I know this quiz has probably done the rounds a few times already, but I'd not seen it before, so I thought I'd share it with you for a bit of Thursday morning fun.
I got Tove Jansson, the famous creator of the Moomintrolls; a perfect fit for me! Which famous person from Finland's history did you get?
Showing posts with label Finnish. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Finnish. Show all posts
Thursday, 1 October 2015
Thursday, 30 July 2015
When the Doves Disappeared by Sofi Oksanen - book review
Once again Sofi Oksanen excels in making the recent tragic history of Estonia and its people into an engaging and riveting read.
In her previous, much acclaimed novel, Purge, the story follows three generations of women, while in When the Doves Disappeared, we trace the fates of two male cousins, each of whom deals very differently with their lives marred by war, the Red Army’s invasion, the brief but devastating period of German rule, and eventually the Soviet era.
Roland is a passionate
freedom fighter, desperate for an independent Estonia. His younger cousin,
Edgar, however, is more pragmatic and easily aligns himself with whoever is in
power, without much thought to principles. Edgar’s wife Juudit too,
is a survivor, but she has more difficulty in escaping her Estonian conscience,
or Roland, who is often at hand to remind her.
The story is told from the point of view of the three main characters, Roland, Edgar and Juudit, and is set during two particularly violent periods in Estonian history; 1941 under Communist and Nazi rule, and 1963 when the Soviet Union increased its stranglehold of the small Baltic nation.
But this novel isn't merely a story of tragedy brought on by war and oppression, but also a tale of love, sexual identity and the secrets that haunt Roland, Juudit and Edgar.
The heart-warming description of Edgar’s attempts to please his various masters is squirm-making; while the infatuation and passion Juudit feels in the height of her doomed love-affair is heart-breaking; and the seemingly mysterious and futile loss Roland suffers makes you wish you were reading a comic novel. However, the twists and turns of this brilliant book make you read on – and when you've finished, you wish you could read When the Doves Disappeared again.
This review will also appear in the next issue of Horisontti, the Finn-Guild magazine.
Tuesday, 2 June 2015
Want to hear me speak in Finnish?
I was asked some time ago to do an interview for the School of Slavonic and East European Studies at University College London. Afterwards, I promptly forgot about it, until today when I came across the email exchange about the Language Trail project.
I don't usually like listening to myself (and here I go on a bit), because I sound like a high-pitched girl rather than a grown-up woman. So I was surprised how deep my voice seemed here. Perhaps it's the language - Finnish is spoken a few octaves lower than English? Or perhaps this is just another sign of old age. (Probably the latter. Oh my).
Whatever the case, here is the whole interview, where I talk in Finnish about my work at Finn-Guild, about how I came to be in England, and about my novel, The Englishman.
Wednesday, 15 April 2015
Finnish Tango is the Dance Therapy for the Soul
You may be surprised that in my view, out of all the Nordic people, we Finns are the most passionate. That strong emotion is a Finnish national characteristic may be a little known fact also because, as a people, we are most apt at hiding our passion – until we hear a tango piece.
If you’re in a dance restaurant, or at a summer dance in
Finland, you’ll notice that the floor will be empty until the first tango is
played. We Finns love moving along to this slow, staccato beat. With serious,
concentrated faces, you’ll see the couples move swiftly, and expertly, along
the floor. The Finnish tango is danced with close contact in the pelvis, upper
thighs, and the upper body, with frequent dips and rotations. In the Finnish
tango feet stay close to the floor, with no kicks as in the Argentine tango.
The lyrics in the Finnish tango are important, as is the accordion, which has a
prominent place in the score.
The Finnish Tango emerged at the same time as the country
gained its independence. Nobody seems to know who brought the first tango music
into the country around 1910, but by the 1930’s Finnish musicians started writing
their own tango pieces, and after the Second World War, tango became the most
popular form of music in the country.
Perhaps it’s the slow, but persistent, rhythm in a tango,
which appeals to the Finnish sense of deep melancholy. This basic sense of
drama is also reflected in the lyrics of the tangos. The most popular themes
are love and sorrow, or longing for something unattainable, such as a warm, far-flung
country, or one’s homestead – a distant land of happiness. Tango is not a
light-hearted business in Finland.
