Hello, December
Nature has now finally fallen into a cold slumber; the polar night of Tunturi-Lappi is just around the corner. In northern Lapland, it has already begun and is slowly flowing this way. The exact day when the polar night starts doesn’t matter much. In everyday language, it is often referred to as starting from the end of October to the sunny days of early February, and its effect is felt almost throughout that entire time. The pastel colors of the polar night have dominated the sky for a month now, and the sun has become a rare visitor. Especially on cloudy and rainy days, or when surrounded by fells, the sun can be absent for much longer than the official polar night period lasts.
What does the polar night feel like? The darkness is exhausting. I only realized the extent of the darkness when I saw the concrete number that at my latitude, there are currently over 21 hours of darkness. It’s no wonder I feel a bit tired. However, those hours of the day that can be called bright are so beautiful, clear, and filled with watercolor-like hues that I often don’t notice missing the actual sunlight.
Above the tree line of my cabin, the polar night sun can no longer rise fully; it only reflects its last strengths, waving goodbye. We enjoy each other's company in those brief moments that are still possible. The next time the sun shines into my cabin will be well into next year.
Last year, all of this was new. I can see the difference. Every moment and experience in the north felt completely fresh, and I lived as if it were my last day. I still recognize that feeling at times, but I can also calm down now.
It's part of my nature to get excited about new things and to gather them into my life. I don’t want any year to be the same. Sometimes, this can be exhausting, but for the most part, I see it as an absolutely positive thing. I learn a tremendous amount and collect memories that might not accumulate in a day-to-day life that is otherwise similar. I feel it is a sense of living, enjoying life as I try and learn new things, putting myself in new situations and outside my comfort zone.
Most recently, I fulfilled a dream that had been brewing in the back of my mind for a while and started working as a guide at a local tourism company. Seasonal work is completely new to me, as is being a guide and interacting with customers. The season has just begun, but so far, I have experienced great excitement and enjoyment. The company also offers snowmobile tours, where I have seriously had the opportunity to learn new things. I have become familiar with driving and repairing snowmobiles and acting as a guide on tours taken with them.
Welcome to Ylläs for a snowmobile safari; you might get to be guided by me 💪
The novelty of everything is heavy, but oh, so wonderful. It’s also hard to imagine being at work when you’re doing what you would otherwise do in your free time. Hiking, being outdoors, lighting campfires, telling stories about Finland's nature and Finnishness, guiding people into nature.
December continues in the same spirit, in the embrace of the polar night and cherishing small moments. Alongside all the new, wonderful experiences and grand adventures, I truly need a lot of quiet moments, time spent alone, peace, and space. Without those moments, I wouldn’t be able to experience the great sense of living in adventures and new things.
Pastel-colored polar night greetings from here in the middle of the snow ❄️ Yesterday, about thirty centimeters of snow fell. I’m waiting to see if my neighbor will plow my little road or if I’ll grab a shovel and dig my car out of the snow.
♥ Hugs, Sanna