Arnold and Newlin: Joel in Finland 1983–1984

In 1983 Joel got a small scholarship from the American Scandinavian Foundation Finnish Fund Fellowship to study at the University of Helsinki for a year. It came with a travel grant from the Fulbright Program. He was met at the airport by the Kettunen family with whom he had stayed in 1975 and 1977–1978.

Veikko and Aino Kettunen greet Joel at the Helsinki-Vantaa Airport in September 1983

Joel with joulupukki (father Christmas) and Jarno and Jani Juntunen, Christmas Eve 1983

Joel on the Helsinki waterfront

Joel gave a short presentation to the Finland-America Foundation in Helsinki;
sadly he had the flu so his voice did not carry to the large hall

Joel with U.S. Ambassador Keith Foote Nyborg and his wife Raija-Leena Itkonen

Joel at a party in Helsinki

Joel with Pertti Pyhtilä sunbathing on a rooftop in Helsinki

Joel joined the Finnish planning committee for hosting the International Gay Association conference in Helsinki. IGA primarily attracted Europeans and some White South Africans but few Asians or Americans. The Finnish organization SETA (Seksuaalinen tasavertaisuus 'Sexual Equality') was the sponsor and host. 

Joel (far right) assisting with the International Gay Association 6th Annual Conference in Helsinki

Seppo Kettunen, Joel, Aino Kettunen, and Veikko Kettunen, Helsinki–Vantaa Airport, August 1984

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Arnold and Newlin: Joel in Finland 1977–1978

In September, 1977, Joel took off for Finland again, this time he got himself admitted to study at the University of Helsinki, where he took an intensive Finnish language class and then regular classes in the field of general linguistics. 

postcard of Helsinki Marketplace, purchased 1977

postcard of Helsinki Marketplace (back), sent by Joel to Eric in September 1977

Joel's International Student ID card from the Council on International Educational Exchange (University of Florida)

Joel's International Student ID card from the Student Service Finland (University of Helsinki)

Joel's monthly student travel pass for Helsinki

From Helsinki he would still stake the seven-hour train ride to North Karelia to visit the Kettunen family and would spend holidays with them as well. He registered at the University of Helsinki with the Kettunen's residence in Kaarnalampi as his home address so he could qualify for the 50% student discount on the national trains and buses. 

Heikki Kettunen at the Czar Alexander II statue in front of the Helsinki Cathedral

Christmas in the Kettunen household included a joulupukki (Santa Claus or father Christmas) in lambskin and a beard.

Christmas eve: Veikko Kettunen, Auli Kettunen, Pirkko Piironen, Aino Kettunen, "Joulupukki", Seppo Kettunen, Jarno Juntunen, Leena Juntunen, Jani Juntunen, Seppo Juntunen, Joel, Ari Kettunen, and Martti Piironen

Joel pouring melted lead into cold water on New Year's Day to foretell the year to come

Auli Kettunen, Joel, and Seppo and Leena Juntunen clowning around

Joel in the Kettunen living room

Joel on Seurasaari, Helsinki

Joel in Helsinki

Joel in Stockholm with a Swedish host and Hungarian classmate

Joel in the Stockholm metro with Swedish and Hungarian friends

Joel waiting for a bus in Stockholm with Hungarian classmates

Joel in Kaknäs tower, Stockholm, with Swedish and Hungarian friends

Joel on the ferry from Stockholm to Helsinki hamming it up with friends

Joel and friends try out stilts on Seurasaari

Joel, Annie, and Voitto

Joel, Annie, and Voitto

Joel with friends Erja, Annie, and Voitto

Voitto, Annie and Joel

next post  Arnold and Newlin:  1978

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first post in Flashbacks  How the Nevis family came to California

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Arnold and Newlin: Helsinki, June 1970

The family visits in Helsinki for the weekend. We stay in the Sokos Hotel Vaakuna downtown by the main train station, where we can walk to the kauppatori (market square), Senate Square and Cathedral.

Hotel Vaakuna

In 1977–78 and in 1983–84 Joel studied at the University of Helsinki. In 1984 he took a class in the University's Main Building (in a classroom on middle level to the right of the columns):

University of Helsinki's Main Building, Senate Square and statue of Czar Alexander II (Grand Duke of Finland)

University of Helsinki's Main Building

Helsinki's Kauppatori open air market place (with Hazel in blue)

flowers for sale at the Kauppatori open air market

goods and produce for sale at the Kauppatori open air market

goods and crafts for sale at the Kauppatori open air market

Allan, Joel, Eric, Andrew, Newlin, and Hazel in the market

Andrew, Newlin and Hazel buying flowers

Mannerheimintie, Helsinki's main boulevard

Helsinki bus station (and Tennis Palatsi 'tennis palace' on right)

1919 Helsinki train station

train station with Lutheran Cathedral and Uspenski Cathedral in distance

Uspenski Finnish Orthodox Cathedral

The Lutheran Cathedral was white or pale gray in 1970. In the 1980s and 1990s it was repainted to a darker gray as a return to the original color scheme of Carl Ludvig Engel. Today in 2021 I see it is white again.

Helsinki Lutheran Cathedral

postcard of Senate Square and Helsinki Cathedral

The yellow and green model of tram pictured below was still in use when Joel lived in Helsinki in the 1970s but had been replaced by the time he resided there in the mid 1980s.

Hakaniementori

Paavo Nurmi statue (by Wäinö Aaltonen 1925) by the 1952 Olympic Stadium;
Paavo Nurmi was known as the Flying Finn at the 1924 Paris Olympics

Arnie running past the Paavo Nurmi statue

This last photo was not staged. Arnie was in a hurry to take pictures while the family waited in the car for him.

next post  Arnold and Newlin:  The Reisingers, June 1970

previous post  Arnold and Newlin: Finland, June 1970

first post in Flashbacks  How the Nevis family came to California

first post in Arnold's Story  July 1943

first post in blog  Leonard's Story: May 29, 1943