Moving to Finland comes with great opportunities… but also great responsibilities.
For me, one of the biggest challenges wasn’t finding a job. It was learning the Finnish language.
And honestly… it wasn’t easy.
Sometimes, it felt like I had become a baby again, learning how to speak from the very beginning. Every new word, every grammar rule, and every pronunciation was something I had to learn from scratch.
Starting over is never easy, especially when you’re no longer in your twenties. There were moments when I felt overwhelmed, wondering if I could really do it. But if I wanted to continue my journey and work in Finland, learning the language wasn’t just an option, it was a requirement.
It was difficult, but it wasn’t impossible.
The Beginning of My Finnish Language Journey
When our hiring agency informed me that I had been offered a job in Finland, I knew there was one important condition – I had to learn Finnish.
At that time, our hiring agency, Silkkitie, generously provided a Finnish language course free of charge, and I’m truly grateful for that opportunity. I started the course in 2023, while we were still living in Dubai.
The classes were conducted by the Nordic Languages Review Center (NLRC) through Discord, where teachers and students met online for lessons, conversations, and speaking assessments.
If I remember correctly, we had around 30 learning units to complete before we could proceed with our migration.
It was a long journey, but every lesson brought us one step closer to our dream.
Studying Whenever and Wherever I Could
At that time, I was also working full-time in Dubai, so finding time to study wasn’t always easy.
Whenever I had free time, I reviewed my lessons, whether at home, during breaks, or even while waiting for something. I made the most of every opportunity to study.
I started with the basics – vocabulary, verb conjugations, word endings, root words, and sentence structure.
Little by little, everything began to make more sense.
While I was still working in Dubai, I brought these materials with me whenever I could. During my free time, I would review vocabulary, memorize new words, and practice forming simple Finnish phrases.
Music Became My Teacher
One of my favorite ways to practice Finnish was by listening to music while driving.
I enjoyed songs by Juha Tapio, Robin, Mikko Harju, Diandra, and Suvi Teräsniska. Listening to Finnish songs helped me become more familiar with the rhythm and pronunciation of the language.
One of my favorite songs was “Mä olen tässä” a song by Mikko Harju.
Mä olen tässä sua varten sua aina suojelen kun murheet koittaa meitä voittaa vierelläsi taistelen Mä olen tässä empimättä vaikka vuodet satuttaa jos sä tahdot niin mä tahdon niin mä tahdon This is one of the beautiful Finnish songs that kept me motivated while learning Finnish language. I didn't understand every word at first, but listening to it repeatedly helped me become more familiar with the language. Over time, I began recognizing words and phrases, making my Finnish learning journey even more enjoyable.
Every session was assessed as either passed or failed. If I didn’t pass, I had to repeat the entire unit and take the assessment again.
Thankfully, with patience, perseverance, and a lot of hard work, I successfully passed every unit and every session until I completed the entire course.
Learning Didn’t Stop After Arriving in Finland
Moving to Finland didn’t mean the learning was over.
In fact, it was only the beginning.
At work, we communicated almost entirely in Finnish. Occasionally, a colleague would explain something in English, but those moments were rare.
Looking back, I think that was actually a blessing.
Being surrounded by Finnish every day pushed me to listen more carefully, speak more confidently, and improve little by little. It wasn’t always comfortable, but it helped me grow.
Learning While Working
Another thing I appreciated was that we continued studying the language even after starting work.
Twice a week, we had one-and-a-half-hour online Finnish lessons during working hours.
One of our assignments was to record a video introducing ourselves in Finnish.
I actually enjoyed making that video because it gave me confidence. Repeating the introduction several times helped me memorize it, and eventually, introducing myself in Finnish became more natural.
My Best Finnish Teacher Lives With Me
One of my greatest teachers is actually our toddler.
Since she speaks Finnish every day with her teachers and friends at daycare, her language skills developed so quickly.
Sometimes, she even speaks better Finnish than my husband and me!
Children truly amaze me with how quickly they learn new languages. Watching her grow has inspired us to keep learning too.
My Wall Became My Classroom
I’m a visual learner, so I came up with a simple way to help myself remember new words.
I wrote Finnish vocabulary on large sheets of paper and taped them to the walls in our bedroom.
Every morning when I woke up, the first thing I saw was a wall full of Finnish words and phrases.
It may have looked a little funny, but it worked!
Seeing those words every day helped me remember them much more easily.
Building my vocabulary one word at a time also made it easier to form longer sentences and communicate more confidently in everyday conversations.
This video was taken during one of interview with them.
Silkkitie’s Facebook Page: https://www.facebook.com/SilkRoadWM
Silkkitie’s Website: https://workinfinland.silkroad.fi/
Final Thoughts
Learning Finnish has been one of the hardest things I’ve ever done.
There were days when I felt frustrated, confused, and even discouraged. But there were also days when I realized I understood a conversation, spoke a sentence correctly, or learned a new word without looking it up.
Those small victories reminded me that progress doesn’t happen overnight.
It happens one word…
One sentence…
And one conversation at a time.
If you’re also learning Finnish, or any new language, don’t be discouraged if it feels difficult.
Keep practicing.
Keep making mistakes.
Keep showing up.
One day, you’ll look back and realize just how far you’ve come.
“Success is the sum of small efforts, repeated day in and day out.”
— Robert Collier
“Commit to the Lord whatever you do, and He will establish your plans.”
— Proverbs 16:3 (NIV)
May God give us the patience to keep learning, the courage to keep trying, and the faith to believe that every small step brings us closer to the plans He has prepared for us. ❤️
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