AMERICA VS FINLAND | my first impressions of the US after 10 months abroad🇫🇮

hello and welcome back to my channel! long time no see!
daniel and i have been traveling back from Finland, then on to California and back to Tennessee, where we'll be living for a while. it's been a whirlwind of a month, but we're happy to be in the same place for a little bit. of course, we miss Finland a TON. so after 1 month back in the USA, i felt like it was time to update you on how i view the country after 10 months abroad...
be sure to like, subscribe and let me know your thoughts down below! excited to be back to making regular videos again, so stay tuned for more videos!
xo, kaylee
𝒎𝒆𝒆𝒕 𝒎𝒆 𝒉𝒆𝒓𝒆
IG | / kayleecreates
web | kayleecreates.com/

[@KatsPurr]

Hey Kaylee. I'm a Canadian who has been living in Finland since the late 80's and I can totally relate to everything you said. (also living in the Helsinki area) I love the fact that I can just bike or walk wherever I need to go. It's a true feeling of freedom to not have to be dependent on a car. And it's so cool how you can just hop onto a local train with your bike, then continue on your way for longer distances. Whenever I visit North America, my body reacts also badly to the food. I mean it is all so sinfully good and salty and sweet and fried, but my body is so angry. Food in Finland just seems so much more pure. Most of all I related to your feelings of "home". Back in the late 80's I had come to a point where I had to decide whether Canada or Finland felt more like home to me, and the answer was clear: Finland - and I've been here happily ever since! I would love it if you made a video in say 6 months to see how you feel after getting settled back into American life and it will be interesting to see if those nice feelings you have about Finland slowly subside or whether you find yourself missing them even more!

[@laurahakala7416]

Hope you do end up back in Finland at some point. Looking at your videos it definitely looked like you belong here 😊❤️

[@mainiotaainetta]

yes, I think so too 🤤👍😘 Using a car is unproportionally highly taxed in here, and in here is the europes highest tax on fuel. That might hinder a fair use of a vehicle. U cant cycle to all places in here, there is grass also in here.

[@savalle]

Thanks for a fun and refreshing views on Finland vs. the US. I’m a Finn who lived almost 15 years in California. Here are a few things I absolutely and truly appreciate and love in the US: The chitchat you can have practically with anyone on the street, in a coffee shop etc. The unbelievably beautiful nature and landscapes. The weather in CA ❤. I’m back to Europe now and I love the better work/life balance and better and cleaner food. I have none of the stomach issues I had in the US. I’m sure you will be back to Finland 😃

[@magicofshootingstar5825]

As a Finn, who was exchange student in Hongkong years ago, my experience is that you can love multiple countries and you can miss to the other place but when you go there, you will miss back to the place you just left. Life is funny 😃

[@joanofarcxxi]

Yes, I agree with this.

[@inso80]

I mentioned this in another video you made about food and gluten. It's not gluten. I would suggest you look up the differences in production methods and banned additives in Europe and Finland and make a comparison and find the stuff that does not work for you. In flour I mentioned bromine as an additive and a good example. Another example could be how shelf life of chicken is extended in the US and stuff like that. Chlorine in the specific case of chicken. Also other artificial bulking elements and hormones used. Some stuff is relatively easy to grow by yourself, like mushrooms, greens, onions, potatoes, carrots and beans, which by themselves can get you a lot of the carbs, proteins and vitamins you need. It is somewhat study intensive, but it is not very hard and can be relatively inexpensive given the amount of sunlight you have there. I recommend you build yourself a small greenery, indoor or outdoor as a hobby to get started. You can do a lot with relatively limited spaces too. Look especially into the feasibility of the previously mentioned items.

[@calliopelove]

LOL I could tell after watching your last video about Finland that you were not gonna be happy again in USA. And, I can’t blame you :). I would love to move to finland. Hope you get to go back.

[@johnnyitgamer6069]

Might be a reason Finland has the happiest people in the world according to "world happiness report"

[@user-ul3hk6hf2e]

So, that's why 5% of the population are taking antidepressant drugs?😂🤣🤣

[@EpicHashTime]

Finns aren't particularly happy. It's just stupid country branding.

