As you may remember, back in 2016 the NCF launched a campaign called Jeg Er Nordisk. The campaign worked for a common Nordic citizenship, as we believe that deeper Nordic integration is an asset for us all, not only regionally, but also globally. We believe that it would ease a move to another Nordic country, increase a cultural exchange between the Nordic nations as well as encourage complete Nordic cooperation.
As part of the campaign, the NCF hosted an Instagram picture competition together with FNUF (Föreningen Nordens Ungdomsförbund). Contestants were asked to publish a photo with the hashtag #jegernordisk and describe what it means to be Nordic to them. We received around 100 entires, out of which a jury chose to award Ida Katajamaa 300€ for a Nordic trip! The quote below is the caption of her entry as well as the reason we decided to award her the travel money.
““Hi, my name is Ida, I am a sami and come from a small town in Northern Finland, 300 km North of the Arctic Circle. There is no university in my hometown so I moved to Stockholm after high school. Ever since I was little, I wanted to move to Norway because I love the outdoors and beautiful mountains. I found a summer job near the Geiranger-fjord three years ago. The phrase “home is where your heart is” is the best description of my feeling there. I look forward to finishing my last year at university so I can move to Norway permanently. I have no place to call home, but my heart is in Norden. So Norden is my home.””
A year later, it was finally time for the long-desired trip! Ida decided to travel to Copenhagen for som julefrokost. Here is a short travel diary as well as some picture from her trip:
"After hearing I’d won the #jegernordisk Instagram competition back in November 2016, I immediately thought I would use the price would travel to Iceland. However, like we’d say in Finnish, ”tuli monta muuttujaa” (many variables) happened, and I ended up in Copenhagen! My Norwegian friends had planned to do ”julefrokost” there, so it sounded like a perfect getaway from writing my thesis at Stockholm University in Sweden.
This weekend happened to also be the ”J-dag”, when Tuborg launched their Christmas beer. Coincidence? I got to eat my way through the city and the street food markets, get more familiar with Danish smørrebrød, taste different types of akvavit, experience my first ever julefrokost and catch up with my friends from different Nordic countries.
It really seems like wherever I go in the Nordics, the people always make it feel like home. I thought I was a wilderness and mountain person, but after my last visit to Copenhagen, I’d say I’m a Denmark person too. #jegernordisk"
The NCF hopes Ida had a fantastic time in the capital of Denmark, and hopes she will continue to explore the Nordics!
Pictures: copyright Ida Katajamaa