Ethnic product 
of the 
month

I’VE COME to understand that for those of you who’ve grown up in the US, the UK, or possibly one of the Commonwealth countries, the very mention of condensed milk transports you straight back to your childhood days. The evocative sound of a can clattering away as it is being boiled into sticky caramel, the anticipation of the final product that took hours to take shape and the burnt tongue ‘cos you just couldn’t wait any longer – or am I wrong?

Although extremely popular in the above-mentioned corners of the world, this sweet treat is not the exclusive delight of the English-speaking nation.

FINFO is a nationwide advice line that provides assistance in finding the right services for newcomers to Finland from a country outside of the European Union in English, Russian, Arabic, French and Finnish. SixDegrees found out the five strangest, most random queries received by FINFO employees:

1. “How can I set up a strip club in Finland?”

2. “Will you meet me for a cup of coffee?”

3. “I’d like to change professions, what should I change to?”

4. “Why are Finns racist?”

5. “Where is the best ballet school in Helsinki?”

FROM haute couture to canine couture, just when you thought you’d seen it all, along comes comfy-couture. Leading the revolution is Kotihousut. Hailed as an indoor “Hel-Looks”, the home-couture blog showcases the clothes you wear when no one’s watching.

Non-statements become statements in this new fashion democracy, with an invitation to send your own photo plus a short text to model your abode-attire choices. Whether it’s a serious attempt to challenge conventional thought about fashion or more tongue-in-cheek, poking fun at fashion victims, Kotihousut is reflecting the zeitgeist.

Learning the Finnish they don’t teach in school

Laatata, yrjötä (verb)

English equivalent: (literally) to tile, to george

Example of usage:

- Miten treffit meni?

- Tosi huonosti. Mä otin pari shottia liikaa ja yrjösin mun deitin syliin. Siis kauheeta!

- How was your date?

- Not so great, I had too many shots and puked in my date’s lap. So gross!

OUT of all the places in Helsinki, where would you think mums go out to celebrate? Your first pick is likely to be far from DTM, aka Don’t Tell Mama ­– a nightclub proud to be the largest combination of Gay Café, Disco and Night Club in Scandinavia. This, however, is exactly where a Europe-wide happening in celebration of Mother’s Day will take place. The event here in Finland is put together by the Family Federation (Väestöliitto), a social and health sector organisation that works with families and youths, including sexual minority families as one important part of its services.