Driving Skills | Health | Education | English Language Skills | Child CareAu Pairs in General | Religion | Telephone | Diet | Miscellaneous

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The following information is generalized and compiled from questions posed to the agents and interviewers in Finland. Although au pairs from Finland may or may not have had these experiences/beliefs, Au Pair in America wishes to share this general information with our families.

Driving Skills

1. Cost and difficulty to obtain a driver's license
   Extremely expensive – approximately $1,500.
   
2. Obtaining a driver's license, e.g. driving lessons, practical and theoretical test?
   - Practical lessons and driving lessons
   - Driving and theoretical test
   - Initially first level license is obtained – sufficient to qualify in the USA
   - Within a year must learn additional skills at driving school, such as driving in the dark and on slippery roads
   
3. Availability and cost of obtaining an International Driving License
   The International Driving License is available at a cost of approx. $26.
   
4. Obtaining a driving license
   Young women are able to obtain a driving license at 18 years of age.
5. How common is it for 18-26 year olds to own their own car or use the family car
   Usually young people drive their parents' car and may later buy their own.
6. Cars – manual or automatic
   Majority of the cars are manual.

Health

1. Most common inoculations
   Tetanus, diptheria, polio, mumps, measels, whooping cough, and German measles.
2. Inoculation for TB (Tuberculosis)
   No, TB is very rare in Finland, but an inoculation can be obtained if necessary
3. Free health service
   Yes.
   
4. Cost and regularity of visits to the dentist
   Visits are made regularly to the dentist. This is a free service at school age and very inexpensive for everybody born after 1956.
5. "Eating disorders"
   It is not common, but it exists in Finland. Usually a school nurse notices this.

Education

1. Percentage of young women that go on to university
   30%.
2. Alternatives chosen if not attending university
   - Study at a vocational institute or polytechnic
   - It is very common to make the choice to work for some years before starting to study
   
3. Importance of educational opportunities of the Au Pair in America program to the au pair
   Not so important – they consider it more as a hobby during the au-pair year.
4. Start and finish of the academic year
   September to May, with a few August to June.
   

English Language Skills

1. Is English a compulsory subject in the schools in your country?
   No.
2. Description of the study of English in schools, e.g. from what age English is taught, how many years is English compulsory, courses focused on written or oral skills
   Most choose to study English from 9 years of age, making a total of a maximum of 10 years of study. The teaching is based on written skills and grammar – not so much on oral skills.

Childcare

1. Common attitudes to and types of discipline for children
   Some children have very little discipline and are allowed to do what they like. The majority obey their parents well. There should be more respect by the young people for their elders.
2. Physical discipline of children
   No – it is forbidden by law.
3. How child care is obtained if not formal qualification
   Babysitting for neighbors or relatives. Usually children/young people are supposed to take care of their younger siblings.
   
4. Sharing child care responsibilities by both parents
   Nowadays, they usually do share all the household chores including child care.
5. Working parents
   It is a country where most women work. There are organized municipal day care centers for children since the 1970s in order for women to be able to work full time.
   

Au Pairs in General

1. The concept of being an 'au pair'
   This is a common concept in our country. For many years being an au pair has been the only way to stay abroad for a long period. Now there are many other choices too.
   
2. The motivation of young people to want to be an au pair
   To experience other cultures in a secure way and to improve English skills.
   
3. Improving job potential upon returning home after a year in the U.S.A.
   Yes, participation in the program can help employment prospects when they return home.
4. Current levels of unemployment
   About 10%, with the situation improving all the time. It was much higher in the mid-90s.
5. Finding the fees for the Au Pair in America program
   It is not a problem to find the fees for the program.
   

Religion

1. Most common religions
   90% of Finns are Lutherans.
   
2. Practice of religion by young people
   Very few young people practice their religion.
3. Would a young person choose to practice a religion that is different than her family's religion
   Very seldom, but they may choose not to follow any religion.
   
4. Common religious practices, e.g. special practices or dietary restrictions
   None, however for the Finns Christmas is very important. It is celebrated with the family for many days.

Telephone

1. Telephones in the home
   Nearly all families have telephones in their homes, and 60% of Finns have cellular phones (Nokia is Finnish).
   
2. Would most parents/family speak English well enough to take a message from an American Host Family?
   Yes.
   
3. Computer or e-mail access
   If they do not have computers at home, they can have free access to computers in local libraries.
   

Diet

1. Attitudes to eating meat
   Most young people eat meat.
   
2. Vegetarianism
   It is becoming more common all the time with young people.
   
3. Other common dietary traditions
   None.

Miscellaneous

1. Freedom of their family to socialize and date
   Young people have much freedom to socialize.
2. Curfews at home
   Parents do not normally put a curfew on young people.
   
3. Sharing household chores
   Some children are expected to help with household chores, but still there are some mothers who do everything for their children.
4. Diversity of population
   There is no racial or ethnic diversity in our society.
   
5. Main characteristics of the people
   Honest, hardworking and shy and quiet when first meeting people.
   
6. Attitudes to nudity both in and out of the home, e.g. sunbathing in the nude?
   Finns are very used to nudity – the whole family might go to the sauna together. Sunbathing in the nude is not very common.

Au Pair in America®, 2007