Dreaming of Spain

I remember my childhood´s Spain as a buzzing, warm and friendly country with hot beaches and funny waiters. Our autumn holiday usually took place somewhere in Spain, usually the south coast or the Canary Islands. This was the case in many other Finnish families too: Canary Islands were, and still are, one of the most popular destinations for Finnish families with children. And no wonder, who wouldn't love the long beaches, friendly locals and hot sunshine! The need for heat has created a moving wave from Finland to Spain, especially after retirement. Spain is the Florida of Finnish elderly! This finnovation has caused a city in Spanish South coast called Fuengirola to become half-Finnish. A Finnish school, library, grocery stores and bars all exist in the area, making the city and the whole area of Costa del Sol (the Coast of Sun) one of the biggest Finnish colonies in the world.

How is this all related to me, otherwise than being exactly like the other thousands of Finnish kids running around the sealine in the late 90´s? Well, when I was younger (but older than when Spanish trips were still on the schedule) I got really fond of a Spanish football team, Real Madrid. And when I met my boyfriend, who was of course also a raging Madridista, my passion for Spain burned ever brighter. I started to take some Spanish classes in university and my grandfather jokingly said that my future plan was to move to Spain and take care of all the Finnish elderly folk there, since I'm majoring in gerontology. I realized this didn't sound like a bad plan at all.

My other dream country is Canada and specifically Vancouver, but that one is even further away and even though winter is my favorite season, I'm slowly starting to convert to the everlasting sunshine.

I've been drowning myself in Pinterest pins of Spanish houses and decor lately and I seriously cannot wait to at least travel to Spain soon. Living there seems very distant now, but a girl can dream, right?