One of the most revered Finnish tangos, and the one I remember from my childhood is Finnish classic is Satumaa; (Wonderland), sung by Reijo Taipale. This is a tale about a paradise far away, so unattainable that the singer feels he’s a bird with clipped wings. Another tango, Metsäkukkia (Forest flowers) sung by Olavi Virta, is a song about a lost summer and lost love, rediscovered in the spring. Whereas Kotkan Ruusu (Rose of Kotka), sang by Eino Gron, tells the tale of a woman of the night, told with the most passionate words allowable in the 1950’s, when the song was written. Its beat is such that I’d defy anyone listening to it, not to immediately want to get up and dance – or at least tap a foot.
Although the most popular tangos were written in the
1950’s, they were constantly played on the radio when I was growing up in
central Finland. As a child, I’d watch my parents and other grown-ups crowd the
dance floor when a popular Finnish tango was played at family parties. My first boyfriend was a passionate tango
dancer and taught me the steps, although I think you’d be pressed to find a
Finn even today who doesn’t know how to dance a tango.
Many of the tango songs have also been re-recorded many
times, and new tangos have been written. Some, such as Kotkan Ruusu, or Suyyspihlajan
Alla (Under the Mountain Ash tree) sung by Arja Saijonmaa, became popular
in Sweden amongst the large Finnish ex-pat population in the 1970’s and 80’s.
Even today, the Finnish tango, as popular music and dance,
is thriving, although it’s no longer the chart-topping music of the post-war era.
There’s a hugely popular competition, Tangomarkkinat (Tango Market), started in
the mid-eighties and held in the central town of Seinäjoki, where a Tango Queen
and King are crowned each summer. The 2015 Tango Market is a five-day affair on
8-12 July, with tango lessons, tango karaoke, concerts and most important of
all the tango competition final.
The event attracts more than 100,000 visitors (out of 5
million residents) and the winners of the song competition become instant
celebrities in Finland, and often have successful long-term careers in the
music business.
So, if you’re near a dance floor in Finland this summer,
have a go and get some therapy for the soul!
This article will also appear in the Summer 2015 edition of the CoScan Magazine.
Friday, 31 October 2014
Coffee and Vodka - out now in paperback!
It's finally here! My family drama, Coffee and Vodka, is now out in paperback.
Here's the blurb:
Nordic Noir meets Family Drama
‘In Stockholm everything is bigger and better.’
When Pappa announces the family is to leave their small Finnish town for a new life in Sweden, 11-year-old Eeva is elated. But in Stockholm Mamma finds feminism, Eeva’s sister, Anja, pretends to be Swedish and Pappa struggles to adapt.
And one night, Eeva’s world falls apart.
Fast forward 30 years. Now teaching Swedish to foreigners, Eeva travels back to Finland when her beloved grandmother becomes ill. On the overnight ferry, a chance meeting with her married ex-lover, Yri, prompts family secrets to unravel and buried memories to come flooding back.
It’s time for Eeva to find out what really happened all those years ago…
Coffee and Vodka is now available to buy from the Finn-Guild office, 1A Mornington Court, Mornington Crescent, London NW1 7RD Tel 020 7387 3508 at the special price of £5 (and part of the proceeds will go to support this worthwhile charity). Please telephone to ask about postage and packing - this, I'm afraid, will be extra.
On 29th November both of my novels, Coffee and Vodka, and The Englishman, will be on sale during Finn-Guild's annual pop-up shop from 11 am to 2 pm. Do come along if you find yourself in London on the day!
Or you can buy the book online from Amazon at the equally reasonable price of £7.99.
Friday, 29 August 2014
'MOOMINS ON THE RIVIERA’ CAST ANNOUNCED
I am so excited to be able to share the English-speaking cast of this new Moomin film, announced in Helsinki today, with you. I'm particularly excited about Russell Tovey and the local North London stand-up comic, Dominic Frisby. I cannot wait to see the film!
