Support for moving and settling in

Moving to a new country is never easy, but Shevon feels well supported in Kotka to settle in.

– I received help from integration services and local authorities. It made the beginning much easier,” he says.

He says that basic everyday services are easily accessible: shops, health services and public services are close by, and the quality of services has been good and reliable.

Finnish culture and nature make an impression

Shevon describes Finnish culture as respectful and systematic.

– I particularly appreciate equality, honesty and how well things are organised,” he says.

One of the best things about Kotka, in his opinion, is its proximity to nature.

– My favourite thing about it is the peaceful environment and how close nature is all the time.

Mobility and free time

Shevon mainly uses public transport and walking in his daily life. He says that public transport works well for the most part, although there could be more frequent services.

In his spare time, he enjoys nature walks and participating in local events and cultural programmes. He is somewhat familiar with the events calendar of the Etelä-Kymenlaakso region, and Kotka and Hamina are already well known as regions.

Quality of working life and language challenges

Working in the Etelä-Kymenlaakso region has provided Shevon with many positive experiences.

– The best thing about working here is a good work-life balance and a respectful working environment,” she says.

Learning Finnish has been a challenge, but English is also a good everyday language. Still, he believes that developing language skills is the key to smoother integration.

– I would have liked someone to tell me from the beginning how important it is to start learning Finnish as early as possible.

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