Annikki from Finland My memories
I am Annikki and I am telling you the story of my life I was born in Llanelli, Wales,on 21st of January 1935.
This is my photo:
My dual citizenship: I am Finnish
I am Welsh
The story of my parents
My mother, Awen Evans was born in an Industrial town called Llanelli in South Wales, on September 2nd 1907. She was born in a small town house and shared her bedroom with four younger sisters. Her dad worked hard for the Llanelli Steel Works and her mother was a proud lady who looked after the children and the family home. Awen loved visiting the local Docks and watched the large ships that carried coal and steel around the World. She loved swimming in the sea on a hot day and she listened to the magical stories told by the sailors. She watched the workers at Neville's Iron Shipbuilding Yard making ships and the sight made her eager to travel the world. Llanelli was a busy industrial port and people moved to the area to find work in coal mines, mills and steelworks. Awen also loved visiting Park Howard that had been given to the people of Llanelli by Lady Howard.
It was full of beautiful flowers, had a large grass area to play and a big grand house. Awen and her sisters spent many hours in these gardens. She loved watching the red squirrels, counting the yellow daffodils on the field or simply sitting down on the grass and looking at the sky wondering where all the birds were flying to or from.
Awen was very lucky because she got to go to Copperworks School and learnt how to read and write. Copperworks School had been opened by Richard Janion Nevill a caring employer who wanted the children of the area to receive an education. Her favourite subject was Science because she loved learning about the world around her. She was a clever girl. Awen had a dream to travel and after a chance meeting with Amelia Mary Earhart at Burry Port she knew her life would take her on a journey of discovery. In 1923 Awen met a handsome sailor called Adan Merlin from Carmarthen and after the Second World War they would travel across Europe learning about the culture, history, traditions, wildlife and environment of different countries. Together Awen and Adan married at St Peter’s Church in Llanelli and moved into a new home at Lakefield Road. Adan worked at Copperworks Dock loading copper and coal onto the ships. They had eight beautiful girls who today are living across Europe.
MY FAMILY TREE
Awen Merlin
ANNIKKI
MARIA
BARBARA
MARGARETA
Adan Merlinn
SVEA
JANE
FLORA
SSIANN
My childhood
Our mum loved to tell stories of her life and experiences and me and my sisters never tired of listening to these. She told us traditional Welsh stories from the Mabinogion and read the Bible every night to her children.
She knew of famous Welsh people such as Mari Jones, King Arthur and St David and shared the history of Wales with her children.
Me and my sisters grew up in a changing society that has seen the Second World War, the changing face of landscape and closure of industry at Llanelli, changes in transportation and the development of technology.
As a child I can remember the WW2 and having to hold a gas mask and the use of black-out blinds during the hours of darkness at home. I also remember the identity cards, clothing coupons and ration books to ensure the fair distribution of food. Evacuees from London stayed at the town and me and my sisters made lifelong friends as Alby from Watford.
I and some of my sisters saw a bomb falling on sand dunes near the North Dock. The explosion broke windows of houses in the Seaside area and there was a big fire. I remember walking with my mother and sisters along Queen Victoria Road in
the direction of the fire in order to join other members of the family in a local Anderson shelter. Our father was one of the fire-fighters trying to stop the fire. Llanelli beach was used as a practice area for assault landings. At the appointed time, the troops embarked at Swansea Docks, for Normandy. They landed on Omaha Beach following D. Day as part of the invasion, code named Operation Overlord.
I also loved the environment and through my life the landscape has changed a lot. The Industry that surrounded Llanelli closed such as the iron works, coal mines and ship building companies.
My School I studied in Copperworks School as my mum and sisters. In School I liked most sports, crafts and arts. We used to sing traditional Welsh songs which I can still remember word for word. Me and her sisters also loved dancing. I remember taking part in the Eisteddfod where she would sing and dance with her sisters and friends. School teachers were very strict and the children learnt spellings every day. Sometimes I was even scared of the teachers as I wanted to be a good girl.
Where are my sisters? When I was young it was difficult to find work in Llanelli area and many people left Llanelli. I had started with teacher education and most of my sisters moved or planned to move to find work across Europe. But I had intention to stay in Wales, but my plans changed unexpectedly, it will be told little later. And in the end only Sian stayed in Llanelli as a teacher. But never mind, we all sisters keep in contact through e-mail, telephone, letters and SKYPE.
