At the moment I am back in Rovaniemi but week ago this time I was still in Helsinki. I tend to make at least one visit to southern Finland every year. I visit my friends and explore bigger towns of Finland. If I am honest sometimes I miss living in a city. I love having more stimulus for creativity: beautiful buildings, parks, museums, cultural events and people. Of course we have all that here in Lapland and Rovaniemi too but in a minor scale. And yes, we have a wonderful and inspiring nature here and that is one of the factors why I live up here. But there are many good sides living in southern Finland too. The distances between towns are shorter than here in Lapland. It is easy to go for a day trip to another town, go to an event and visit the local museums. The bus tickets are also a way cheaper. In Helsinki only there are more art exhibitions than one can go through in a day or two or three. This time I saw for example interesting graffiti exhibition at Helsinki Art Museum - HAM and Grayson Perry, Maija Luutonen and There and Back Again exhibitions at Kiasma. In both museums there were so much to see I could have spent a day in one museum only.
I enjoyed walking the streets and seeing places I don't see on a daily basis. It is exciting not to know what scenery waits behind the corner. I don't like that much shopping these days because I am looking for some other meaning to my life than just merely buying new stuff all the time. Yet sometimes I feel it would be inspiring to go and see what is on trend, to see beautiful displays on shop windows and to have shops and collections to choose from. In the city there are more alternatives, something for everyone what comes to consumerism, culture and social circles.
There are seasons when I honestly think about moving to Helsinki or outside Finland to a bigger city. So many things I miss and would like to have in my life. So many opportunities I think that might wait me in there and not here. But so far I have decided to stay. Because I mostly like the everyday life in here and because moving once again feels like tearing off the roots. It takes years to plant oneself to a new place. And leaving alone to place where you practically know no one demands energy to be extra social, to participate and learn the rhythm. In some days that is exactly what I feel I need, to meet more people, talk to strangers and make new friends. I have noticed that in the city I actually talk more to the strangers. Is it that there is the possibility to get a new friend but also the fact that you most likely won't see that person ever again so there is only to win? I know loneliness is a problem in cities too, people not finding friends and getting lost. But still I feel fascinated by the chance that there are events and activities for every day that gather people and give a social space.
Having lived most of my life in southern Finland I am realistic and know that quite soon the fascination will fade and everyday life will take place. I know what are the major things I don't like and I know what I would miss if I left Rovaniemi. Still there is a chance that some day I might live somewhere else. Where that would be is yet unknown.
I took the pictures with my phone because I didn't take my camera with me this time.
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