Finland is quite an extraordinary place. Today, it celebrates its Independence Day, so here are ten things that I particularly love about my home country. The education system Not only does Finland have one of the world’s best education systems, but everything – from preschool to university – is free at the point of use.… Continue reading Ten Things I Love About Finland
Category: Expat Life
Discovering London: The Notting Hill Carnival 2019
Warm sunshine, hot beats and cool people: that’s our Notting Hill Carnival 2019 in a nutshell. This past weekend marked the 4th time we’ve participated in the world-famous festival of Caribbean culture, and we had a blast. And yet, while dancing on the streets and admiring the passing sound systems, the social scientist in me… Continue reading Discovering London: The Notting Hill Carnival 2019
Life in Jordaan, Amsterdam’s Hipster Haven
What is life in Jordaan like? The most beautiful neighbourhood in Amsterdam, Jordaan is known for its picturesque houses, narrow alleyways, secret courtyards, cosy bars and tree-lined canals. The hipster haven has been my part-time home for the past two years, during which I’ve learnt that living in Jordaan can sometimes resemble a fairytale –… Continue reading Life in Jordaan, Amsterdam’s Hipster Haven
Stop the Press: There’s Snow in Amsterdam!
I was barely awake, snuggly wrapped up in my bathing robe and slowly sipping my morning tea when I spotted it: big fluffy snowflakes floating down behind our window. All of a sudden, I wasn’t feeling tired at all – it’s not every day that you get to experience snow in Amsterdam! It was really… Continue reading Stop the Press: There’s Snow in Amsterdam!
I know what you did last summer: June, July & August 2018
I’ve been bad with monthly updates recently – in fact, I haven’t published one since February. Autumn is the time to get back on course, so that’s what I’m going to do. To start off, here’s three months of summer in one mammoth of a post – you might want to get yourself a cup… Continue reading I know what you did last summer: June, July & August 2018
Keeping Fit in Amsterdam: Pilates with Puppies
Keeping fit can be fun. It sure was fun yesterday, when I celebrated the World Animal Day by doing pilates with puppies. Yes, you read that right: I attended a pilates class with dogs, sharing the yoga mat with a handful of furry friends. The event was held in De Pijp, one of Amsterdam’s hippest neighbourhoods,… Continue reading Keeping Fit in Amsterdam: Pilates with Puppies
KEEPING FIT IN AMSTERDAM: HOT FLOW YOGA JORDAAN
Today I want to introduce you to my favourite yoga studio. I’ve become quite an expert on them since moving to Amsterdam. In the last year and a half, I’ve sampled dozens of studios and more types of yoga than I even knew existed. Yet one of the first studios I tried has remained a firm favourite… Continue reading KEEPING FIT IN AMSTERDAM: HOT FLOW YOGA JORDAAN
Keeping Fit in Amsterdam: Barre + Beats at Studio 191 West
Ballet is one of the hardest sports out there, I remember mum telling little Liza during an interval in the foyer of the Finnish National Opera. She had worked with ballet dancers and seen first hand how much work went into the seemingly effortless performances like the one we were about to continue watching. Making it… Continue reading Keeping Fit in Amsterdam: Barre + Beats at Studio 191 West
Boat Parties and Orange Balloons, or Celebrating King’s Day in Amsterdam
Now I know it for sure: celebrating King’s Day in Amsterdam is best done aboard a boat. [What is King’s Day, I hear you ask? Well, as the name suggests, it’s a day dedicated to the Dutch ruler, currently King Willem-Alexander (until a few years ago, the party was known as the Queen’s Day after… Continue reading Boat Parties and Orange Balloons, or Celebrating King’s Day in Amsterdam
Party Like a King: 5 Tips for Celebrating King’s Day in Amsterdam
It’s that time of the year again – the whole of Holland is turning orange. No, I’m not talking about the world-renowned Keukenhof gardens or the famous tulip fields – I’m talking about King’s Day. What is King’s Day? Well, as the name suggests, it’s a day dedicated to the current Dutch King Willem-Alexander (until… Continue reading Party Like a King: 5 Tips for Celebrating King’s Day in Amsterdam