Oodi, Our Sanctuary
Oodi, west facade in winter. Photo from Tuomas Uusheimo, courtesy of ALA Architects.
This is a unique time for me. It’s the first time that I’m not working or in school since I was three years old. It has been fun, but fun only lasts so long.
Finland is a notoriously difficult country to break into as a foreign worker. They have high standards for their workforce. Employees are expected to speak native-level Finnish and English if you want any service or mid-level job.
Finnish is often listed with Arabic and Mandarin among the “hardest languages to learn.” I hoped I would find my way into a teaching position while in Finland, but I was not expecting much. Months of meetings and planning finally paid off last week.
I was hired to teach English as an Additional Language at the International School of Helsinki. I am eager to get back into the classroom, but there are still a few weeks to go before that begins in earnest. In the meantime, I am itching to do something to get out of the apartment and keep my mind occupied.
Fortunately, Helsinki is not a difficult place to be. The tram and metro are incredibly easy to navigate. Everyone speaks nearly perfect English, and there are places to hang out for free like Oodi, Helsinki’s 98€ Million public library.
Oodi is Heaven
Oodi quickly became one of our favorite places in the city. It is conveniently located, and — as its nearly 100€ Million price tag indicates — it is state of the art. If you visit us while we’re in Finland, you better believe we’ll be making a stop or two at Oodi.
The building is an architectural masterpiece. From the street, Oodi’s curves make the massive building appear to float. From within, two escalators bring you to Book Heaven, our favorite area in the city.
Among the potted trees, you’ll find hundreds of shelves of free reading and cozy spots to sit down for a while. The smell of coffee from a small café wafts over the open room as you work. Once you sit down, it’s hard to leave.
You can do pretty much anything there. On the second floor, you might find Finnish teens playing Mario Kart on a vintage N64, or a 30-something nerd peering into one of the 3d printers to see his creation come to life. You’ll see an older woman using the internet to pay her bills and a group of young mothers with strollers riding the escalators passed you to the children’s section of Book Heaven.
For a while, when I thought I wasn’t going to get a job, I comforted myself knowing that I would spend day after day within the walls of Oodi. I lucked out and got a job, so weekend visits will have to suffice. Now, I’ll actually be able to afford a cup of coffee from the café.
Oodi in October 2021.