Love for Savo at first sight
Originally from Johannesburg, South Africa, Megan Järvinen loves creativity, animals, sports, and the outdoors. Her adventures around the world have taken her to the United States and Australia. Today, happiness is found in her beloved Kuopio.
When South African-born Megan Järvinen first visited Finland in 2013, she knew that one day she would live here. However, it took six more years to move from Australia to Finland, as Järvinen needed time to convince her Finnish husband that trading Australia for the nature and tranquility of Northern Savo was worth it.
– I was lucky to experience an incredible childhood in my beautiful home country, witnessing firsthand the dawn of a new South Africa as apartheid ended. Nelson Mandela’s leadership left a profound impact on me, shaping my belief in resilience and hope. But despite the beauty, safety concerns were always present, and I knew I wanted to explore the world and find a place where I could raise a family in peace, Järvinen recalls.
– In Australia I built my career in branding and communication over 11 years. It was in Sydney that I met my Finnish husband, Jarkko, surprisingly through the small floorball community. The first time I visited Finland was in 2013, spending time in Leppävirta, where Jarkko is from. It was my first time seeing snow, but more than that, I immediately felt at home – the nature, the peace, and the people just felt right. From that moment, I knew we would live here one day, Järvinen remembers.
The couple fell in love under the Australian sun, got married, and had a son. Finally, in 2019, the move to Kuopio happened, and later their family grew with the birth of a daughter. Both Megan and Jarkko quickly found jobs. When Megan sent her resume to Ahooy Creative, the company created a new role for her within a week – one that hadn’t even existed before.
– That’s still remarkable to me. Plus, I’ve finally found true work-life balance, which has been important as I’ve grown into motherhood, Järvinen says.
Adapting required true sisu
Although Kuopio and Northern Savo captured Järvinen’s heart from the very beginning, integrating into the local community has sometimes felt like a rollercoaster. The biggest challenge has been the language, but the entirely different culture and lifestyle have also caused their share of gray hairs. At those times, true Finnish sisu was needed.
– There have been lonely moments, but my incredible work colleagues and floorball team have made a huge difference. They took me in, made an effort to include me, and have patiently helped me with Finnish. I’m eternally grateful for that. And of course, having a Finnish spouse has helped a lot as well, Järvinen says.
As an introvert, Järvinen loves the pace of life in a smaller city. After Sydney, Kuopio and its surrounding nature and peacefulness felt almost unreal.
– Kuopio is breathtaking. The surrounding nature, the peacefulness – it felt almost unreal that this could be home. Sydney is also beautiful, but as an introvert, I love the pace of life in a smaller city. The nature here fuels my creativity in ways I never expected, pushing my work forward in new ways, Järvinen praises.
As a mother, Järvinen especially values the calm and safe lifestyle. The family spends a lot of time outdoors, grilling sausages over a campfire and enjoying the changing seasons – even the more challenging ones.
– I love that my son can visit his friends, catch the bus to school, and grow up in a home without high walls and security alarms. The Finnish school system – including speech therapy – has been incredible. My daughter absolutely loves daycare and has built strong connections with her carers and friends, Järvinen rejoices.
Spend time in nature and get inspired
For Järvinen, Kuopio’s best qualities are its natural beauty, feeling of safety, authenticity and kindness of the people, and the balance of life. Alongside the language barrier, one of the hardest parts has been adjusting to the darkness. Born in South Africa, she has had to accept that the natural rhythm shifts during winter.
– The most surprising, and the best, thing has beem working with the inspiring talents from this area. There’s an incredible amount of innovation coming from here. I’ve been lucky to work with world-class companies right here in Kuopio, and it’s been the most fulfilling time of my career, Järvinen enthuses.
Having lived in Kuopio for over five years, Järvinen also shares advice for those considering moving to the area. While adaptation takes time and the journey includes ups and downs, she believes Kuopio has much to offer.
– I encourage people to spend loads of time nature, enjoy the winter and winter sports, light candles in the dark, eat cinnamon buns, get a real Christmas tree at least once, and be patient – conversations might be awkward at first, but people do open up, Järvinen suggests.
– Kuopio isn’t for everyone, but for those who choose to make it home, it’s a truly special place, Järvinen concludes.
