Suomen Soliloquies

Today in Finnish class I went up to a Nepali classmate and asked him if he knew a Nepali song that I have been obsessed with for the past two weeks. I told him that I was in love with the song but couldn’t understand a word so could he please translate it? In the middle of asking my question I realized he had no idea what I was talking about and that this was really awkward but it was too late to back out so I ploughed ahead anyway. The result was that I avoided him for the rest of class. But part of me didn’t care. Being in a new country gives you thick skin for awkward encounters. Being in a new country also shapes you and molds you into a different version of yourself. A friend of mine wisely said that “where you live leaves a mark on you.” I’m still only a couple months into my two year long stay here in Finland but it is leaving a mark already. On our way to Naantali, a town 18 km away from Turku. There are the little things. I drink coffee (well, half of it i...

I want to use this entry to write some of the stories that I think have been important or interesting while here in Finland. They aren't necessarily related to each other or even remotely profound in any way but they are all important to me for various reasons. The first is not even a specific moment but a place and a feeling. Right in front of the cathedral there is a bridge that crosses the Aura River. It is a beautiful bridge, with a cobbled stone path running parallel to the busy street. The cathedral stands tall on one side of the bridge and around it is a small square, also with cobbled stone. On the other side of the cathedral, running all the way along the river to the harbor is a promenade speckled with coffee shops and benches. One day when crossing the bridge I heard the unmistakable sound of bagpipes. Sure enough, there was a man playing them while standing close to the bridge. Hearing him filled me with a sense of gratitude for how many people ...