I started looking for jobs as a guide, and one night I found a job advertisement for Lapland Safaris. I immediately submitted an application, participated in a remote interview from Iceland and soon learned that I had a job in Finland. When I returned home from Iceland, I told my loved ones the news: I was going to quit my job and move to Lapland. My family was shocked but happy because I was fulfilling my dreams. The following winter, I moved to Ylläs, which I immediately fell in love with. Although I liked the hectic nature of Barcelona, it was also stressful, and in Lapland I finally felt like I was in the right place. I specifically wanted to go to Ylläs, because I wanted to get away from big cities, and even Rovaniemi felt too large. Since that winter, I have returned to Ylläs every year, and I have permanently lived in Finland since 2019.  

Over the years I have worked in a variety of roles: as a guide, front desk, and coordinator. In my work, I have learned a lot about the company and how its various sectors work. Due to my diverse experience, I was offered a position as a supervisor, which gave me more responsibility and, for example, the duty of coordinating groups and guides. We have a close-knit team at work, and it's wonderful that the same people return to the same place every year, with a lot of new ones coming along. For me, this is my dream job and workplace: I get to work with people and be outdoors every day! I like it much better in brisk -25-degree temperature than when it is +25-degrees. I make the most out of winter by engaging in a variety of outdoor activities. You can find all imaginable types of skis in my storage, from slalom to cross-country skiing; most recently, I learned to ski with a dog – my dog is also crazy about the sport!  

I do seasonal work in Lapland, at least for the time being. My working time stretches from October to April, and the rest of the time I live in Turku. Sometimes during the summer seasons I do guide work elsewhere. For example, last summer I worked in Africa. Seasonal work makes it possible to work an intensive period of six months, and then have an opportunity to do something else. During the busiest winter months, working days can be long, but we may go out to dinner or outdoors after them – and admire the Northern Lights, for example. As the light increases towards spring, the work also becomes lighter.  

I have studied Finnish, and especially during the coronavirus pandemic, when Lapland was full of Finnish tourists, I learned the most common phrases by listening. At the moment, most of my colleagues and customers are international. My goal is to become a fluent Finnish speaker in the next five years. My knowledge of Finland has also increased. In the first year, I mostly told customers the things I had been taught, but after five years, I am already able to talk about my own observations: how I live, what Finns are like, and I also teach some Finnish words. The best part is that travelers not only want to see huskies or reindeer, but they also want to learn a lot of new things!