Marketing coordinator Olga is surprised by the lack of work hierarchy

1. I currently work as…

an international marketing coordinator promoting the city of Turku as a tourism destination in foreign markets. Among other things, I plan visits of journalists and travel agents from abroad, host them here and show them the tourism potential of our city.

2. What I find surprising in Finland is…

the absence of work hierarchy compared to Ukraine. The boss and the employee are more on the same level – you can call your boss by their first name and you do not need to use titles.

3. My favourite thing about Finland is…

Finnish people. They are people you can always trust, honest and reliable, faithful friends. I find the stories about Finns being cold and reserved exaggerated.

4. My best tips for surviving winter in Finland are…

candles. I live in the very south of Finland, our winters are mild and not really different from my home city in Ukraine. But there is less light, so I recommend buying many candles for inside and outside and drinking warm glögi.

5. The piece of advice I would give to someone contemplating coming to work in Finland is…

even if English is often enough, try to learn Finnish. It opens new doors and you get to know Finns on a different level. Work hard, do what you promise, love Finns and they will absolutely love you back.