Out and about is the column where we chat to people who live or have lived and worked abroad. This week we are talking to Craig Beckley, currently living in Finland.
Tell us more about yourself and where you live?
My name is Craig Beckley and I am from Cape Town, South Africa. I currently live in Vantaa, Finland. I have lived in Finland for the past nine years. I have two children; my daughter Amanda is 17 years old and my son Cameron is 11 years old. I am married to a South African woman named Andriesa. I studied for three years to become a chef in Finland. While studying to become a chef, I was making sausages in my spare time and discovered that this is what I wanted to do for a living. I started my own business making sausages, biltong and droëwors. I received a lot of support from South African expats who were just so happy to be able to buy boerewors, biltong and droëwors in Finland. I am the first person to open a business in Finland making these South African products. Soon word spread about my products. I have been running my business for five years now and have over 2 000 regular customers. Finnish people love biltong, and this product is also my bestseller in Finland. Most of my customers are Finnish. It’s great to be able to expose South Africa’s food and culture in Finland.
What do you do there?
I run my own business (Beckley’s Premium Meats) and produce 17 different types of sausages from around the world. I also make biltong, droëwors and apricot chutney. My website is www.beckleys.eu.
Was it difficult to adapt in a foreign country?
In the beginning it was very difficult to adapt, because not only is it a different culture but also a different language. Finnish is the third most difficult language in the world to learn. I would say it took us three years to settle in. Now Finland feels like home. However, I still miss South Africa. Something which makes it easier for us is the fact that we return to South Africa annually for a month. The climate is also very different to South Africa; winter is long and cold with only a few hours of daylight. During summer time the sun doesn’t set at all for a few months so there is a big difference between winter and summer in Finland. Spring is beautiful and autumn as well. There is such a big contrast between all four seasons.
What are the best and worst adventures you have experienced in Finland?
The best adventure I have had in Finland involves exploring small islands and lake areas. It is amazing how many little islands there are, not to mention the 100 000 lakes, incredible! Lapland is also a great adventure to experience. The worst adventure for me was in the beginning when I felt alone and didn’t know anyone and subsequently felt isolated. But I overcame this and made friends rather quickly.
What do you miss most about South Africa?
What I miss most about South Africa is the people; the country has the friendliest people in the world. I also miss the sunshine as we don’t have that much sunshine here seeing as the winters are so long.
How did immigration affect you?
Immigration affected me in a very positive way. It made me wiser in respect of how you view the world and approach daily matters.
What do you enjoy most about Finland?
I enjoy the freedom in Finland. You can go out and feel safe. It is one of the safest countries in the world and that makes you feel relaxed inside. It took me about a year after leaving South Africa to feel this way.
Will you ever return to South Africa?
I am not sure if I will return to South Africa for good. I think I will spend six months in South Africa and six months in Finland when I retire.
Was it easy to find your feet there?
It was not easy to find my feet in Finland. It took me about three years to get into a position where I felt like I was gaining control of things. It takes time but once I found my feet things went a lot better.
Is there anything you would like to add?
I would encourage adventurous people to explore the world. It has been a real eyeopener to me to experience things outside of South Africa.
