The one about speaking Finnish

Author

Mara Bande
August 12, 2024 • Takes: 7 minutes

12th of August ‘24

For all language learners

Hi bub,

How have you been? Did you go to Flow? I didn’t (I’m old), but I still tried to make a few coffee dates I agreed to pre-holidays happen.

Not sure I mentioned it before, but I have been in Finland officially for 9 years. Yet the fact that I speak Finnish always comes as a big surprise for people. Now, I know your next question: how did I learn? I, unfortunately, don’t have any crazy secret tips, I just came here when I was still quite young (17, a baby! 👼🏻) and spent a year far from the capital area, so I had to adapt.

I think the way Finnish is taught makes it inherently harder to learn. In my experience, most teachers don’t have the qualifications to teach a language. Most beginner classes have people from a wide variety of skill levels, making it either not challenging enough for some or too advanced for others. After you (somewhat) master the basics, the progression. is not linear at all so one week you’re learning vocabulary for body parts and the next you’re supposed to write a report on a movie you watched. Like really? Do you want me to learn or not?

This - extremely edited - rant has a point, I promise. If you’ve been for a while and you feel like you've plateaued it’s literally not your fault and there isn’t a good and proven way to become fluent. Just don’t give up. You can improve, you’re smart and capable, and everyone can understand you despite a few mistakes here and there.

Mara, trying tongue twisters

Find me on Instagram as @amarenabandivan

💡Always keep in mind…

TV is your best friend

Call me a millennial as much as you like, I was raised by television. Maybe that’s why I feel like tv is also one of your biggest allies in language learning. When I first arrived, my host family sat me in front of the tv every day to watch their favorite long-running series. They called it my “Finnish class”.

I’ve since moved on from that series but I still watch a bunch of reality TV. I feel like that sort of exposure has strengthened my grip on vocabulary and made me able to understand the language in less-than-optimal conditions. SOOOOO if trash tv is your guilty pleasure, just watch it in Finnish and call it a learning moment.

🍃Have you…

🎬 Series: Buffy the Vampire Slayer

I’m starting to run out of recommendations, so I’m borrowing from my teenage self. Buffy was super popular in the early 00’s, and I loved it!
Buffy is a teenager herself, destined to slay vampires, demons, and other infernal creatures. The show is all about her life while slaying evil, balancing school, love, and friendships with the paranormal. Recommended!

✹ Events

Sustainable Style & Second Hand Shopping

14.8. at 17:45 - Maria 01

Join wednesday. for a panel discussion where founders Anna Sillanpää & Linnea Minkkinen will share how they’ve navigated the fashion world, combining their love for fashion with a commitment to sustainability.

And that's not all! They’re hosting a Thrift Evening where you can bring your pre-loved clothes and get new-to-you treasures 🫶

Azure and Friends August Meetup

22.8. at 16:45 - Keilaniemi, Espoo

Spend some time with likeminded people and to listen interesting presentations about Azure and special guest topic:

Infrastructure Meets AI: What should Azure infra-pro know about AI by Markus Lintuala (Elisa)

Sign up!

✧That moment when ✧

⌛Our Progress Update

Well, speaking of mastering a new skill

We've been cooking up your talent profiles, right?

And holy moly, we just got a sneak peek, and it's looking EASY TO USE! 👀 I'm talking easier than buying a kahvi at R-kioski kind of easy. Unlike trying to wrap your tongue around Finnish vowels, showcasing your mad skills on our platform is gonna be smoother than a freshly frozen lake in Lapland.

Now, here's where you come in, my tech-savvy friend. We're scratching our heads about how to roll this bad boy out. Should we do a hush-hush soft launch and get your ninja feedback?

Or should we go balls to the wall with a flashy reveal? 🎉

How would you want us to slide into your DMs about this? Remember, your two cents are worth their weight in gold.

Question for the talented ladies reading this: Prefer to test it on the down-low and report back, or are you up for a live demo get together? Send us a message on SLACK.

Exciting times are here,

The Hei Dingo Team

☁️Friendly reminder

❝

The things we take for granted, someone else is wishing for. Be grateful for what you have but never stop pushing yourself for more!

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