Sníh, sauna, Suomi – Ahonen Michaela (2024)

Everyone has heard that Finland is a land of a thousand lakes, Santa Claus, and not exactly favorable climate. But do you know why Finns confuse cross-country skiing with downhill skiing? Or that you can summon a Finnish money elf? How does sauna team building work? How many reflectors are too many even for a Finn? And in what ways are they so similar to the Japanese? You can read about all this and much more in the book by Michaela Ahonen, a Slovak woman who moved to the dark and cold Finland, a country of silent people, prohibition, myths and legends, insulated windbreakers, forests rich in mushrooms and blueberries – and her husband's homeland. The author shares her experiences of life in this Nordic country in her own unique style, adding many quirky and humorous observations, valuable advice, and revealing some local tips that you might even come to love. You will learn more about family life in Finland, about the Kalevala, the all-powerful haalari, Finnish design, the Finnish language, and of course about sauna culture and (un)appetizing Finnish food. And you will definitely learn a bit of Finnish too. Off to the snowy north!