Layla, who moved to Finland as a senior, fell in love with Vuosaari

In 2018, 70-year-old Layla moved from war-torn Syria to Finland in search of safety and peace. In Vuosaari, she found happiness and a life filled with sauna, singing, and gardening.

“Finland and Syria are like night and day,” says Layla Alhakim. “Finland is wonderfully clean and green, with parks everywhere – even in the capital city!”

Now that greenery is hidden under freshly fallen snow, softening the shapes of the landscape. Layla sits warmly inside her home, accompanied by her daughter, Layal Omar. The family fled the Syrian civil war and settled in cosy Vuosaari.

“Finns are really kind,” Layla smiles. “Unfortunately, I don’t know the language, so I can’t approach them.”

“Learning a new language at my age is very difficult, but luckily, I can always smile at people.”

Sauna bathing, singing, and Syrian delicacies

Before moving to Finland, Layla had never been in a sauna. Her first rental home, however, had a communal sauna, and it was love at first steam. Today, Layla has a sauna in her home, and sauna bathing has become a weekly delight.

In addition to sauna, Layla loves inviting friends over and preparing Syrian food for them. Singing is also a beloved hobby for the whole family.

A key to Layla finding her own community has been the JADE activity centre, which organises activities and training for senior immigrants. It has offered her various trips across Finland and a supportive community to rely on.

“There is one thing I do miss from Syria: dressing up nicely and strolling the streets in beautiful dresses and jewellery,” Layla says, laughing: “In Finland, that’s not possible because it’s so cold for a big part of the year! The pretty clothes stay hidden under thick coats.”

The best things about Vuosaari: parks, the sea, and family

Nature and the sea are dear to Layla, and Aurinkolahti, located within walking distance, has become a special place for her. She often sits in a beach chair there, gazing at the sea. She is also familiar with the park trails of Uutela.

“It’s lovely to walk around here and admire the trees,” Layla smiles.

The main reason Layla enjoys living in Vuosaari, however, is her family – all her children and grandchildren live there. The tightly knit family supports and helps one another.

“I couldn’t live far from my family,” Layla says.

A dream rental home and a garden

Since moving to Finland, Layla has lived in three different SATOhomes. First with her daughter Layal, then in a shared home with her husband, and after his passing, in her own rental apartment. Her current home is just a stone’s throw from Layal’s and was a stroke of luck.

“I had told SATO that I was looking for a new home for my mother near me in Vuosaari,” Layal explains. “And this was her dream home: it had a sauna and a garden. SATO was wonderful and provided the flat for my mother.”

“My mother loves her little garden,” Layal smiles. “She loves nature more than anything and enjoys planting flowers.”

In the first summer in her new home, Layla grew not only flowers but also herbs, tomatoes, and kumquats. She even built planting beds and created her own irrigation system for the plants.

“Her back got so sore that we had to take her to the hospital!” Layal recalls. “We’ve had many serious talks since then, and my mother has promised to take it easy from now on and only plant flowers.”

In addition to her garden, Layla particularly appreciates the convenience of her rental home.

“If I contact maintenance or need something in my home, I always get help in no time,” Layla says.

And when the House Experts arrive to work their magic, everything gets taken care of – even without a shared language. Gesturing and using the translator on her phone have proven to be very effective.

“And if she doesn’t remember how to use the translator, she can always call me or my siblings,” Layal smiles.

This story is part of the 85 Years of SATO Living series, where SATOhome residents share their unique lives with us.

This content has been translated with the help of generative AI. Tämä sisältö on käännetty generatiivisen tekoälyn avulla.