My long-time girlfriend and I have been together for quite awhile now, and I think we're pretty much in it for life. I love her, and for some wacky reason, Freya seems willing to put up with me (and my strange obsessions).
She's from Finland. Lahti, to be precise. She speaks English, and did when I met her; I'm learning to speak Finnish. And read it, though I'm painfully slow at it.
I've been to Finland twice now. And I loved it, and loved her family. Lovely people, the lot of them.
Freya never intended to live in the US permanently. She always intended to move back. I've got very little family, and because I didn't remain in the faith I was born into, we've drifted apart over the years.
In short, Freya and I are seriously considering moving to Finland. We're about 90% sure of it, now. I never thought I'd even consider living in anyplace other than the good ol' USA, but Finland seems to be calling me. And surprisingly, rather strongly.
Not that it's the same, but I had a very hard decision to make in the late 1980s - stay in the north of England, or move down near London with my then girlfriend. I made the move, and although we broke up a year or so later, I had by then met the girl to whom I have now been happily married for 21 years.
Things don't always go the way you planned, but sometimes, circuitously, they go much better.
It's weird. The more I think about the prospect, the more I like it. For the last two years or so, I've developed quite the man-crush on the Finns, their country, and their culture. It's quite wonderful.
This might be of interest to you. I’ve been diving into Scandinavian mysteries for the past few years. They’ve all been by Swedish or Norwegian writers and about their countries. Last year I found an amazing Finnish mystery series that gives insight into life in Finland. The author is James Thompson. The first thing I noticed is that nothing was lost in translation to English. Neither a single word nor phrase seemed odd to me which can happen with translations. Well, duh. James is from Kentucky and married a Finnish lady and moved to Finland. He is fluent in Finnish. It is interesting to read his perspective on Finland while being entertained by great mysteries.
He has three novels published that should be read in order. All deal with a policeman named Inspector Vaara. In the novels, he falls in love and marries an American lady who decides to stay in Finland. You can learn a lot from his novels, but I will issue a warning; they are graphic and violent in places. In order the novels are: 1. Snow Angels 2.Lucifer’s Tears 3. Helsinki White
I’ve heard that Finland is a great place to live. I’d love to visit. I will warn you that Helsinki White takes on the problem of immigration in Finland, and the author attributes the problems to Finnish xenophobia. Well, I don’t know a single country that doesn’t have some problems.
If you move, get on the Internet and tell us how you are doing.
I actually have the first Inspector Vaara novel on my Nook right now, but I've yet to read it. Once I finish the book I'm reading now, I'll dive right into it.
If the Finns I've met have the slightest trace of xenophobia, I've yet to see it. I've never felt left out, excluded, or unwelcome anywhere I've gone in Finland. But I've heard about the tendency from more than one source. Then again, I've also heard the same thing about Japan, and I never felt anything less than welcome there, either.
And once I finally master Finnish (like in about thirty goddamn years...damn, this is one wicked-ass language to learn...no wonder Rosetta Stone doesn't have a Finnish version), I'll completely fit in anyway.
Hey, what I said was based upon the last novel, and that could be only the author's perspective. I'll bet you are right and will fit in and be welcome. Let us know.
Oh, what I learn from Snow Angels was when going to Finland in the winter, take warm long underwear.
I'm about halfway through "Snow Angels" now. It happens mostly in the Finnish version of the boonies; it's not that different from the American version of them. In Lahti, where Freya and I will probably settle down, the atmosphere is a bit more civilized and cosmopolitan.
I have begun the immigration process; fortunately, since Freya's family runs a grocery store, I will not have trouble finding (temporary) employment. Things are falling into place, and we hope to be moving in the summer of 2013, to Lahti, Finland. It's really odd; I never seriously considered living anywhere but the USA, but now, I'm looking forward to living abroad. Strange, what curves life throws you.
I have begun the immigration process; fortunately, since Freya's family runs a grocery store, I will not have trouble finding (temporary) employment. Things are falling into place, and we hope to be moving in the summer of 2013, to Lahti, Finland. It's really odd; I never seriously considered living anywhere but the USA, but now, I'm looking forward to living abroad. Strange, what curves life throws you.
My goodness, it's just sailing along now.
Of course, you're making special provisions for your soundtracks to be shipped safely, yes?
Well sounds fine to me. I almost moved to England out of college, then I took a left turn and stayed in the states. It has not always been a peachy ride, but life is that way for most people. So now I have a family and three kids that I cannot live without. I sometimes thought about what life would have been in the UK, I think it would have involved lots of drinking and lots of club hopping, so perhaps better not on that.
Just one thing on the family, since you were personal here. I have had similar falling out with family on religion and politics, mostly on how I think they should not be combined and they do think they should be. Anyway, it can be so frustrating and maddening, but lately as the folks get older I start to be able to put this stuff aside. Just saying, I hope you can still spend some time and talk to your folks, there are many miles between Finland and wherever your folks are. Someday you might have call with some bad news. It is nice to have a clear heart, so it might be worth some time, talk and a hug before you head over. Wish you both the best.
I think this is the deepest depth I have seen on the board.
My father died not long after I was born. While my older brother has memories of him, I don't. My mother died in 2008. When I left the religion I was born into--the Jehovah's Witnesses--I was "disfellowshipped", the equivalent to a very severe excommunication. As a result, I've not seen my brothers or sister since 1980; and they are not allowed to contact me without risking disfellowshipping as well.
I really don't have all that much tying me to the United States, other than my affection for my birthplace. But, really, doesn't everyone have that, even just a little bit?
When I've traveled to Finland, I was struck by the sheer rough beauty of the land, and the people. I've discovered that anywhere Freya is, is my home. Her extended family went out of their way to make me feel welcomed. She wants to return home to Finland, and I can't blame her; she lit up with her love for the place. And she belongs there. And I belong by her side, wherever that takes us.
We've hired a Finnish lawyer to help us with the process; he told us that he can foresee no problems with my emigration.
