Country Profile - Finland

Suomen Tasavalta (Finnish)
Republiken Finland (Swedish)

Capital: Helsinki

Finland is a Nordic country bordering Sweden, Norway, and Russia. With a population of five and a half million people, it is a relatively small nation but has a land area of 338,424 square km (130,596 square mi) which is roughly about the size of the state of California. Official languages of this country include Finnish, Swedish, with recognition of Sami, the indigenous language of the Sami people in the North. As a country in the European Union, the national currency is the Euro which makes it the only Nordic country to use this currency. 

Finland is known for Midnight Sun in the Summer, Sauna (a Finnish invention), one of the world's best education systems, and Santa Claus (joulupukki - translating to "Christmas goat").

Helsinki Harbor

Last year, I was one of twelve recipients of the Finland US Senate Youth Exchange scholarship from the Finnish government to live and experience life as a Finnish teenager in a host family for about two months during the summer. I regard this as my biggest accomplishment so far, and not a day goes by that I don't think about the experience. 

In five days I'll be flying from Buffalo to Finland and visiting my host family for four weeks. I haven't seen them since August 2012, so this homecoming will be special. I have a host mom, dad, and two brothers there and I can't wait to see them! Next week I'll become 'Viljami' again (my Finnish name: vill-ya-mee) and I'll hopefully be able to understand spoken Finnish again. Suomi on vaikea kieli. 

And thus starts my first journey on this blog. Hyvää matkaa!

Eeti, Ante, Anne, Viljami, Matti