News

Observations on the American Dream, the Finnish Way

Picture from when I celebrated 4th of July with my Finnish roommates.

The Finnish Cultural Institute in New York's recurrent essay series, FCINY Observations, presents cultural commentary at the intersection of Finnish and New York perspectives. 

When I was a teenager, my biggest dream was to live in New York. In my eyes, the US was the epicenter of everything cool. The city had the best brands, the best music, the coolest people, and the opportunity to live the American teenage dream of being prom queen in high school. When I entered my early twenties, this Disney Channel façade began to fade, and underneath was a country that perhaps did not function as well as they had been portrayed through TV and pop culture. At least compared to my home country Finland, known for its strong history of welfare. 

Nevertheless, my fascination with New York never completely disappeared. And in January 2026, I packed my bags, followed my teenage dream and moved to New York, just as Democratic Socialist Zohran Mamdani took office as the youngest mayor in a century.

Almost immediately after Mayor Mamdani started introducing new policies and ideas, guiding New York City towards a more Nordic-style welfare model. Did I move here just as New York started looking a little more like Finland?

One of the first ideas the mayor introduced was the baby box or as we call it in Finland, where the concept originated from, äitiyspakkaus. A free box containing essential supplies for newborns, with the idea of giving every child the same start in life. The baby box has been a given in Finland since 1949 and has now begun its journey in New York, where it has been received very positively. If you want to learn more about the baby box, you can read Mimosa Tast’s Observations essay on the subject. It’s fascinating to see how something that has been done for decades and is seen as a norm in Finland, can become headline news in New York. This made me wonder, what else could New York learn and adapt from Finland?

Mamdani has also introduced initiatives to make childcare more accessible. He is about to launch a pilot program next year on free child care for municipal workers, i.e. public service employees who work for city, town, or local governments. Approximately 40 children between the ages six weeks to three years will receive free, year-round childcare from 8 a.m. to 6 p.m., Monday to Friday. Accessible childcare is clearly one of Mamdani’s priorities and says  "Change begins at home. As we deliver universal child care to New Yorkers, that work must include the public servants who keep this city running”.¹ In New York City childcare in pre-school age usually varies from $1,500 - $2,500 a month per child.²

In Finland, childcare is subject to a fee, however, it is income-based and strongly subsidized. The cost of daycare is determined based on the family size, income and how many hours the child is in care. With the cost of childcare being at most 335€ per child, and the amount  decreasing for each additional child.³

Another initiative the mayor has taken and will pilot later this summer is “Parents’ Night Out”. The program will give 500 New York City parents the opportunity for a night off by providing free childcare.⁴

One big difference I have noticed between New York and Finland is the work culture. New York is truly full of dreams that everyone strives to pursue. Finns, on the other hand, are generally more content with what they have. This is a good quality in itself, and probably one of the main reasons for us being named the happiest country in the world for nine years in a row. I do however feel that New York is an inspiring place to be in, where everything feels possible. This mindset, however, leads to people working many more hours than we are used to in Finland. In New York, parents often leave for work early and sometimes work long into the evening. This results in the need for babysitters, at least for parents who want to invest in both their career and their family life.

In New York, it is not unusual for families to have multiple babysitters, several times a week. I have many friends who babysit and are like a part of their family. They play with the kids, eat with them, and some have even spent their summer in the Hamptons with the family. The kids don’t seem to mind either. They get a lot of attention and a playmate. A win-win situation if you ask me. At the same time, it makes me wonder: What about the families that cannot afford the $20 - $30 dollars an hour that babysitters in New York typically charge? This city is not built for the average family. New York seems to reward those who are able to devote themselves fully to their careers.

I overheard two people speaking on the street, with a happy puppy roaming around their legs. The owner of the dog told her friend proudly how she had gotten the dog as an excuse to go home earlier from work. This might be one of the reasons why there are so many dogs in this city. It also works as a status symbol. Only the rich can afford to have a big Goldendoodle in this city, with the amount of space and time you need to actually have a dog. The dogs, however, are living their best life here. My friend has started a business where he takes dogs on runs every week. The dog he takes care of gets 30 miles of running a week (almost 50km). I also heard about someone whose dog is part of a hiking group where they take all the dogs upstate New York three times a week. This is probably the city of the happiest dogs in the world. But would you rather live in a place with the happiest dogs or the happiest people?

I don’t know to be honest… I think it is quite refreshing to be in a city where opportunities seem endless and everyone is always striving to be and do better. The people here are optimistic and always try to go the extra mile, and the energy rubs off on me. The thought of going back to Finland, after my year-long internship is over, seems a bit scary. A place where Jantelagen is the way of living, i.e. an unwritten social code in the Nordic countries that encourages humility, equality, and means that people should not stand out or think they are better than others. 

Maybe New York doesn’t have to become Finland. I believe a strong welfare system is the foundation of a well-functioning society and Mayor Mamdani is on track to introducing more Finnish concepts than the Baby Box. There is homelessness all over the city and, at least from a Finnish perspective, this was quite a culture shock. However, this city has something special and genuinely brings out the best in people, which is probably due to the work culture and opportunities it offers. New York maybe has to be a little tough for you to actually challenge yourself to achieve what you were meant to. And what Mayor Mamdani is trying to accomplish, is giving more New Yorkers the chance to make use of what this city has to offer.

I can’t wait to see what he will accomplish during his time in office.


Eva-Li tEir
11.8.2026

References: