{"id":18217,"date":"2016-07-12T16:59:19","date_gmt":"2016-07-12T16:59:19","guid":{"rendered":"http:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/?p=18217"},"modified":"2022-01-10T21:41:24","modified_gmt":"2022-01-10T21:41:24","slug":"elina-a-finnish-blogger-in-south-carolina-lentoaskeleita","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/elina-a-finnish-blogger-in-south-carolina-lentoaskeleita\/","title":{"rendered":"Elina &#8211; A Finnish Blogger in South Carolina [Lentoaskeleita]"},"content":{"rendered":"\n<style type=\"text\/css\" data-created_by=\"avia_inline_auto\" id=\"style-css-av-qorky1-c30749b45ff65f5fdef7dc01af596ca3\">\n#top .avia-gallery.av-qorky1-c30749b45ff65f5fdef7dc01af596ca3 .avia-gallery-thumb a{\nwidth:20%;\n}\n<\/style>\n<div  class='avia-gallery av-qorky1-c30749b45ff65f5fdef7dc01af596ca3 avia_animate_when_visible  avia-builder-el-0  avia-builder-el-no-sibling  deactivate_avia_lazyload avia-gallery-animate avia-gallery-1'  itemprop=\"image\" itemscope=\"itemscope\" itemtype=\"https:\/\/schema.org\/ImageObject\" ><div class='avia-gallery-thumb'> <a href=\"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina.jpe\" data-srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina.jpe 602w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-218x300.jpe 218w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-513x705.jpe 513w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-450x618.jpe 450w\" data-sizes=\"(max-width: 602px) 100vw, 602px\" data-rel='gallery-1' data-prev-img='https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-495x400.jpe' class='first_thumb lightbox ' data-onclick='1' title='Interview_elinaSouthCarolina'  itemprop=\"thumbnailUrl\"  ><img class=\"wp-image-18220 avia-img-lazy-loading-not-18220\"   src=\"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-180x180.jpe\" width=\"180\" height=\"180\"  title='Interview_elinaSouthCarolina' alt='' srcset=\"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-180x180.jpe 180w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-80x80.jpe 80w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-36x36.jpe 36w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-120x120.jpe 120w, https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-content\/uploads\/articles-interview\/2016\/07\/Interview_elinaSouthCarolina-450x450.jpe 450w\" sizes=\"(max-width: 180px) 100vw, 180px\" \/><\/a><\/div><\/div>\n<p>We always love to feature any Europeans. Elina is a young Finnish woman who ended following her husband to the USA &#8211; a move she did not expect. Let&#8217;s hear in her own words how she dealt with the challenges.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Please introduce yourself<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Hi everyone, my name is Elina. I\u2019m a Finnish mom of two who is spending a year as an expat-spouse in South Carolina.\u00a0 I am supposed to be finishing my Masters in literature at Tampere University.\u00a0 Instead we decided to embrace an opportunity for a South Carolina adventure and jump in. When our daughter was born a year ago I had no idea that she would spend her first year outside Finland &#8211; in a small town of southern USA.<\/p>\n<p>Our decision to go\u00a0 to the USA happened very fast. My husband is working &#8211;\u00a0 I\u2019m a stay at home mom at the moment. I will finish my studies when we go back to Finland. I love this unique chapter in my life. It allows me to watch closely how our children grow.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How do you find the lifestyle in South Carolina compared to Europe?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It was surprising to find out how many things are different compared to Finland. Even the houses are different &#8211; little things from the traffic lights to gas stations are just like they are in the movies! It felt unreal to see the yellow school buses at the first time.<\/p>\n<p>The biggest shock for me\u00a0 &#8211; the amount of processed food offered!\u00a0 I appreciate all the clean food we eat in Finland. We try to buy organic and healthy food.\u00a0 I love the \u201dNon-GMO\u201d-stickers. I am truly grateful for the \u201cfree\u201d education and health care we receive in Finland. It feels unfair how everyone else doesn\u2019t have the equal opportunity in the USA.<\/p>\n<p>I have loved seeing how many Americans volunteer their time to do good. We have a lot to learn from this in Finland. I\u2019m also forever grateful for the warm welcome by all Americans here!<\/p>\n<p><strong>What do you\u00a0 want your friends to see or feel in South Carolina?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>From now on I have to get everyone to visit Charleston. It is the most beautiful city I have ever seen &#8211; the old pastel colored houses are just magical.<\/p>\n<p>I take our guests to have the complete \u201dsouthern experience\u201d to have a breakfast at Cracker O\u2019Barrel. (Not exactly healthy and clean eating I already told about\u2026)<\/p>\n<p><strong>What do you really miss from Finland?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I miss our sauna, the summer cottage, the cold ground under your feet and the lake\u2019s freezing water. The magical silence of nature. \u00a0Of course we all miss our family and friends. It\u2019s hard for the grandparents to miss all the new things\u00a0 that the children are learning.<\/p>\n<p><strong>How do you balance your career with other obligations \u2013 husband, children, and job?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>It\u2019s my husband\u2019s turn to focus on his career. I support him 100%.