Longing/belonging

Ring

Silver, freshwater pearl

Roots of resilience

Necklace

Silver, rock crystal beads, freshwater pearls

The jewelry pieces were inspired by the drawings my work partner had made after arriving in Finland. In the images, I found a lot of loneliness, longing, and yearning, but also comfort and faith in the future and the belief that everything will be okay. Since Farnaz had fallen in love with the style and technique I used in the Mother Earth jewelry piece, the approach and method were clear from the beginning of our collaboration. In the jewelry, I wanted to capture the emotions I found in Farnaz's drawings. The freshwater pearls symbolize hope and new life, while the rock crystals represent the people left behind, but also those ahead in the form of new encounters and relationships.

Farnaz Farahdel 

I come from Iran, a country with a rich history and diverse culture. Growing up in Iran, I was surrounded by beautiful traditions, a strong sense of community, and a vibrant cultural heritage. 

My husband established his startup here in Finlad and we both came to Finland to pursue our dream to live in a peaceful and quiet country where our distance with actual nature is so minimum.  

Equality, to me, means having the same opportunities, rights, and responsibilities as everyone else, regardless of one's background, gender, ethnicity, or beliefs. It's about ensuring that everyone can participate fully in society and achieve their potential without facing discrimination or bias. 

My experience of equality has been shaped by my journey from Iran to Finland. In Iran, I faced certain societal and cultural limitations that affects life satisfaction. Moving to Finland has offered me a different perspective on equality, where you can see equality between men and women. Although I think in Finland there are rooms still for equality where internationals and internationalization are the subjects.  

There are many concrete examples in different contexts, Iike: Workplace Inclusion, Educational Equity, Healthcare Accessibility, Public Spaces and Services, Sports and Community Governance. Having the chance to work at the University of Helsinki I’ve noticed how workplaces strive for gender equality, with both men and women having equal opportunities for advancement and leadership roles. 

Coming from Iran, my background influences my everyday life in Finland in various ways. For instance, I carry with me the rich cultural heritage of Iran, which shapes my values, traditions, and the way I interact with others. At the same time, I often find myself balancing these cultural aspects with the Finnish way of life, striving to create a harmonious blend of both. 

While Finland is already a great place to live, further efforts to promote multiculturalism and inclusivity would make it even better. To have sustainable integration internationals need to be economically secure, socially supported and mentally feel included.  

Finding my place in Finland has been a journey of failure and success, adaptation, and learning. Since I immersed myself in the Finnish language and culture, participated in community activities, and built a network of friends and colleagues. Over time, I have come to feel a sense of belonging in this new environment. 

Combining my Iranian heritage with Finnish culture has been a rewarding experience. I celebrate traditional Iranian festivals like Nowruz (Persian New Year) with my friends and colleagues, while also participating in Finnish holidays and traditions. In my daily life, I integrate elements of both cultures. For example, I cook Iranian dishes and share them with my Finnish friends, introducing them to the flavors and stories behind each meal. At the same time, I embrace Finnish customs like sauna and celebrate holidays such as Midsummer. This blend of cultures enriches my life, fostering a sense of connection and appreciation for both heritages. 

When I got employed in Finland, several factors were important to me. These included finding a workplace that values diversity and inclusivity, opportunities for professional growth, and a supportive and collaborative work environment. It was also crucial to work in a place where my skills and experiences were recognized and valued. 

I am the last child in my family and have been living longer than any other of my siblings with my parents which that make a very special bond with them. But since I have married, I have been far away from them.  

I earned my MBA with a concentration in Human Resources Management from the University of Malaya in Malaysia, where I lived for six years. After completing my studies, I returned to Tehran, Iran, where I lived for ten years and began my career in human resources management. During that time, I worked for several companies and participated in numerous international teams and projects. 

When my husband asked if I was ready to start a new in a different country, I answered yes without hesitation. I knew it would be challenging, but having restarted my life several times before, I felt prepared for another change. 

However, this move has proven to be significantly harder, akin to advancing to a more difficult level in a game. While living in Malaysia presented its challenges, it wasn't as difficult as this transition. The language barrier is frequently cited when discussing integration and employability, and it's true—it has had a much stronger impact here than in Malaysia. In Malaysia, three main ethnic groups coexist peacefully, and English is widely spoken, so language was never a significant barrier. 

