Blue sky, white snow, green trees ... cell phones, blue water in almost every direction, babies left out in their strollers in the winter cold. Finland is a remarkable place filled with interesting people whose initial reserve quickly melts as they get to know you.

I lived in Finland from 1980 – 1982 working for my church and teaching Conversational English in Kauppaoppilaitos, international business colleges for young adults. Many years later while working for a Nokia outsourcing partner, I enjoyed the opportunity to re-experience Finland's unique character all over again. In the 25 years since my initial Finnish experience and my return on business, Finland had become far more westernized, with American styles and fashion very prevalent. But the "feel" of the country was the same, and I quickly thrilled to the deep sense of being home again.

Here are some photos from that initial visit which started in the summer of 1980.

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Mark Rawlings and I in Kajaani, winter 1980/1981.	Elsa Roivainen and I on my birthday in Kajaani, February 4, 1981.
Jari Maljanen and I looking way too serious in Helsinki, October 1980.	Me wading in the water by a friend's mökki, or summer cottage, summer of 1981. This is the perfect example of how beautiful Finland is in the summer.
A closer look at the mökki with Juhani Sorsa, his wife, their friends, and me.	Me in the backyard of our duplex, or rivitalo, at Mikael Soinisentie 1B12, in the Pukinmäki suburb of Helsinki, late August 1980.
Our meetinghouse in Varkaus, summer of 1981.	Hannu Leppänen, Wolfgang Ballweg, and Pete Väisänen, summer of 1981.