The hand drawn animation feature Moomins on the Riviera’s English cast is revealed:
Award winning British actor Russell Tovey (The Pirates! Band of Misfits, Grabbers, Being Human, Him and Her) plays Moomin. Nathaniel Parker (Merlin, Stardust, The Haunted Mansion, The Chronicles of Narnia: The Voyage of the Dawn Treader) and Tracy Ann Oberman (EastEnders, Filth) play Moominpappa and Moominmamma respectively. Stephanie Winiecki, in her first major movie role, plays Snorkmaiden.The irrepressible Little My is played by Ruth Gibson. Philippe Smolikowski is Moominpappa’s new best friend, the wannabe artist, Marquis Mongaga. Dave Browne plays the upper-crust playboy Clark Tresco, who sets his sights on Snorkmaiden. Shelley Blond (Tomb Rider video game, Cruise of Gods) plays Audrey Glamour, the Hollywood actress, idolised by Snorkmaiden.Other roles are played by Dominic Frisby (The Inbetweeners Movie), Ian Conningham, Alison O’Donnell, Bernard Alane, Bruno Magnes, Maria Sid, Beata Harju, Andy Turvey, Kris Gummerus, Glyn Banks, Lee Willis, Sanna-June Hyde, Christopher Sloan and Leslie Hyde.You can watch the English trailer at:
MOOMINS ON THE RIVIERA, based on the original comic strips by the celebrated author, painter and illustrator Tove Jansson, is a bitter-sweet adventure taking the Moomin familyfrom their beloved Moominvalley to the glamorous Riviera, where Moominpappa befriends an aristocrat and adopts the name ‘de Moomin’, where Snorkmaiden is dazzled by the attentions of a playboy and Moomin learns that jealousy’s sting is the most painful of all. For the very first time, the unity of the Moomins is threatened.A Finnish/French co-production, the film is directed by Xavier Picard and produced by Hanna Hemilä.
Monday, 7 April 2014
My First Parliament Session
Ok, so I'm talking of a meeting of Finnish Expatriate Parliament, held in Manchester over the weekend, not the other one in Westminster...
But, as a Finn living abroad, and as the new head of Finn-Guild, attending my first Finnish Expatriate Parliament session was an important first for me - and a revelation.
Before the meeting of the Central European branch of the Expatriate Parliament (USP), I knew that this non-political, not for profit organisation
was set up in 1997 to lobby in the Parliament in Finland for issues concerning
Finnish Expats all over the world. I also knew that it was set up by SuomiSeura (Finland Society) and that Finn-Guild has been a member, and has
supported this organisation (both financially and in other ways) from the very
beginning.
One of the great achievements of the USP is the introduction
of dual nationality for Expat Finns. I’ve written about this issue before on this blog, and for those who took part in the (extensive!) conversation here,
on my Twitter feed and Facebook pages, I’ve still not filled in the British
Passport application. I keep getting cold feet, and the price tag is such that
one needs to be absolutely sure of wanting British nationality - but that’s
another (long) discussion.
But what I found out over the weekend was that there are
still many more issues on the USP table, ranging from better support the many
Finnish schools around Europe, postal & internet voting; problems with
inheritance, healthcare, pensions, and issuing passports to Expats; and wider
access to YLE (Finnish Broadcasting Corporation) programmes abroad. These are
just a few of the matters USP tirelessly lobbies for, with the help of
Suomi-Seura, Finn-Guild and a veritable army of volunteers from Finnish Schools, and other Finnish Societies around the world. These volunteers travel from country to
country to attend meetings and in between times, report back to their members
of the issues discussed and canvass opinions.
 |
| Finnish Ambassador Pekka Huhtaniemi opened the Manchester session of the USP. |
It was wonderful to meet all these Finnish volunteers, and
to hear how they organise themselves in their countries around Central Europe.
One comment which particularly warmed my heart, after I’d made my little speech
about my particular society in the UK, was made by a lady from a Finnish
School, “I wish we had something like Finn-Guild in our country.” Earlier we’d
talked a lot about information sharing,
and at that point I truly felt that during that day at least I’d got my point
across about Finn-Guild.
Finn-Guild of course wouldn’t be around without Guild Travel, which also had organised all the travel related arrangements of this
meeting. If I had a penny for every time I was thanked about the travel and
hotel, I’d be a rich woman. So you can imagine I’m quite a happy
(although rather tired…) bunny tonight after a successful meeting.
Links:
Thursday, 20 March 2014
Learn Finnish with Finn-Guild in London
Ever wanted to learn Finnish or brush up your knowledge of the language?
