By Miranda Metheny
I first visited Finland in 2008, when, between high school and college, I visited my penpal Liisa. The country left a certain mark on me, and I jumped at the chance to go back during my semester in Germany. A few of the other exchange students (mostly heavy metal fans) were jealous… but most of them were a little confused. “Finland?” They asked. “Well, have fun with that. I’m heading to Italy myself.” I just smile. I don’t challenge them, and I don’t blame them.
Finland isn’t for everyone. It may be the best country to live in, according to Newsweek, but it isn’t the best place to visit if you’re looking to check monuments and postcard-vistas off your life list. There are precious few “biggests” and “bests” to track down, and while the culture-per-capita is surprisingly high, it would be hard to confuse Helsinki and Turku with London and Tokyo. Finland’s charm is more subtle than grandiose, less to do with seeing and doing than with a different sort of being.
It’s washing potatoes in the Archipelago Sea. It’s smooth wood carved simply and beautifully. It’s bare feet on mossy stones. It’s fresh strawberries, tiny and intense. It’s forests of thick dark pine and elegant white-bark birch. It’s the smell of salt and smoke, the sound of silence.
It’s Arctic light on the water. It’s a language, strange and beautiful, full of soft l’s and y’s and broken by the woodpecker sound of double tt’s and kk’s. It’s the clean heat of the sauna speaking to every one of your senses.
It’s winter’s cold as a natural state, and warmth as a miracle. It’s personalities doing 180’s into vibrant gregariousness with the addition of a little vodka. It’s tasting tar and salted licorice. It’s summer nights that seamlessly transition to summer mornings.
It’s golden light and blue shadows, quiet, haunting. It settles down somewhere inside you, and it never quite lets you go.
Laura Hough is studying international studies and anthropology at the University of Missouri. She is spending the 2013 spring semester at the 
Stephanie Hornstra is studying business administration with an emphasis in marketing at the University of Missouri. She is spending the 2013 spring semester at 
John Mitchell is studying political science, Arabic and international studies with an emphasis in Middle Eastern studies at the University of Missouri. He is spending the 2013 spring semester in Amman, Jordan, on the 
Brittney Durbin is studying international studies at the University of Missouri. She spent the 2012 fall semester in Alicante, Spain, on the CIEE Liberal Arts Program. 
Jantsen McBride is studying nutritional science at the University of Missouri. She spent the 2012 fall semester at 
Miranda Metheny is studying journalism, international studies and Spanish at the University of Missouri. She spent the 2011 spring semester at the 
Ashleigh Bello is studying international studies with an emphasis in Latin American studies at the University of Missouri. She spent the 2012 spring semester in South Korea on the 
Cassi Greenlee is studying accounting at the University of Missouri. She spent the 2011 fall semester at the 
Morgan Halane is studying English at the University of Missouri. He spent the 2011 fall semester at 
Maddie Blasberg is studying English, Spanish and journalism at the University of Missouri. She spent the 2011 spring semester at la Universidad Nacional de Cuyo, in Mendoza, Argentina.
MU Study Abroad 