Life after the lock: Melanie Dower about living in Finland in Helsinki
In the neighborhood of Melanie Dower in Helsinki. Photo / Included
It has been seven years since Melanie Dower and her husband Jonathan moved to Helsinki. He shares what life is like in the Finnish capital and still advises kiwis in confinement.
When did you move to Helsinki and why?
I moved to Helsinki in 2014 with my husband Jonathan and our son Mikko when Jonathan accepted a job offer from the Finnish mobile gaming company Supercell. He works as a game director and game artist, and I joined the company a year later in the role of transfer and orientation. Miko was only 2 years old when we arrived in Helsinki.
What do you like most about the city?
It’s a very easy city to live in – we haven’t had a car in the last seven years and we walk or bike everywhere. It is very safe and because Finnish children are very independent from an early age, Miko himself travels by bus or tram to school or with friends, even if the temperature drops to -20 degrees. Because we are a relatively small town, we are always close to the sea, islands or the forest and experience four different seasons each year. During a good winter, the Baltic Sea freezes, leaving extra space for ice skating, walking, cycling or relaxing after a sauna.
What are your favorite parts of town?
My favorite neighborhood is a small cottage I bought last year from the island just 4 miles from our home. I can cycle there over the bridge and even though there is no electricity or inland water pipes, I have a fireplace that I can use for heating when it cools down. We go there in the summer and have dinner on my grill and often see pheasants, hares, squirrels and sometimes foxes or deer.
What was Helsinki’s Covid reaction like?
In general, Finns are very good at following the rules and prefer a good social distance, so we have never been locked up, but we have had short times when, for example, swimming pools and restaurants have been closed. We have always been able to go outside and there is a very good food delivery system that has allowed us to order meals from the restaurants when they have been open. The gym was closed for two weeks and we just moved the workouts out of that time. There is nothing to stop Finns from being outside – least of all the weather.
What remains the same as before Covid, and what has changed?
Now teleworking is much more accepted, which has been a great relief for balancing family responsibilities or during a long commute. We still use face shields when we are in public places or using public transportation and when moving around the office’s public areas. The joke here, though, is that people are looking forward to the end of the 2-meter distance rule so they can return to 2.5 meters.
Have you traveled anywhere nationally or internationally since Covid?
We had a trip to Greece booked during the summer, but we canceled it because it just didn’t feel right. Instead, we enjoyed the Finnish summer at home – cycling, swimming and enjoying the 24-hour sunshine while it was here. This summer was really warm, 30 degrees on most days, and the city burst into greenery and blooms. However, it was short, and we are already starting to have brisk mornings and shortened days as the long, dark winter approaches.
Do you have any items you are dreaming of now?
We would like to visit New Zealand, but it is almost impossible for MIQ to enter and we hope that the entry restrictions will be adapted to the restrictions on fully vaccinated travelers in the EU. I would like to visit Greece and Morocco again, but I am still wary of getting sick or stuck in another country and potentially increasing the pressure on their healthcare systems. As we do not expect NZ to change its admission rules by Christmas, we have booked tickets for a short visit to Rome, but we will wait and see how things go in the coming months.
Are there similarities between Helsinki and New Zealand?
New Zealand and Finland are very similar in size and population, as well as in the abundance of beautiful nature. Both countries are lucky to have access to clean water and fresh air, and both have young women in the role of prime minister. Finns are down to earth and like to laugh at themselves, but sometimes I miss friendly jokes and smiling at guests.
Do you want anything from New Zealand?
Our family and friends! Seafood, ocean salt and surfing, hot pools, mountains or volcanoes to climb to get a good view of the city, greet strangers, cafe breakfasts and good coffee, bathtubs, fragrant gardens, bird singing… everything we enjoy when we come home New -For the summer of Zealand.
What advice would you give to Aucklanders who are still in a closed state?
It must be a very stressful time for many people, and we hope everyone is doing well. Uncertainty can be particularly difficult, so I find it helpful to stay hopeful and only live week after week because we can be sure of that right now. Don’t let the weather stop you from going outside every day and know that your loved ones abroad will miss you and miss home as much as you miss seeing them.