Moving To The Far North Of The Arctic

The first question you might ask is: What the hell am I doing here?

Well, I had that urge again. You know, the same inner voice that dragged me to Malta and Sweden. But this time it was different. This time, I got pulled to the far north. To the Arctic. To Lapland.

The first time I stepped outside in Lapland, the cold punched me in the face as I owed it money. My eyelashes froze instantly, and my breath felt like tiny needles stabbing my lungs. I started questioning every life decision that had led me here.

And yet, somehow, I wanted this.

Getting my Dream Job

I had answered every job application until one response stood out. A lodge type of hotel in a town with less than 350 inhabitants.

My first thought? That’s insane.

My second thought? Okay… but why not?

The interview went so smoothly and was so positive I actually couldn't believe it. I got happy by simply thinking about the place. And so I decided this is it. This is the place where I’m gonna spend the next chapter of my life.

Decision made. I packed, said goodbye to my family, and went on to accomplish one of my wildest dreams yet.

I was moving to the Arctic.

Touchdown in Finland

The first surreal moment was when I landed in Helsinki. Watching planes take off against a breathtaking sunset, hit me.

This is really happening.

Before I could overthink my life choices, I was off again. Next stop, Saariselkä, Lapland. I officially stepped into the Arctic for the first time in my life.

Juha (my future boss) was already waiting for me. I reached out to shake his hand but he had another idea. I got a full-on bear hug.

At that moment, I felt it. That feeling you get when you’re exactly where you’re meant to be.

Thrown Straight Into the Deep End

I started to work the next day. No time for slow introductions. Juha had a task for me right away. “I want you to create a special cocktail menu for the hotel.”

Now, I’d made plenty of drinks before. But creating an entire cocktail menu? Never done it.

But that’s why I came here, right? To do things I’d never done before. To prove to myself I could.

Besides, if I wanted something easy I would stay home. Instead, I moved to the far north.

Social Life

I’ll be honest. I was nervous about coming alone.

What if I didn’t fit in?

What if I felt isolated?

What if I had to spend my nights drinking hot chocolate and befriending snowmen out of pure loneliness?

Turns out, that was never going to be a problem.

Our work team was the Arctic version of the United Nations. Greek, Italian, Kosovar, Hungarian, Spanish,… You name it.

It didn’t take long before we created a WhatsApp group. Planned our first nights out and went on hikes, played billiards, or just went for a beer after work.

In the end, I realized something.

I wasn’t alone at all.

I came here expecting adventure and got it. Along with the shocking realization that ‘warm’ in Lapland means -20°C, an initiation to Finnish drinking culture and my first ever “Why is there a reindeer in my way?” moment. And that was just my first week.