World travellers found a life of luxury in Kuopio

Spanish Christian Fernandez and Finnish Salima Peippo met through their work in the circus industry. They moved with their family, including their now 11-year-old daughter and their dog Max, to Kuopio in 2018. The shores of Lake Kallavesi have proven to be a true jackpot for them, both in terms of family life and professional opportunities.

The reason the family started considering a move from Spain to Finland was a classic one: their child was approaching school age, and they had to decide in which country she would receive her education. The quality of life and educational opportunities ultimately tipped the scales in favour of Finland. After making that decision, they still needed to choose a city to settle in.

“In the final stages, we had two options: Kuopio or Lappeenranta. Christian asked me where we could see more northern lights. I answered that Kuopio is further north, so the chances of seeing them are higher. That settled it,” Peippo laughs.

Their first impressions of Kuopio were overwhelmingly positive. The city was beautiful and large enough, with services and nature within easy reach. For Fernandez, the biggest challenge was, of course, learning a completely new language from scratch.

“And not just one language, but in addition to Finnish, I had to learn the Savonian dialect as well,” Fernandez adds.

Fernandez’s integration into a new country and culture was made easier by having a Finnish spouse. However, despite Peippo being Finnish, the couple initially struggled to get home insurance because the insurance company did not offer documents in English.

“Perhaps at that time, the city wasn’t as prepared for immigrants as it is today. However, the situation has improved significantly,” Peippo emphasizes.

Kuopio welcomed them with open arms

When the Finnish-Spanish family moved to Kuopio, they had no support network in the city. Over time, they made friends through school and work.

“We have very different personalities. Christian can befriend even a fence post, whereas I am a typical Finn,” Peippo laughs.

“Kuopio has welcomed us with open arms. We have made friends here from various nationalities,” Fernandez says happily.

When their daughter was younger, the family naturally needed occasional childcare support. Now that she is older, they can let her move around independently without concern.

“Finland has fantastic support structures, like 24-hour daycare centers, which don’t exist anywhere else. That helped us a lot when our daughter was younger,” Peippo explains.

“Now, it’s safe and worry-free to let her go outside and play without parental supervision. In Spain, it would be unthinkable for a child to travel alone, whether by bus or on foot. This is a luxury that many may not even realize,” Peippo adds.

Nature and people stole their hearts

When asked about the best thing in Kuopio, their answer comes without hesitation: nature. And right after that, the people.

“The stereotype is that Finns don’t talk much. But in Finnish terms, Savonians are quite talkative and fun. They also have a quirky sense of humour, which I love. There are many friendly people here, and the overall vibe is fantastic,” Peippo praises.

On top of that, Kuopio has provided these former circus professionals with their dream jobs, making it the perfect package.

“My lifelong dream was to become a firefighter. The Emergency Services Academy Finland in Kuopio was a very positive surprise that I didn’t expect,” says Fernandez, who now works as a firefighter.

“I work as the Executive Director of Kuopio Dance Festival, a unique organization in the Nordic countries. We both found perfect professional opportunities here, which is more than winning the lottery,” Peippo rejoices.

It’s no surprise that the family has fallen in love with the Savonia region. Both enthusiastically praise the vibrancy of Kuopio and its surroundings.

“You can manage well here with English, as so many people speak it fluently. However, the real game-changer for me was learning Finnish. Actively speaking Finnish helped me integrate into local life. I wouldn’t have been accepted into the Emergency Services Academy without knowing the language. I encourage all foreigners moving to Finland to learn Finnish,” Fernandez advises.

“Kuopio is absolutely one of the best choices when considering cities in Finland. It has stunning nature, affordable housing compared to the Helsinki metropolitan area, and the dynamic energy of a growing city. I strongly encourage people to move to Kuopio with an open mind,” Peippo concludes.

Text: Mainostoimisto SST

Photos: Salima Peippo