008: From Hallway Listener to Fluent Finnish Speaker - Jojo's Story
In this episode, we dive into the life story of Jojo Pratt, a 37-year-old nurse originally from Ghana. Jojo shares his unique experiences and challenges of learning Finnish, from his early days in a Finnish refugee camp to becoming fluent and integrated into Finnish society. Join us as Jojo recounts the creative and relentless methods he used, the cultural and societal barriers he overcame, and the crucial mindset needed to master a new language. Discover valuable insights and tips for anyone striving to learn Finnish or any new language. This is an episode filled with inspiring anecdotes, humorous moments, and practical advice you won't want to miss!🎙️ Welcome to How I Learned Finnish – with Ohe Helping immigrants thrive (not just survive) by mastering one of the world’s toughest languages.👉 Don’t forget to like, subscribe, and share if this inspired you or made you think differently about language learning.-- Table of Contents--00:00 Intro & Jojo’s background02:05 High School memories in Ghana04:58 The secret flight to Europe08:40 Arrival: Red Cross & first winter12:10 Refugee camp classes & the doorway story16:45 Mindset over comfort (why courses aren’t enough)21:30 Bar reps, churches & real-life practice26:10 Dictionaries, kids’ shows & Pimsleur31:00 Accents: Imatra → Turku → Salo → Helsinki35:35 From student to nurse: workplace Finnish41:00 Swedish twist: Tammisaari army hack46:10 Integration, jobs & quality of life51:40 Rules for learning Finnish as an adult57:20 Closing thoughts & takeaways#LearnFinnish #FinnishLanguage #HowToLearnFinnish #SuomenKieli #Suomi #HowILearnedFinnish #OhePodcast #GhanaToFinland #ImmigrantStoryFinland #RefugeeToNurse #IntegrationFinland #ExpatFinland #LifeInFinland #AdultLanguageLearning #MindsetOverComfort #SpeakFinnish #FinnishVocabulary #FinnishGrammar #FinnishPronunciation #SpeakingFinnish #WorkingAsANurseInFinland #RedCrossFinland #RefugeeCampFinland #Helsinki #Turku #YKITest