Sunday, 16 March 2014
Finn-Guild AGM and Turkish soul food at Green Lanes, North London
My first six weeks as head of Finn-Guild, the Finnish British cultural association have been - to say the least - hectic. This is partly due to my desire to run before I can walk, but also due to the timing our AGM, the biggest event in the Finn-Guild members and volunteers' calendar, which took place yesterday.
The preparations for the event aside, I was quite worried about my speech to the members (I can admit this now). I was appointed to develop the organisation, and this was my first chance to tell the wider membership what my plans were. As it was, my ideas were very well received (phew) and the day itself, as well as the evening before, where I met some newly recruited and 'old' representatives of the regions in the UK and Finland, was excellent.
We had a record crowd - over 70 people gathered in the hall at the Finnish Seamen's Mission in Rotherhithe. Many people commented on the positive and enthusiastic atmosphere that prevailed during the day. Finn-Guild is lucky to be supported by the Finnish Church in various ways, and we were even graced by the presence of The Finnish Ambassador, Mr Pekka and Mrs Liisa Huhtaniemi.
There were also representatives from Guild Travel, Finnish Expatriate Parliament, many Finnish Saturday Schools in the UK, many members of our Friendship Network, as well as some of the other Scandinavian organisations, and Finland Society from Helsinki.
I had also recruited The Englishman to do a comedy routine on his views of Finland, which got an raucous reception, so all in all the day was a huge success.
Of course, this being a Finnish event, many of us carried on the discussion late into the night in the oldest pub by the River Thames, The Mayflower.
I think there might have been a few sore heads around this morning, because mine certainly was, which is why the Englishman and I decided to go and have the best hungover cure there is: Turkish food at the Green Lanes in London N4.
Son and Daughter-in-Law who know this area well, recommended a new (to us) place called Gökyuzu, and boy was it excellent. Hugely busy, we were lucky to have a table at the back. My brain being a little tired, I asked Son do the ordering. He went for a Mezze and a Charcoal Grill Platter to share. The meal was supposed to be for 2-3 people, but the four of us struggled to eat the grilled lamb and chicken in various forms with cracked wheat, rice and grilled peppers and tomatoes. The flat bread that all the Turkish restaurants excel in at Green Lanes was equally delicious here, and as usual I had too much of it with the Mezze starters, leaving little room for the main meat dish.
Now all I want to do is lie down on the sofa and fall asleep....
The preparations for the event aside, I was quite worried about my speech to the members (I can admit this now). I was appointed to develop the organisation, and this was my first chance to tell the wider membership what my plans were. As it was, my ideas were very well received (phew) and the day itself, as well as the evening before, where I met some newly recruited and 'old' representatives of the regions in the UK and Finland, was excellent.
We had a record crowd - over 70 people gathered in the hall at the Finnish Seamen's Mission in Rotherhithe. Many people commented on the positive and enthusiastic atmosphere that prevailed during the day. Finn-Guild is lucky to be supported by the Finnish Church in various ways, and we were even graced by the presence of The Finnish Ambassador, Mr Pekka and Mrs Liisa Huhtaniemi.
 |
| Finnish Ambassdor to the UK, Pekka Huhtaniemi, making an after-dinner speech. |
I had also recruited The Englishman to do a comedy routine on his views of Finland, which got an raucous reception, so all in all the day was a huge success.
Of course, this being a Finnish event, many of us carried on the discussion late into the night in the oldest pub by the River Thames, The Mayflower.
I think there might have been a few sore heads around this morning, because mine certainly was, which is why the Englishman and I decided to go and have the best hungover cure there is: Turkish food at the Green Lanes in London N4.
Son and Daughter-in-Law who know this area well, recommended a new (to us) place called Gökyuzu, and boy was it excellent. Hugely busy, we were lucky to have a table at the back. My brain being a little tired, I asked Son do the ordering. He went for a Mezze and a Charcoal Grill Platter to share. The meal was supposed to be for 2-3 people, but the four of us struggled to eat the grilled lamb and chicken in various forms with cracked wheat, rice and grilled peppers and tomatoes. The flat bread that all the Turkish restaurants excel in at Green Lanes was equally delicious here, and as usual I had too much of it with the Mezze starters, leaving little room for the main meat dish.
 |
| The staff at Gökyuzu were incredibly friendly. |
Sunday, 2 March 2014
Two Finnish hopefuls at the Oscars
The 2014 Osacr winners will be revealed tonight and this year there are couple of (nearly) Finnish entries.
