plus paying for an hour of Wi-Fi, plus a museum if you suddenly want to go. In short, 60 pounds per person is a must. Otherwise, there's no point. Regarding power outlets: they are the same in Europe, but in the UK and USA, there are two other types. Adapters cost 8 euros at the airport. Buy them without hesitation; otherwise, you'll end up in a situation where you need one but don't have it (if, of course, you're bringing any Russian electronics with you). In the USA, the voltage is half as much, so (especially for girls) if you bring a hair dryer or hair straighteners, they will be MUCH weaker than in Russia. The hair dryer will be quiet, and the straighteners will be warm and gentle)) For other devices (with built-in transformers), this transition doesn't really affect them.

ККириллstriklend · Oct 27, 2009Read

So, tickets and offers are bought, the program is paid for, the embassy interview is done (nothing special - they rejected a couple of our people for no apparent reason. It's impossible to track the embassy's logic, hence the conclusion that the embassy is a woman), the session is extended until September 20th due to failing a term paper and two exams, mom's car is wrecked by an inexperienced driver—me, who dreamed of a trip to America and only got my license on April 12th, panic hasn't subsided for a month, on the last day something is frantically shoved into the suitcase, sleep is poor and.... Morning. Bus. Five of us are going to Finland. Me, Olya, Anya, and mom with her friend, who volunteered to see us off. We arrive at a hotel at the former Olympic stadium. Hmm, sporty. Everyone is running, even the squirrels. Cool, we think, we pass a park where a hundred Finns are doing showy wushu, we get scared, smile at strange people, and go to the city center to enjoy the harsh Scandinavian architecture. And then, bam!! It's not even there!!! Wait, maybe here? No. Maybe here? No, it's not! Oh, oh, let's go there, it seems to be there!! Nope. Huge gray supermarkets, square houses, equally angular monuments, but the thing we came for is missing. And then, amidst all this gloomy filth, the snow-white Helsinki Cathedral emerges, along with two buildings resembling some Ministry of Justice in St. Petersburg. Now it's clear why they love Russian emperors. The only people who built something normal here.. After admiring it and checking who had the worst shortness of breath after racing to the top to the cathedral doors, we head to the embankment. Oh! A boat to the super fortress of Suomenlinna. We go to the ticket office, heart sinking from the lack of habit, we part with 10 euros for each ticket. Total, 30. We board. Uh, wait, there are no turnstiles here and you can get on for free! Give our money back!!)) It's cool in the fortress and, what's especially pleasing, there's mobile reception. And, apparently out of fright after a long coma, for some reason it picks up an Estonian network. Surprisingly, SMS messages arrive in the normal mode. Technology has come a long way.) We lie down to sleep on one of the boulders, which are plentiful here, and, closer to 6 PM, we return to the hotel to mommy, whom we promised to be back by 7 and who has a birthday tomorrow. Flower shops, as it turned out, close at 4 PM at the latest, like all other shops outside the central square. Well, it's time to sleep, what kind of shops with flowers and chocolates! Suffering for a long time from the tearing shame before an incomprehensible but cute country, and the desire to give flowers to mom, I choose the only option and climb onto a flower bed near some house to pick a bouquet. It turned out cute, although the flowers weren't wildflowers. So 3 is enough. Now to mom! In general, the next morning - 5 AM bus and at 6 we are at the airport. Here it turns out that only 2 pieces of hand luggage can be taken, so all my 7 kilos of buckwheat, spare socks, and manicure scissors fly immediately to New York, because we don't have a British transit visa, which means we don't need bags there. When we suggest that maybe they'll let us out, they laugh in our faces. While passing customs, they teach us Hauskaa päivää (have a nice day in Finnish)). Next, we take off nicely on British Airways - I'm the only one freaking out, as I seem to be the only one who doesn't trust planes. The plane, however, turned out to be very polite and didn't shake. I meet an Australian there, he says I have good English, I say - you're kidding, he says - well, in any case, it's better than my Russian))) a textbook dialogue, I tell everyone in America about the phrases regarding my good English))) The steward laughs in my face again at the suggestion that maybe they'll let us out for a day in London. He says he wishes us a pleasant time in one of the biggest airports in the world, Heathrow)) Outsid

