Fall in (love with) Finland
I arrived in Finland in the beginning of August – Elokuu , harvest month – as summer began to wind down. August was clear blue skies and a 9:30pm sunset. I unpacked my bags, scoured second-hand stores for furniture, and bought a bike. Each morning I woke with the sun on my face and a gentle breeze coming through the window. In August, I had an abundance of free time. I took the train to Helsinki for a weekend to go to a music festival. I spent an afternoon in a national park, eating bilberries off the bush in the deep, lush forest, walked barefoot through soft reindeer lichen. I was alone again, but alone by my choosing. I had infinite possibilities laid out in front of me, a banquet of delicacies to choose from and experience. I can be who I want, make this place whatever I want. I imagined myself here for two full years and couldn’t believe my luck. September – Syyskuu , autumn month – brought foggy mornings and vibrant foliage, the leaves of birch trees illuminated with a thou...