Text and photos: Eeva Mäkinen
About ten years ago, Anna Cupial and Tomasz Szalanski wanted to move from the big city of Warsaw closer to nature. They built a magnificent 326-square-meter house in a nearby smaller town and tried to settle there.
However, the small forest and non-existent water bodies nearby were not enough; they needed more nature and closer.
The couple occasionally visited Ruka-Kuusamo to find a new home. When they found it in December 2024, they sold their large house in Poland and began moving to their new home in the middle of nature.
Anna Cupial first encountered Finnish culture at the age of 10 when her best friend in Poland was Finnish. As an adult, Anna traveled to Northern Norway, bypassing Finland, considering the landscapes boring. In 2014, Anna started working on projects in Helsinki and remembered her connection to Finland.
“I love the Finnish accent when they speak English. It sounds homely,” Anna says.
Anna, a quality assurance engineer, began traveling regularly to Finland for work trips. Tomasz, who works as an IT engineer, sometimes joined her, and they rented cabins close to nature, learning to live in cabins without electricity and using an outhouse.
On one work trip, Anna stood on a pier after a sauna, looking at the vast lake view.
“I’ve never felt so free,” Anna sighs.
She finally understood what the phrase “Finland needs to be experienced” meant.
Anna and Tomasz traveled to the world’s most famous destinations but began to long for a deeper connection to the places they visited. In Finland, the couple spent a lot of time in Tankavaara, Sodankylä, where they formed a circle of friends.
“We had the impression that Finns are shy, but we made friends with them,” Tomasz says happily.
Their trips to the north eventually brought the couple to Ruka’s landscapes. The natural attractions made an impression, and they began visiting Ruka regularly. Anna and Tomasz slept the best nights of their lives in a log cabin by Lake Vuosselijärvi and fell in love with the Rukan Camp restaurant.
“For 5-6 years, the waiter has asked if we have moved to Ruka yet. This year, I finally got to answer that we have,” Tomasz rejoices.
Initially, Tomasz and Anna looked for a plot of land in Ruka to build a home for themselves and their dog Arya. However, in December 2024, they visited a small log cabin by a lake and immediately felt it was their future home.
“We want to build a lakeside sauna and a summer kitchen here,” Tomasz plans.
Anna visualizes the new furnishings in her mind and ordered matching dishes and cutlery for the cabin. She found the perfect lamp at Pentik and plans to order landscape paintings from a local photographer. Anna also photographs nature herself and appreciates beautiful light.
“When you see good weather from the window, you can be at Valtavaara with the dog in two hours, enjoying the most beautiful moments,” Anna notes.
Two years ago, Tomasz experienced burnout in his demanding job. He has slowed down his pace of life but feels energized by working with his hands. Tomasz plans to design and build new buildings on the plot himself.
The couple values a fast internet connection, as they work remotely from their home in the forest.
“We came here to find peace and nature and to use our new home as a hideaway, so we are happy to work from home,” Tomasz says.
They plan to use Kuusamo’s shared remote workspaces, like Business Kuusamo, if a larger project requires concentration outside the home.
Moving from Poland to Finland in winter required planning.
“European winter tires are too slippery here, so we had to order proper winter tires in Sweden to continue our journey north,” Tomasz explains.
Buying a house was easier than in their home country of Poland, and Tomasz, who needed prescription medication, also easily got his Polish prescription filled in Kuusamo. The challenge was the lack of a Finnish personal identification number. Getting an electricity and water contract was almost impossible without a Finnish bank account and strong authentication.
The couple needed the contracts urgently and found a tip on the Maanpinnalla website about a contact person who provided invaluable help.
“Maarit (the official) was moved when she heard about our challenge to get electricity and water to our new home. Getting the contracts required several phone calls and emails, as companies have abandoned paper signatures,” Anna sighs.
Getting the internet connection required for remote work without a personal identification number also required research but was eventually achieved by obtaining a prepaid eSIM subscription.
In the near future, the couple plans to visit the Digital and Population Data Services Agency in Oulu or Rovaniemi to get personal identification numbers and make electronic signatures.
In Kuusamo, the couple is sometimes surprised that not everyone speaks English.
“We ended up communicating with the snowplow driver via text messages so I could write our wishes in Finnish using a translator,” Tomasz laughs.
The couple recalls their initial challenges with a smile, as they feel happy in their current home by the lake.
“All our previous decisions brought us to this point, so we can watch the snow-covered trees in winter and the starry sky in autumn from our home,” Tomasz and Anna rejoice.
Read more about remote work in Finland's Northeast
