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The Finnish Civilian Non-Military Service; Getting to Lapinjärvi

As a male citizen of Finland, I have a duty to serve the country for at least 165 days. For most, this means serving in the Finnish military. Seven percent of Finnish young men, the “conscientious objectors,” choose an alternative, non-military service (or “civilian service”), which lasts for 347 days. I’m a conscientious objector.

I have many a thought and opinion about the Finnish conscription, which I will attempt to retain to myself. The purpose of this blog is merely to log my experiences, especially during the civilian service training. I’ve read a few things, I know a few people who’ve done it, but other than that, I’m oblivious to what it entails. Also, there seems to be few if any primary sources of the alternative service experience in English, so I hope this is somewhat interesting or helpful for those of you who don’t speak Finnish.

Last night, I had to take the bus to Kerava train station, the train to Helsinki, and then another bus to get to the Civilian Service Training Center in Lapinjärvi. I soon learned that the travel vouchers I was sent in the mail were only for “Matkahuolto” busses, but the local bus driver (a different service) was kind enough to let me in for free. Kiasma, the contemporary art museum I will work at as a “civil serviceman” (direct translation from Finnish, although many dictionaries translate as “conscientious objector”) was on my route to the Kamppi bus station. Once the month-long training is done, I will serve the rest of my civil duty at this museum, which I very much look forward to, despite my apprehension towards the conscription system... (see, I am already having a difficult time not criticizing the system. I’ll promise to try to do better.) After the bus dropped me off at Lapinjärvi, about a kilometer from the Training Center, I met another young man with the same destination. He was from Oulu, a town in northern Finland, which meant he had to travel all day to get to the civilian service training. Both of us were looking for a “birch road,” which we found was not the name of the road, but rather a description of the road--it was surrounded by birch trees. Dear Finnish Civilian Service Staff, please include a map next time.

On our kilometer-long walk, I told the young man from Oulu that I had just come to Finland after living in the States for seven years. The young man from Oulu told me that all Americans are brainwashed and that he cannot wait to go to Russia in 2020. I asked why. He told me it was going to be Lenin’s 150th birthday. I did not ask the young man from Oulu what his name was, nor did he ask for mine.

We finally found the Civilian Service Training Center, registered in the lobby, and got our Civilian Serviceman Certificates. We also had to electronically sign an agreement, according to which I am from now on not eligible to serve in the Finnish military. I am fine with that.

I was given a key to a 10-person room. I came to the training center a day early specifically so that I can get a room with more privacy to get some work done, so I asked to switch. The receptionist told me he happens to be in a good mood today and gave me a key to a two-person room.

My room was on the third floor in the middle of the corridor. It’s small, maybe nine square meters, and it has two very utilitarian beds hardly wider than the average shoulder width. I dropped my stuff, took a quick self-portrait (okay, a selfie) and then walked around to get acquainted with the place I’m going to spend four weeks in. (see photos)

I then went out to see if I could find a path to the lake. It was almost pitch-black, although the avanto (an ice swimming hole) on the nearby lake had some lights around it. The sign outside the avanto said “staff only.” I am fine with that, too.

#sivarimark #finland #alternativeservice #nonmilitaryservice #civilianservice