Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)

Season 3, Episode 5: Immigrants in the Finnish labor market – past, present, and future with Dr. Mojibur DoftoriWe invited International House Lahti advisor, Dr. Mojibur Doftori, who is originally from Bangladesh and moved to Finland in 1996. He has had a long career in academia and politics in Finland and now shares his observations on the past, present, and future of immigrants in the Finnish labor market.Some of the questions we explored include: What are the reasons highly educated professionals in Finland struggle to find jobs? Dr. Doftori explains that strict and inflexible language requirements imposed by Finnish employers often exclude highly qualified professionals from the job market. He calls on Finnish companies to change this mindset, embrace diversity in their workforce, and recognize that integration is a two-way process. Moreover, certain deeply ingrained cultural aspects among some Asian and African immigrant communities may also present challenges.In this episode, you will hear Dr. Mojibur Doftori’s perspective on the challenges foreign professionals face in Finnish working life, along with practical tips and insights into the efforts made by cities in Finland to attract and welcome international talent.Listen to the full episode to learn more about the Finnish job market!💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Nadira Kusaeni, Martha Workenh

Season 3, Episode 4: Traditional Clothing, Surviving the Autumn Blues, and Finding Community in FinlandMartha has just returned from Ethiopia and shares her experience attending a major religious celebration. Nadira also tells us about the unique traditional clothing of Indonesia.Did Martha’s sunny holiday leave her refreshed enough to face the Finnish autumn? And can bright lamps really help us cope with autumn blues?Social connections matter, especially during difficult times. But how do you find your own community in Finland? Tune in to hear our stories and reflections in this episode!💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 3, Episode 3: Opening a Business and Content Creation in Finland, with Kabira Chopra KhannaIn this episode, our guest Kabira Chopra Khanna from India, a business owner and content creator with over 52,000 followers on Instagram, answers all the questions you might have if you're thinking about starting a business in Finland.Kabira shares her experiences on how starting a business in Finland compares to doing so in her home country, and how her Indian background has supported her entrepreneurial journey. She also talks about how she grew her social media presence and turned it into a source of income.You'll also learn about the support available for entrepreneurs in Finland, tips for overcoming challenges, and what daily life looks like for a business owner.💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 3, Episode 2: Pursuing Doctoral Studies (PhD) in Finland: application tips, salary, graduationOur guest, Evgeniia Ponomareva from Russia, a Doctoral Candidate at Aalto University's Department of Applied Physics answers all the questions you might have if you are planning to pursue a PhD in Finland.How to apply for research funding? What is required to complete a PhD program? Evgeniia shares real practical tips that give you an idea of life before, during, and after completing PhD studies in Finland.Although she is happy working as a PhD researcher in Finland, our guest addresses loneliness and shares her suggestions for improving social life of PhD researchers.💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 3, Episode 1: Travel and Tourism in FinlandWhat can you do in Finland as a tourist? Now it’s summertime here, and we share our activity recommendations for travelers. Finland’s unique location in the Northern Hemisphere brings long days and warmth for visitors to enjoy outdoor activities. We recommend berry picking, road-tripping up north, or even watching the wife-carrying championship. For city and indoor enthusiasts, Finland offers plenty of museums showcasing local and international culture. Do you agree?💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 2, Episode 5: Finnish Pop Culture, Yay or Nay?We discussed this year's Eurovision and UMK. What do we think about Finland's representative this year? Did Nadira support KAJ or Erika? In addition, we talked more about Finnish music, TV shows, and summer festivals. Sofia shared her experiences learning Korean through music and reflected on the increasing festival prices since she was a teenager. Are you attending any gigs this summer?💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 2, Episode 4: Can Finland Support a Healthy Lifestyle?We discuss data and experiences about what contributes to healthy lifestyles across cultures. How is the sauna culture in South Korea? Why do Indonesians seldom walk? How does the heat affect Ethiopians’ lifestyle? Tune in and discover surprising ways different cultures stay healthy. You might even pick up a tip or two for yourself!💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 2, Episode 3: Opitaan suomen kieltä! Learning FinnishIn this episode, Nadira and Martha share tips for learning Finnish. Nadira uses a Polish website, Glosbe.com, to check word conjugations, while Martha says practicing with the same-level speakers helps her a lot when learning the language. We also discuss whether someone can survive in Finland just by speaking English. Learn something new and enjoy this episode!💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Speakers: Nadira Kusaeni, Martha WorkenhSound Editor: Sofia Kivinen

Season 2, Episode 2: Finnish Springtime Holidays, Vappu and EasterSpring is here, and the days are longer! Flowers bloom, and leaves begin to appear. Do you have any Easter or Vappu traditions? In this episode, we talk about Finnish, Ethiopian, and Indonesian traditions for these festive springtime holidays.💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 2, Episode 1: Finnish Municipal and County Elections 2025Let’s talk politics! We share our findings on what the Municipal and County Elections are, how to find a candidate, suggestions for candidate advertisements, what to bring on voting day, and much more. Listen to us before you vote on Sunday, or keep our tips in mind for future elections.💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 1, Episode 5: RelationshipsWe had an interesting discussion about relationships, from friendships to family bonds. How do you form friendships in Finland? What could be the reason for the lack of physical touch in Finland? How can we tackle Finland’s loneliness problem?💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 1 Episode 4: Working or Studying in Finland?Finland pays attention to employees’ well-being, and we really appreciate that. What is it like to work or study in Finland? Can you have work-life balance? Hear what our three different speakers have experienced working and studying in Finland compared to their past experiences elsewhere.💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 1, Episode 3: Finnish Housing & Transportation CultureIt is well known that transportation services in Finland are punctual compared to those in other countries. But what can still be improved? In this episode, we share awkward and funny moments we’ve experienced related to housing and transportation in Finland.💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 1, Episode 2: Path to Finnish IntegrationWhat does integrating into Finland mean to you? The three of us share our own perspectives on integrating into the host society. A thought-provoking episode to keep you company!💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni

Season 1, Episode 1: Moving to Finland QuirksIntroduction to our podcast! Martha, Nadira, and Sofia share their experiences and the culture shock of moving to Finland and living abroad. Get ready for eccentric stories that will lighten your mood.💬 Join the discussion in the comments! We would love to hear your story!📌 Follow our channel to get updates on when new episodes come out.Best wishes,Finland Through Different Lenses (FTDL)Sofia Kivinen, Martha Workenh, Nadira Kusaeni