Not like us: a studio in a panel in Helsinki

At the beginning of February 2020, we went on a mini-Eurotour, the first point on the way was the city of Helsinki. Probably every citizen of St. Petersburg was there, with a stopover for the night on a ferry or in a hotel. But on this trip we stayed in a studio, a studio apartment of 35 square meters. For two people for a couple of footage is excellent, but it should be said that in principle I am against studios.

We lived in panel houses in St. Petersburg. What are panels for us? If there is 5 floors - there is no elevator, the audibility is such that we know the details of the neighbors' quarrels, how each of the children runs. From the experience of living in a 16-story panel, you can hear a neighbor banging his foot on something, not very good, but the thud sound sounds, and then his unprintable comment sounds, and then yours laughter. Well, or another reaction.

This is not the case in Helsinki. We lived in a beautiful stylish 4-storey building. With an elevator! In an area that is similar to our developments with trendy townhouses - a large territory, with a playground, equipped courtyards, well-groomed area, greenery all around, I am silent about free-standing garbage containers in garbage cans for separate collection garbage.

The house is fully occupied, each apartment has the names of the owners. They left us the key to the apartment at the door, in a letter box. In Russia, this practice is risky. Sounds of neighbors? No, you haven't. We slept quietly all weekend. Finns, of course, are a quiet nation, but on weekends they can make noise too. But no, no hints of presence, although we met our neighbors literally once. Sounds of the elevator opposite which the front door is? Also no.

Apartment layout. In Russia, for some reason, the top of the architectural concept is the location of the kitchen as close as possible to the bathroom. Here, in Helsinki, there was our room, it is also a bedroom-living room, fenced off by a partition wall without a door, but with a window, a kitchen, and only then a bathroom, at the entrance - the most harmonious arrangement.

And thanks to the owners - the apartment had everything I needed for living: appliances, food (oatmeal, cereals, tea, coffee), a mini-hairdryer, the smallest in my life,

shampoos, high-quality and professional ones, children's toys, beanbag chairs, the last two points made the feeling of being at home even stronger. And the owners send all the options on how to get home as soon as you arrive in the city. In a few days we managed to immerse ourselves in their life, and the level of comfort and quality is much higher than ours. They say that in order to get acquainted with the life of the other side, it is ideal to live in a real house or apartment in another country. We lived, it's a wonderful experience. And now I am not against studios: I am for quality studios like theirs.