[@user-ul3hk6hf2e]

@@EpicHashTime Most people are gullible and stupid, so the leftist media can BS them whatever they like, because the sheeple will believe anything that the media says!

[@mysticsaxophone4181]

@@user-ul3hk6hf2e That's why, so they can improve the stat instead of bringing it down. If the drugs don't work, suicide will and Finland will continue to shine as the happiest country in Arda

[@mikkokaario7199]

@@EpicHashTime And yet again another one who doesn't understand the metrics they're talking about when they say Finland's the happiest country in the world. It doesn't have ANYTHING to do with mental state of happiness, but the facts about quality of life. The absence of repression, oppression, censorship; the amount of support compared to the rest of the world you have for free; the quality of resources and nature and food and water; the comparative safety when looking at other countries - the list is near endless. You really might benefit from looking into the metrics those studies use instead of having a knee-jerk reaction against it because you know not all Finns are "happy".

[@heirantala]

Home is where ur heart is. Im a finn myself and i went to scotland in 2018. Instant love and felt like home. When i came home i felt homesick for scotland. Missed it like everyday. Went back in 2019. Still felt the same. I haven’t been back since because of covid and work and money. Still miss it everyday. And i would go back in a second If i could. I would move there If onhan the chance. Maybe someday. So i feel you.

[@piakorpi8277]

Tiedän, mitä tunnet...Kävin Skotlannissa ensimmäisen kerran 2019 sekä viime kesänä. Olen ihan tavallinen suomalainen, hädin tuskin osaan edes englantia, mutta tunnen käsittämätöntä koti-ikävää Skotlantiin, koko ajan.

[@tuoppi42]

Public transport can be really terrible in Finland as well. Big city areas have enough population to make it feasible and service can be good, but for smaller cities and towns the service can be something like one bus per day.

[@sulosky]

Thank you for being so nice :) All the best!

[@excellenthamster]

The moment i heard music from the Moomins in between your chapters, i haven't smiled as much in a while 😄 Love it. Greetings from Finland!

[@Tyrisalthan]

Home is a curious concept. I am from easter Finland, and I've lived in souther Finland for 14 years now. I don't feel completely at home here since people here are different than they were back in the east. But whenever I go back, I don't feel at home there either. The city has grown and changed so much in this time that I hardly recognize it anymore. Maybe if I moved back east it would start to feel at home in a few years, who knows? 🤔

[@user-ul3hk6hf2e]

That's because Joensuu is not the same as Helsinkistan!😂

[@sculptor6167]

I hope you make it back to Finland...it's really Great there! My fiancé is Finnish, and I've visited 4 times (going back again in September), and every time the plane is coming in to land in Helsinki, I get the feeling that I'm coming home! Keep up the good work...and again, I hope you make it back to Finland!

[@llssneN]

I have experiences living in different cities in Finland like Espoo, Tampere, Turku and Helsinki, and I never really needed a car which is a great feeling. For example in Espoo I get anywhere I need with either commuter train, metro or bus. Recently when I've travelled abroad I quickly notice that I miss that but also just the feeling of safety in Finland, and something as basic as the clean fresh air. I'm sure everyone's got their own. Anyway glad to hear that your trip left a positive impression!

[@kpt002]

Just accidently came across your video: I am an almost 50 years old Finnish woman. I was born and raised in Finland, but during my adult life have also lived shorter and longer periods abroad - fex. in Denmark, Tanzania (East Africa) and Israel. This spring I spent 3 moths in South Korea (just saved money during the pandemic to be able to travel as soon as it ends..) I have also lived in several towns inside Finland and at this point I have to say that (quoting Paul Young): "Wherever I Lay My Hat That's My Home.." So I actually think you can find a place to feel lika and call home in many places on this Eath. Like in Tanzania I lived in the country side in a local family and really felt like home, but so I did when I studied and lived in Copenhagen (the capital city of Denmark) too. So maybe there is not a certain one place for everyone they can call their home, but the home can be found in many places during one's life and its different phases. ❤❤❤

