For Hom(i)es

The moment of going back to home in Finland arrived. All this spring I have written my blog in Finnish but this time I’d like to overcome my fear of making too many mistakes and write in English. By this way I want to honor all of those beautiful people who I was lucky enough to get as my friends. So this one goes for you ragazzi. 

From my goodbye party 

It’s a scary thing, to move alone in a country where you’ve never been earlier. And it’s heck of a lot scarier when you’re not even able to speak the native language of that country. But still it was something I felt I needed to do.

When I came to Italy, I was pretty miserable. I didn’t know anyone, I didn’t have an apartment and all the habits of this land were so different. And right from the beginning I had so many problems, that it seemed almost impossible to overcome them. One thing that kept me going despite all of the difficulties was that I had a feeling, that at some point I’m actually going to have the time of my life. That feeling came when I started to know people.

The last one at Bombocrep  

Farewell to Limoncello also!

When you are in exchange, it’s actually quite easy to get to know new people – as long as you’re active enough and leave the house and go out. Harder part is to make those people remain in your life. I got many acquaintances. During the first month of my stay I met more new people than I do in Finland during one year. Learning to know new people is exciting and fun. But after the first couple of months the thing that starts to matter is who are those people who stand by you. And I have to tell you, what surprised me the most, was how wide safety net I got around me.

Bologna Family 

I started to write this text already weeks ago. When I started, I was watching a thunder storm – one of those numerous we got to witness during the spring. I feel like thunder storm actually describes my journey quite well. Things have happened so fast and unexpectedly. New twists and turns have stroke me so often like lightnings from the clear sky. Emotionally it has been as fierce as thunder storms are. But in the same time it has been the most spectacular show. All the power of it makes me stare the view amazed and mesmerized. Nothing prepared me for any of this but all the best things happen when you are on the edge, when you are a little bit afraid of what will happen next. As it says in one song my beloved wifey Meri shared with me: ”We are in a mess, in danger zone. What will happen next, we’ll never know.”

I’m not gonna lie. It has been one hell of a ride. Both in good and bad. But with you people, I kinda learned to laugh at the bad. We all have been confused and sad, we’ve all had our difficulties here. And we have survived them because we’ve been there for each other. As Stef says, it’s nice to have a support system. You people have been my support system. Only God knows how I would have ended up being without you guys. You helped me to find my way in this new strange place. You offered your hand every time I was so screwed up.

I know it’s such a cliché, but it really has been a tremendeous adventure. And it wouldn’t have ended up being an adventure without all the people I met, without all the people I laughed with. It could have ended very differently. I could have learnt to know new people but without making any of them as my actual friends. I feel gratitude and being blessed. One great part of being an adult is that you get to create your own family besides the one you have from the childhood. I didn’t expect it to happen but I feel I found my other family here. It was formed so randomly and piece by piece that I didn’t even notice it to happen first. Sometimes I like to think that I found those people and maybe even chose them, but in reality I know much better. They found me. And I don’t know why I earned to be picked up by them.

When I think about going back to Finland, one comforting thing is to know that from now on I have several homes around the world. Wherever those people who I’ve met are from, I know I am welcome to their houses. As well is my door always open to them and I consider them as the most welcomed guests. I’m feeling really sad because I know I’m not gonna meet them for a while. It’s heartbreaking to leave people who I have shared my every-day life with, well, literally every day. But this certainty makes me feel much better: we are going to meet again. I may be giving up a whole way of life I created with them but I’m definitely not giving up on them. Because families always find their ways.

Now it’s time to go home. To that other family. Perché così è la vita.

Kiss to my wifey