Globetrotting Kirsi found her home in Kuusamo

Kirsi’s Story 

On the way to Kirsi’s house, you first head from Kuusamo to the direction of the Ruka ski resort. On a frosty morning, the sky looks like marshmallow – an entire spectrum of pastel colours, with the lights of Ruka gloving in the background. The journey continues on a smaller byroad, and when you get to your destination, you find an idyllic red wooden house. 

Kirsi is 47 years old and originally from Helsinki, Finland. In her youth, Kirsi and her family spent several years living in e.g. the Unites States, Belgium and Sweden, before ending up back in her hometown of Helsinki. In the capital region, life was very hectic. Kirsi was working hard, making a career at the iconic Helsinki department store Stockmann. In 2010, Kirsi and her spouse made the decision to move to Kuusamo, and into her spouse’s old childhood home.    

Distances are measured in time, not kilometres 

The couple has had no regrets about their decision to move up north. The very few surprises they’ve encountered have had to do with distances and the lack of public transport. In case you happen to need specialised medical care, you have to travel 200 kilometres for it. 

“But these are challenges that can be overcome just by having the right attitude. It also helps, if you don’t think about the kilometres, but calculate distances in the time it takes to travel them instead,” Kirsi muses. In Kuusamo, you can drive a hundred kilometres in one hour, whereas in the Helsinki region, the distance covered in an hour can be significantly shorter. When living in house heated with wood, chopping all the firewood and carrying it in can also been seen as a challenge, but Kirsi sees it as just another everyday chore. 

Slow everyday living and the buzz of the peak season 

At the present, Kirsi’s everyday life consists of the Bachelor of Hospitality Management studies at the Kajaani University of Applied Sciences (KAMK). On the days that they have contact instruction, Kirsi makes the trip over to Kajaani conveniently by bus. She says that one of the best aspects about living in Kuusamo are the contrasts. If you want to be surrounded by busy hustle and bustle, you can pop into the Ruka ski resort during peak season. And to balance it out, you can find peace and tranquillity in nature, even in your own backyard. The slow pace of life has made a strong impression. Kirsi recalls that in her first job after the move, her instructions were to “take it easy”. That pretty much sums up the essence of living in Kuusamo – things will work out. 

    I feel like I’m living on holiday. 

“Kuusamo is a vibrant community, because of all the tourists that visit the area. There are people who have their holiday homes here, those who come with tour operators and very many others. Living here is a nice mixture of country life and city life,” Kirsi says. 

Locally produced food an everyday luxury  

In the summer, Kirsi spends her free time gardening and growing tomatoes. Mushroom and berry picking are a natural part of the early autumn, and last summer Kirsi even taught herself net fishing. She has also become good at handling (cleaning and preparing) the caught fish – she puts vendaces in jars and containers like an old pro. Relatives of Kirsi’s spouse have been giving her guidance, tips and pointers. 

“I feel like I’m living on holiday. It’s just so unbelievable sometimes, when you look around and think that am I actually, really living here. On a cold winter’s day, it’s so beautiful it’s like something out of a fairy tale – and the fire crackling in the wood-fired oven, it feels like magic,” Kirsi sums up her life in Kuusamo.