Finnish Appartment Living - Part 2 - by Therese
Mood:  a-ok
Topic: Places in Helsinki
Many Finns live in apartment blocks. Partly, its because Finland rapidly urbanised after World War Two to help Finland pay its reparations to the Soviet Union.

Even now, lots of Finns live in and around Helsinki – the biggest city in Finland is Helsinki, and the second largest, Espoo, and the fourth largest, Vantaa, are actually commuter cities, outlying suburbs of Helsinki.

Partly its because it’s a real hassle living in a house with a backyard. In summer you are forever mowing the lawn – its 24 hour sunlight and the grass just grows and grows. In autumn, you have to clean out the eaves from all the falling leaves – otherwise the slushy mix of rain and leaves gets into the house and grows mould.

In winter, you have ! to shovel the snow. And if snow from your roof falls on anyone, its your fault, so you also have to make sure snow doesn’t build up on the roof. And then you have to pay to heat the house.

After living in a row-house for a year, how happy we were to move into an apartment, with a nice body corporate mowing the lawn, raking the yard, and shovelling the snow.

Tomorrow: Part 3 Stay tuned!