I live far from my loved ones, friends, and family, with the distance sometimes reaching up to 1,000 km. Yet, I haven’t been alone—quite the opposite. The important people in my life stay in touch, and some even visit. In August, except for a few days, my home has been full of guests, coming and going. We’ve explored the nearby fells and villages, visited the riverbank, and shared the best fishing spots. Some of these visitors were family and old, dear friends, while others became friends while staying under my roof. I’m incredibly happy and grateful for all of them. My biggest fear when I moved here was that the people in my life would forget me, leaving me all alone in the north. Thankfully, that fear was completely unfounded.❤️

I’ve also met new people and formed new friendships while living here. When walking through the village, no one just walks by; they stop to chat, asking who the new person is, what I’m doing here, and where I live. Conversations often begin with, “Oh, you live in that house! It used to belong to so-and-so, who did such-and-such.” Here, nothing stays secret, but that creates more of a sense of security than the paranoia you might feel in a city about what someone might do with your information. In early August, I even got a call from the local newspaper wanting to interview me “because you’re new in town.” In a small village, the news threshold is small too 😄.

When I moved here, I didn’t know a single person in the entire Lapland region. But during my time here, I’ve been surprised by how many new people I’ve met and the friendships I’ve formed. Most of these encounters have been completely random, but all the more wonderful. While I do enjoy my solitude, I also find it important to have people who will go blueberry picking with me, share the best cloudberry spots, exchange fishing tips, lend tools, hike the fells with rosy cheeks, and talk about what it’s like to be new in the village.

We all need others to share the joys, wonders, sorrows, and challenges of life. I’m so grateful to have found such people—thank you <3

Wishing everyone a Sunday full of love! 🤗

♥: Sanna