\u00a0 I really appreciate how hard he works for our family. However, as a woman I want to continue my studies and have my own career after this expat-phase. In turn my husband supports me completely. I want to do it for myself and for our children. \u00a0I want my kids to learn how important it is to educate yourself and do something you are passionate about.<\/p>\n<p><strong>What do you miss the most \u2013 and the least of Finland?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I miss the Finnish\u201dcoffee culture\u201d.\u00a0 The first question by my Finnish friends is always\u201dwould you like to have a cup of coffee?\u201d\u00a0\u00a0 Everyone sits at the table, children have juice and adults enjoy their coffee. And\u201dpulla\u201d or cookies too &#8211; of course. There are a lot of other things from Finnish culture that I miss. However, I also enjoy the American courtesy and\u201dsmall talk\u201d- culture. It\u2019s somewhat easier to approach people and get new friends here.<\/p>\n<p>I don\u2019t miss the extra-long winters in Finland. I\u2019m definitely a summer person. I truly enjoy the summer here.<\/p>\n<p><strong>Is there any Finnish expat local group in your area &#8211; or some other European group that has been helpful to you?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I have gotten couple of Finnish contacts living in this area trough my blog. \u00a0 It has been nice to make a few new friends. It\u2019s been touching how helpful everyone has been. Those people have been so amazing.\u00a0 We feel so thankful for everyone\u2019s help and kindness!<\/p>\n<p><strong>When and how did you decide to move to South Carolina? Is it complicated to settle down there?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Our decision to move here happened very fast. I still remember when my husband called and told me about this job offer. We decided to take it immediately. It took only three months to stand at the front door of our new home. Those three months were crazy. There was so much to arrange: rent our home and pack everything, get the visas and all the other paper work done.\u00a0 Finding out everything &#8211; it was a lot to do!<\/p>\n<p><strong>How is\/was the cultural shock? What are the main differences with Finland, your home country?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>The cultural shock was huge even if we had visited USA once before. However, there\u2019s no way you can compare New York City to a small town in South Carolina. Not to mention that if you think you really know something about American culture after one visit to NYC you are badly mistaken.<\/p>\n<p>At the beginning we were frankly a little bit confused with the way everyone talks to everyone here. Now I find it fun and refreshing! Everyone is so nice and polite \u2013 the real southern charm.<\/p>\n<p>There are some unwritten social rules and customs that are impossible to appreciate before you really live here. For example: everyone says \u201cma\u2019am\u201d and \u201csir\u201d\u201dmiss\u201d etc.\u00a0 You learn how you are expected to behave in social situations.<\/p>\n<p><strong>When did you start your blog and why?<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>I started to write a blog almost four years ago. First it was a blog of a young mom who was also a student, and then it was a wedding blog, baby blog, life style blog, now it\u2019s my story of living abroad.<\/p>\n<p>I started it just for the love of writing. I thought it would be a fun hobby. I never imagined how important piece of my life the blog would be: how many amazing people I would meet trough it.<\/p>\n<p>I participated in such fun events because of my blog. I never dreamed how much I love those moments when I can sit down and start writing my blog.\u00a0 No to mention I have just the best readers! Right now my goal is to make the blogging a side job at some point.<\/p>\n<p><strong>EuroCircle members\/visitors can connect with You:<\/strong><\/p>\n<p>Facebook: <a href=\"https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Lentoaskeleita-173707039463042\/\">https:\/\/www.facebook.com\/Lentoaskeleita-173707039463042\/<\/a><\/p>\n<p>Website: <a href=\"http:\/\/www.lily.fi\/blogit\/lentoaskeleita\">www.lily.fi\/blogit\/lentoaskeleita<\/a><\/p>\n<p>e-mail: lentoaskeleita (at) gmail (dot) com<\/p>\n<p>instagram: @lentoaskeleita<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n<p>&nbsp;<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"<p>We always love to feature any Europeans. Elina is a young Finnish woman who ended following her husband to the USA &#8211; a move she did not expect. Let&#8217;s hear in her own words how she dealt with the challenges. Please introduce yourself Hi everyone, my name is Elina. I\u2019m a Finnish mom of two [&hellip;]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":18220,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":[],"categories":[10,21],"tags":[],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18217"}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=18217"}],"version-history":[{"count":10,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18217\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":29488,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/18217\/revisions\/29488"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/18220"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=18217"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=18217"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.eurocircle.com\/euro\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=18217"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}