I lived in Helsinki for 9 months and met so many incredible people there. I got to experience a beautiful northern hemisphere summer where the sun didn't go down until 10 pm or later, got to walk through forests that remind one of classic fairytale books, and got to eat delicious salmiakki (salty black licorice). In Helsinki, I worked with the young adult activities group and planned English Nights for Finnish teens and college students to hone their English skills. Helsinki was an amazing city and I learned a lot of Finnish there.
After Helsinki, I moved up north to the town of Oulu, which is situated about 200 km south of the Arctic Circle. We got to visit the Arctic Circle twice, where we met the REAL Santa Claus, or as the Finns call him, "Joulupukki" . I rode a bike through blizzards, drifts of up to 3 feet of snow, and icy gravel paths. All this in a skirt. My legs developed an immunity to cold and I loved every minute of it.
So far, no trips back to Finland are in the works, but I know I'll make it back there someday.
