Living and Working

Guide to Selecting Tires for your Car

By Andrew on 25/09/2020

The problem with just going to a tire shop and asking for new tires is that you will probably get recommended whatever tires they have in stock or make the most money on which may or may not be the best option for you. It definitely pays to shop around and do a little research […]

Guide to Kids Winter Hobbies in Finland

By Andrew on 21/01/2019

If like me you have been thrown into parenting in Finland, and are trying to make sense of kids winter hobbies, here is some useful information to get you started. We will keep it simple here and just look into the usual suspects, Ice skating and Skiing. Kids start winter sports at school from their […]

Keeping off the Kilos

By Andrew on 10/02/2018

The equation for weight loss is simple – Eat less and move more. Simple however, does not necessarily mean easy. I have struggled with height gain most of my adult life. With long winters and cold crappy weather, its easy to lose motivation and start to make unhealthy choices in what I eat and do. I […]

7 Steps to a Happier Life

By Andrew on 21/01/2018

Some of the poorest people in the world are the happiest. I’ve seen it while travelling in the Philippines, Cuba and other parts of the world. Simple living is happy living. Below are some thoughts and personal experiences in my quest along this road. 1. Reduce Noise and Distractions Everyday life is full of small […]

The Cars of my Yesteryears – Fond memories of the Machines that got me around

By Andrew on 01/10/2017

Datsun 120Y 1975 model My first memory of a car comes from the white canvas roofed orange Datsun owned and operated by none other than my mother. She took a small loan from her father and bought it new. The car came at a discount due to minor hail damage. There was nothing fancy about the […]

Importing cars to Finland – Vintage or Electric the secret to paying less tax

By Andrew on 23/09/2017

If there is one thing the little nation of Finland can promise you other than cold weather, its tax. Vehicle tax is a lucrative revenue stream for the government generating around 2 billion euro a year. In an effort to save money and find a wider selection, many Finns turn to neighboring countries, most notably […]

8 Tips to NOT suck at Dating

By Andrew on 19/02/2017

Have you ever wondered why some people are more successful at dating while others remain clueless on how to succeed? While good looks may help it is also as much a skill that can be learned as what you were born with. Below are 8 tips that improve your chances and make you more attractive to the opposite […]

Love is not always where you expect to find it

By Andrew on 19/02/2017

Hollywood has painted the picture in our minds that we must feel love at first sight or romance is doomed. Passion and lust drive our selections and little time is set aside to dig deeper. We hold fast to rigid ideas of relationship criteria and quickly write people off who do not fit preconceived notions. We close our eyes to a […]

Practical Advice on Divorce and Child Arrangements in Finland

By Andrew on 07/01/2017

Like many foreigners in Finland I had the opportunity to try out the Divorce process. For the most part it went pretty well but there is some insight that can be shared from what I gleaned along the way. If you have made a decision to get a Divorce in Finland the way forward […]

Tips for dressing in the Nordic Winter

By Andrew on 28/12/2016

Coming from Australia where we wear shorts all year round you don’t really give much thought to a winter wardrobe. Over the last decade in an effort to survive I have learned a few tips from the locals. I hope these pointers help you stay warm and make the whole winter experience a tad more pleasurable. […]