Adventurer’s Heartbeat Calms in Uusikaupunki
- Wenla Väärälä, who reached the final of the "Diili" competition, appreciates the relaxed atmosphere of her hometown. Although work and goals have taken her daily life to the capital city, Uusikaupunki always holds a special place in Wenla's heart.
Wenla Väärälä approaches life with curiosity. The thirst to see the world, collect experiences, and get to know different cultures has been strong in her since childhood.
“In my life, there’s always a significant pulse. I pursue a lot and want to do big things. I’m a ‘go with the flow’ type. Sometimes, my son and I just throw backpacks on and go on a trip. I know we’ll manage,” says Wenla.
Over a year ago, her interest was piqued by the “Diili” program on Channel Four, where entrepreneur and media personality Jaajo Linnonmaa was looking for a new operational director. Once again, Wenla decided to go with the flow and applied to participate in the competition.
“I had been thinking for a while that the concept of ‘Diili’ is very interesting. There always seemed to be smart people involved, and they accomplished big things under extreme time pressure. I wanted to test if I could handle it. And what better way to test it than to apply to the show?”
After a long selection process, Wenla Väärälä was one of the sixteen contestants chosen for the show. The program was filmed in the fall of 2022.
– The experience was ultimately much more challenging than I had anticipated. The most peculiar thing was the immersion that happened in those six weeks.”
With “Diili,” Wenla’s everyday life has been a hectic whirlwind – exactly what she enjoys the most. When there are plenty of new people, projects, and experiences, life is most enjoyable.
A few times a year, Wenla throws her backpack on her back and returns to her birthplace, Uusikaupunki, with her son. In the calming atmosphere of the wooden house city, even the adventurer’s heartbeat slows down.
“You wouldn’t believe what a wonderful place it is here on the coast. Idyllic wooden houses, a maritime atmosphere, and really good restaurants. Uusikaupunki is an ideal place for a day trip, just a few hours away from the capital city area and even closer to Turku and Tampere. Here, you can completely detach from the hectic everyday life,” promises Wenla.
