In this episode, I sit down with Chloe Järvinen, a UK-born project manager in the social field who moved to Finland in 2015 after a music-inspired trip unexpectedly changed her life. What began as a fascination with Finnish rock led to marriage, relocation, and ultimately a deep commitment to learning the language.Chloe explains why mastering Finnish became non-negotiable for her independence and sense of belonging, especially during her first few years in Finland. She shares what genuinely help...
Feb 25, 2026•1 hr 25 min
In this episode of 'How I Learned Finnish with Ohe,' I interview Jamie McDonald, a 48-year-old standup comedian and artist, about his journey of learning Finnish. Jamie, who performs under the stage name 'Happening Fish,' discusses the challenges and motivations in learning a language spoken by only a few million people. He shares insights into his methods, from taking classes and integrating into Finnish society through family and social circles, to the unconventional approaches of performing s...
Dec 07, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 12
Starting even before he moved to Finland, Mathias discusses how he memorized 3000 Finnish words from a vocabulary book and immersed himself in the language. He explains his methods, such as focusing on grammar, practicing speaking with native Finnish speakers, and integrating into Finnish culture through activities like joining choirs. Mathias also reveals unconventional approaches, including conducting psychotherapy in Finnish to deepen his emotional connection to the language. Despite many cha...
Nov 16, 2025•1 hr 33 min•Season 1Ep. 11
In this engaging discussion, Hamed, a 43-year-old software engineer originally from Iran, recounts his experiences adapting to life in Finland. Hamed shares his journey of learning Finnish, which was initially challenging due to his temporary mindset and resistance to the language. Eventually, his perspective shifted as he accepted Finland as his new home. Hamed highlights the role of making Finnish friends, listening to music, and immersing himself in Finnish culture as crucial to his language ...
Oct 27, 2025•1 hr 10 min•Season 1Ep. 10
In this episode of 'How I Learned Finnish with Ohe,' we sit down with a special guest, Kseniia, a 27-year-old musician and singer originally from St. Petersburg. Kseniia shares her raw and inspiring journey of moving to Finland at 18 and the challenges she faced in learning Finnish. From her initial struggle with speaking Finnish and the discomfort in everyday interactions to her persistence and the unconventional methods she used to integrate and learn the language, this episode is filled with ...
Oct 14, 2025•1 hr 38 min•Season 1Ep. 9
In this episode, we dive into the life story of Jojo Pratt, a 37-year-old nurse originally from Ghana. Jojo shares his unique experiences and challenges of learning Finnish, from his early days in a Finnish refugee camp to becoming fluent and integrated into Finnish society. Join us as Jojo recounts the creative and relentless methods he used, the cultural and societal barriers he overcame, and the crucial mindset needed to master a new language. Discover valuable insights and tips for anyone st...
Sep 03, 2025•1 hr 14 min•Season 1Ep. 8
Join us for an inspiring conversation with Magdalene Awahnde, a nursing manager in Finland. In this episode, Magdalene shares her journey from Cameroon to Finland, her challenges and triumphs in learning the Finnish language, and her rise in the healthcare sector. Discover her key strategies for overcoming language barriers, her motivational tips for aspiring immigrants, and how her determination and positive attitude opened doors to remarkable opportunities. Magdalene's story is a testament to ...
Aug 04, 2025•1 hr 24 min•Season 1Ep. 7
Meet Emily, an entrepreneur and hairdresser who shares her unique strategies, challenges, and experiences that shaped her language-learning process. In this episode, we dive deep into Emily's journey of learning Finnish. From studying abroad to integrating into Finnish society, Emily covers essential topics like vocabulary building, speaking, listening, grammar, reading, and writing. She also discusses the importance of mindset, staying motivated, and leveraging resources like podcasts, books, a...
Jul 28, 2025•1 hr 11 min•Season 1Ep. 6
In this episode, we delve into the inspiring journey of Deborah Laajanen, a lawyer from the Philippines who managed to get accepted into a Finnish law school despite being in Finland for just a few years. Deborah shares her struggles and strategies for learning Finnish to an advanced level, including the use of resources like Suomen mestari, podcasts, and integrating herself into Finnish society. She also discusses the motivation behind her efforts, the role of discipline, and the importance of ...
Jul 21, 2025•1 hr 16 min•Season 1Ep. 5
What if the best way to learn Finnish isn’t in a classroom — but at lunch with an 85-year-old stranger? Meet Erik Åkesson , a Swedish dad of four, former global head of FX trading, and now a Finnish speaker thanks to one of the most original language learning methods I’ve ever heard. He didn’t qualify for integration courses. So what did he do? He offered to buy lunch for anyone willing to speak Finnish with him — and ended up having over 100 lunches with strangers. In this episode, we talk abou...
Jul 15, 2025•59 min•Season 1Ep. 4
Anita Anttila shares her compelling journey of moving to Finland nearly 30 years ago and her struggles to learn the Finnish language amidst personal challenges, including losing custody of her children due to a misunderstanding of legal documents. She dives into the language learning methods she tried, both successful and unsuccessful, the importance of daily practices to learn the language. Anita emphasizes the need for intentional learning, integrating into society, and not being ashamed of ma...
Jul 04, 2025•1 hr 17 min•Season 1Ep. 3
How I Achieved Fluency in Finnish in Just One Year! | Language Learning Tips In 2022, I embarked on a radical experiment — I pretended not to speak English for an entire year in order to immerse myself in Finnish and reach fluency as an adult. My journey of mastering the Finnish language in just one year starting from a weak level! In this episode of 'How I Learned,' I reveal the key elements that helped me achieve high-level fluency by the end of 2022. From setting specific targets and creating...
Jun 10, 2025•22 min•Season 1Ep. 2
So you want to learn the Finnish language. How, you ask? How I learnt Finnish is a podcast that shows you the choices, daily habits, lifestyle and changes that people who have successfully learned Finnish as adults did to get to learn a language - any language. This is my way of helping you to also achieve this very difficult goal.
Jun 02, 2025•2 min
