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: Real talk
Save Your Time: How to Beat a Cell Phone Addiction
Two months ago, on New Year’s Eve, my boyfriend came to me and said he had something on his mind. I was getting ready for the evening, trying to decide on a dress to wear, but what he proposed sounded so interesting that I immediately stopped what I was doing and started planning the revolution:… Continue reading Save Your Time: How to Beat a Cell Phone Addiction
Postcards from the Venice of the North: Weekend in St. Petersburg
Moscow or St. Petersburg? It seems like a pointless comparison, yet the question is surprisingly common. My first answer is usually both, though If I absolutely have to choose, I’ll always be a Moscow girl. This takes nothing away from Piter, though: Russia’s northern capital has a lot to offer to everyone from archilovers and… Continue reading Postcards from the Venice of the North: Weekend in St. Petersburg
The shortest city break ever? Birmingham in 15 minutes
Is it possible to get a feel for a city in a mere 15 minutes? It is. Trust me, I’ve tried! Slow travel is a huge trend right now, and I can see why. Taking time to really get to know a place and immerse yourself in the local culture makes travelling more rewarding and less stressful, at… Continue reading The shortest city break ever? Birmingham in 15 minutes
Reflections on the Russian elections
Today my beautiful and beloved country of birth votes for its next president. Sadly, I’m not a citizen and consequently can’t vote. Not that it would make a whole lot of difference – like in the Finnish presidential elections a couple of months back, everyone already knows who is going to win (in both cases,… Continue reading Reflections on the Russian elections
Happy 100th Independence Day, (Ingrian) Finns!
Today Finland celebrates its 100th Independence Day. This day always makes me think of my Finnish grandfather, Pietari. He was a true Finn in the best possible sense of the word: hard-working, honest, resilient, calm and sincere. Moreover, he also possessed the qualities which I wish Finland as a society would have more of: playfulness,… Continue reading Happy 100th Independence Day, (Ingrian) Finns!
You can make all your dreams come true – or can you?
Beginning of January. Time for promises, resolutions and goals. Time to look at the year that has gone by and to plan the one that has just started. And, alas, time for inspirational quotes. You know the likes. They fill your social media feeds and stare at you from the self-help sections of bookstores. Your… Continue reading You can make all your dreams come true – or can you?