Jarmo Salonen’s three lives

Jarmo Salonen has taken a short boat ride from his private dock to Pakkahuone and is enjoying his morning coffee in the sunshine. His gleaming American wooden boat, or “a bark boat” as he jokingly calls it, attracts admiring glances from passers-by.

“I’m one of those children whose bottom was washed with seawater,” he laughs.

“I was put in a boat from a very young age, and I learned to love the sea. I don’t think I could live without having it close by.”

After an absence of several decades, Jarmo moved his home base back to Uusikaupunki on May Day. Although he had always spent as much of his summers as possible in the peaceful seaside town, the time now feels right for a more permanent return.

“I believe that people live three different lives during their lifetime. In my case, that certainly seems to be true,” Jarmo reflects. “Right now, I’m just beginning my third one.”

There is a sense of coming full circle at the start of this third chapter. Uusikaupunki also played a major role in the first decades of his life. Although Jarmo was born in Rauma, his true sense of home was built in Uusikaupunki.

“I was five years old when my family moved here because of my parents’ work. Even after I was accepted into the Turku School of Economics following my matriculation exams, I continued spending all my free time in Uusikaupunki until I was nearly thirty.”

The next stage of life brought a family and took him around the world. His first overseas assignment took him and his wife to Côte d’Ivoire, followed by Algeria and then Tehran.

As the family grew and the scenery changed, Jarmo embraced the challenges and opportunities of international life.

“I’ve often silently thanked Arja Gustafsson, who encouraged me to choose French as an elective subject in middle school.

She told us it would help us find work one day, and in my case, that has certainly proved true.”

The family also spent periods back in Finland before moving to Dubai in 1997 for what became a seven-year assignment. Jarmo still considers those early years in Dubai among the happiest of his life.

“Our children were at a wonderful age, and Dubai was a growing city without all the hustle and bustle it has today,” he explains.

The family later spent a few years in Athens before returning to Dubai, where Jarmo continued working until 2024.

“In total, I spent 24 years in Dubai over two separate periods,” he calculates. “I’ve certainly seen enough of the place now. I may spend Finland’s dark winter months somewhere warm, but probably not in Dubai.”

This phase of life, filled with travel and family, lasted almost exactly 30 years, just like the first one. When Jarmo’s wife passed away a couple of years ago, it felt like the right moment to create space in life for something other than work.

And so, his third life is now taking shape back in the region where he grew up.

Here, he has everything he needs: the sea and a home by the shoreline, short distances everywhere, excellent services, and an outstanding golf course.

“I’d argue it’s one of the most enjoyable courses to play in Finland,” he says. “Uusikaupunki has everything I can think of needing. Everyday life works wonderfully here, especially from a retiree’s perspective.”

Even during all those years abroad, arriving in Uusikaupunki always felt like coming home. The moment he pours the first scoop of water onto the sauna stove in his own sauna, he feels an immediate sense of relief.

“The best thing is being close to the sea. This is the place where I’ve always been able to breathe freely,” Jarmo says. “Uusikaupunki is a wonderful place to live.”