Immigrants encouraged to practice Finnish at Friday park happening
Lively conversation could be heard at Kaisaniemi Park in Helsinki on Friday, as approximately 400 immigrants encouraged each other in various contests and games.
“No speaking anything other than Finnish”, said Tiina Salo of the adult education institution Adulta with mock seriousness.
The Puhu minulle suomea (“Speak Finnish to Me”) event in Kaisaniemi had brought together immigrants who are studying in the various educational institutions in the Helsinki area.
Attending were students of Finnish from countries including, but not limited to, Russia, Egypt, Japan, Thailand, India, and Estonia.
Most of the participants had studied Finnish for only a few months, but the team spirit among fellow students was great. “Edupoli, Edupoli”, chanted one group by the football pitch as they cheered on the team from their school.
Tiina Salo, who came up with the idea for the event, said that she hopes that bringing immigrants who study at various institutions in the Helsinki region to one place might encourage them to use more Finnish.
“Many do not have the opportunity to use the language that they have been studying, even though they might have the will. We Finns tend to be in the habit of turning the conversation to English as soon as we meet someone who looks foreign”, Salo says.
“Instead, we should encourage immigrants to use even a weak vocabulary."
Hassan Hilowle, a Somali interpreter who speaks fluent Finnish, gave an example about attitudes that an immigrant might confront in Finland.
“In Central Finland I went to a kiosk, where the elderly salesperson immediately closed the window. I waited patiently, and when she opened the window, she said “No England”. I told her that I didn’t want any 'England', I wanted chewing gum”.
Hassan Hilowle says that Finnish is difficult especially for elderly Somali immigrants, and for the mothers of young families with many children, who do not have contacts with Finns.
A sense of community can make it harder for many Thai-born women to learn Finnish, as they spend much time with each other.
“I am at home very much with my two-year-old child. I feel that it is important to teach the child my own language, even if it delays my Finnish studies. When I learn Finnish more, I want to go to work specifically in a Finnish restaurant”, says Suda Hirvonen, who was a restaurant cook in Thailand.
Helsingin Sanomat
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| 1.9.2008 - TODAY |
 Immigrants encouraged to practice Finnish at Friday park happening |
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