ККириллstriklend · Oct 26, 2009Read

Quest 3. Housing So, for the job offer, maybe another $120 (absolute max). Next is housing. Don't even worry about this. We'll either live in cheap motels (which is more expensive and less convenient) or (which is way cooler), we'll get 4-5 (or even more) people together and rent a decent apartment so everything is chill. But that's once we arrive. For the first few days, you can stay in a hotel. As a rule, housing offered from here is significantly more expensive. Plus, you can't see it or evaluate it, so we don't stress about it here (although I've heard it's tough in some states, for example, on the Outer Banks in North Carolina, the rates are totally different and it's scarce. That's true... but it's just another reason to go to South Carolina!). In general, we'll try to find a house there for $30-50 a week. As you've gathered, we went to South Carolina with absolutely no housing lined up)) Quest 4. Tickets Right, what else. Oh, yeah, tickets. If you live in the Far East or the Urals - yeah, tickets are expensive, but you're cool for life! And if you're from Central Russia or the Northwest - well, tickets are cheaper for you). Either way, we get to Moscow and fly from there. This year, a British Airways ticket 1.5 months before departure cost about $600. Those who took the program without a ticket saved about 250 bucks if they bought them. To get deals like that, just regularly check the website www.kayak.com. For Russian airports, it's the ideal option. Change the dates and arrival points and eventually, you'll find the one that suits you best. Plus, in the spring, most companies definitely have some kind of promotion. Also, buying it yourself gives you the chance to choose the departure date. If you found a cheap ticket, but your DS-2019 is for a different date - don't be shy, go to the CMO and ask to change the date. It will take about two weeks. The service is free, as far as I remember. To buy tickets (or anything on the internet), you need a VISA card (usually classic, not electron) or a MasterCard (not Maestro). Another plus of buying online is the e-ticket. A friend who lived with us and bought a ticket from the CMO was given a paper one. To change the date, she spent 3 WEEKS calling an idiotic company (AlItalia) almost every day and still can't get back the $75 the airline accidentally charged her account. The fault here is purely the airline's, but even if we take a ticket through the CMO, it must be electronic. It's called an e-ticket. If we have the opportunity to go to Finland or Latvia, the situation improves significantly. A ticket from Finland to the USA can be bought for $150-500. Moreover, the airlines will be in the top ten in the world. We flew British Airways for $400, there were also Finnair for $500 and (as we found out later) Ryanair+British Airways for $230. Any flights from Europe are definitely a few hundred cheaper. So, if we have the chance to get to Europe, we type 'low budget airlines' into Google and search the sites to see who has what prices. Ryanair.com is an ideal option - the company is 7th in the world for safety (cooler than AirFrance, etc.). A ticket to London from Finland costs $30. From London, there were $130 tickets to New York on British Airways. If you are not from St. Petersburg - getting from here to Helsinki or Tampere (the country's 2 main airports) costs 900 rubles by bus. It's convenient, luggage is in the luggage compartment, nothing gets in the way, the trip takes 6 hours. By car, 4-5. Buses leave right from the Moskovsky railway station. That's the city center. There are always seats, unless you're very unlucky on Fridays and Saturdays. On those days, it's better to book in advance. Just type 'buses St. Petersburg Finland' into the internet and look for the one you need. From New York (or anywhere else, if it's not the final destination), you can get around by (a) planes - again, book a ticket on kayak.com and fly peacefully. Cheaper or more convenient options might be

ККириллstriklend · Oct 26, 2009Read

Ahead lay the search for a destination, mass unfollowing of people on VK from 5 different accounts due to the anti-people limit of 20 messages a day to non-friends, asking for advice, etc., useless emailing to employers and Skype calls to them as well. However, after a month of hearing about the lack of vacancies and shouting over Skype with a bad connection "Can you hear me???" we gave up and bought offers. An early exam session crept up unnoticed. The plan to take it by attrition, as we realized later, was doomed from the start. Gathering our strength, we passed one exam, then another, tricked three more professors, entered the credit week, passed one, then another, and!!!! The retake demanded its sacrifice.) On its altar were laid a term paper in one faculty and two exams in another, with an obligation to pass by September 20th. Somewhere there, French courses and guitar were also put aside. Both are now only at night and rarely=) It was time to buy tickets and we, to our misfortune, accidentally heard somewhere that in foggy England they let you out if you are flying in transit. Against the backdrop of this beautiful fairy tale, and not out of malice, 3 Helsinki-London-New York tickets were purchased with a 23-hour 55-minute layover in London on the way there and 22 hours on the way back. There was definitely nowhere to retreat now, unless into debt slavery, where we, taking the opportunity, also managed to get stuck. Then it was immediately discovered that, properly speaking, we needed three times as many visas as an ordinary Work and Travel USA participant. The Finnish one was obtained relatively calmly. We only had to endure the question asked 20 times by the embassy employee, shaking the passport: "Why???". Sincerely not knowing what she wanted from us, our desire to answer caused even more persistence in the question, but, unfortunately, no deepening of its content. In the end, she was about to kick us out, and only childish fear and deep spiritual redemption in our eyes made her not do it. One visa in the pocket. The second one, the American one, was obtained after standing for 2 hours in the cold. This was the day I was most happy about the surname Grishin and bowed before the greatest invention of humanity - alphabetical order. Romantsova and Timofeeva were much less lucky. About the American embassy - it, like the country where it is located, cannot be understood by mind or measured by a yardstick. There is a feeling that whether to take a participant or not is decided not by their language or anything else, but by a complex combination of Tarot cards and coffee grounds, which abound at the bottom of local plastic cups. Although in our year there were quite a few refusals. Here we must give credit to the guys from CMO, they organized everything, explained and supported us. In general, the main thing in the embassy is to remember the legend: I love the country (Russia, don't mix it up) madly, the family is huge, no one is abroad, I'm going to look and admire, and after all this, if you can also name the city where you are going (according to the offer, not in reality=) and some feature of this city (a beautiful statue, killer waves, a Rastafarian mayor) - then you will be priceless=) The third embassy is the British one. To be safe and still get out in London, we go to get a visa, it turns out that it can take a month, and we only have two weeks. It costs 5 thousand rubles, and in general, after a clash with a security guard, it is unlikely that we will be let in there anytime soon. We decide to lie down and rely only on the mercy of Her Majesty's customs officers. The rights were received only in mid-April, so the risks of not getting out in London are still trifles compared to, for example, the risks of my future driving) And now there are 3 days left, nothing is packed, nothing is bought, the session is still being finished AAAAAAA!!! And two days, and here it is. Oh, everything is somehow chaotic. You leave the

