[stunner]

Originally Posted by jungunijinga

Racism is rampant, with several extremist groups promoting nationalism stating that all foreigners are unwelcome. A couple of blacks have been killed, and attacks on black and asian men are not uncommon.
If coming here ever crossed your mind, please think twice (hata 19 times!) Do spare some time and read:

ehh chief..Very good insight on that place.Ukraine?? kweli kenyans are everywhere. Mpaka they are racist against Chinese people...damn. Thats a new one. But congrats to you for sticking it out and not giving up.Real talk. Make it out alive!!

So is your school in Russian? Do you gitch LOL??

Originally Posted by bible_reader

UK universities are superior in terms of student food than the US ones.But be aware that life as a student in the UK is harder than in the US.

were you drunk when you typed this sh!it?? its so random and sweeping.

@C_Boo & Sanaa...it is kinda crazy to comprehend the system in Finland esp. considering the way things work here. Can you imagine how these jamaas here already complain about immigrants 'taking their jobs', overcrowding local systems like schools, hospitals etc imagine what would happen if ati we appeared these sides then went to school for free???? Republicans would just pass out, rednecks would personally hunt us down and pull triggers.

The world is a crazy place..so similar but so very different at the same time.

There are some things that never will make sense. Like social security benefits here. If a jamaa in Kenya is 64 yrs old, gets a green card and moves here soon as they turn 65 they will be theoretically eligible for SS benefits although they have never paid a cent into it in US. Its basically getting money you never worked for. No wonder they say the SS fund will be depleted by 2025 sometime.

Anyway such is Steto and its million and one loopholes.

[rayfisher]

The racism remarks and violence are a serious turn-off.I defeats logic to expect an african student to perform best under an environment that is persistently putting him/her down.

The sort of stories we hear about some european countries like ukrain,russia,poland,the baltics and scandinevian countries really kill the morale for studying abroad.

[Sanaa-]

Originally Posted by stunner

@C_Boo & Sanaa...it is kinda crazy to comprehend the system in Finland esp. considering the way things work here. Can you imagine how these jamaas here already complain about immigrants 'taking their jobs', overcrowding local systems like schools, hospitals etc imagine what would happen if ati we appeared these sides then went to school for free???? Republicans would just pass out, rednecks would personally hunt us down and pull triggers.

LOL We have our share of such Individuals. Theres a political party that tried to campaign that foreign students pay school fees, hell even a committee was set up .. but wapi after much debate they decided that if foriegn students pay then Finnish students pay as well. If Finnish students get study loans then Foreign students get an equal share of study loans.. yaani tulisumbuliwa na questionaires.... we all wrote one thing.. We would not stay in this country if education was not free. After everything was said and done, the idea was completely done away with, because it would discourage people to come here and its also very hard to implement.. lol yaani they are so used to the free education, it would be over whelming to plan and implement paid education. Foreign students are an investment to this countries future. People who will live here 10 yrs from now will make a killing.

As ironic as it sounds, its the system that minds our welfare. Every year there has to be Quality control team that comes into every uni.. and the students have to air all their grievances. If the teaching is not good, tunasema yote.. Every uni is awarded points for the quality of their education.. and the more points you have the more funding the Uni gets. Of course this funding does not affect the free education because there is a standard funding kisha kuna extra depending on the quality of your Uni. Schools that teach engineering and sciences, esp have to be on their best behaviour because they need state of the art equipment and laboratories.

Teachers have to be good to us. Theres also a chance for us internally to vote to kick out any teacher who does not deliver. Mambo ya kusema vitu hatuelewi or speaking chinese-english to students is unacceptable. Every time I hear a student complaining teacher so and so did this, I remind them that they are a valued asset to the Uni and the teachers are there because of us not vice versa. Kuna mwalimu who used to compare us with his 10 yr old daughter.. you can imagine where is is now There is another man on our hit list now because he likes to yell at us.

There is a certain level of discomfort that I as a human being I'm willing to put up with. You can give me the evil eye in the street for being a foreign person hata kazi pia unaweza ninyima.. but thats it. I can't live in a place where I'm not guranteed of my safety afadhali kurudi nyumbani. The majority of the locals have to be tolerant of foreign people for me to live there. By the way Europeans don't do the basic black/white discrimination.. As long as you are foreign you'll face the music. Its ironic that Russians and Americans /Brits here have a much harder time at being accepted here than a black person.

Mungu atusaidie sote.. na turudi nyumbani pia lets not over stay our visit.

[crazy boo]

Originally Posted by Sanaa-

CB,

Since you are comparing the price of a cup of coffee in the states and in Nordic countries ... can we also compare the price of a cup of tea in Kenya and in Sweden? Is it okie to say since tea costs 2.0 cents in kenya and in Sweden it costs 200 Ksh ati watu warudi nyumbani ama wahame?

