FIRST STOP: HELSINKI
(09/2016-06/2917 & 08/2018-03/2019)

It was in the autumn of 2016 when the chance appeared to go to Finland for a while to live and work there. My first stay was for 10 months where I stayed in Helsinki. The second stay was 8 months in Helsinki and since then (April 2019) I’m living and working in Oulu, a university city 200km south of the arctic circle.

My private target in that time was to get to know Finland as well as possible from a groundhopper’s view. Meanwhile after having completed Veikkausliiga (top level), Ykkönen (second tier) and Kakkonen C (third tier, northern group) I’m pretty fine so far.

Depending on how long I still can stay up here, I still want to complete Kakkonen A and B, as well as the top leagues of Estonia and Sweden. Let’s see how much time I still have.

SECOND STOP: OULU
(04/2019 – 07/2021)

After having spent late summer, autumn and winter 2018 still in Helsinki, I moved to Oulu in April 2019. In the end it turned out as the absolutely right decision as it feels I have found “my place” over here.

Not only that I could focus on my Muay Thai training which lead me into the ring for my first fight (in the retroperspective one of my highest achievements, when I remember where I started 3 years ago). But as well the fact that Lapland, tranquillity and fantastic bird spotting spots are nearby were exactly what I needed.

Compared to the cities I have lived in Oulu is really a placid place what I absolutely enjoy these days!

Little highlights during my time in Oulu have been the trips to Senja and Vardo in Norway and Kilpisjärvi and Vuotso in Lapland.
Vardo I visited even twice and a little bit it developed into a place of longing. World is ending here – behind is only the Barents Sea, the Arctic Ocean.

Edit in spring 2021: Corona mixed up a lot and the completion of the missing leagues and countries will be postponed to a far away future. I’d be grateful if borders to Norway would reopen again one day.