Image from YLE

Advance voting for the next Finnish president is currently underway. Former finance minister, National Coalition Party candidate Sauli Niinistö and Green League candidate and former environmental minister Pekka Haavisto are vying for the seat occupied by Tarja Halonen for the past 12 years.

In the first round of the election Niinistö coasted to an easy victory with 37 percent of the vote, while Haavisto earned 18.8 percent and ousted many high-profile candidates with his second-place finish. Haavisto has drummed up notable grassroots support, and he’s the first openly gay candidate to run for the Finnish presidency. Niinistö’s supporters, meanwhile, often cite his breadth of political experience, and he is considered the likely winner; a recent survey revealed up to 65 percent of voters to be supporting him.

Expatriate Finns can cast their votes from today until Saturday, January 28th. New York’s polling station is the Finnish Consulate at 866 United Nations Plaza, Suite 250, where the doors will be open from 1:00 pm to 7:00 pm from today until Friday, and from 10:00 am to 4:00 pm on Saturday. For more information on where and how to vote, visit the Ministry of Justice’s web site.

Interview by Katariina Forsberg

A: I enjoy the West Village and Central Park; there’s also a secret spot where I meet the boogeyman from Craigslist to buy and sell stuff.

Q. What’s your favorite restaurant in the city?

A: There are many, but at the moment my favorite is Gobo at 6th Avenue and 8th street. Soho Grand also has some seriously nice chicken on their menu.

Q: Do you have a favorite store?

A: The Apple Store! I also like Bergdorf & Goodman, and of course Whole Foods Market on Greenwich Street

Q: What do you like to do on your free time?

A: I like attending concerts, going to laser tag and strolling in the park.

Q: What do you think is the best thing about living in New York?

A: If you need something (and that means anything) you can get it 24 hours a day, often even delivered if you’d like.

Q: What do you miss the most about Finland?

A: I miss the sauna, the beautiful and down-to-earth girls, and the frank and honest business manners.

Q: If you were to describe New York in three words, what words would you use?

A: I’d say efficient, rude and overpriced.

Q: What words would you use to describe Finland?

A: Stubborn, precise and modest.

Find out more about Teemu’s company at mmibroadcasting.com.

Photo by Osma Harvilahti

Our new blog series checks in with local Finns about their lives in New York and offers a few of their insider tips into the city. Think of it as another way to bring our small community closer.

Today’s entry is about fashion editor and stylist Claudia Cifu, who first came to New York City in 2001 to study fashion at FIT (Fashion Institute of Technology). For the past decade she has been living and working both in Helsinki and the U.S. Recently New York has become her home base – at least for now.

Interview by Enni Haapanen

Q: What’s your typical day in the city like?

Well, I just made New York City my permanent base; before that I was based in Helsinki for five years. At the moment I’m actively searching for styling jobs, visiting showrooms, meeting photographers, and so on. Networking, in other words.

Q: How does your work here differ from your work in Finland?

In NYC the market is so much larger and tougher to break in to. But it also forces you to develop constantly, which is the best part.

Q: Living both in New York and Helsinki sounds great. How do you split your time?

When I was based in Helsinki, I spent between two and six months out of the year in NYC. It was great, but now I live in New York and travel to Helsinki for work.

Q: What do you miss about Finland?

I miss my family and friends the most, but I also miss the long summer nights and the nature. Finland also has the best candies (irtokarkit)!

Q: What’s your favorite thing to do in NYC?

Hanging in cafes, talking to strangers, people-watching, going to the movies, wining and dining, and being constantly exposed to different cultures.

Q: What are your plans for the future? What would you like to achieve as a fashion editor and stylist?

Being a fashion editor and stylist is just one part of who I am and what I want to achieve. The list goes on… Mainly, though, I want to be happy and live well with what I do.

Check out Claudia’s blog at claudia-cifu.blogspot.com

Interview by Katariina Forsberg

Q: How long have you lived in New York?

A: I’m a fresh newcomer, I’d say. I’ve been living here for three months, so not for too long yet.

Q: Why did you move to New York?

A: After my wife got a job in the city, I decided to take the chance of a lifetime and spend some time in the Big Apple as well. I work remotely to Finland as digital marketing expert at the JTO School of Management.

Q: What are your favorite places in the city?

A: Times Square, Central Park and the restaurants on 8th and 9th Avenues.

Q: Any favorites among these restaurants?

A: There are so many that it’s almost impossible to choose one. One that I’m really fond of is restaurant “9” on 9th Avenue.

Q: Do you have a favorite store?

A: The Marimekko’s Flagship store on 5th Avenue is definitely worth checking out.

Q: What do you do on your time off?

A: I’ve been producing electronic music and DJing (drum’n’bass) for 15 years or so. Whenever I have spare time I try to update my music site at www.mineral.fi and produce music. I also try to meet new people as much as possible, and help organizations like Finland Center Foundation. Promoting Finland and Finnish values in NYC is something that I’m really interested in. Could coffee be considered as a hobby, too?

Q: What do you think is the best thing about living in New York?

A: This city is pretty much The City of Cities… I mean, it is the center of everything, there are always new things to do, so many people, and different cultures. It’s an environment that really inspires you.

Q: What do you miss about Finland?

A: Sauna. Sauna. Sauna.

Q: If you could describe New York in three words, what would they be?

A: Impressive, inspiring, interesting

Q: How abut Finland? What words would you pick to describe it?

