23 Apr 2025
You’d think calling home is simple — but for many Filipinos in Finland, it’s more complicated than expected.
Even with the ease of video calls and instant messaging, staying truly connected with family in the Philippines can be harder than most people realize. Many Filipino immigrants, OFWs, and international students living in Finland experience communication hurdles they didn’t anticipate. These struggles go beyond poor signal or time zone differences — they’re rooted in shifting languages, cultural change, and evolving identity abroad.
Whether you’re a new migrant or a long-time resident trying to keep that warm connection with loved ones, understanding these surprising struggles can help bridge the gap. It’s not just about finding the right words — it’s about keeping hearts in sync across continents. And while you manage that emotional connection, make sure to stay efficient in practical ways too, like how you send money to Philippines online from Finland for your family’s needs.
Here are some of the cultural and linguistic barriers that you will face once you land in Finland.
Many Filipinos in Finland begin to notice they use their native language — whether it’s Tagalog, Ilocano, Waray, or Cebuano — less and less over time. Being immersed in an environment where Finnish and English dominate daily conversations naturally reduces fluency in Filipino dialects.
This results in awkward pauses or word searches during calls back home. What’s more, frequent code-switching — jumping between English, Finnish, and Tagalog — can confuse elderly parents or relatives in rural provinces who aren’t used to such language blends. The problem isn’t about forgetting one’s roots; it’s about how language naturally adapts to one's surroundings, sometimes at the cost of clarity and comfort with loved ones.
Living in Finland exposes Filipinos to very different speech patterns. Over time, even without realizing it, their pronunciation of Tagalog or English may shift. Finnish has a distinct set of vowel and consonant sounds, and many Filipinos pick up on these unintentionally.
This can lead to slight but noticeable changes in the way they speak — from flattened intonation to harder consonants. When talking to family back in the Philippines, these subtle changes sometimes lead to teasing or misunderstandings. While harmless at first, it may create emotional distance, especially when tone and emotion don’t land as intended.
For Filipinos who migrated to Finland and raised their children there, an entirely different struggle emerges. Many Finland-born Filipino children grow up speaking primarily Finnish or English, with limited exposure to Filipino languages at home.
This makes it challenging for them to hold meaningful conversations with their grandparents, aunts, and uncles in the Philippines. Parents find themselves constantly translating or mediating, and in the process, lose some of the natural flow of bonding moments. The warmth of a lola’s story or a cousin’s joke loses its power when it must be explained in a second or third language.
Switching between three languages daily is a reality for most Filipinos in Finland. It’s not uncommon to start a sentence in English, switch to Finnish for a term that fits better, and end it with a Filipino word.
But during emotional or deep conversations with family back home, this mix can cause confusion. Syntax issues, word choice struggles, or forgotten idioms lead to conversations that feel distant or disjointed. Even when intentions are good, the message may get lost in translation — especially when talking about personal or cultural matters.
When dealing with topics like homesickness, financial worries, or family disagreements, the struggle to find the right words becomes even more intense. A reduced fluency in Filipino languages makes it harder to express vulnerability or comfort in the same heartfelt way.
Even simple expressions like “miss na kita” may feel flat or rehearsed when the speaker isn’t used to emotionally communicating in Filipino anymore. The end result? Misunderstandings, silence, or emotionally unfulfilling exchanges — all while trying to offer support or feel supported.
Finland and the Philippines have a 5 to 6-hour time difference, depending on daylight savings. This often leads to calls that are made early in the morning or late at night — times when people are groggy, distracted, or tired.
In such moments, tone and energy don’t always align. A sleepy voice might be misread as disinterest. A blunt response, shaped by Finnish cultural norms of directness, may come off as insensitive to Filipino family members used to a more indirect and gentle tone. These misinterpretations, even if minor, add up over time and make conversations more strained than comforting.
Apps like WhatsApp, Facebook Messenger, and Viber are lifelines for families separated by thousands of kilometers. But these platforms often have built-in auto-correct settings based on English or Finnish — not Filipino dialects.
That leads to funny (or frustrating) typos, incorrect translations, and missed meanings. Add to that the reliance on emojis, abbreviations, or short-form messages, and you lose a lot of nuance. Deep conversations become transactional, missing the warmth and laughter of real-time talk.
While Finland enjoys high-speed internet, rural areas in the Philippines still struggle with spotty mobile data or unreliable Wi-Fi. That makes video or voice calls unreliable — often resulting in lag, frozen screens, or dropped calls.
Even when the connection is stable, mobile data costs in the Philippines can discourage longer conversations. Many families shorten calls to save money, which affects the depth and emotional satisfaction of communication. It’s a hard balance: wanting to talk more but being limited by tech or cost constraints.
During these moments, even small gestures like sending mobile load or supporting family expenses through a money transfer to Philippines from Finland become meaningful bridges for staying close, even when words fall short.
While calling home may seem effortless in the digital age, Filipinos in Finland often face linguistic shifts, emotional disconnections, and technological limitations that make meaningful conversations a real challenge. These struggles aren't just about words — they reflect deeper changes in identity, culture, and connection.
But there's hope. By being aware of these barriers, you can make small changes that go a long way. Speak your native language at home, involve your kids in Filipino storytelling, and make time for long, unrushed calls on weekends. Don’t let the miles mute your bond.
And as you keep those emotional ties strong, don’t forget the practical side too. Choosing a reliable service like ACE to send money to Philippines from Finland ensures your support reaches home quickly and securely — just like your love should.
Because they use Finnish and English more often in daily life, reducing the opportunity to speak Tagalog or other dialects regularly.
Speak Filipino at home, encourage storytelling from grandparents, and use Filipino shows or books as learning tools.
Poor internet connectivity or high mobile data costs in rural areas can interrupt long-distance calls, even with fast Wi-Fi in Finland.
Influence from Finnish speech patterns can alter pronunciation, making some words harder for family back home to understand.
Schedule regular call times and use trusted services like ACE Money Transfer for online money transfer from Finland to Philippines, so both emotional and financial care are ensured.
