Summer in Finland
The former town planner intends to spend the next few months in her summer cottage just outside the city. 'It's near enough to home that I can come back whenever I need anything but it's far enough into the nature that I can forget about the house and how dirty it is!' she laughed.
Other Oululaiset seem to be following her lead. Kari, a fifty-five year old youthworker, has never actually been abroad. He is taking his usual holiday in Helsinki. 'We do the same thing every year,' he said. 'Me and my brother. We always go to Helsinki on holiday.'
Helsinki seemed to be the destination for many others as well. Suvi, who has just become a mother, is off to the capital city for week. Sani is going to take her summer holiday in Porvoo while others report packing their bags for holidays in Turku or even Tampere.
According to Estonian cultural researcher Ilmar Talve, it is common for Finns to take their summer holiday in Finland because it's the only time of year when they can really enjoy the Finnish weather and forests free from the fear of cold. If they go abroad, he once claimed, it's in the autumn when Finnish weather is especially miserable.
But not all Oululaiset are intent on staying in the fatherland this year. Elina has just booked a package holiday to Greece for next month. 'I'm in Finland all year round . . . I'm not going to spend my summer here as well!' she smiled.
And Rita, who has just had a baby, is thinking about Russia . . . though for the autumn. Her summer holiday is actually going to be a trip to northern Lapland.