NTNadezhda TorsogoevaDec 16, 2018Read

America.... A word that holds so many warm memories, catching you from head to toe like a tsunami in moments of nostalgia. I'm sure that for everyone the trip on Work and Travel became a turning point in their life. We became more responsible, more hardworking, more tolerant, more mature, less squeamish, and most importantly, we learned to value time, and not waste it. Tiring flights to NY with a seven-hour layover in Helsinki, two days without sleep were definitely worth it to finally end up in the capital of the world! NY, I love you – that’s what I wanted to shout at that moment. Those huge skyscrapers majestically stretching into the sky, that yellow taxi honking from everywhere, those inexhaustible crowds of tourists curiously inspecting the sights, those blinding lights of the sleepless Times Square. That was how NY appeared to me. At one point I felt like the heroine of a film about a girl from a small Siberian town who found herself in the center of a crazy metropolis in search of adventures. By the way, she did manage to find those adventures) After wandering around NY and spending a night in Starbucks, we went to the bus station, from where a bus picked us up to Lake George. It is a small town where Americans come to spend a calm, quiet vacation. Around are picturesque forests, wild nature, and most importantly, Lake George, or as it is otherwise called ”queen of American lakes”, the main charm of the town. But besides natural beauties, the town was not lacking entertainment for every taste and color: here you can find museums, amusement parks, steamboat excursions, parasailing behind a boat, a huge number of restaurants, bars, cafes, and also every Thursday they held live concerts in the local park. At the beginning of the season an unreal “Bike week” took place. During the week the town's streets were filled with the coolest motorcycles, from classic retro style to modern models. The roar of the engine, spreading throughout the town, stirred one to the bone. And at the end of the season we were awaited by the “Car Show”, an event already dedicated to cars. Quite a spectacle! Americans sure know how to rest and have fun. Speaking of Americans. Their smile isn't that forced) I noticed that they consider every person good by default, and until you ruin their impression of you, be kind, accept their smile and smile back. That's how it works in America) You actually get used to their mentality quickly, or rather to their boundless politeness and constant “excuse me” and “have a good day”. Americans also don't skimp on compliments. Once at the checkout in a supermarket a sweet girl told me: "I really like your outfit!", which slightly embarrassed me and at the same time was pleasant. Well, I'm not used to compliments from strangers))) "Your English is so good" or "Oh, such a beautiful handwriting" — those are things you could also hear) There aren't that many overweight people there, and in general I consider that the most common myth. Americans play sports, watch their health, maybe not all, but the majority. All summer I worked as a housekeeper in a small hotel right on the lake shore. Sometimes little ducks, curiously walking along the terrace and peeking into every door, helped to clean the rooms. Besides me, other students also worked there. Someone from Turkey, someone from Albania, someone from Georgia, someone from Kazakhstan. A real cultural exchange) In our free time we went to the beach, to the movies, or just strolled along the cozy streets of Lake George. But one thing I remember most. The day when we managed to get free tickets and go to the amusement park “Great Escape”. It was something else! We came three hours before closing and decided that we would ride only on attractions with a red label "maximum thrill". A childhood dream came true. How I screamed, and not so much from fear as from the emotions flooding me. The Americans themselves sat with stone faces, and the children rode several times in a row.