The first Finnish word that I’ve learned, was the name of a bird. I had just moved to a student apartment in Otaniemi and did my first load of washing in the laundry room. Looking out of the launderette’s rear window I could see nothing but nature: skinny birch trees, pines and sprouts followed by a field of reeds on the shore of the seawater bay. While waiting for the dryer to finish I decided to step outside to enjoy the last rays of sunshine on this late autumn afternoon. Just as I closed the door behind me, I noticed a subtle movement, and there it was, right at my feet: a tiny light brown bird with a string of black feathers and yellow spots on its wings.  

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Snow events on a frozen lake

Embrace winter in Finland  

Here in Finland, winter is dark with long nights and scarce daylight. I was born and grew up in a southern city of China, which is heavy of tropical odors with daily temperature ranging from 15 to 28 ℃ in January, an climate totally different from wintertime here.  

Hence dark days and freezing weather are likely to create a sense of melancholy, especially during the pandemic days that call for social distance. Winter in Finland, however, can also give us a completely different and exotic experience with snow and ice. Winter provides me great opportunities to embrace the unique snowy landscape, enjoy amazing sown events, appreciate the warmth of a campfire or just stroll on a frozen lake.

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