There is a map where all the sisters ended up living:
This is my lifetime story Written by Annikki
To begin with…. As it was told before, I was born in Llanelli, Wales, in 1935, among my other 7 sisters. I loved my sisters and parents, and the hills of Wales were pretty nice, but I still dreamed about the freezing weathers and the big piles of snow. As I was a child I can remember those few times we got little bit snow in Wales. And I loved it.
And then…. I started teacher training when I was 18 years old. In those times young students had very rarely chance for exchange studies abroad. But I was lucky one who got the grant for one year. And I was thinking hard where to go, and then I had a dream at night: ……I stayed up until my family was asleep, and started running to the airport. I ran as fast as I could, just so my sisters couldn’t catch me up. I ran to the airport, and nobody noticed me, as I walked through the terminal. Then I hurried to the plane and jumped up and hid myself in the hand luggage storage. Thank god there weren’t a lot of people there; otherwise someone could’ve placed a bag on me. The trip started and I was very worried that someone would find me. But no, I managed to stay hidden and finally we landed at the airport. I had no idea where I was….and as I got out of the plane I saw snow everywhere….I was in FINLAND. At that moment I woke up and I knew what I am going to do with my grant! That was my dream as I was a child to have lots of snow around. And now it would happen! I was so happy!
My “trip”…. In August 1954 I packed my luggage and said goodbye to my parents and sisters. And my exchange year in Oulu Finland was ready to start. But instead of one year studies, it changed into my whole lifetime trip. It was my first week in Oulu and I met a boy, Pekka, whom I have been now married with almost 50 years. We have got two children and 5 grandchildren. I am very happy to live in Finland, but sometimes I still miss my hometown. I am lucky, because, we visit almost every year in Llanelli. I studied in Oulu and I learned Finnish very well, I have also learned some Swedish, because it is another official language in Finland. I worked as a teacher in Oulujoki school for 32 years. I have enjoyed my time in Finland and I still love the winter time.
My Hobbies Needlework and knitting is what I have always loved. I am sewing clothes and knitting woollen socks for my grandchildren.
Nordic walk is something I have learned in Finland. I enjoy wandering around the woods. And it is very good exercise for elderly people like me. And you don’t slip over, even if the walking paths were icy, because you are having sticks. Below you can see the picture which shows you
the right technique for Nordic Walk and also some photos taken in the woods and hiking tracks.
My husband likes also Nordic walk, but his passion is Cross-country skiing. He skis very long marathon trips. I also enjoy Cross-country skiing. Especially it is very relaxing in the spring time. After long dark
autumn period you can go skiing on the ice of Oulujoki (Ouluriver) and enjoy the sun. I also go skiing, downhill skiing and sledding with my grandchildren.
We spend almost whole summer in our summer cottage which is by the Saimaa lake in Eastern Finland. I enjoy gardening very much. There is a view of our summer cottage.
Annikki and her sisters: Six countries, six cultures Even if I have lived so long in Finland and I have my own family and friends here, I miss my sister a lot. Nowadays we are lucky, because it is so easy and cheap to keep in touch as often as you like. We keep contact with my sisters by writing each other, sending e-mails and we also Skype. We have a collection of stamps and postcards from the countries in which all sisters are living. In living-room I have got a map of Europe and around it a lot of photos from the countries where my sisters´ are living.
http://pathwaysdiscovery.blogspot.com.es/
http://new-twinspace.etwinning.net/c/portal/layout?p_l_id=24699385
We exchange many things, because we have got similar interests with my sisters. Now I want to introduce few examples what we have shared together.
My recipes Cooking and baking is something I enjoy a lot. I always want to show my sisters some Finnish dishes. My favorite Finnish dish is reindeer stew and of course all the sisters need to know what is “Pulla”. It is a sweet bun that Finns eat almost every day.
REINDEER STEW, PORONKÄRISTYS All you need is…
Reindeer meat Salt Butter Pepper Black pepper Chopped onion
 Water 1. Melt the butter in the pot, and then add the frozen reindeer meet into the saucepan. As soon as the entire meat has melted propely add salt, water and peppers. 2. Put stew in the pot and place it in the oven in 200° Celsius degrees and let it brew about an hour. 3. If you want more mellow stew, set the temperature at 125 °Celsius degrees and let it brew about 3 hours.
