My last trip from the US to Finland was in 2005, when I was hosted by extended family (3 generations across!) who had tracked down what happened to their long lost relative who moved to America in 1905 and fell off the radar. I’ve wanted to return ever since, but after many years of feeling like I couldn’t attain the language proficiency I thought I could, difficulty saving for the trip due to the ’08 economic downturn, and later a fair dose of just plain making excuses for why I couldn’t pull it off I finally got up the nerve a few years ago to make staying in contact with my extended family a priority and this year made my first return trip!
I want to share my gratitude for an amazing trip. I got to practice and improve my Finnish, which was actually useful (at least, at the level of an elementary school child) with my family and some very patient shop staff. I got to reconnect with cousins of mine who were just small children last time I saw them, and are now grown. I got to see Helsinki, Luhanka, Lahti, and other places as a real adult with the confidence to go out and get lost a little and trust that I would be just fine, and it was such a richer experience than when I was a timid new high school grad. I took every sauna I got a chance to – my cousin called me”Sauna hullu!” when I went back for one more turn after everyone else had called it a night. I enjoyed the midnight sun. My cousin packed in so much to the trip yet there was still time to sit quietly, drink a lonkero, and cuss out the mosquitos.
[There are photos to share!](https://imgur.com/a/zgCsQZe).
If you, like me, have been wanting to come and keep thinking of reasons why you can’t even though it’s financially feasible? Here’s your sign. Make a real plan, start saving some money for it, and make that dream a reality. My only regret is that I waited this long.
2 comments
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Sounds like you had a blast. Welcome home.