In the last few weeks I’ve found some great Nordic blogs that I love to read. One of those is by Marja & she has very kindly nominated me for a Liebster Award. Thanks Marja!

The idea is to nominate someone, ask them to answer 11 questions and share 11 random facts about themselves and then they pass it forward by nominating someone else. Here are my answers to Marja’s questions:

What’s your favourite time of the year and why?

Summer, definitely. I’m a bit of a cold lizard and lying in the sun, although not recommended these days, just makes me the happiest I could ever be.

What’s the most valuable lesson you’ve learnt so far in life?

That life can change in ways you never imagined and you really never know where you will find yourself one year from now.

How do you see your life five years from now?

Who knows? I guess moving to Finland from New Zealand last year has made me realise anything is possible. And I’m also trying to make my five-year goals now more about experiences, well-being and enjoyment rather than achievement, accolades and accumulating stuff (although I’m still a bit addicted to those last three).

If you have to choose one big reason for having a blog, what is it?

To keep in touch with family & friends back home in New Zealand and Australia & to share with them what life is like here in Finland. I also love that it means when we skype or call we can talk about what’s really happening in our lives as they already know we went to the museum etc. I hope it also helps my son’s grandparents, aunties & uncles feel connected to him.

What’s your greatest accomplishment within the last year?

Moving to Finland and finding my feet somewhere so very far from home. Finding people and places I love in a world that at times can be challenging to cope with as it is quite different to New Zealand – and everything is in Finnish!

Where are you planning / dreaming to travel next?

I’m going to meet my parents in Switzerland in May but may have to book somewhere with sunshine before the end of this Nordic winter.

What’s one of your happiest moments so far?

When I’m with my husband and we are visiting somewhere new and the sun is shining and people are in the streets I will often find myself saying to him, “I’m really happy right now.” And also finding out I was pregnant with Miko after such a long road to get there and being able to share that news with family and friends – people spontaneously cried with joy, it was amazing.

If you had to describe your personality with three words, what would they be?

Friendly, open, curious.

What’s your ultimate dream job?

To get paid to write about all the cool things happening in Finland.

What’s your resolution for 2015?

To learn Finnish to a conversational level and continually improve my writing and photography skills.

What characteristics do you admire in other people?

A commitment to doing what they truly love, courage and uninhibitedness.

11 Random Facts About Me

1. My grandmother taught me to drive her car when I was eleven-years old. She had a tiny Honda Civic with automatic transmission and sometimes I would drive her to the shops or the beach.
2. I’m a pretty good whistler.
3. My best friend and I used to practice our hiragana charts a lot at school and I still remember them.
4. Somehow I came up with this philosophy that we should always do the things that scare us. But now I seem to have a lot of fear-facing in my life and it’s exhausting trying to be courageous all the time. So I’m going to just do the things I like for a while.
5. I love vinegar and chilli and eat both every day.
6. I don’t get out of bed for chocolate that’s less than 70% cocoa, my favourite being 85% cocoa.
7. I have a small rock on my bedside table that was given to me as a gift for my 21st birthday. My friend found it on the beach and thought it was such a nice shape he declared it was a ‘peace rock’ and I still hold it in my palm when I need some peace. It’s one of the best gifts I’ve ever received.
8. I love swimming in rivers most of all.
9. My happiest place though is sitting in hot water – be it a bath, spa or hot spring.
10. I find it really hard to say my name (Melanie) really clearly and often people think my name is Naomi.
11. I met my husband when I worked at an organic supermarket and he shopped there. I used to time it so that I was working on the checkout when he came in. We have now been together 14 years.

For the Liebster Award I now nominate five blogs that I follow and really enjoy:

Hannan Helmet

Glitter on my Passport

Gossamer Goes Postal

People of Helsinki

Sundari Austin

And here are my questions for you:

1. What is your favourite drink?
2. How many countries have you lived in and where?
3. What is the most important thing you get from your blog?
4. Are you a city or a country person?
5. What are three things you are good at?
6. What is the scariest thing you have ever done?
7. What did you want to be when you were younger?
8. If you could do one thing next year where money / time / courage were no obstacle, what would you do?
9. What is the most beautiful place you’ve ever been?
10. Are you superstitious?
11. What are you looking forward to most about 2015?

Here are the rules of the Liebster Award:

1. Thank the person who nominated you and post a link to their blog.
2. Display the award on your blog.
3. Answer the 11 questions provided to you.
4. Provide 11 random facts about yourself.
5. Nominate 5 -11 blogs with less than 1000 followers & let those bloggers know, with a link to your post.
6. Create a new list of questions for the blogger to answer.
7. List these rules in your post.

Thanks again Marja & to anyone else who has read this far!