Leaving Home Behind - Career Opportunity or Seeking for a Safer Life?

Abstract

This article analyzes Finnish and Estonian womens perceptions of migration. The central questions are why women migrated from Finland to Estonia or vice versa, what expectations they had and how they ? rst experienced the immigration. The data consists of 48 in-depth interviews. The starting point for the two groups was different and unequal; furthermore, the time of migration played a crucial role in the formation of their experiences. The majority of the Finnish women interviewed migrated in the 21st century, mostly for family or career reasons. Their expectations were rather negative and their main experiences were related to their roles: following a husband or creating their own careers. Most Estonians migrated to Finland in the early or mid-1990s, when the societal situation was very unstable and many wanted to leave the country to look for a better life. However, they ? rst found life in Finland challenging.