Do I Have to Take Care of Everything? (Pitääkö mun kaikki hoitaa?) by Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari is up for best short film. This is the first Oscar nomination for these two Finnish film makers for a story which centres around Sini, who tries frantically to get her family ready to leave for a wedding, but her husband and two children are interfering with her efforts.
The second Finnsh connection to the Oscars this year is Heather Puuruen Loeffler, who is up for set decoration on American Hustle directed by David Russell (which is also up for Best Film). Heather is not actually from Finland, but is married to Finnish architect Eero Puurunen. This doesn't seemed to have stopped the Finnish press from adopting Heather as their own.
'I ordered the shag pile carpet from an online store, and potted large plants were very popular in the 1970's. We even had one at home. The hippo stool is my favourite,' says Heather Puurunen in today's Helsingin Sanomat.
Do I Have to Take Care of Everything? (Pitääkö mun kaikki hoitaa?) by Selma Vilhunen and Kirsikka Saari is up for best short film. This is the first Oscar nomination for these two Finnish film makers for a story which centres around Sini, who tries frantically to get her family ready to leave for a wedding, but her husband and two children are interfering with her efforts.
 |
| Director Selma Vilhunen and screenwriter Kirsikka Saari. Photo by Kevork Djansezian/Reuters |
The second Finnsh connection to the Oscars this year is Heather Puuruen Loeffler, who is up for set decoration on American Hustle directed by David Russell (which is also up for Best Film). Heather is not actually from Finland, but is married to Finnish architect Eero Puurunen. This doesn't seemed to have stopped the Finnish press from adopting Heather as their own.
'I ordered the shag pile carpet from an online store, and potted large plants were very popular in the 1970's. We even had one at home. The hippo stool is my favourite,' says Heather Puurunen in today's Helsingin Sanomat.
Monday, 30 December 2013
The Year That Was 2013
2013 has been quite a year for me. I'm not sure I can recall a time when so much happened in a mere twelve months.
First of all, I finally took the plunge and published all of my novels on Kindle. After the success of The Englishman (over 2,000 downloads as we speak and counting), I was encouraged to push out into the world both my family drama, Coffee and Vodka and the spy thriller, The Red King of Helsinki.
In November this year I also published a paperback copy of The Englishman, which has been terribly well received. (Even if I say so myself).
So, from a writer with three novels languishing in her drawer, in twelve and a bit months I've become a published author with a loyal readership. Bring on more years like 2013!
The 2013 London Book Fair was another game changer in my career as an independent author. I've written about the changes in the publishing industry many times here, but to see the shifting landscape with my own eyes was something to behold.
I also gained a tremendous amount of encouragement and new ideas from the LBF this year, not least thanks to the Alliance of Independent Authors, an organisation which has worked tirelessly to promote and support indy writers and who were very much a presence at the Book Fair. Thanks must got to Orna Ross, Joanna Penn et al for all their hard work this year.
The Fair was also a wonderful opportunity to make new writer friends: I got to meet the Triskele Books girls through Catriona Troth, other notable indy writers such as Roz Morris, Rohan Quine, Dan Holloway and Grisha Ryzhakov to name but a few. I cannot wait for LBF 2014, wild horses wouldn't keep me away!
The year 2013 has also been eventful in the life of my family: in May, Son asked his long-time girlfriend to marry him and she said yes! The young couple will marry in 2014, an event that has been a red letter day in my calendar for many months already. I just cannot wait!
Not in the least less important, Daughter finished her History of Art degree at University of Birmingham this year and graduated in June. It was such a proud moment for me, and I spent almost the whole of the day holding back tears, only losing the battle when Daughter stepped onto the stage at the Great Hall to receive her degree certificate. Oh well, I'm sure I wasn't the only parent to dab a tissue at the corner of her eye at that point.
