When you move to a new country, especially as a fresh migrant and to a country where you have no close relations, the early days could be inevitably rough. In 2008, I arrived to cold Kuopio, a city in Eastern Finland to study from Nigeria. As a rule of thumb, Finnish language was on my list of survival strategy. So I attended a language course in a multicultural centre where free classes were delivered by one of the most passionate language teachers I have ever met. Finns were strange human beings to me then and I just began my acclimatisation to the idea of people being really ‘white’ and different from me.

I became friends with people at the language centre including the head, with whom we collaborated together to organise 2 events addressing socio-cultural issues in the city of Kuopio. She became an important person to me and our friendship is stronger even after 7,5 years.

To give you an idea of why I am writing this post, below are some of the ways she shaped my journey:

• My first paycheck from a freelance design work I did for the city of Kuopio was arranged by her.
• She told me about the implicit association Finns have with people of my race and challenged me to organise an event that will change such associations. Over 250 people came to the event and it appeared in the local newspapers. It became a reference point for my next career moves and everything I still do today. Most important is how that event challenged the status quo and changed course for good for the entire immigrant community in Kuopio.
• When I got a job in Helsinki 4.5 years after we meet, she was moving out of Helsinki on an international assignment and she introduced me to her landlord so I could take over the nice little apartment in one of the best neighbourhoods of Helsinki.
• Even in my entrepreneurship journey, she’s introduced me to people who could help me forward.

I have never seen this as special until 2 days ago while going through a mindfulness exercise. I hope to pass this forward to someone too, as a sign of gratitude.

So the next time you move to a new country or city, Someone like my dear friend might be invaluable for your survival. Perhaps not in the language centre. Look for it wherever it may be.