One thing you should remember is that the wages or earnings here support that standard of lifestyle and the upkeep. (Visit my closet for a full illustration) (or visit a club on sato and you will find that a good share of the clients are Kenyans.. wanatoa wapi pesa za kula and still have enough left over to club?) If you work you are able to eat and live tosha. If you don't work then you need a miracle.

I get your argument (coffee cup being expensive etc) but personally I don't complain about the prices or taxes and the majority of Finns I know are comfortable/happy with the arrangement. I don't know how to explain this in simple terms but WE are comfortable paying between 1.00 - 2 .00 euro for a cup of coffee... The point here is that we have adjusted to living here courtesy of the wages.


I would rather pay those high taxes on everyday items, which my income can take care of than pay tuition over 20,000 Euros from my pocket in a year like other countries. Fine we pay higher taxes than other countries, but our standards of living are higher and better than other countries so at the end of the day I am more than happy to pay the taxes because live from them. If you have an income which can take care of your rent, food, shopping... thats enough, you study and after graduation you can head elsewhere. Well being a student myself, I'd say this country to me is the best option for now. Next year I will look for a new home country depending on other factors such as competitiveness in careers and salaries, security in a country.

Speaking of comparisons... Have you ever seen the state of housing for some students/non students in London? Utalia machozi. For some heating in winter is a luxury, The one thing I love about Nordic countries is the excellent housing, haijalishi your income, there is a standard and nothing below it is acceptable. Esp as a student you are shielded from so many horrible things...(this came from an Americans mouth). Tell me where do you go to school for "free" books are free , pay a flat rent for 200 euros, including furniture, electricity and free internet? In my Uni, students are given PC's for free if you don't have one. In my friends Practical nursing school, tuition food and rent is free. Apartments are built 5-10 minutes walk from each Uni (In my city) so no fuel or bus expenses

With all that in mind Why should I give a damn if a cup of coffee is more expensive here than in America? BTW if you think food and drinks in sweden is expensive.. visit Norway

As a Kenyan I have to learn to squeeze the benefits and "go around the hard things" na umalize masomo, then you can afford your self the opportunity to seek greener pastures.

By the way I think that Kenyans should not forget to adjust their minds as well as their physical selves when they move to foreign countries. Unapata mtu anaenda supermarket ama duka la nguo ashaanza ku convert between Ksh and Euros.. yet they have been living here for 2 + years and stopped recieving money from parents.

ehh Sanaa, I chuckled.....look I did not say Finland people do not have a life, as a matter of fact a student in Finland has a better life than the counterpart in US. The money a student in Finland et al earns is for personal use, I believe, while in US you split it with education. Education in US is expe esp in some states.

Secondly msichana how many times have I said its better to be a student in nordic countries? Chill out.

[Sanaa-]

Originally Posted by crazy boo

ehh Sanaa, I chuckled.....look I did not say Finland people do not have a life, as a matter of fact a student in Finland has a better life than the counterpart in US. The money a student in Finland et al earns is for personal use, I believe, while in US you split it with education. Education in US is expe esp in some states.

Secondly msichana how many times have I said its better to be a student in nordic countries? Chill out.

Yeah okie okie .. sikutaka potential students waogope kuja thats why I had to *ahem* discuss at length. By the way, life here was very hard emotionally and physically for a foreign student some 5 years ago.. but the fact that we now have sooooo many foreign students esp africans and kenyans life is now normal. Sometimes I feel like I'm in a place like Ngara

[manvikta]

Originally Posted by rayfisher

Most fresh college and university graduates in kenya have the following notion about life abroad;
JAPAN
1.High standard of education.
It is certainly higher than Kenya...due to the facilities at your disposal.

2.Easy to get jobs that will help you pay fees on your own.
No way! You can teach English part time...but that is not a stable job.So it is not enough to pay your fees.If you don have enough sources of income...you cannot get your visa renewed.

3.Takes shorter period to complete degree/master programs.
4yrs for undergrad, 2yrs for Masters, 3 for PhD. That is if you get all the credits required.
4.When you finally get a job after completing your program the salary will be hefty.
mmh, for undergrads basic:20k yen, Grads:22k yen is average. Job hunting for a foreign student can be difficult though.

5.It is easy to meet a citizen and marry to get makaratasi.
Lol. It is...if you don really care who you are marrying.

6.It is easy to get well doing kenyans and marry them.
Mhh, it is difficult just meeting anyone Kenyan out here.

Now please help our young minds in kenya who read this to realise and understand the reality of life abroad,if any of the above is true where you are.

The answers are from a personal perspective. Overall, studying in Japan is tough from the start n tougher when making decisions concerning your future. However, the experience is worth it.So if you get a scholarship, don hesitate to come...but keep low expectations and be prepared for anything.

[Type R]

Originally Posted by crazy boo

Its obvious that some places charge higher taxes but they have more "social" goods. Like the UK has a higher taxation process than US but they have the benefit of at least the general free healthcare not unless you opt private. I bet you nordic countries have more social goods. This is not fair in the end since if say I am in my 50's, why do I have to pay for education for a 19 year old who aint my kid? ...