As if all of the above wasn't enough, something equally thrilling happened in my working life in 2013. In late 2012 I took on a part time role at a Finnish charity called Finn-Guild. I've been a member of this ex-pat organisation since the early 1980's, but going to work there to look after the finances of the charity and its commercial arm, Guild Travel, has been a huge trip down memory lane. I'd not worked with Finns since I left Finland some thirty years ago, and just being able to speak your mother tongue in an office in London's Camden has been quite life-changing. I hadn't realised how much of myself I'd hidden away while adapting to life in the UK. Spending time with fellow countrymen has made me feel as if I'd come back home. It's made me a more complete person.
To top it all, in the New Year, I'm going to move to a much more important and challenging role with the Finns. From February 1st, I will be taking over as Development Manager/General Secretary of Finn-Guild. So watch this space, there will be many more posts about Finnish and Nordic culture on this blog in 2014.
So there it is, my short - very personal - review of 2013. All that remains is to wish you all:
First of all, I finally took the plunge and published all of my novels on Kindle. After the success of The Englishman (over 2,000 downloads as we speak and counting), I was encouraged to push out into the world both my family drama, Coffee and Vodka and the spy thriller, The Red King of Helsinki.
In November this year I also published a paperback copy of The Englishman, which has been terribly well received. (Even if I say so myself).
 |
| Joey at West End Lane Books with the first signed copies. |
So, from a writer with three novels languishing in her drawer, in twelve and a bit months I've become a published author with a loyal readership. Bring on more years like 2013!
The 2013 London Book Fair was another game changer in my career as an independent author. I've written about the changes in the publishing industry many times here, but to see the shifting landscape with my own eyes was something to behold.
I also gained a tremendous amount of encouragement and new ideas from the LBF this year, not least thanks to the Alliance of Independent Authors, an organisation which has worked tirelessly to promote and support indy writers and who were very much a presence at the Book Fair. Thanks must got to Orna Ross, Joanna Penn et al for all their hard work this year.
 |
| Me with Joanna Penn who gave a wonderfully informative lecture at LBF 13 on indy publishing. |
The year 2013 has also been eventful in the life of my family: in May, Son asked his long-time girlfriend to marry him and she said yes! The young couple will marry in 2014, an event that has been a red letter day in my calendar for many months already. I just cannot wait!
 |
| Aren't they cute? Son with his fiancé in Provence this summer. |
 |
| Daughter looks pretty happy? |
To top it all, in the New Year, I'm going to move to a much more important and challenging role with the Finns. From February 1st, I will be taking over as Development Manager/General Secretary of Finn-Guild. So watch this space, there will be many more posts about Finnish and Nordic culture on this blog in 2014.
So there it is, my short - very personal - review of 2013. All that remains is to wish you all:
Hauskaa Uutta Vuotta - Happy New Year
2 0 1 4 !
Wednesday, 18 December 2013
Only in Finland!
This is no gimmick, and I can fully believe that this reindeer does indeed think it's a dog.
Monday, 8 July 2013
Andy Murray and my citizenship status
A spurious connection? Let me explain.
I've mentioned on this blog a few times now that although I've lived in the UK for the best part of my adult life, I've never felt the need to apply for British citizenship. Also, when the children were young, the crazy pre-EU Finnish laws stated that my children, because they were born outside of Finland would lose their dual (British/Finnish) citizenship if I were to apply to become a British natural.
This has long since changed (when Finnish Expatriate Parliament pushed through the legislation in 2005), and nowadays it's quite possible to be a Finnish citizen while also being in possession of another country's passport.
But, I've never seen any reason to apply to become British. Why would I? I know I live here, but I still feel very Finnish. And more importantly, not very British.
Or so I thought.
It took a Scot to change all that…last year when Andy Murray lost in the final at Wimbledon, something snapped in me. I hadn't realised how much I wanted him to win; how much I felt that his winning would also mean that my nation would win. When I was struggling to hold back my tears, and Murray freely shed his on Centre Court in 2012, I suddenly thought, hold on a moment: why am I in tears - UK isn't my nation!
Roll on a few weeks, and Murray is in the Olympics Tennis Final and WINS! I cried like a baby. It was the day after Super Saturday when Team GB got so many medals, and I'd been joining in all the celebrations, laughing and crying, and feeling very patriotic towards a country I have rebuffed so long.
So I decided I would apply for British citizenship. Finally.
And then British winter happened, it rained, and rained and rained, and the citizenship application lay unattended to - forgotten in a obscure folder on my computer.
