If in every breath you strip naked just like a winter,
the joy of spring will grow from within
– Rumi
It’s almost upon us: the dead of winter. Some seem to spend all of fall dreading this time of year, but now that it’s upon us, can we lean into it fully, and even enjoy it?
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My name is Irina Pravet and I’m a language and cultural transitions coach. I help people tap into their inborn ability to learn Finnish, and feel at home in their lives abroad.
My work brings together the threads that have run deep throughout my life: transitions, adaptation and belonging (between languages and cultures).
Why does this matter so much to me and why do I believe this work is essential? Well to answer this question, I’d have to start at the beginning…
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Already feeling the autumn sting of falling temperatures? If you’re like me, maybe you’ve turned up the heater, are wearing layers, drinking tea and choosing to stay indoors more often than not.
I did all of this until I remembered, I have a choice: …
Not trying to give you a lesson on navigating cold temperatures in Finland, rather, I think this is a perfect metaphor for possibility: where to look if possibilities feel restricted and how to expand…
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Sometimes when I talk about how learning Finnish can be joyful, awe-inspiring, fun, people look at me as if I’m an alien with 3 heads. I stand by it because observing how my brain has adapted to Finnish, has been one of my most awe-inspiring life experiences.
But if you’re reading this and thinking: “Yeah okay but what if this reality feels far off for me?” Here’s what I want you to know…
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This year, two themes have stood out for me as we head into the fall: 1) fall is the best season for a new perspective and 2) it’s a time to intentionally slow down. Symbolically, fall has long been celebrated as a time to reflect on: balance (between night and day), impending darkness, change and transformation (and how foliage reminds us of the beauty, alongside the death, of transitions)…
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Do you struggle from one of the five most common Finnish struggles? You’re not alone! These are so common, but so seldom discussed, they’re mainstream! Here they are, along with a new perspective to consider…
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I recently met an Italian woman who asked me what I do for a living.
“I help people learn Finnish.”
“Oh, so you’re a Finnish teacher?”
“Sort of, not exactly. I teach people the process of learning Finnish.”
She looked at me quizzically, “But why would I need the process? I can go to classes to learn Finnish.”
In an ideal world, you would go to Finnish class and – voila! You’d speak Finnish.
If that were the case, you wouldn’t be reading this…
What do you I want to learn before 2019 comes to a close?
If taking another Finnish course comes to mind, but you’re hesitating for whatever reason, read this first.
Many people equate taking a Finnish course with learning Finnish. But there are many ways to learn Finnish; a course is just the most traditional way. It may or may not be what you need right now.
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Listen to YLE’s series ‘Kanadan kasvatit‘
My episode deals with multilingualism and multiculturalism and experiences in Montreal and Quebec that shaped my view of these. You can listen in on YLE Areena by clicking here.
I’m a multibelonger to Finland, Canada and Romania, without ONE language or culture to call my own – I have several. My intention is to be present where I am and find inner peace and harmony where ever life takes me. I’m embracing the gems of the ongoing cultural and linguistic transition which is my life and hope to inspire others interested in doing the same. Click here to find out more!