[@kuikulisorsa]

I guess that Europe in general has a different approach when it comes to urban design compared to the US. Cities are more compact without vast car depended suburbs. So they are more walkable. Also in Finland there is this concept of "light traffic roads" (kevyen liikenteen väylä) which is meant for pedestrians, bikes, escooters etc. These kind of roads form a network which is often separate from the roads where cars drive. Many times these act as a shortcut which encourages walking / cycling, wherever you go to work, school, supermarkets. Travel time can be almost the same as by car

[@kaisaa4318]

The feeling of home is a tricky one. It has a lot to do with people but it’s not only about people. I think it’s close to what I would call a happy place. I have felt home in Finland and abroad, but many times also not. I don’t know why some apartments feel like home and some don’t. I guess it also has something to do with where you are at life. If you’re happy with what you’re doing, it’s easier to attach happy feelings to that place where you are and feel like you’re at home. I’m soon moving from Finland to DC and I hope it will start to feel like home 🥹

[@user-ul3hk6hf2e]

Good luck not getting rob or shot by the da blacks, OK?!😂😂

[@holyhelga]

if you only lived in helsinki then public transport is good but as soon as you live in a smaller town public transport isnt that good where i live theres only a few busses a day that goes anywhere so you need a car for longer trips unless you go to the places where busses run

[@ArchieArpeggio]

First of all i´m finnish and i have lived in Sweden as i was a toddler 2 years with my mom. We lived in Tensta, Stockholm that time and every time as i take a trip to Stockholm and the cruise ship get closer to the harbour i´ve get this feeling that i´m coming back to home. Crazy thing is that i was only a year old as we moved there and three years old as we moved back. Actually at this fall it´s going to be 40 years as we moved away from there and came back to Finland. Well in US you have propably be eaten mostly carbs as source of energy. And eating carbs isn´t healthy for humans. Not in US and not in Finland either. Carbs gets your blood sugar up very fast and if it isn´t fiber it will come down very quickly too. That´s why you are constantly hungry. I´ve been on ketogenic diet now more than 4 months and i rearly get really hungry and i eat only once or twice a day. I started this lifestyle becouse i really needed to get some weightloss and get my blood sugar levels down to normal. I propably were al ready insuline resistant if i didn´t had type 2 diabetes (never got tested for those at doctor). But my A1c was before 8,5 and after three months it was dropped 4,8 that is a huge change. Of course i also lost 12kg of bodyweight at three months without carbs in my diet. First it is hard becouse as you know we eat lots of potatoes, pasta, rice and bread in Finland and all those are forbidden to eat. But after adaptation and getting rutines for not having carbs it gets easier. Now that i get energy from ketones and my body burns fat that turns to ketones i feel much better so many ways and my bodyfat is burning away i don´t get hungry so often anymore. I stopped snoring so i sleep better, i breath better, allmost all my rashes have cured completly, my skin is not so dry anymore, dandruft is almost completly gone and my joints ain´t hurting after i wake up. There is propably something more positive side effects that i´ve forgot to mention. If you are interested about the ketogenic diet and lifestyle to improve your health and reduce feel hunger you can find good videos by Dr. Eric Westman, Dr. Sten Ekberg, Dr. Eric Berg, Thomas DeLauer and many others.

[@jarnovilen5259]

I do not know why I watched this video but I am thankful that I did. It made me realize how fortunate I am being Finnish and living in Finland. I've traveled a lot but Finland is my Home and this video reminded me that I would not like this to be any other way. I love my home country, I love Finland.

