They gave me the option to write in Finnish or English, my final conclusion was that English has the potential to reach more people. Plus, if the people I've been working and hanging out with in the Netherlands would also like to read the blog, they'd be having much harder time with it if it was in Finnish (Google Translate isn't always 100% reliable). But seeing how both the Finns and the Dutch in general have pretty decent skills when it comes to English, perhaps we can call this the middle ground.
I'm sure both Heli and Hennie (the international relations coordinators in Finland and Netherlands, respectively) sometimes had to shake their heads and sigh in frustration at all my requests - I'll own up and say I probably wasn't the easiest "customer" when it came to this foreign exchange, there were some requirements I wanted fulfilled in order to agree to it. For example, as I knew I would be working with kids, I wanted the kids to be able to speak English as well, so I could actually talk to them and not just mime and rely on my coworkers to do all the talking and translating for me. But in the end we found a place that matched all my hopes and expectations, and plans were set in motion.
Now, I trust that I don't need to give anyone general advice on what you should be doing or packing when you are temporarily moving abroad (make sure you have a valid passport though). There are probably online guides for that sort of thing, However, I will briefly mention one thing very specific to the Netherlands, and as such would be important to know for anyone who wants to do an internship there, especially if you'll be working with children.
You're going to need a VOG: Verklaring Omtrent het Gedrag, aka Certificate of Conduct. What's that?, you might ask. I hadn't heard of it either before I was told I needed one. Basically, it's a "document by which the Dutch State Secretary for Justice and Security declares that the applicant did not commit any criminal offences that are relevant to the performance of his or her duties", as the website says. So for Finns, think of it like ordering a criminal record extract, which you'll need to do if you work with children.
At first this may seem a bit daunting, but in the end it was fairly simple, especially when you already have an employer. I was emailed a partially filled 6-page document, I then had to fill my own part and scan it again. In addition, I had to scan my passport, and add another PDF file proving I had paid the 41,35 € fee the process costs. After that, you're good to send it forwards. Just keep in mind that if you call the VOG helpline, the queue is automated and offers explanations only in Dutch. If you happen to speak no Dutch, you'll pretty much have to guess which number to press. The lady I ended up talking to was very friendly about it, though.
And another thing - try to get the application done as soon as possible and you'll save yourself some worrying. Mine arrived in the mail on Monday - I was due to leave the house on Friday. But hey, at least I got it!
Next up, arriving to Netherlands.
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