“I always knew I wanted to do nursing” – Smriti's story of persistence, patience and finding her place in Finland

When Smriti moved to Finland in 2017, it was not only her first time living outside Nepal – it was also her first time on a plane. Not even a domestic flight before that, she recalls.

Her dream of nursing had taken root long before. She first applied to study nursing in Finland but was unsuccessful. At the time, tuition here was still free for those outside the EU, making Finland especially attractive – and she wasn’t ready to give up.

With a cousin and brother already living in Finland, Smriti kept the idea alive. When the following year’s intake offered only IT and business programmes, she applied again – this time for a business degree in Kokkola, a small coastal town of around 50 000 residents. She was accepted, and though she knew it wasn’t her true calling, she pressed ahead.

After a short break, she applied once more for nursing. This time, she was accepted.

Fast forward a few years and Smriti is now based in the Helsinki suburb of Malminkartano, known for its green spaces and the city’s highest hill. Here, she has nature at her doorstep and a burgeoning career as a registered nurse.

We caught up with her as she reflected on the journey that brought her here – and what it has taken to build a life and career in Finland, finally doing the work she loves.

Kathmandu is a bustling city of millions. Kokkola, not so much. What were your first impressions when you arrived in 2017?

Looking back now, it was kind of funny, but also difficult. Transport wasn’t great, and we had to walk 20–25 minutes to get to school through heavy snow. Most of the school year was winter – snow everywhere.

But I’m not the kind of person to be too judgemental. I’m pretty neutral – it wasn’t that bad. It was fun in a way.

After completing your business degree, you took some time out and were eventually accepted into a nursing programme.

I got into a school in Pori that had an English programme, Satakunta University of Applied Sciences. That first year was all in English, so I didn’t need to speak Finnish much. My tutor was a foreigner who had also graduated from Satakunta and didn’t pressure me to speak Finnish. I tried here and there with the residents during my placements, but mostly I communicated in English. It was comfortable – too comfortable. I didn’t really improve.

Back then, my husband was living in Helsinki, and I was working in a restaurant while studying. Every weekend I was travelling back and forth – it was tiring. So I applied for a transfer and got into Tampere University of Applied Sciences and continued my nursing studies.

There I joined a programme called TOKASA, which integrates Finnish language learning with nursing studies. Through that programme I was able to transfer to Metropolia University of Applied Sciences in Helsinki, which had Finnish language courses that matched the nursing content.

We’d have a course in English and then the same course again in Finnish with a focus on terminology. That helped – even though we never fully switched to Finnish, it gave us confidence.

The programme gave us a way into the workplace, even without strong Finnish. During placements, hospitals and organisations understood that we were there to learn both the work and the language. That made a big difference.

What were your placements like?

In Helsinki, the placement was in an elderly care home where no one spoke English. On the first day, I came home and cried. I told my teacher I didn’t think I could finish the placement.

But she encouraged me to wait a week, and on the second day, I met another foreigner who also spoke Finnish – it was a bit easier. That gave me confidence, and that’s when I really started speaking Finnish. Just trying, however I could.

It helped that our school also arranged placements in hospitals, because otherwise it would’ve been almost impossible to get in without Finnish skills. In hospitals, people were easier to understand than in elderly care homes, and patients were more understanding too. It felt like the right environment.

Why is that?

In elderly homes, people might have dementia or Alzheimer’s and say random things that don’t make sense. It was hard to follow.

But in hospitals, conversations were more structured, and patients were patient with me. No one ever said, Don’t speak to me, you don’t know Finnish. They encouraged me, and I could feel my confidence grow.

What advice would you give to those learning Finnish?

Just start speaking. However you can. Listen, even if you don’t understand. Read things like newspaper headlines. Look up words now and then. Try to use your brain actively to understand the structure. Finnish isn’t as complicated as it seems once you start noticing how words are formed.

Also – rest! When I’m tired, I can’t think in any language – not Finnish, not English, not even my own.

I still struggle with writing. Even though I write similar things every day, I don’t feel confident – like, is it two Ts or one? I’m not sure.

What has been your experience of working life in Finland?

People are honest here. You can say, I don’t know, and that’s OK. Even doctors say that. You’re not expected to know everything.

So far, the people I’ve worked with have been really supportive. That helps a lot as a beginner. You need to ask questions constantly. It’s easier when you feel you can ask for help.

And how about the outside of work? How do you spend your free time?

I’m not very active. If it’s summer, I’ll go swimming or spend time outdoors. But I’d rather sit at home, cook something, eat something, watch TV. I might go for a stroll outside, you know, that’s it.

Have you tried skiing or any activities like that?

No, I’ve never tried. Let’s say someday. Not skiing, but I’ve been thinking about ice skating. Someday I’ll find the courage.

You could start by pushing a chair on the ice.

[laughs] You’ve got to start somewhere. I’m going to have chairs, I’m going to have my pads and everything before I even move – otherwise I’ll be off work for a long, long time.

Now you have lived in Finland for eight years, what is it like when you go back to Nepal?

It’s always different. Things are more organised in Finland. In Nepal, it’s still chaotic – even crossing the street feels dangerous. But you also get the comfort of your own language, your own food.

Do you feel like a newcomer in Finland still?

Not really. But I don’t feel fully settled either. Somewhere in the middle.

Do you plan to stay in Finland long-term?

Yes – at least for the next 20–30 years. After that, who knows? Maybe I’ll go back to Nepal, or maybe somewhere else! You never know.

What do you like most about living here?

The balance. You don’t need to be rich. You work, you live and things are stable. It’s not about chasing money here – it’s about enjoying life. In Finland, you can live simply and still have a good life.