Snippets from a Finnish girl’s love story

Love and dreams?

A Finnish girl’s love story. Longing for love and God’s direction became something my untamed heart desired but after hitting my head against a wall time after time became too much I gave up and pursued a dream of travel and education. Will her dream come true?

Here are three excerpts from the memoir in no particular order. Would you rank them in order according to which topic interested you the most? List the headings on the comments or send me a message.

Leave home

I prepared myself for the next step. Leave home and church, and find my way in a new city. A step of faith. My childlike faith kept me trusting God for His direction. During a conference in August, a guy offered me a ride to Toronto, a sixteen-hour drive, where I stayed overnight at a friend’s house. Then in the morning, I took the train to London to visit the university and hunt for an apartment. Somehow, I made it to the university early enough to peruse through the list of student housing before other students arrived. I didn’t want to live on campus, which would have been awkward since I came from a sheltered immigrant background and didn’t feel I’d fit in.

Between Us A True Story of Longing for Love and Letters Across the Ocean

Foot in the mouth blooper

I joked around. “Hi, how do you do it? Such a small man and such a big tent?” I laughed longer than normal and bit my lip. I stepped back. His facial expression provided no clue as to what he thought. My perceived freedom to express myself didn’t always come out right. My friends had told me I talked too much out of turn and often put my foot in my mouth. A blooper I wish I could take back. After an awkward moment, he replied with confidence. “Nice to meet in person.” He ignored my comment about the tent. I knew we characterized Finnish people as reserved and serious and private, especially with strangers. Small talk lacked in their conversations. If you ask, “How are you?” people would need to give an account of their day. It’s not a casual question. So, I wondered about this man. Was he a conversationalist? Joker not at all, judging by first impressions. Or the silent analytical type? 

Between Us A True Story of Longing for Love and Letters Across the Ocean

First impressions

When a young man arrives to Canada, he’s faced with a slight cultural dilemma. Should he or shouldn’t he? There’s more to the scene, but you’ll have to read it in my memoir.

Soon, the percolator stopped bubbling. She poured the coffee into mugs and placed them in front of the men and handed each a spoon. The cream and a glass container of sugar were already on the table. Antti wondered what he should do with the spoon after he stirred the coffee. No saucer. He watched Sulo and followed his example. Licked the spoon and placed it on the not-so-clean table. A little watery, but coffee all the same. Dark roasted and strong, but not bitter enough to be expresso would have been his choice. Again, out of his politeness, he said nothing to his hostess nor his friend.

Between Us A True Story of Longing for Love and Letters Across the Ocean

Hope you enjoyed a these snippets from my upcoming memoir to be published this summer. A sneak peak at our unconventional story of searching for purpose, but surprised by love which still remained untested.

Which one did you like the best? Leave your choice in the comments. Or send me a message.

Once again, thank you for your participation. So valuable to a writer.

Here’s a link to a post about the background of how this story came to be.

Here’s a link to Susy Flor’s website. Her Everything Memoir, a Facebook group has excellent teaching about memoirs if you’re interested to write your story one day. www.susyflory.com