After all the hustles of finding a job and after two years of half and through language internship I could secure a short-term contract with the University of Helsinki. And I learned a lot from my colleagues there about Finnish culture, about the patience nothing should not considered as personal, above all I love embracing silence.  

After all the hustle of job hunting for two years and half, and a year of intensive language internship, I finally secured a short-term contract with the University of Helsinki. During my time there, I learned a great deal from my colleagues about Finnish working culture. I discovered the importance of patience and the understanding that nothing should be taken personally. Most importantly, I came to appreciate the beauty of embracing silence. 

I have multiple identities that shape who I am. I identify as Iranian, carrying with me the cultural heritage and values of my homeland. At the same time, I have embraced my new identity as a resident of Finland, integrating into Finnish society and culture.  

All changes have their melancholy, for what we leave behind us, is part of ourselves; we must die in one life before we can enter another. Migration has the same concept for us. 

A Journey of Integration: From Iran to Finland lyhyempi versio tekstistä 

Leaving behind the vibrant Iran’s rich cultural heritage, I started a journey to Finland—a country known for its tranquility, natural beauty, and happiness. My husband and I moved here to pursue our dream of living in a peaceful and quiet country, where nature is always close by. 

Equality, to me, means having the same opportunities, rights, and responsibilities as everyone else, regardless of background, gender, ethnicity, or beliefs. It's about creating a society where everyone can fully participate and achieve their potential without facing discrimination. My experience of equality has been significantly shaped by this transition from Iran to Finland. 

In Iran, I faced societal and cultural limitations that affected my life satisfaction. Moving to Finland provided a new perspective on equality, particularly in terms of gender equality. At the University of Helsinki, I observed firsthand how workplaces strive for gender equality, offering equal opportunities for advancement and leadership roles to both men and women. However, I also noticed that Finland still has room for improvement in terms of integrating internationals and promoting internationalization. 

My background influences my everyday life in Finland in various ways. I carry with me the values, traditions, and rich cultural heritage of Iran. Balancing these aspects with the Finnish way of life, I strive to create a harmonious blend of both cultures. For instance, I celebrate Iranian festivals like Nowruz with my friends and colleagues, while also embracing Finnish holidays and traditions. I cook Iranian dishes and share them with my Finnish friends, introducing them to the flavors and stories behind each meal. Simultaneously, I participate in Finnish customs like sauna and celebrate holidays such as Midsummer. This blend of cultures enriches my life, fostering a sense of connection and appreciation for both heritages. 

I have a master’s degree in human resources management from University of Malaya and have been living there for 6 years. After completing my studies in Malaysia, I returned to Tehran, Iran, where I lived for ten years and began my career in human resources management. During that time, I worked for several companies and participated in numerous international teams and projects. 

If I want to compare my two experiences of living in Malaysia with living in Finland, I would say, the move to Finland was challenging, similar to advancing to a more difficult level in a game. While living in Malaysia presented its challenges, it wasn't as difficult as this transition. The language barrier here had a much stronger impact on my integration and employability. In Malaysia, English is widely spoken, so language was never a significant barrier. However, in Finland, immersing myself in the Finnish language and culture was crucial for finding my place. 

After two years and half of job hunting and a year of intensive language internship, I finally secured a short-term contract with the University of Helsinki. During my time there, I learned a great deal from my colleagues about Finnish working culture. I discovered the importance of patience and the understanding that nothing should be taken personally. Most importantly, I came to appreciate the beauty of embracing silence. 

Finding my place in Finland has been a journey of failure and success, adaptation, and learning. I immersed myself in the Finnish language and culture, participated in community activities, and built a network of friends and colleagues. Over time, I have come to feel a sense of belonging in this new environment. 

While Finland is already a great place to live, further efforts to promote multiculturalism and inclusivity would make it even better. For sustainable integration, internationals need to be economically secure, socially supported, and mentally feel included. 

Reflecting on my journey, I realize that all changes have their melancholy. What we leave behind is part of ourselves, and we must die in one life before we can enter another. Migration has the same concept for us. My multiple identities—Iranian by heritage and a resident of Finland by choice—shape who I am. This journey of integration, filled with its own set of challenges and rewards, continues to define my life in Finland.