Finland

Many of you knew it already when I mentioned that I used to live in Finland.

It was definitely not a usual place for Peruvians to study, but it was an excellent opportunity, and I took it. Living there has made such an impact on my life.

I was only 18 at the time, it was the first country I had lived in other than my own, and it was completely different from where I came from.

No cars were honking (I don´t think I ever heard a single one in the 4 years I lived there), everyone I met was highly respectful and calm, the infrastructure was all in order, there were trees and lakes everywhere, and you were always within walking distance of a forest.

The conservatory where I studied had impeccable new Steinway pianos to which I had 24-hour access thanks to having my own key to the school, a privilege that every student had. Nobody would ever even think that you would steal or damage anything from the school.

I learned so much there, not only about music but especially about life, about other people, other cultures, about empathy, and about conservation. I learned that working in cooperation with others respectfully and giving the best of myself to everyone would help create a better environment, something that is mutually beneficial for all of us.

Of course, I probably could´ve learned that anywhere else, not only in Finland. But looking back and having lived in several countries over the past 2 decades, I feel that the level of collaboration and empathy that I felt there is something extra special.

I want to share one of my favorite Finnish musical pieces, a masterpiece by Jean Sibelius, the most important Finnish composer, called Satu in Finnish (it´s better known by its Swedish title: En Saga).

You will find it at the top of my Classical playlist which you can access by clicking here.

Enjoy, and have a great day!

Claudio.

P.D. If you want to hear some of my experiences and anecdotes from Finland, let me know and I´ll be sharing them every once in a while :)