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 1975

While Arnie and Newlin are in France, West Germany and Spain, Joel has gone to Finland to live with the Veikko Kettunen family in the countryside of North Karelia. After flying to Helsinki, he took a seven-hour train ride to Joensuu in eastern Finland, where he was met by the family and driven an hour to their house in Kaarnalampi, south of Viinijärvi.

The house used to be a working farm but no longer; they rented a few fields to neighboring farmers and occasionally sold trees for lumber. The father, Veikko, worked on the railroad and the mother, Aino, worked as a waitress in a café (which they mistakenly called a bar). Their two oldest daughters were married and lived in Liperi, a half hour away. At home were three sons close in age to Joel (Seppo, Heikki and Ari) as well as a younger daughter, Auli. The point of hosting me was to expose the children to English.

For Joel the trip was an inexpensive way to spend time in the Nordic region — Sweden, his first choice, has no such home stay programs, and Norway had a farm worker program but participants had to be 18 years old and Joel was a few months shy of that age. So he ended up in Finland, hundreds of miles east of the Swedish-speaking areas of Finland, to his dismay.

Kaarnalampi, by the way, means 'bark pond' in Finnish.

Joel packing for the trip to Europe

Joel on the train tracks in Kaarnalampi

Joel with Jarno Juntunen

Joel with Seppo Kettunen making cookies

Their son in law, who worked for a bus company, rented a small bus and drive the family up to Mount Koli, a winter ski resort. we camped overnight nearby.

Joel on Mount Koli

Joel departing by train

next post  Arnold and Newlin:  France 1975

previous post  Arnold and Newlin: 1974–1975

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