A: My roots, the sauna, the seasons

To learn more about Ilkka:

• Check out his music blog and listen to his songs at www.mineral.fi
• He also keeps a digital marketing blog in Finnish at www.jto.fi/ilkka-kurkelan-blogi
• Follow him on twitter at www.twitter.com/ilkkakurkela

Photo by Erika Väätäinen

By Erika Väätäinen

Two days before Finland’s December 6th Independence Day, the familiar tune of the country’s national anthem filled the Park Avenue United Methodist Church. As part of an annual tradition, the Finlandia Foundation New York Metropolitan Chapter invited local Finns and their friends to celebrate the 94th anniversary of Finland’s valued independence.

In a vast contrast to America’s Fourth of July celebrations, December 6th has traditionally been a day of quiet appreciation for Finns. Instead of fireworks, the majority of us mark the day by lighting a single candle at our windows at 6PM. The televised reception of the president’s Independence Day reception is a valued tradition for many.

Even on the bustling Upper East Side, Finns stayed true to tradition and paid tribute to their country in a serene fashion. Pastor Tiina Talvitie welcomed the attendees – many of whom were dressed in traditional national costumes – and jazz guitarist Olli Hirvonen performed Jean Sibelius’s En Etsi Valtaa, Loistoa and other beloved songs. In her speech, Ambassador Ritva Jolkkonen reminded the crowd that they were all ambassadors of Finland’s culture in their own communities.

“It’s very important that ties to the homeland remain strong,” Jolkkonen said.

Lt. Colonel Esa Vanonen spoke to the attendees of the legacy of our war veterans, all of whom are now over the age of 90. “Twenty veterans pass away every day,” Vanonen said. “We still feel the repercussions of their efforts today – today’s Finland has a very strong will of its own, and we owe this to our veterans.”

Retired actress Taina Elg – who was a prominent character in 1950’s Hollywood – recited a poem and pianist Kalle Toivio performed Sibelius’ Finlandia on the grand piano. Afterward, the celebrations continued in the cafeteria with traditional Finnish treats.

As the lively Finnish-English chatter continued well into the afternoon, it became clear that carrying on the tradition of Independence Day celebrations is vital – even halfway across the world.

Photo by Erika Väätäinen

Image from HS.fi

Helsingin Sanomat, the largest newspaper in Finland, has launched a new site that allows expat Finns to plot their locations on an interactive map and compose virtual greetings.

More than one million Finns live abroad, but keeping track of them on an official level is difficult. If an expat Finn dies or stops reporting about his or her whereabouts to Finland, the individual fades from official records, the newspaper wrote. 

More than 2,000 expats have already checked in with the publication’s Finnish-language Terveisiä Maailmalta (“Greetings from the World”) -portal. Send in your own greeting or browse the stories of Finns around the world on the site: terveisiamaailmalta.hs.fi.

Share your thoughts in the comments section below; would the site reach more people if it were in English as well? After all, Finns are historically known for quickly assimilating themselves into new cultures, and many children of Finns may lose their grasp of their parents’ native language.

Here are a few photos of the event, courtesy of event coordinator Ilona Lähde. Click on each to see larger versions of the images, and read an interview with Ilona here.

Image credit: FreeDigitalPhotos.net

By Laura Palotie

Today the Finnish community of New York will once again flock to Greenwich Village, where the city’s Finnish church and school join forces for their annual holiday bazaar and traditional Christmas carol sing-along. Most of the city’s expat Finns have become a seamless part of the city’s hurried habits, but for one day each year several generations are brought together by the scent of traditional rice porridge and songs reminding them of Christmases past. In addition, the traditional Lucia procession is a cherished tradition for many parents and children.

About forty volunteers work on the event, whose planning begins in early October, says Ilona Lähde, co-coordinator of this year’s event. Lähde has lived in New York for two years, and two of her three children have been students at the Finnish School of New York. She adds that in addition to the sing-along, the Lucia procession and the traditional porridge, Finnish candies and baked goods such as Karelian pies are popular draws at the bazaar. Many also stop by to browse handmade Christmas decorations, wool socks and holiday cards.

“There’s something homey and familiar about the event, and gives people the opportunity to meet other Finns in addition to enjoying treats and hearing songs that are dear to them,” she says.

Lähde adds that her family particularly looks forward to the Saint Lucia procession, which honors the patron saint of light and follows a tradition celebrated in Scandinavia on December 13. One lucky child gets to don a crown of lights, while others follow her down the aisle of the church with candles in hand. Lucia Day is most notably celebrated in Sweden, and is thus an important holiday among Swedish-speaking Finns. “Our children attended Swedish-speaking schools in Finland, and it was nice that we didn’t have to forego the Lucia tradition after moving to New York,” Lähde says.

The popularity of the event, which frequently fills up the church, reflects the importance of Christmas in Finnish culture. During the darkest time of the year, a holiday devoted to family, food and light is approached with gratitude and reflection; this attitude is visible, for example, in the markedly spiritual holiday songs.

“Finns quiet down for several days to celebrate the holiday,” Lähde says. “Christmas is certainly one of the biggest holidays in New York as well, but [Americans celebrate it] with more flash and color.” 

The Finnish Christmas bazaar will run from noon to 6 pm today, December 3rd, at the New York Finnish Lutheran Church (81–83 Christopher Street). The Kauneimmat Joululaulut (“most beautiful Christmas carols”) event will begin at the church at 4 pm. For more information, see www.finlandcenter.org.

By Laura Palotie

I work as a freelance journalist here in New York City, and recently delved into the history of New York City’s two “Finntowns” that were located in Harlem and Brooklyn’s Sunset Park during the first half of the 20th century. Among the marks left by Finns were the city’s oldest residential co-op buildings.

My story is now up on This is Finland, an online publication run by Finland’s Ministry for Foreign Affairs. See the piece here.

Should you know or remember anyone who lived in New York during the days of Finntown, feel free to share your memories in the comments section.

Laura Palotie is a journalist and translator. She is also a member of Finland Center’s board.