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Finn-Dolce.com

Ciao e benvenuti nel mio primo blog - Finn-Dolce!

🍷🐾 From Finland to Tuscany:

How I Sold Everything and Moved to Italy With a Cat Named Nelson Mandela ✈️

Hello people,

Let me introduce myself: I am a Finnish woman who speaks several European languages, loves travelling, and has always been a hopeless Italy-fan. And recently… I made the most surprising decision of my life:

👉 I sold almost everything in Finland and moved to Tuscany with my dear black-and-white senior cat Nelson Mandela.

Yes, you read that right. This is also my first blog.

I’ve always built my career by embracing an international, growth mindset. For years, my world revolved around empowering hundreds of students through Finnish Language & Culture Education, guiding newcomers through the linguistic landscapes of Finland as a qualified teacher. I also thrived in the fast-paced world of International Business & Sales (MBA, BBA, and a results-driven approach!) and loved creating positive experiences in several fields of business.

Why Italy?

But despite a strong background and over 30 years of experience as a highly educated, multilingual professional, I hit a wall: I simply couldn't find a job in my country Finland during these demanding times. Because Finland’s economy is currently doing its best impression of a sinking sauna boat.

Italy is also my dream country since I was a teenager and singing Italian songs. I started studying Italian language on my freetime at the age of 17. And of course I tried to be an aupair (la ragazza alla pari) in Rome when I was 22.

There was also a certain charming Italian man in the Chianti area who made the word remoto relationship feel a bit too remoto. (long-distance)

So, I decided to do something completely bold (some might say crazy! 😅). I chose not to wait.

From beautiful Tampere Region to beautiful Tuscan countryside

I sold my home in the beautiful Tampere region (and yes, selling is hard!), packed my life into boxes and suitcases, and decided to chase a lifelong dream: a new life in Italy! 💪🌞

Now, I’m trading the clean, serene Finnish forests and lakes for the beautiful, green hills of the Chianti area in Toscana! 🍷🌿

This blog is about that journey—the leap of faith, the initial confusion, the delightful discoveries, and the challenge of planting new roots in one of the most beautiful places on earth. It’s my attempt to combine my three core passions:

  1. Culture & Language: Learning the Italian way of life and the beautiful language.

  2. Teaching, Coaching, Sales: Applying my teaching in English and business skills to build a new life and career here.

  3. Tourism & Hospitality: Exploring Tuscany and sharing its hidden gems to others.

Let's see what life in beautiful Toscana and on the road to Firenze brings! 🌞🍷🍇

I believe in taking risks when the heart says go, in starting again at any age, and in trusting that even after the hardest seasons, life can become sweet again — dolce, as Italians say.

And here I am now:

Finndolce in Tuscany, building a new life with my beloved old cat Nelson Mandela and a heart open for whatever comes next. 🧡

Con amore,

Ursula