Life wouldn’t be fun if it has not got it up and downs. Actually, no one has
ever said that life is meant to be easy; we face new interesting challenges
every day. But for every challenge we face, we then use our unique instincts
to give out the best and to give out the best, we must get the best. This is
a simple equation.
The peaceful atmosphere surrounding Varkaus is what makes me enjoy life here –
despite it is the fact that makes life unbearable for most international
students and sometimes cause them home sick! All readers will attest to the
fact that, almost every single soul in Varkaus finds it uncomfortable when
the weather is very cold and personally, I have never experience such
temperature in my life not even Zero degree. But still, anytime I walk down
the streets of Varkaus, cast my eyes round and see the snow heap like a
mountain sparkling with smile, oh my God, it makes me forget home and see
myself to be in heaven only that I don’t see angels.
I always describe Finns as decent people, because for the few months I have
been here, no one has racist against me, Noniin. But I would like to bring
to light one terrible thing I experienced few days ago. Maybe I am yet to
understand and readers will tell me more.
On one Saturday I found myself in an apartment to share ”Mainoksia”. The door
was locked and as usual, I rang the bell. All those people I spoke to
refused to open the door for me and no amount of Finnish or English I spoke
could change their mind. Fortunately or unfortunately, I saw one tenant
behind the apartment. I went to him and politely said, ”Anteeksi, voisitko
avata täman oven minulle?”.
Surprisingly, this man did not open the door for me and looked at me as if I
was coming from a different planet. I stood there tongue tied in that cold
weather shivering with my “Mainoksia” hanging around my neck. Honestly, I
regretted at that instance of ever coming to Finland. Thank God an old lady
saved me from that shivering condition, opened the door for me and even gave
me a chocolate when I got to her door.
The most interesting thing is that, those people who refuse to open doors for
me are the people who needed the paper most. It was at that moment the man
who did not open the door for me entered with his key. He came to me and
stretched his hand to ask for his paper. I looked at him with a contorted
face and muttered undertone, “how do you regard me!” and handed him the
paper. He collected it without even saying kiitos, and banged the door at
me! Oh nooo. How can we (foreigners) be treated in that cruel manner for a
job that earns some of us 20 euros per month?
My lovely readers, my motive behind this article is not to condemn people but
the point I am trying to make here is that, some Finns should not see
Africans as destitute and people of violence, because that is not the true
nature of us. Maybe in my next article, I have to touch on the true nature
of Africans.
Make us feel at home. We should never loose sight of the fact that, those
foreigners you see here today in Varkaus, are the same people who are going
to sell Finland in the outside world. Would you be happy if during summer
holidays you found yourself in a different country and you are treated like
this? That is why there is a popular Ghanaian proverb that says that “the
people you meet on your way when climbing a tree, are the same people you
will meet when climbing down the tree”.
Maybe we soon see a weekly or even daily section in English in the printed WL, too.