Our differences don’t have to divide us; instead, they can enrich our lives and deepen our understanding of one another. At the moment, our home feels like a linguistic smoothie, with accents from all over the world blending together under one roof. Our friends from Florida are staying with us for the month of November,…
Tag: Culture
A Few Words
The true value of our words is revealed by how faithfully we stand behind them. If I were asked to name one thing that lies at the heart of Finnish people, I think I would say this: Finns place great value on words. That is something I have carried with me all my life, perhaps…
The Magic Word
Delivery matters, but warmth does not sound the same in every language or culture. To an English-speaking ear, Finnish can sound a little blunt. The words do not always arrive wrapped in softness. They are not dressed up or sweetened unnecessarily. Finns tend to say what they mean and mean what they say. There is…
Dancing Lights in the Sky
Contentment begins when we stop measuring a good life by the world’s expectations. I come from the country of the midnight sun, from a land of crystal-blue lakes and endless forests, where the air feels so clean it seems to wash over not only the skin, but the soul. I come from a place where…
Apples of Gold 