[@johnathanraye5346]

I'm a Canadian born and bred. The first language I ever spoke was Finnish and I only learned English in kindergarten. In my mid twenties I took a month long trip with my Finnish father to visit relatives in Helsinki and Seinajoki. I had the best time feeling belonged and my fluent Finnish came back immediately. I walked into a bar for an Olut and a customer noticed I was speaking English and asked me if I was American. In my best patriotic voice I said fuck no I am Canadian. We all laughed and I never bought another drink all night. When we first arrived my rich cousin hosted a dinner in the fanciest hotel in Helsinki. Just happen to be when Canada was playing hockey with Finland during the 84 Olympics they had a TV on by the bar and I was the only one to cheer my team to a 4-2 victory. Bottom line is I kindled a relationship with my Finnish relatives which FB helps keep alive with daily contact but I never felt more proud of being a Canadian than I did while repping my country abroad. Kaylee I totally understand your apprehension about returning to the states with Trump on the loose.... for a little while longer. If you feel uncomfortable where you are than maybe that's not where you are supposed to be. XO

[@velbe]

Hope you can come back home one day! 🙂

[@qwineth]

Well, about food, one of the main differences is that in Europe and especially in the Nordic countries the regulations are quite strict compared with the US - you guys just routinely allow lots of unhealthy stuff :(

[@user-ul3hk6hf2e]

Yes, cheap craps from Spain but sold as gold in Finland are very healthy, indeed!😂

[@qwineth]

@@user-ul3hk6hf2e Nothing compared with the US though...

[@MustaLaatta]

In US ia lao ayatwma (grocery9 that deliver home so callected - twisted carrots, undersized potatoes etc that would get to bin otherwise... check out their local providors...

[@sturmstug]

You can leave Finland. Finland never leave you.

[@doxycanmake]

Hey!!! We won’t forget you! We shared great memories, how that can be forgotten! And shoot a message when you feel like that ;) we can always video call! Perks of technology ❤❤❤

[@puhistagram]

Thanks for a nice vlog, Kaylee. I have similar "home"-experience with you. In my case, it was Scotland. Aberdeen, Edinburg, Highlands. Before I went to Scotland, I lived in England a half year. I fitted better in Scotland than I do here in Finland. Realization was more about me than from home or Scotland. Take care, hope you find your place in the world.

[@petergriffin6126]

come back! :D But seriously, you didnt notice that people are louder? and more talkative?

[@jounilojander8821]

I guess you get more sugar or other things what we use less or it's totally banned in Europe! But I'm happy you liked our country!

[@Zomise]

Did you consider staying in Finland and look for work? I've understood food in the US has a lot of added sugars which is why you're always hungry.

[@fortuna7469]

I also had a reverse culture shock when I returned to Helsinki after having lived in Britain for 6 years. All the best! ❤

[@63Freja]

Thing no 4 (food) is interesting.

[@eerokutale277]

Many parts of Finland have bad or non existent public transport. At the moment I live in Helsinki but I have bought my dreamhouse (a beatiful, well maintened house built in 1992. 116m²= 1248ft² / 166m²= 1786ft² and it was dirt-cheap 156,000 € ) by a lake some 350 kilometers north of Helsinki and I will move there. As far as I know there is no public transport, only schoolbuses so having a vehicle is a must. There is a small grocery store 1,7 kilometers from my house but the nearest big store is 28 kilometers away.

[@jattikuukunen]

So Tennessee is like rural Finland except there are people everywhere?

[@kayleecreates]

No, not at all.😂 There are a lot of farms etc, but it’s more southern country farms than the ones in Finland. It’s also very warm here (28-35 alllll summer) But there are several big cities that have lots of cars, tall building and such.

[@ThisTrainIsLost]

On your first topic, transportation, I had a friend about a thousand years ago whose mother was a car addict. Even we youngsters thought it odd that whenever the mom visited a particular friend, she always went by car. The friend lived about 400 feet away. Need I say more?