Until Wimbledon comes along again, and I get the same feeling of pride in my nation: the UK. Those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook know that from the very beginning of the two week marathon for Murray, I vowed to apply for British citizenship if Murray won.
So, I've just dug out the file again, and I will be sending the application on by the end of the week. Wish me luck with the citizenship test…will 30+ years in this country be enough to know the correct answers? And will Team GB want me? What if, after all these years, they turn me down?
*Makes a Munch Scream face*
I've mentioned on this blog a few times now that although I've lived in the UK for the best part of my adult life, I've never felt the need to apply for British citizenship. Also, when the children were young, the crazy pre-EU Finnish laws stated that my children, because they were born outside of Finland would lose their dual (British/Finnish) citizenship if I were to apply to become a British natural.
This has long since changed (when Finnish Expatriate Parliament pushed through the legislation in 2005), and nowadays it's quite possible to be a Finnish citizen while also being in possession of another country's passport.
But, I've never seen any reason to apply to become British. Why would I? I know I live here, but I still feel very Finnish. And more importantly, not very British.
Or so I thought.
It took a Scot to change all that…last year when Andy Murray lost in the final at Wimbledon, something snapped in me. I hadn't realised how much I wanted him to win; how much I felt that his winning would also mean that my nation would win. When I was struggling to hold back my tears, and Murray freely shed his on Centre Court in 2012, I suddenly thought, hold on a moment: why am I in tears - UK isn't my nation!
Roll on a few weeks, and Murray is in the Olympics Tennis Final and WINS! I cried like a baby. It was the day after Super Saturday when Team GB got so many medals, and I'd been joining in all the celebrations, laughing and crying, and feeling very patriotic towards a country I have rebuffed so long.
So I decided I would apply for British citizenship. Finally.
And then British winter happened, it rained, and rained and rained, and the citizenship application lay unattended to - forgotten in a obscure folder on my computer.
Until Wimbledon comes along again, and I get the same feeling of pride in my nation: the UK. Those of you who follow me on Twitter or Facebook know that from the very beginning of the two week marathon for Murray, I vowed to apply for British citizenship if Murray won.
AND ON SUNDAY MURRAY BECAME THE WIMBLEDON CHAMPION!
 |
| Picture: The Times |
*Makes a Munch Scream face*
Thursday, 14 March 2013
Finnish Easter shopping
Last weekend, during a Finn Guild friendship network event, I joined a group of Finnish ladies in Brighton to discuss multicultural marriage and the bringing up of bilingual (or in some cases trilingual) children. Whilst listening to an excellent talk by Maria Onuigbo on multicultural relationships, I realised that a huge element of how I've kept my Finnish identity intact all these years living in the UK, has been the upkeep of certain traditions.
So Easter to me is not just a holiday, it's about getting all the old decorations out, dressing my home in spring colours, being with the family and eating Finnish (and Swedish - see below) foods, with the occasional hot cross bun thrown in.
Which brings me onto the shopping bit of this post. Quite often in the past, I've timed a visit to Finland (or Sweden where you can buy most Finnish foodstuffs nowadays and which to me is a little bit of home too) to bring back such goodies as Fazer's Mignon chocolate eggs, Mämmi (a dessert with molasses and sugar) and quark-filled pastries.
This year, however, I haven't managed a trip back home, but will visit the next best thing - Finnish Church Easter Fair. This is an event which mirrors the hugely popular Christmas Bazaar in the Finnish Church and Seamen's Mission in Rotherhithe, East London. The Easter Fair is this coming weekend, so if you are looking for some unique Nordic Easter foodstuffs and decorations, East London is the place to be.
Because my roots are also partly from Sweden, where I lived as a child, I tend to mix into my Easter something from there too, such as these colourful feathers the Swedes attach to birch tree sprigs. I think you can buy these feathers in some florists in the UK, but luckily I've got some left over from last year.
Finnish Church Easter Fair is open:
Friday 15.3. 12-20
Saturday 16.3. 10-18
Sunday 17.3. 12-17
So Easter to me is not just a holiday, it's about getting all the old decorations out, dressing my home in spring colours, being with the family and eating Finnish (and Swedish - see below) foods, with the occasional hot cross bun thrown in.
