Immigrant (born outside of Finland) Archives -

anonymous

May 2, 2025 / Race, At work, In public, Immigrant, At school/uni, Near home

As a middle eastern, I have been living in Finland, around Uusima, for about two years now. At first, I thought I was just being paranoid. After all, I hadn’t done anything wrong or illegal, so why were people staring at me? Then it escalated to them even taking pictures. I started to wonder if I was dressing inappropriately, but having lived in many countries before, I knew my style wasn’t unusual. It was only after reading stories about even Finns who “stick out” in any way and face similar treatment that I realized this wasn’t just me.
Another problem arose at work: I was being excluded and disrespected. Suddenly, my boss accused me of being hostile. These things happened simultaneously, making me question my own sanity. The only reason I knew I wasn’t losing my mind was because I found others with similar stories. If you stand out, the collective society can be hostile. This is deeply troubling.

anonymous

May 2, 2025 / Race, At work, Immigrant, Online, Language

I work in customer service over chats. The company I am working for is not based in Finland but I was hired to do help cutomers in Finnish.
Before anyone enters the chat they provide some info about their request to the bot.
One particular customer was using English with the bot but I saw his name and recognised it as a Finnish one so I started communicating in Finnish.
He accused me of not being a real Finn and asked me who is the Finnish president so I can prove to him I am indeed a ”real Finn”.
Other times customers with impossible request accuse me of not understanding and switch to English even though the answer remains the same and I get anxious of losing my job.
I am a woman and use a very regular Finnish male’s name as my avatar.

Anonymous

April 8, 2025 / Race, Immigrant, Language

I love this country, I do. I have a child here. I met my fiancé here. But after almost 20 years of struggle to secure job, not even talking about career towards which I have degree, I am done. Being black in Finland was always tough but as it progresses with my stay here it is getting worse. Companies to which you get into if you are “lucky” will exploit you by giving impossible times to clean places, they will cut the hours as you are staring at the schedule! They will call themselves friendly and respectful until you call them out on their own behaviors! They hardly question themselves but easy to judge and make it an immigrant issue.
I am tired, from failed healthcare system to no stability when it comes to job, through mistreatment from every corner – including fellow black people! Instead of helping each other they are making it even worse! Everyone acting hungry and thinking of how to use someone to their own benefit. I am exhausted of fighting this battle with the system. Many tried and failed many tried and moved nowhere in their lives. Finland will make sure to trap you in – if you are sane you will become insane. No pint of language will help you unless you are into coding, IT or gaming… but even with that you will always feel you are not enough.

anonymous

April 7, 2025 / Race, At work

I live in the center of Finland for 3 and half years now. I’m a PhD student here. I have been many times being called N words. This feeling is not really good. If we have been invited here as a working force or educational group to work in one of the highest institutions of a country which is university. Then why the government has not considered the infrastructure and cultural acceptance before accepting us?

If the people here do not accept and can not truly accept us that is totally fine, but my big concern and many of my friends is that if we are not accepted here then why In the first place these institutions give grants, admissions, and working scholarships to us to be part of their project for years while not even feeling a part of human being in society.

Someone

April 7, 2025 / Race, At work, In business, In public, Near home

Older women especially in my experience, almost most of the Tokmani shopping centers that I go to buy my daily groceries the older ladies who work in the counter look at us in a very exaggerated way. Narrowing their eyes and behaving in a sense that we are a piece of extra thing at the counter. But immediately after they do our job. They laugh smile and say with open face hello to the Finnish costumers. This feeling in a daily regular basis is so hard. I wonder if the managers of these big companies even pay attention to these things.

Traveler

March 27, 2025 / In public, On public transport

An old and drunk Finnish man sat down infront of me on the bus, asked me if I was from Iraq. I said no, and said I was from Colombia. Then he proceeded to insult me the whole bus ride from the city centre to Koskela, saying I and my country was a disgrace to society. Nobody on the bus said anything to defend me. I didn’t move from my seat, I wasn’t going to show fear. But I was so disappointed nobody defended me .

anonymous

March 26, 2025 / In public, Near home

Last summer, I started farming on a piece of land that I lease. It’s my first time doing this, and it’s been a rewarding experience. In the evenings, after working on my field, I enjoy walking through the community garden. It’s inspiring to see others cultivating different crops and vegetables, and it often gives me new ideas. I’m also amazed by how people turn their small plots of land into their personal amusement parks, with flowers, BBQ tables, and kids’ playgrounds.

One evening, I invited a friend to visit my garden, and we were simply taking a walk through the garden. We stayed on the small walkway beside the plots, being mindful not to intrude on anyone’s personal space. I also gave my friend some onions from my own garden. Out of nowhere, a middle-aged woman started shouting at us in Finnish, accusing us of stealing. She called us thieves, which was completely unfounded. I was so embarrassed, especially in front of my friend. The woman didn’t even take the time to listen when I tried to explain that I have my own plot there and that I was growing my own vegetables.

It was such a hurtful experience. The whole situation was uncomfortable for both of us. Gardening and farming are supposed to be enjoyable, peaceful activities, but how am I supposed to feel when my neighbors verbally attack me like that?

Thomas

March 26, 2025 / Gender, Race, Sexual identity, In public

Finland is praised as the happiest country, and while it has given me good opportunities, I’ve never felt a true sense of belonging. This isn’t about race—I have white skin—yet I’ve noticed a lack of openness toward immigrants. Many Finns carry a quiet superiority, a passive-aggressive attitude that says, I am better than you.

One night, while waiting for a bus near a nightclub, every Finnish man who passed made rude comments to me in Finnish. Then, a drunk man got so close that cameras couldn’t capture him. Thinking he wanted to say something normal, I smiled. Instead, he whispered:

“You piece of worthless human, go back to your land. Don’t even think about hitting on a Finnish woman. They are not yours.”

Then, he punched me in the stomach—deliberately, knowing what he was doing. That night I went to the police man who was 5 meters from
This incident he didn’t even recognize or pay attention to me. I am sure if I was Finnish and that guy was immigrant he would have deported and ended up jail.

Another matter is that during the day when I randomly pass over teenagers they keep telling bad Finnish slang to me and laugh. At that time I was thinking ok this is teenage hood but it clearly reveals what they parents are saying to them about immigrants

Finland is calm safe with high quality of education but during my time I could never feel home or sense of community and belonging.

Anonymous

March 26, 2025 / Race, Immigrant

I was visiting a night club in Helsinki. Everything was fine, until I decided to visit the toilet.

These were gender neutral toilets, and there was a big line. I got in the line, but the lady infront of me starting pointing her palm at me, and saying nope. This is not for you. I replied, this is gender neutral. I can be here.

She kept repeating that. Then after a back and forth of 3-4 times. she was like yeah ok.

She then asked my name. I replied. But she said, no. Its Aladdin. And starting laughing. I was taken back by that. She realized she had said something racist so she acknowledged that herself. But I didn’t feel good so I left the line.

My mood was immediately down. I left the club after that. and I kept thinking about it for days.

These small day to day wounds can pile up, and really have an effect on you in the long term. Its death by a thousand cuts.

RP

March 26, 2025 / Immigrant, Online, Language

I was in a mini-schanuzer dog group in Facebook. Been active member sharing pictures and stories of our dog occasionally. I once shared a story about a dog of same breed looking for a home- and was instantly blocked. I reached out to the 4x admins, none of them responded. Then my Finnish spouse messaged the admins and got a response. I was reprimanded for “selling” or “advertising” a dog and it was against the group rules, and also I posted in English so it looked like spam. Makes sense?