[@ThisTrainIsLost]

Kiitoksia oikein paljon siitä sydämmâstä! 😎🌹🇨🇦🇫🇮

[@ThisTrainIsLost]

Btw, are you aware that the world's longest palindrome is a Finnish word? "Saippuakauppias". Meaning "soap merchant"

[@joanofarcxxi]

I was born in europe and am an immigrant in the USA. The thing about the car culture in the US has to do with the fact that the US is HUGE. Cities here are large and sparse in comparison to... Helsinki, which I believe is the largest in Finland, so riding bikes or walking around in US cities is not always the most practical. In the US there is a whole lot more of in state traveling as well as inter-state traveling, so cars are essential. Food I can say that when I first came to the USA I starved. I hated American food. I could not stomach most things, as they were loaded with sugar, salt, and (gasp) cheese. It seemd like everything had cheese in it somehow. I disliked being invited to potlucks, because I often didn't eat anything - unless I brought my own food. I lived off salads and fresh strawberry shakes. I was shocked that people ate packaged bread that lasted for weeks. I was used to fresh baked bread every morning. Fresh milk, natural, fresh fruit, lots of fish, etc (I am Mediterranean). It took me a long time to start enjoying American food. I think that the feeling of constant hunger, bloating, and weirdness after meals might have to do with the process the foods go through in the US before we eat them. A lot of hidden chemicals for preservation and freshness, as well as hormones and anti-biotics. Should be outlawed. But again, the USA is HUGE! And the foods are transported all over, sometimes from west to east, and vice versa. It's like going across europe from one end to the other. Here we mass produce vegetables crops and cattle for meats in order to feed everyone across the country, and plenty! So things can not be totally as nature intended. Finland is tiny. It's smaller than some US states. Only about 5 million people vs the USA with about 340 million. A stunning difference. Considering how big the USA is, it's pretty amazing how well things actually function here. I also lived in Sweden for some time, and I took one of those Viking cruises to Turku. :) lol Never seen so many drunk people in one place. But it was fun. In Sweden, you also walk and bike a lot. And otherwise jump on the train, the bus, or the tunnelbana. No need for car if you live in Stokholm and its suburbs. What I didn't like about Sweden is that there was a lack of acceptance of ethnic diversity. Because I am dark olive skinned and have dark hair, I encountered some very shocking and unexpected confrontations. Let's just say that it left a bad impression. The Swedish country side is also very beautiful in the summer, and probably similar to Finland. There are a lot of lakes and forests, Swedes love nature. In spite of all this, I still prefer the USA. I would say that if you plan to live abroad, really consider that you might have to leave your family and friends, and one day in the future, you will need them and miss them to the point of desperation. Because even if we make new friends in a new place, it's never the same. There are times in life when you go through rough patches, and you need the closeness and care of your own family. Just something to consider. I have traveled a lot, and lived in different places throughout my life, and I always missed my family, and that feeling of comfort and total acceptance you experience when you are with them, regardless of what's going on in life. Sorry about the long comment. :)

[@kayleecreates]

No apologies necessary! Wow, thank you so much for your words and insight, I appreciate your perspective.. I wish you the best on your journey in the states xo

[@6758pasi]

I'm surprised to hear you don't really feel like home after just saying how you enjoyed being with your friends and family. Maybe there's a side to it that i don't understand. Having visited US two times i haven't noticed the lack of sidewalks, again maybe it's in the suburbs? Though now that i think about it, i don't really recall noticing sidewalks in NC as i moved there with the car with my host. Pasi

[@gode2573]

Must be rough also do to US politics currently...

[@hopoheikki8503]

I live in Finland and I'm a bit lactose intolerant (nothing serious, milk products only makes me gassy). But it was weird when I was in England and Japan, I could example eat all ice cream I want and it didn't do anything in my body. So, yeah. It's weird that some allergies vanish when you go to another country or continent. Maybe something to do with the different food processing methods etc. Don't know. :D

[@ImForwardlook]

I'm a Finn and Tennessee would be very high on my list of dream destinations. I've been to 43 states in the US and if I could get a green card I would have moved there years ago. And yes, I'd have a six figure job lined up but no way to get in. So, I guess I'll spend the rest of my days in poverty here...

[@jarnovilen5259]

There is no poverty in Finland and you do not understand how lucky you are. To be honest you are among the small amount of of worlds happiest people. But I do realize that you will never get it. But thanks for the laugh, the way you told about the job lined up for you just cracked me. There is no way you will ever be happy since you clearly don't know what that even means.