Name Wanted! New Flea Market in Oulu

Quite a few Flea Markets in Oulu have closed down, moved or become not so attractive as they have changed their policy of what they are showing. Many have shifted over to more expensive antique furniture, trying to increase value turnover to meet their overhead costs.

The foreign community of Oulu and cost-conscious Oulu residents are prime users of Flea Markets, second only to my better half, who has picked up literally hundreds of great items from her visits to her favourite Flea Markets. Annikki is the ultimate Flea Market expert.

I have put up several web pages in the past on the Oulu Best Buy Blog telling people where the main Flea Markets are located, and I have visited all the Flea Markets regularly to see which ones have good offers.

Väliväiniö Ahmatie 16
Flea Market at Ahmatie 16 Flat 3.

After much soul searching I decided to start my own Flea Market, where the prices are really Flea Market prices. A small refreshment bar will also operate in the Flea Market.

I have finalised the name for the Flea Market or the daily opening times, nor have I employed anyone as yet. Presently, it operate between 09:00 am and 11:00 am on all weekdays, except Wednesday (07:45 am till 09:45 am). Timings for Saturdays and Sundays have not yet been finalised.

But you can get me out there by calling 041 706 7788.

I have a policy that if you purchase stuff more than € 30 I will organise free delivery to the front door of your building. I do not have staff to help you take it to your apartment and my age and back problem does not permit me to help with the really heavy stuff.

Last Sunday, as a launch, advertised in the Kaleva newspaper, I held a Courtyard Flea Market, supposed to open at 12 noon. People turned up already at 11:00 am. Because of the rush I was unable to move a lot of stuff from my godowns to the Flea Market. The weather held up till 17:00 hours when we had to close as a drizzle started.

This Sunday we will continue to have a Courtyard Flea Market, but we are not weather sensitive as we will have the indoor Flea Market open simultaneously. So no one will go away disappointed.

Welcome and hope you get some good buys!

Indian contingent due in Oulu

Posted on Jacob's Blog and the Oulu CHAFF Blog.

November 2007 will see a large increase of the Indian engineer population in Oulu. There is a contingent of 20 Indians some with wives and children due to arrive in Oulu during the month.

The first group of 5 are already scheduled to arrive on the 1st of November. The others are waiting for their visas and other papers to arrive.

They are looking for houses, furnished if possible, to rent.

If any of you have any offers to make, please get in touch with me and let me know, as I can put you in direct touch with those arriving.

If they are unable to get furnished appartments, they may need furniture and other household equipment. If you have any, please let me know as I am compiling a list of stuff required against what is available.

Kamu just informed me that he has a good dining table with 4 chairs available for under € 100. We were able to provide a tv, coffee maker, toaster to a young student last week from our existing stock. We still have lots of cups, saucers, glasses, from the summer flea market remains.

This week's CHAFF meeting will be at the Coffee Shop, entrance on Isokatu as well as from the Rotuari Square. Those attending will probably be there after 13:00 hours.

One of the questions that we may discuss this week is the setting up of a Kindergarten, especially for the children who may have to go back to the Indian Education System, which can never be from a Finnish run Play Schools.

This is an enormous social issue and one which needs to be taken very seriously. If there are enough people interested, then we should take it up with the companies, especially the Indian companies, who are deputing their personnel to Oulu.

My recent discussion with the Oulu City Manager for International Affairs was rather disappointing on this front concerning one child, who, because of the pressure we put, will now get admission into an English Platy School by January 2008, after having had to languish in a Finnush language Play School for over a year.

Let it be understood that Oulu, although it claims to be an International City, is far from being International, and the City Authorities neither have the resources or the will to help out those who need their help. They may write nice letters, but that is just not enough!

As was so correctly put by one family (to the City Manager of Oulu International Affairs) which has gone through misery and from pillar to post:

"Thanks you for your understanding.

Teachers in xxxxxxxx Kindergarten asked us to give an application to the yyyyyyyyyy kindergarten.  We gave the application. It was in fact the same application which my wife gave to yyyyyyyyyy in Nov 2006.

They told us that there may be openings in 2008 only.

I think this is too late for us.

We have severe problems with Language issues already now.

Since our native language is not Finnish and our stay in Finland is not confirmed to be permanent, we want to pursue our daughter's studies in English. We are unable to help her with her simple questions due to the language issue. This is getting worse day by day.

May you please expedite this matter and help us in getting some place in yyyyyyyyyy sooner than 2008.

Thanks again for your time."

To solve these problems, yet to be able to meet the requirements of a short stay in Finland, it is imperative that the Indian Style Kindergarten has to be started in Oulu. Annikki and I are willing to help, but the onus must lie on the Indian Companies who are deputing their staff to live and work in Oulu. Expect nothing but lip service and a lot of red tape from local authorities who are just not in the know of what an international environment demands!

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