Serve with: Lingonberries Mashed potatoes Salad
BUN PLAIT, PULLA • • • • • • • •
5dl milk 2 ½ dl sugar 1-2 eggs 1 ts salt 50g yeast 150 g soft butter ½ tube of ground cardamom 5 dl flour
You can add: Fillings as soft butter, vanilla sugar, sugar and cinnamon Decoration for example: almond flakes, crystal sugar • Heat the milk to 42 degrees and add yeast. Blend the spices, sugar and eggs. Add flour and softened butter alternately. And knead the dough properly. Cover the mixing bowl with a cloth and let he dough raise about 30 minutes. • Shape the dough into small balls or a long plait. Add the fillings and decoration as you like. Take a bun brush and coat the buns and plaits with egg and cover the surface of the crystal sugar and sprinkle some cinnamon. • Raise again about 20 minutes. • Bake at 220 degrees for about 20 minutes.
We are eight green grannies - Time watch team Me and all of my sisters are very worried about the planet. In some of our letters and e-mails we talk about environmental problems. Here is one of my letters talking about reusing things. I am challenging them and people they know in reusing your garbage. Hi! I am Annikki from Finland. Nowadays I am enthusiastic of recycling things. Abandoned clothes and furniture are very big environmental problem in Finland. We throw away 120 million kilos textile waste per year only in Finland. And if think of the huge amount of carton, glass and plastics, which are thrown away, you can’t even think of how many kilos we waste every day and every year in our countries. I have always been very keen on crafts, knitting and sewing, but I like to do my handicraft also ecologically. It is very inspiring to reuse different materials, for example clothes. I have also created “jewelry” out of bike inner tubes and old colour pencils. It is amazing how many things we could make ourselves, we do not need to buy everything. You need to buy less, if you reuse old things, but you just need to use some imagination! I suggest that you make up recycled modern art product or products in your schools. If you all try to give a new life for old things, which you are planning to throw away, for example old clothes, colour pencils, tins and cans or whatever you can think of. What is rubbish for you, can be somebody else’s treasure! Some examples: Some jewelry made of bicycle inner tube
More jewelry made of can clips
Bags and purses made of candy papers
Summary: Think what materials and things you are going to throw away and choose you materials. Design and make new products! Take some photos and email photos for me and I will collect all photos of your great ideas and new designs into a digital album or a poster! Good luck! Yours, Annikki from Finland
All the great ideas across the Europe My sisters worked with my concern with great enthusiasm. I got so many brilliant ideas from my sisters all over the Europe how to reuse you waste. I was very grateful that my sisters were thinking in the same way. I will share one example from each country in my book.
WALES Had fun with fashion show, all clothes made by reused materials
SWEDEN Scrabble tile turned into Bracelet
POLAND Old toys were fixed into one new toy
SPAIN Had a great project reusing things and there is one example great new sculptures out of newspapers
My city of Oulu I love my “new “home town and occasionally I want to show my sisters some photos of my “new” hometown. Sometimes it is interesting to compare the time I arrived in 1954 and the present day photos to show how it has changed. This is the photo of the town centre to show how it has changed. There are so many shops now and lot more people. And nowadays in the city centre it is very lovely and peaceful to wander around because it is only for pedestrians.
“The magic of Father Christmas land� And of course I want share with my sisters the magic of Father Christmas land. Father Christmas comes from very small and magical village called Korvatunturi (Ear Mountain). This place is situated in Northern Part of Finland. In order to retain the privacy of his secret location, the Elf folk decided to build a place where Santa could meet people in Rovaniemi at the Northern Arctic Circle. In Rovaniemi there is main post office of Father Christmas and his gift factory. And of course his reindeers.
When I worked at school, Father Christmas visited in my classroom every year. I was always lucky to have nice children in my class.
My grandchildren are excited to wait for Father Christmas
In the end‌ I want to tell you how lucky I am to have my life and family here in Finland and also to have my sisters all over the Europe. Having aunts and cousins around the Europe, living in different countries makes my family very privileged to be able to know and understand different kinds of cultures. At least I can teach my children and grandchildren understanding that we share this planet and we need to make choices in which we care about each other and environment globally. And now, I just want to say hei, hei (bye, bye in Finnish) to you!
The sources: old photo of Oulu is from The Northern Ostrobothnia Museum Uuno Laukka’s collection.