Hello, hello dear families.
Delia here wanting to share some kind thoughts that Jenni and I had in mind for some time now. We also thought, let us do it in English this time.
In our work, we meet families in many different ways. Sometimes the first contact happens through teachers, and sometimes through services in Kuopio that work together with our project. Often, families receive our contact details and can reach out when they feel ready to talk. In other situations, if the family gives permission, their information is shared with us and we contact them first. Many families also know us not so much by the name of our project, but by the name of perhekerho—our family club—which has become a warm and familiar way for many families to meet us.
These first encounters may look simple from the outside, but in reality they carry a lot within them. Whenever two people meet for the first time, they bring their own experiences and assumptions, habits, and hopes into that moment. Even when the meeting is warm and open, we are still, in many ways, strangers to one another.
This is something that Jenni and I have been discussing about and want to keep in mind when working with the families. At the beginning, we often know very little about each other. We may know a family’s name, language, or situation in a practical sense, but we do not yet know what they have lived through, what kind of relationships they have had with schools or services before, or what meanings they attach to trust, support, authority, or belonging. In the same way, families do not yet know us either. They do not know how we work, what we really mean when we offer help, or whether this new connection will feel safe and respectful to them.
That is why the first steps matter so much.
When we begin as strangers, respect cannot remain only a good intention. It has to become visible in the way we speak, listen, explain, and make space for one another. In practice, this means not assuming too much too quickly. It means understanding that what feels ordinary to one person may feel unfamiliar, confusing, or even emotionally heavy to another.
Over time, I have seen how important it is to show families that respecting their cultural background does not mean expecting them to leave it behind. A new life in Finland does not ask a person to erase their memories, values, language, or way of seeing the world. On the contrary, meaningful connection often begins when people feel that these parts of themselves are not being judged or pushed aside.
At the same time, cultural awareness is not only about being kind or curious. It also means learning how to live together in a shared society. In everyday encounters, this includes being honest and respectful about the practices, expectations, and values that shape life in Finland. Families have the right to have their own background treated with dignity, in the same way that Finnish culture also deserves to be respected and taken seriously. This balance is important.
Real cultural awareness is not only about noticing that differences exist. It is about how we respond to those differences in everyday life. It can be seen in small things: in the way we explain something instead of assuming it is obvious, in the way we ask instead of interpret, and in the way we try to understand before giving advice. It also means recognizing that mutual respect does not weaken anyone’s identity. It creates a stronger foundation for living together.
This kind of awareness is not always immediate. It grows little by little in conversation, in repeated meetings, and in the ordinary moments where trust is built. Sometimes understanding develops when a family feels heard without pressure. Sometimes it grows when there is enough time to speak openly about expectations, confusion, or differences. And sometimes it begins simply from the feeling that there is room to be oneself while still learning how this new environment works.
In that sense, beginning as strangers is not a weakness. It is simply the starting point. What matters is what we do from there. If we meet one another with patience, humility, and mutual respect, unfamiliarity can slowly become trust. And through that trust, cooperation becomes more genuine, more human, and more meaningful for everyone involved.
We are grateful to be part of these encounters and to walk alongside families in this phase of their lives.
Sending warm hugs,
Delia and Jenni