Photos and text: Eeva Mäkinen
A warm smile and positive energy perfectly describe Dyna Mae Salvador, who works as a practical nurse at Coronaria in Posio. In 2022, Dyna had decided to seek work abroad after seeing a mention on Facebook about Finland being the happiest country in the world.
“I had a feeling that life would be better in Finland,” Dyna recalls.
Her brother’s doubts about how Dyna would manage in Finland were unfounded. She determinedly applied for a training program that prepared participants for moving to Finland and learning the language. After completing the training, Dyna passed the entrance exam and moved to Posio.
For the time, Dyna had to leave her 4- and 14-year-old children with her mother in the Philippines, but she plans to bring them to Finland soon.
In November 2022, Dyna arrived in Posio to a snowy landscape with four other Filipinos who had been in the training program. They moved into a shared apartment in the center of Posio and began settling into their new home.
“How can it be so quiet here?” Dyna wondered.
The warm welcome from the people of Posio was a surprise. During her first days in Posio, while exploring the area, Dyna saw a woman with a kicksled and wanted to compliment her on her mode of transport. The woman was the kind-hearted Vuokko, who invited the entire group of Filipinos to her home to celebrate their first Finnish Christmas.
The friendship that began from that first meeting has continued, and Vuokko occasionally surprises the Filipinos by bringing a box of homemade juices or berries she has picked to their home.
Vuokko’s friend Kirsi, on the other hand, made each of them a fishing rod so that Dyna, who loves fishing, and her housemates could go fishing.
“When we catch fish, we always ask the locals if they are edible. If they are, we fry and eat them whole so that nothing goes to waste,” Dyna says.
Adapting to work has gone well, although learning the language has brought challenges.
“Life in the Philippines was tough and expensive. The workload was unreasonable, and sometimes the workdays were so long that I only had time to go home to shower between shifts. Here, work and leisure are in balance,” Dyna rejoices.
Dyna is satisfied with the salary level, but her career plans include training to become a nurse. Her supervisor at Coronaria has suggested distance learning in Rovaniemi. The only thing that worries Dyna about further education is her language skills, but she believes that this will also work out.
The biggest cultural difference for Dyna was the quietness at work, as in the Philippines, it is noisy everywhere.
“When a good song plays on the radio, I dance, but Finns are more reserved,” Dyna says with a smile.
Dyna walks or bikes the short distance to work. Cycling has become a beloved hobby for her, which her coworkers also enjoy.
“Once after work, we ended up taking a 30-kilometer detour before getting home. It started raining along the way, and at one point we got lost, but those things didn’t spoil the fun outing,” Dyna recalls.
Dyna and her housemates affectionately call their landlord “Tatay,” which means father in Filipino. To welcome them, the landlord took them to a lake on a snowmobile and taught them how to make snow angels.
The landlord was also helpful when Dyna and her housemates got locked on the balcony. They had excitedly gone out in their pyjamas to see the Northern Lights, and the wind had slammed the door shut. Luckily, they managed to get down from the balcony using the fire escape and warmed up in the neighboring building while waiting for the landlord’s help.
When he arrived, the first question he asked was, “Did you see the Northern Lights?” Dyna was moved to tears by the landlord’s reaction to the situation.
The housemates love watching horror movies, singing karaoke, and dancing together.
“Luckily, we usually don’t have neighbors, because we scream a lot when watching horror movies,” Dyna laughs.
In the two years they’ve lived together, the housemates haven’t had any arguments. They cook together and give each other space when needed.
Dyna actively follows Posio’s Facebook groups and the events announced there. One of her favorite winter activities is ice swimming at Kirikeskus.
Dyna also found an announcement on Facebook about a nearby dance and karaoke event. She went there with her housemates and ended up singing ABBA’s “Dancing Queen” in karaoke while the audience danced in pairs.
Posio’s other services have worked well, although you need to book an appointment for the bank and Kela, as they are open less frequently. For clothing shopping, Dyna visits Rovaniemi and always takes an empty suitcase for her purchases.
When visiting Helsinki or Oulu, Dyna eases her homesickness by shopping at an Asian store and buying Filipino sauces and treats. While living in Posio, she has also learned to make a Filipino dessert called biko, which she happily serves to her guests.
Dyna feels happy in Posio because her life is balanced, and she can always call her daughters in the Philippines whenever she wants.
