009: "This One Shift Made Me Fluent in Finnish"

In this episode of 'How I Learned Finnish with Ohe,' we sit down with a special guest, Kseniia, a 27-year-old musician and singer originally from St. Petersburg. Kseniia shares her raw and inspiring journey of moving to Finland at 18 and the challenges she faced in learning Finnish. From her initial struggle with speaking Finnish and the discomfort in everyday interactions to her persistence and the unconventional methods she used to integrate and learn the language, this episode is filled with valuable insights. Kseniia opens up about her approach to overcoming fears, the importance of routine, the impact of integrating into Finnish society, and the personal milestones that have made her language learning journey unique. Join us for an honest conversation about the ups and downs of learning a new language and the strategies that led Kseniia to where she is today.


🎙️ Welcome to How I Learned Finnish – with OheHelping immigrants thrive (not just survive) by mastering one of the world’s toughest languages.


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-- Table of Contents--

00:00 Overcoming Language Barriers: My Finnish Journey

00:38 Introduction to the Episode and Guest

01:19 Kseniia's Background and Arrival in Finland

02:53 Settling in Finland and Initial Challenges

05:55 Academic Pursuits and Early Language Learning

10:22 Cultural Integration and Personal Growth

14:13 The Turning Point: Deciding to Learn Finnish

20:39 Practical Language Learning Experiences

31:37 Effective Learning Strategies and Resources

42:49 Reflections on Language Learning and Cultural Adaptation

46:42 Unconventional Learning Methods

46:59 Translating Hip Hop Lyrics

50:59 Passive Learning Techniques

56:01 Active Learning Strategies

01:02:32 Integrating into Finnish Society

01:08:52 Overcoming Challenges and Staying Motivated

01:18:19 Rapid Fire Language Learning Tips

01:32:53 Encouragement and Final


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Om Podcasten

An interview series where I interview people who have learned Finnish to a high level on how they did it. How to learn Finnish or any language. I pretended I didn't know English for an entire year so that I could become fluent in the Finnish language. I will tell you how I did it and interview others to share how they achieved fluency and on how to remove the friction from achieving your language learning goals and how to learn efficiently.