This is where the tremendous incredible narrow-minded world view of the African jumps out and above all other members of the human race.

When that 50-year gets to 60/70 years old and goes to hospital, who does he expect to see on the other side of the table with a stethoscope? It will be Doctor ex-19 now-29/39 year old analyzing his 70 yr old piles!

If you focus so much on individuals and personalities, you will cripple the system at large. That is the story of wretched Africa, with its billions of $s and Euros stashed in banks in Europe and Caymans.

[crazy boo]

Originally Posted by Type R

This is where the tremendous incredible narrow-minded world view of the African jumps out and above all other members of the human race.

When that 50-year gets to 60/70 years old and goes to hospital, who does he expect to see on the other side of the table with a stethoscope? It will be Doctor ex-19 now-29/39 year old analyzing his 70 yr old piles!

If you focus so much on individuals and personalities, you will cripple the system at large. That is the story of wretched Africa, with its billions of $s and Euros stashed in banks in Europe and Caymans.

Nigga pliz! If that system is supposed to work so well, why is it that the nordic countries also have all the countries in the top 50 for highest rate of suicide? Ni stress stress stress. All you do is work your butt off in your work life assuming you graduate at 24, and don't get the returns of your hard earned euros for another 50 yrs. I want to use my money in small ways like many memorable vacations et al not when I'm 75 and the doctor needs to do a rectal exam.Even in a more refined UK, why would someone opt to go to a private hospital and not the NHS network? or the semi perfect Kenya, why go to Kenyatta PRIVATE wing? All govt hospitals at the end of the day have so many kasoros-either waiting time,resources,conditions etc.

anyway that my friend is why I will not work my ass off for some kid to go to school and on top of that get failing grades and its my money. Ni kama welfare,section 8 na food stamps. Just get a job!

[Type R]

Crazy boo, not to sidetrack this discussion ... But all western countries tax their people, and those taxes subsidize education and research.

The U.S.A. is full of "state" colleges and universities, and a humongous amount of research is state/federal funded. Even this very internet that you are using was borne of state-funded projects/research/military projects (wiki-quote: "in october 1962, licklider was appointed head of the united states department of defense's advanced research projects agency, now known as Darpa, within the information processing office.")

Please try and be more thoughtful and have some depth -- you may end up as a leader in kenya one day (frightening).

I do accept that industrialised efficient countries have their problems. But i'd rather face the problem of my profession's industry in an economic slump than to be raped and burnt by janjaweed militias because my government -- like you -- doesn't see why it should care for me.

Ironically, many africans who don't care about improving their own societies are very quick to emigrate or deposit their money in societies where public spirit and societal values are very strong!!!! The best example is mobutu. You want to reap, but have no interest in sowing.

[Sanaa-]

Hey CB,

again, I have to step in to correct another misinformation. You are so wrong to even claim that people in Nordic countries commit suicide because they are stressed for not getting enough returns after working their but off. One thing you must know is that people here do not kill themselves with work like other countries (US & Asia etc) Finns for example do not equate money to happiness,most finns go to work just to lead a comfortable life, which btw they can afford to even without working Social security money is more than one needs to get by.Happiness here means lots of other things and lots of money is not one of them. There is a strong social security which means whether you work or not life is still timam for you. We take our holidays very seriously as well! Over 50% of adult Finns have a holiday or weekend get away place owned by themselves or their parent, which we call cottages.


Finns just want to get by , they do not want to make obscene amounts of money and they are also very frugal with their spending as they are not materialistic people. A big part of the reason why businesses here prosper is because of the strong work ethic of the people and also majority of the Finns have strong personal integrity. We have very strict regulations on how much a person can work; even then no one works so much because the more you earn the higher your income tax.



Well over half of the suicide cases are by alcoholics, and the main reason is because this culture Is the kind of culture where people prefer to be alone, social exclusion, plus S.A.D ( Seasonal affective disorder) Seasonal affective disorder causes people to get depressed esp. during winter and if you have an alcohol problem chances of suicide increase.


We can’t control much of what we feel during the winter, because long periods of darkness causes the body to over produce certain hormones related to sleep and the absence of light also causes the body to under produce some specific hormones that help the body to deal with issues like stress. Most of the time one is too tired or sleepy in winter to do anything, and one is generally fatigued especially in some months we only have like 3 hours of daylight and if you add the effect of the clouds it really isn’t light at all.



The issue of suicide is related to the weather, social habits such as one isolating themselves from others (which majority of the Finns do) and also alcohol. It has nothing to do with working too hard and not getting returns on your hard work. It’s absurd to even suggest so Every person in this country can tell you that.

CB, I wonder, do you go to Google and type the disadvantages of living in Nordic countries or what? Please stop misinforming people.