I’m originally from Helsinki, Finland. I majored in English philology at the University of Helsinki, and began an ongoing relationship not only with my British boyfriend but also with the UK while on Erasmus exchange in Cardiff in 2012. I’ve been coming back ever since: first to intern at the Finnish Institute in London, then to work at Oxford University Press. Though I’ve lived in Finland again since autumn, I think one of my feet will always be in the UK – I follow the news on a daily basis, most often through the Guardian website.
Language and writing are my thing. I work at Finland’s largest communications agency, Miltton. It’s such an exciting environment to be in: you can go from traditional PR, such as writing a press release or translating content from Finnish into English, to creating and selling a groundbreaking concept based on an idea you’ve just had, at a moment’s notice. Our staff median age is only about 32 and we’ve got people from all over the world, including the Philippines, Germany, and Bristol. In my spare time, I work as a blog editor for Asymptote, an online publication of literature in translation: we publish reviews, author and translator interviews, international literature news, and much more every day.
I started reading the Guardian online about the same time my course began in 2007. I purchase the printed version whenever I can, because it turns browsing into a reading experience that has a beginning and an end. Besides, you can’t beat the smell of ink. Newspapers in Finland don’t have political leanings in the way they do in the UK, but it’s actually a part of why I enjoy reading the Guardian: I know where it stands on issues, and it’s a view I share. It’s important to recognise the social and cultural bubble you live in, though, and that the sources you rely on tend to enforce it. It’s only become more obvious this year, thanks to Brexit and the US presidential elections.
There are so many reasons to read the Guardian: Sali Hughes’ recommendations, the advice columns (and their comments), Oliver Burkeman, Hadley Freeman, the entire books section, the TV live blogs. Often, even if the article itself is lacking, the comments below more than make up for it. I also trust the Guardian to tell me about the latest (undoubtedly ridiculous) fads and give me intelligent analysis on any global news. If there are breaking stories, I check the Guardian website before any Finnish sources. I’m going to keep a particularly close eye on its Brexit reports: I don’t know where my journey is taking me next, but I hope I will continue to be welcome in the UK.
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