Too Foreign for the West, Too Distant for the Home Country: A migrant in Finland
Living between worlds is not a romantic notion when the in-between becomes a void. For many African immigrants in Finland, identity is a negotiation with constant reminders of otherness. The phrase "Too foreign for the West, too distant for the home country" resonates like a quiet echo in daily life—a truth that exists in glances, in silence, and in the spaces between belonging. In Finland, the foreignness is undeniable. It’s in the stark winter that chills not only the skin but also the spirit. It’s in the awkward pauses after introductions, when your name—rich with heritage—is met with puzzled looks or polite but strained attempts at pronunciation. It’s in the way your accent marks you before you say much at all, and the assumptions that follow: where you come from, what you know, who you must be. There is a quiet politeness in Finnish society, but sometimes, politeness can be another word for distance. Integration is more than learning the language or finding a job. It’s a...