June 2025 – Finland, Not a Travel Blog – But a Work Trip Full of Surprises

Technically, it was a work trip. An offsite with the team, with lots of exchange, lots of conversations, and honestly a lot of work too – and yet I came back with impressions you'd usually only bring home from holidays.

It started with a small plane – a twin-pair layout, two seats on the left, two on the right. Charmingly cramped and unfortunately quite susceptible to wind: the turbulence on the outbound flight was no joke. But we arrived safely – and in hindsight, that was perhaps already the prelude to a journey that left more of an impression than expected.

What surprised me most: the openness. Rainbow flags everywhere, modern and present, on buildings, in the tram, at the station. And not as decoration, but as a lived statement. I honestly didn't know how queer-friendly and visible Finland – and especially Helsinki – has become. And this visibility touched me. You felt part of something, not just a visitor.

Helsinki itself was overwhelming in a quiet way. The country has few inhabitants, which makes the city feel calm and relaxed. No rush, no noise. The people? Friendly, open, uncomplicated. Temperatures were around 16 degrees, but the people? Everything from fur coats to skimpy summer clothing – partly amusing, partly just wonderfully unimpressed by the weather.

Our hotel was just ten minutes from the beach. And there: beach volleyball, swimming, picnics – as if it were midsummer. The long hours of sunlight – truly until midnight, sometimes even past 1 a.m. – did the soul good. Somehow, that much light slows the day down. It felt like being given extra time.

The food was good, mostly really good. If a bit more expensive. A half-litre beer could easily cost 12 euros – which briefly threw me, but as someone who hasn't drunk for almost a year and a half, that was a side note anyway. What I did find remarkable: alcohol is sold in supermarkets, but sales stop at 9 p.m. – while bars simply continue serving drinks as normal. A quirky but somehow sensible arrangement.

The group dynamic was right. We worked intensively, and yet there was still room for encounters, walks, conversations. I managed to go hiking at least once – too little, but just enough to know: I absolutely want to come back. Privately. Out of the urban space (as sparsely populated as it is there), into the wide landscapes, forests and lakes.

The return flight was on a larger plane – no comparison to the little twin-pair. In exchange: zero turbulence, but also zero legroom. All in all: a journey that leaves its mark. Not because of the seating comfort – but because Helsinki surprised me. With openness. With light. With calm. And with the feeling that much more is still waiting for me there.