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| Finnish goodies at the Easter Fair |
This year, however, I haven't managed a trip back home, but will visit the next best thing - Finnish Church Easter Fair. This is an event which mirrors the hugely popular Christmas Bazaar in the Finnish Church and Seamen's Mission in Rotherhithe, East London. The Easter Fair is this coming weekend, so if you are looking for some unique Nordic Easter foodstuffs and decorations, East London is the place to be.
Because my roots are also partly from Sweden, where I lived as a child, I tend to mix into my Easter something from there too, such as these colourful feathers the Swedes attach to birch tree sprigs. I think you can buy these feathers in some florists in the UK, but luckily I've got some left over from last year.
Finnish Church Easter Fair is open:
Friday 15.3. 12-20
Saturday 16.3. 10-18
Sunday 17.3. 12-17
Friday, 7 December 2012
Finnish Independence Day Celebrations
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| My invite to the Ambassador's reception. |
And what an evening it was! I'm still buzzing today. I met so many old friends, including a fantastic woman with all the answers to how to remain young-looking, and who I went to school with, Marjo Putkisto. (Read all about her 'Method Putkisto' here). For some weird reason (life?!), this was the first time we'd met since leaving school at the age of 18, even though we've both lived in the UK for years and years. Marjo looked better than she did at school, so I for one am going to investigate her famous 'method'.
I also bumped into Jali Wahlsten, the charismatic owner of the Nordic Bakery coffee shops, and Helena Puolakka, the famed chef of Skylon on the South Bank. We discussed the merits of Twitter and I think I got them to agree that social media is the way forward. It's fair to say that at this point I had partaken in some of the fabulous food and drink on offer, so we may have come to a different conclusion all together!
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| Jali Wahlsten and Helena Poulakka |
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| The napkins had the Finnish national emblem on them. So stylish. |
It was as if, even though I knew a mere fraction of the people crowding the vast rooms of the Georgian mansion, we were all just one big happy family. Everyone was so jolly and friendly. I cannot tell you how magical it was. (And no, it wasn't just the cranberry vodka….OK it may have contributed!)
Lastly, thank you to my new colleagues (and friends) at Guild Travel and Finn Guild for your company last night. I sincerely hope I will be invited next year too!
Saturday, 14 January 2012
Presidential elections in Finland
I ventured all the way out to Belgravia from Northwest London this morning to carry out an important national duty: to vote in the first round of elections to select a new president for Finland. It was a beautifully sunny day and for once the Embassy on Chesham Place was teaming with my countrymen. What a lovely sight it was to see so many turn up to do their bit! Many of those in the long queue were also young people, which was doubly pleasing.
Though I don't usually make any political points on this blog, I am sure most of my Finnish readers will agree that it is important to keep the (so called!) True Finns out of the Presidential Palace in Helsinki. It would be disastrous if the six-year tenure fell into the hands of a party with such extreme right-wing policies.
Lets all hope for a sensible choice from the Finnish people.
Monday, 4 July 2011
A Finnish Breakfast
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| Best breakfast ever: Talkkuna with viili and black, strong coffee |
My daughter who spent a year in Finland recently tells me I'm pretty unique in still eating this old-fashioned stuff but I think it is the best breakfast fare ever.
When I was growing up in Tampere my mother would mash the flour into freshly picked lingonberries and sprinkle it with a little sugar to make pöperö. We'd all eat it straight from the bowl, fighting over who'd get the most spoonfuls.
When the Englishman saw me mix my first breakfast bowlful of viili with Talkkuna on our honeymoon in Finland, he made jokes about the consumption of such foodstuffs being enough cause for an annulment of the marriage vows.
He says it tastes like wall-paper paste.
But I wouldn't be swayed by the opinion of an Englishman. Didn't think the English had a leg to stand on when it came to culinary matters. They ate spotted dick and couldn't produce a decent cup of coffee anywhere in those days.
So when we first moved to the UK, I phoned the Laihian Mallas factory to see if they could send me regular supplies of Talkkuna. (For some reason I couldn't find the flour at Tesco's - go figure?) A kind man in marketing told me I could have industrial quantities, but even my passion for the stuff couldn't cope with 1,000 bags of Talkkuna in one go. Besides, I couldn't get viili anywhere, although I was willing to make my own. All you needed was the culture from one pot...
As you can see I'm a true Talkkuna girl - any others out there?
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