Salma Rodríguez, a student of Finnish and Danish at Institut Nòrdic, is living her Nordic dream right now. With a degree in international journalism under her belt, this native of Toledo lives in Copenhagen and is becoming an expert on the Nordic countries. After visiting Copenhagen several times and doing an Erasmus in Vaasa (Finland), Salma has settled in the Danish capital and plans to continue in the north, in the countries that have always fascinated her.
By Hannu Arvio
Hannu: Generally, studying a Nordic language for Spaniards is not the most common thing to do. We tend to do other things when we choose extra training for ourselves. Besides, you have studied two Nordic languages. Where does this desire come from?
Salma: Actually, it all started with Finland. In my case, when it was time to choose an Erasmus destination, almost everyone, including me, had in mind to choose destinations around the Mediterranean: Italy, France… Closer to Spain. But I decided that I wanted something completely opposite to Spain, as far away and as different as possible. I had always been attracted to the Nordic countries, but I had never been there or had met someone who had been there and had told me that they were wonderful. So Finland came up on the list, and I said, “I’m going to Finland”. I had my eye on the Nordic countries, but once I was there, I saw that I really liked them a lot. I really liked the culture. And I especially liked Finland because it was different in the sense that it was a Nordic country, but also because it was different from the rest of the Nordic countries.
Hannu: On the one hand, you say you chose something very different from others. On the other hand, you went to a completely unfamiliar place. Does it have something to do with your character?
Salma: Absolutely. Also, when I was in Finland, I did notice that I was more in tune with my Finnish classmates at the university than at the parties and excursions that were organised for Erasmus students. I used to share a room and go with the Finns because I felt they were closer to my more relaxed character. Many times, in Spain, we are very rowdy. And it is true that I like tranquillity. And Finland seemed to me to fit very well with this.
Hannu: We continue with your reasons for studying Nordic languages. You adapted well to Finland, and you studied Finnish. Now you live in Copenhagen and study Danish, does it have something to do with your journalism studies?
Salma: A little bit, yes. For me (studying journalism) was to try to discover, to investigate new things. It is true that, for example, in journalism, in the classes (I studied international journalism), we studied the United States, the Middle East,… the typical things we study, other cultures. But I have always been fascinated by how the Nordic countries have done it. Today, I don’t want to say that they are more advanced because each country has advanced as they have been able to; they have such a different society, which would be considered today an almost perfect society. I mean, how do they have a lifestyle and a society that basically have their needs covered.
Hannu: When you came to Vaasa, a few years ago, you arrived in summer, when everything is beautiful. And you were there while the year was advancing towards winter, which, in fact, is like being in another country. What did you discover during that period, those months?
Salma: I arrived in August, when everything is beautiful, there is lots of light, everything is green… It’s incredible, especially compared to Castilla la Mancha, where I came from, because it’s all quite different. And then suddenly the days started getting much shorter, and there was a time when I thought people were exaggerating when they talked about the darkness and depression (of winter in Finland), but the darkness did affect me quite a lot. I realised this because the Finns hardly ever went out, and I only saw other foreign students. And there came a point when I shared that feeling and even preferred it. In fact, I preferred to stay at home after class, relaxing with some candles… very Nordic, really. I discovered that the nature of society has a lot to do with the country itself, but also with the language. And I thought I’d love to study the language because it’s a culture that I find very interesting in itself and very different, even from what I expected. Because I expected to find what I had been told: cold, more distant people… but not at all. Obviously, they don’t have the same character as Spaniards or Italians, which isn’t a bad thing. But for me, it’s different and interesting. And I wanted to learn the language to get to know the culture better and understand why people are like that.
Hannu: How was life as a student in Finland?
Salma: Well, surprisingly, it was quite different from Spain. Obviously, I went out partying, although it was also a little different, but I was more into meeting friends and going to their house, rather than going to the disco. And it was something I didn’t usually do in Spain. And it was interesting, because it’s true that we talked more, we didn’t drink so much, and it was a more relaxed atmosphere.
Hannu: Finland itself, as a country, how did you see it?
Salma: Like something distant. I remember that the first thing people told me when I said I was going to Finland was how cold it was. What I really imagined of Finland was a frozen wasteland, with few people, maybe with a bear (because I lived next to the forest)….
Hannu: Game of Thrones type, on the other side of the wall.
Salma: (laughs) Yes, yes, totally. For me, it was the other side of the wall. But I arrived and I discovered that it was not. It is a different country, which surprised me because it was different in terms of what I expected and what I did not expect. In certain things, I did notice similarities with certain parts of Spain, which I did not expect.
Hannu: In what, for example?
Salma: I travelled a lot around Spain when I was little; my parents took me to many places. In the south, for example, in Andalusia, I don’t want to generalise, but people are more outgoing. And the people I knew from the north seemed more introverted, although this doesn’t mean that when you got to know them, you saw that they were actually outgoing. Maybe you just needed to get to know them a little better. I had a similar experience with Finns. At first, everyone was more polite, more formal. Not distant, but more formal. It was a little harder for me to make Finnish friends; I had to persevere. But once I got to know them, I found that they behaved exactly like my Spanish friends. There wasn’t that much of a difference; it was just a slower process.
