My Dream

“Keep your face always toward the sunshine – and shadows will fall behind you.”

– Walt Whitman

THE DREAM ARISES

When I was a little girl we once sang a Finnish hymn at school that really touched me. The melody comes from South Africa’s national anthem, “Lord Bless Africa”. This hymn talks about blessing the whole world. I took it seriously when I asked God to bless the whole world as an eight-year-old girl. I really felt that because I was so privileged to be born in a rich and safe country, I should help others who are in a less fortunate situation, and continue to pray God’s blessing upon them and to work for a better world. Still today I am moved to tears when I sing this simple song – because I believe in it.

INTERESTS

I began dancing classical ballet when I was five years old. During my childhood I was always pondering whether I should become a professional dancer or a peace builder. After graduating from high school I decided to go for saving the world. Dancing I have kept as an energy resource, but I have also used it as a tool for fighting against racism. Through dancing I have come to know and understand many different cultures.

As a young girl I had several pen friends around the world. I could sit for hours in my room and write letters in different languages to my friends. This has probably infused in me a passion for writing. I always dreamed of work involving writing. Besides dancing and writing I used to read a lot. I travelled quite a lot with my family as well: so far I have been to almost thirty different countries.

A big step in my life was moving to Paris. My objective was to learn to speak French fluently. I went there when I was 20-years old to study French. There, in addition to language studies, I was able to make observations on different cultures and religions, as Paris’ cultural and religious milieu is very rich. When I came back from Paris I started practising yoga.

 

UNIVERSITIES

When it came time for full-time university level studies, I started studying sociology. I wanted to understand the logic of societal structures so that I would be able to change the wrong ones. After studying a couple of years of sociology as a major subject, and philosophy, political science, arts education and languages as minor subjects, I went for a study placement to Italy, more precisely, to Florence. First I studied Italian for one month and then international relations (in Italian) for a semester. When I came back to Finland I quickly finished my Bachelor’s Degree in Social Sciences majoring in sociology and applied for a one-year-study programme in international careers. I was accepted, and I loved it. It was a great opportunity to get a broad understanding of “the international world” in which we are living today. For example, I studied international organizations, law, economy, cultures, languages, and (what I liked the most) conflict studies. I wrote my Master’s Thesis on U.S.-Cuban relations (A Discourse of Threat? – A Textual Analysis of the U.S. Report Commission for Assistance to a Free Cuba), and I graduated in Christmas 2006.

 

ORGANISATIONAL ACTIVITIES

During my studies in Finland I was very active in the international committee of the university, and I was the Chairman of the student organisation of the study programme in international careers. In addition to the activism at the university, I have worked as a volunteer for Finland’s UNIFEM and the Young Women’s Christian Association (YWCA). For UNIFEM, for example, I have written articles on different topics. As regards to the YWCA in Finland, I have, for instance, been its representative in an on-line seminar on young women’s ecumenical leadership training.

In addition to the volunteer work for these non-governmental organizations, I have been very active in an international and inter-denominational church. Being interested in promoting tolerance among different religions and religious affiliations, I completed an international and ecumenical training programme organized by the Youth Directorate of the Ecumenical Council in Finland (SENNJ). SENNJ is the Finnish member of the Ecumenical Youth Council in Europe (EYCE), whose seminar I participated in Strasbourg, France, in May 2004, and whom I have represented in a Youth and Globalisation seminar again in Strasbourg later the same year.

After my graduation my organisational activities continued as my work. In London I worked as an arts assistant at the Finnish Institute in London, which included working as well as an information officer. Back in Finland I worked as the Press and PR Officer for the Social Democratic Women in Finland. After that I worked as a freelance writer. At the moment I am working through Virtuous Arts, the company I founded in 2010. In addition to writing articles I have written a novel called Apsara’s Dance and a self-help book Lighten Up To Be Enlightened!.

 

THE MISSION   

I think that all my life I have cherished a mission of world understanding and peace. I believe that individuals can make a difference. I want to continue to make a difference by developing myself and contributing to a more balanced world by writing, coaching, teaching yoga and dance, as well as being open to other tasks that can help me to achieve these goals. I want to travel this journey of life light; simple in outer and rich in inner possessions.