I recently read about a bird so extraordinary it took my breath away. The Bar-tailed godwit — known in Finnish as kuovi or more specifically isovesipääsky — is not just another pretty bird. This long-legged, long-billed wonder is one of the world’s greatest flyers, performing an annual feat that seems nearly impossible. It migrates from…
Tag: Cultural Diversity
My Finnish Identity
Today is suomalaisuudenpäivä — The Day of Finnish Identity. In Finland, flags rise in honour of J.V. Snellman, the statesman and philosopher who championed the Finnish language and helped shape the soul of a nation. He believed in a Finland that could speak — in its own language, with its own voice. For those of…
Bless Your Heart
At the moment, our home is like a linguistic smoothie, blending accents from around the world! You see, our friends from Florida are currently enjoying an extended stay with us throughout the entire month of November. Within the confines of our humble home, there’s not just the delightful blend of Finnish and Australian accents echoing…
I Still Call Australia Home
Once again it hit me full force, like a bolt out of the blue. We have my husband Peter’s Finnish relatives staying with us, visiting Australia for the first time. Among other places we have shown them The Sydney Opera House in Sydney, The Parliament House in Canberra, Sir George historic boutique bar in Jugiong,…
White Christmas
I have only ever had one white Christmas as an adult, and it was truly magical. My family lived in a small country town in the eastern side of Finland, 60 kilometres from the Russian boarder, called Savitaipale. This is where my paternal grandfather’s side of the family is from. The town is so small,…
Light Mind
Being originally from Finland, but living in Australia, I have often been asked what a Finnish sense of humour is like. If you are a Finn, you would understand just how challenging it is to explain it! Customs and beliefs are easy to explain but a sense of humour is not. A lot has been…
Rustic Wisdom
During our last visit to Finland, I had the honour of staying at my late mother-in-law’s childhood home, in a small village, in the Finnish countryside. These days this ancestral homestead belongs to one of the cousins, Hannu. When I stepped inside the old country house, it felt like the earth had paused to take…
A Few Words
If I were to pick one characteristic of Finnish people, I would pick this: “Finns place great value on words”. The keys to Finnish character are peacefulness, calmness, and placidity. They value tranquillity, serenity, and silence. It is reflected in the way Finns choose their words carefully, how literally they take what is said and…
Outside Finns
There is a word that Finland calls us, the Finns that were born in Finland, yet live overseas. They call us “ulkosuomalaiset”. “Ulko” means outside, “suomalaiset” means Finns. We are the outside-Finns! No matter where in the world we live, we have something in common with one-another. We all miss certain things about our birth…
Music and Dance
As a thoughtful mothers’ day present, my daughter treated me to an enchanting evening of music and dance by candlelight last night. My weary soul soaked up every moment of the captivating performance. From the instant I stepped inside the classic inner Melbourne Astor theatre, I was overcome with emotion. This wasn’t the first time…
Apples of Gold 