Hannu: From then on, you started studying Finnish. But during this interview, you are in Copenhagen. And at Institut Nordic, you studied Danish to an advanced level. What happened?
Salma: Actually, the first Nordic country I went to was Denmark, not Finland, although it was a 3-day trip. And when I arrived in Copenhagen, I liked it very much, I thought it was a very “livable” city. It is a very welcoming city, it is big but it is not like, for example, Madrid, which is a big city that, to me, personally, overwhelms me a lot. The Danes also have a way of being that I find pleasant. I like to be with them and talk to them. The same thing happened to me in Helsinki. I thought that, if I had to live outside Spain, I would like to live in Helsinki or Copenhagen. Because they are cities that have everything, but without the cons of the big cities.
Hannu: Perhaps they maintain that everyday routine.
Salma: Yes, it’s all more cosy and intimate. And that’s when I thought about studying a Nordic language. In fact, I started studying Swedish in Finland, as it is the second (official) language there. But I didn’t quite connect with Swedish. And I thought I would try Danish, because I really liked Denmark. And I started with Danish, and little by little, I fell in love with Denmark. I came many times, and in the end, I found a partner here, and I decided to come to Copenhagen.
Hannu: I guess you are comfortable in Copenhagen, do you see your future there?
Salma: To tell you the truth, I don’t know. Right now, I’m at a point in my life where I’m starting to live abroad. Because it’s one thing to live as a student and another to live working, to make a living. So I am exploring options, but the truth is that I am not closing doors. I would like to spend a few years here, I would like to be here for a stable period of time, but maybe in 5 or 10 years, I want to go somewhere else. And it would probably be Finland, because of familiarity.
Hannu: You must have talked to your family and friends in Toledo about this commitment of yours to the north. Do you have to explain it?
Salma: Yes (laughs). Whenever I say I can’t meet up because I have a Danish or Finnish class or because I have to study, people always ask me why. I don’t know how to explain it anymore, so in the end, I always say it’s for the love of art, out of pure curiosity and interest. Once I decided I was going to come to Copenhagen, people started to understand the Danish thing, but no one can explain the Finnish thing, not even my parents, I think. Even though my parents really like Finland and have always supported me, no one can explain it. And the truth is, I don’t know how to explain it. I always say that it’s a different culture, that the languages are very different from Spanish, and that I really enjoy learning new languages and cultures.
Hannu: You have studied international journalism, which includes understanding the world and then explaining it. After these two experiences with Nordic languages and countries, do you see the world differently?
Salma: Yes, and in fact, I think it has made me more tolerant and open-minded. When I was growing up, I didn’t travel much outside Spain. I started to travel a lot more when I started university, and, in fact, the year I was in Finland, I travelled a lot and got to know a lot of new things. I am from a small town, from “deep Spain”, and I had certain ideas of what I had seen on TV and in movies but it is true that seeing it in real life, studying it and understanding it too, has opened my mind a lot, made me much more tolerant and I think it has made me a better person. I know it sounds cliché, but I think it has made me mature a lot, too.
Hannu: What would you say to someone who is thinking about doing an Erasmus now? Would you advise doing the same thing you have done?
Salma: Yes, I had originally intended to go to Italy because I loved Italy, but there came a time when I got my wires crossed, and I thought I wanted something different. A lot of people take Erasmus to mean partying all day, but it’s not like that. For me, it was much more cultural than partying, because I can party in Spain. I would recommend choosing a very different place without thinking too much about it. If Finland appeals to you, then Finland. If Norway appeals to you, then Norway. It is simply to do something that, I believe, you do not regret, because in the end, if you do not expect anything from that place, it can only give you surprises for the good. If you go without expectations, I think you always get positive surprises.
Hannu: Speaking of the languages you’ve studied, Finnish has a certain reputation, a reputation for being difficult. How do you see it after studying it for three years?
Salma: I think they underestimate it (laughs). Finnish is such a different language… and it has so many layers… One of the reasons I always say I study Finnish is because of Tolkien, because he based Elvish on Finnish. And I often tell people that it sounds like Elvish. Now, when people speak to me in Finnish, I understand it, but at first it sounded like Elvish to me. I find it so unique that I really don’t know how people haven’t discovered Finnish as a language and culture yet. I don’t know how people have ignored Finland so much, because in the end, everyone I talk to about it tells me they find it interesting. But it’s such a unique and different language, neither better nor worse. You can’t compare it to anything else.
Hannu: What about the Danish one? It’s also famous. You already speak Danish.
Salma: Yes, more or less. I already speak Danish at work, so I’m becoming quite fluent. But Danish and Finnish complement each other very well for me because what I find difficult in Finnish is easier in Danish, and vice versa. I find reading Finnish easier because the phonetics are more similar to Spanish, but I find reading and pronunciation much more difficult in Danish than the grammar. In my opinion, they complement each other very well. I think studying these two languages together is a very good idea because what you’re best at in one, you’re worse at in the other. And that’s how they complement each other.
