Compassion and Communication

First off, I have to say, if you are planning on going anywhere for a month, anywhere, learn the language.  You may be told that your language is common, but you are doing yourself and others a disservice.  My biggest regret in planning for this trip is that I was not more proactive with the language studies.  I am missing many things because of this.  Learn the language. . . . Trust me.

We spent the past week in Pieksämäki.  It is a small town of less than 20,000 people.  I spent most of the week thinking about communication.  How do we communicate?  How do we communicate if we can't speak to each other using our words?  How does someone communicate if they cannot speak.  How do we communicate with them?  I feel that the most important thing, for me, is to maintain a sense of compassion for communication.

(me in front of one of Sakari's projects)

My host family was a wonderful couple, Sakari and Päivi Saarela.  They lived in a beautiful home close to the town center.  Sakari is a retired architect.  His focus was affordable housing (FOR 30 YEARS).  I was eager to learn from him, but I cannot speak Finnish and he cannot speak English.  I felt like a treasure trunk was locked forever because of this.  But, as the week passed, we learned to communicate, in small ways, by listening, looking, and being patient.  I shared my work with him via my company website, he shared pictures and took me to visit projects.  We laughed and, in the end, I think we got to know each other.

The most powerful event of the week happened one night at home.  Päivi got out her old photo album.  She brought it to the table and showed Brian and me pictures from the time period when she and Sakari first met.  She flipped the page to an old photograph of herself and Sakari said, "Beautiful lady."  I could see the love in his eyes as she blushed.  We went through the photo album and I noticed he slipped his arm around her as we looked.  When we got to the photos of the day he proposed, I was fighting back tears.  It was so beautiful.

Sakari and Päivi are behind Brian and me.

We visited the Vaalijala disabled care school on Tuesday.  Vaalijala creates housing services for people with disabilities, work activities for the disabled, primary school teaching for people with disabilities, autism, and psycho-social support to needy children and young people.  It is a powerful place, all about communication. Most of the students have trouble communicating in one way or another and the school makes it possible for them to tell their stories.  There is a section of the school called the "art laundry".  Johnny Maddox works with the students through art to help them express themselves.  Some of the work was amazing.

The man on the sofa is a study by an autistic teen.  He is focused on the study of "men".  The drawings were amazing.  The image top right was done by a man who had recently lost his mother.  A lady has done a series of color studies in the image below.  The employees at this school were so full of pride.  They do something powerful and empowering everyday.

Above is a photo of Johnny, some ways the school encourages a student to express their emotions, and a VERY adjustable kitchen for those who have physical disabilities.  I was also pleased to see that Bob Dylan communicates to many types of people.  (YAY!)

We visited the Bovallius Institute on Wednesday. It is also a school working with persons with various disabilities.  They have a strong focus on people with hearing impairments.  Brian's eyes lit up when he met a Finnish interpreter.  The vocational college belongs to the HIPEN Network (The European Network for Professionals working with People with Hearing Impairments)

Then finally, on Friday, we visited the Nikkarila Forestry School.  We met students who are compassionate about our natural resources, who are compassionate about harvesting wood in a good way, and people who love to commune with nature. . . . which we were more than excited to do as well!

 I had a great time in Pieksämäki. In my heart, when I think of Pieksämäki, it will conjure feelings of compassion and love.  Thank you for teaching me so much more about communication.

(LOVE)

Robin