I've pretty much decided myself to go to Finland in about a month or two, look for a job that'll allow me to stay in the country for as much as I want (and this is a key element because otherwise I'll spend all my money and have to quit very soon) and learn the language. What worries me, however, is the fact that I don't speak almost any Finnish for now. I mean, I understand the phonology and some of the basic grammar, but it'll take at least a few months until I can start communicating freely, so in the beginning I'll have to rely solely on English.
I've had similar adventures in the past - one in Sweden, one in Denmark and one in Germany. In Sweden, it worked without a problem - these guys are really open-minded and cool, and they would let me start in English and find my way through Swedish. In Denmark, it didn't work at all - and I got the impression (sorry Danes) that they're all chauvinist assholes. In Germany, it worked because I speak French (and I was lucky). Now, what about Finland - am I more likely to hear "go study and return when you've learnt Finnish" or to be welcomed and accepted in the society as a foreigner while I learn?