Love brought Alexandra to Uusikaupunki

-I knew right away he was a foreigner. His blonde hair and serious expression gave him away, laughs 27-year-old Alexandra Williams Uussaari as she recalls her first meeting with her husband, Erik.

The couple met in Alexandra’s hometown of Rochester, New York, a city of a couple hundred thousand residents. Erik was in the U.S. on a work assignment when a dating app notification popped up. They exchanged messages and decided to meet for a date.

-Nothing suggested Erik wasn’t American.

His profile contained no information apart from his first name, Alexandra recalls.

At their meeting, it quickly became clear that the man sitting across from her wasn’t fluent in smooth small talk or the compliments typical of American culture. Communication was so awkward initially that Alexandra had already decided to end the date early.

-I had a rule for first dates: stay for just one drink. But we ended up ordering a second round, and we hit it off. Erik’s style was disarming; he asked intelligent questions and really listened to what I said.

However, their budding relationship was almost cut short when, during their third date, Alexandra learned that Erik would be returning to Finland sooner than expected.

-I was preparing to say goodbye, but Erik said he wanted to keep seeing me, Alexandra remembers.

What followed was intense communication between Rochester and Uusikaupunki. A couple of months after their first meeting, Alexandra traveled to Finland to visit Erik. The trip was supposed to last three weeks but ended up stretching to five.

It became clear that this was more than just casual dating—the couple had fallen in love.

-I decided to quit my job and give up my apartment so I could spend the summer in Uusikaupunki with Erik. I know how crazy that sounds, but it felt right.

Alexandra had already gotten a glimpse of the town during her earlier visit, but in the summer, it came alive with almost magical vibrancy. She fell in love with the endless light of warm summer nights, long evenings at beachside restaurants, boating on shimmering seas, sauna sessions, cottage life, and grilling sausages over an open fire.

In Finland, she felt healthier and happier than ever before.

-Everything here is so pure—the water, the food, the air. I feel healthy and happy here. It’s as if a whole new world has opened up to me, Alexandra says.

The summer also solidified their plans for a shared future in Finland. In August, about a year after their first meeting, Alexandra and Erik were married in the U.S.

For the past few months, the couple has been living together in Uusikaupunki. According to Alexandra, adjusting to life in a small Finnish town and society has gone smoothly, despite the significant cultural differences.

-When I first came here, everything felt different. I didn’t even know how to use the microwave, stove, or washing machine. I felt helpless, unable to manage everyday tasks,  she laughs. -Thankfully, my husband reassured me that he felt the same way when he first arrived in the U.S. He had never even seen a garbage disposal before, which is totally normal for Americans.

The most challenging adjustment has been adapting to Finland’s organized society. Alexandra is still amazed that she can go jogging alone at night or that the society operates within agreed-upon rules that everyone follows.

She encountered Finnish honesty during a regular grocery store trip when she tasted a grape at the fruit counter, as she was accustomed to doing in the U.S.

-Erik almost called the police on me! she exclaims. -He explained that it’s about respecting the agreed-upon rules, not the value of one grape. I understood that Finland is built grape by grape: people may not greet or smile at each other, but they are honest and follow shared rules. That’s how the society functions and benefits everyone.

The sense of safety and trust she has found in the welcoming Uusikaupunki community is new to Alexandra. She’s so used to constantly being on guard that the freedom to move around and exist without being disturbed feels incredible.

-I’ve learned so much about myself and how I relate to the world around me,she says.

-I love Uusikaupunki. It has everything I need.

Everything is easily accessible and within walking distance, t he city has many restaurants and cafés, good grocery stores, and services.

Currently, Alexandra’s days are filled with active job searching and video creation. On her popular TikTok account, Alexandra.Finland, she shares anecdotes and her life as a newlywed who moved from the U.S. to Finland.

-TikTok is also an important way to stay in touch with my family. What I miss most about America is my parents.

In the same breath, Alexandra admits she also misses certain foods from back home—and small talk, as surprising as that might sound to Finns.

-But I’m happy here. I feel good and value the sense of security. All of this has been worth even giving up small talk, she says with a smile.