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…
On May 12th, 2015 I gave a talk titled “Can you learn the hardest language in the world?” about the challenges of learning Finnish, and how they affect Finns & foreigners alike.
Awhile back, I was talking with one of my students from the Finnish Language Group Program about how English in Finland gets to be so comfortable, that it’s easy to get stuck just speaking English.
I don’t remember when kaunis became beautiful; all I know is that it didn’t start out that way.
“How do you say beautiful in Finnish?”
“Kaunis”
“Cow-ou-nis? Seriously? It sounds like cow.”
And there it was. My first reaction to the word beautiful in Finnish: it sounds like cow.
A doctor, a grandfather and language coach walk into an acupuncture clinic…
Just kidding – well kind of. This is the beginning of the awe-inspiring story I am super excited to share with you today.
Moving to Finland was quite a jarring experience. For a people person such as myself, I suddenly found myself being unable to relate to or understand people…
5 years ago, I got on a plane a moved to Finland. I no longer wanted to live in Canada.
I went to my first 8am class at the gym yesterday morning. Our awesome instructor (who I am totally dazzled by) was pretty tough on us that morning. Tough but fair – if we she knew we could do better she said so. I wanted to accomplish what she seemed so sure I could accomplish.
2014 was the year of new beginnings. In some ways, 2014 was a hard year, and in other ways, it was a much easier year than those which came before it.
People would often ask me: “How did you learn Finnish?” and I wouldn’t know what to say. I didn’t know how I did it, it seemed like a random smørrebrød of ways.
Then a couple months ago, Cory, a high school friend of mine, came to visit me in Helsinki. He’s always been excited about languages and he was looking forward to picking up a bit of Finnish during his time here. It didn’t take me long to figure out that our ways of learning were quite similar…
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!