If you asked me five years ago today what I imagined doing with my life and I told you I was 60km North of the Arctic Circle in Finland and training my own Siberian husky sled dog team, I would have never believed you. But here I am sitting in my traditional Finnish log cabin wondering where it all began. My journey to the Arctic was an adventure I never really imagined until one day when I was flicking through travel sites and stumbled across a page which read 'Work in a Siberian husky reindeer farm in the Arctic'. Immediately I was drawn to the images which showed groups of huskies sleds dog teams, reindeer, northern lights and incredible scenery. It wasn't long before I had signed up to a site called Work Away which for $30 a year allows you to contact hosts from all around the world. I contacted a company in Finnish Lapland and it wasn't long before I had a reply. After a few weeks of sending resumes and cover letters I was accepted for a 6 week work away and well here I am!
I did not know what to expect when arriving here at Korvala. It was a beautiful day, the sun was shining and I was greeted by Jaana (my boss) and two other volunteers who I now call great friends! Before arriving here I have had no experience with dogs at all, so you can imagine my face when I was greeted by 70 barking huskies! It was ridiculously overwhelming and I didn't know how I would ever be able to handle them. But five weeks later and after spending hours with these beautiful creatures, I can now tell you what dogs steal food out of the buckets, the dogs who kick and scratch you, the dogs that just want a cuddle and the dogs that just want a fight, the dogs that love to run and the dogs that don't like to run, the dogs that cry and even the dogs that sound like Michael Jackson.
A typical working day here consists of morning work which can include cleaning cabins, Ironing, pulling down trees, marking routes across the forest, picking berries and potatoes, building kennels etc. As the weather has gotten got colder we have started to train the dogs. This means driving a quad bike with 8 to 10 dogs attached to the front pulling the sled across routes in the forest. And let me tell you now I did not know how tough and strong I was until I had to harness ten dogs and put them on the gang lines ready for them to run. By far the most ridiculous thing I have ever done!
The last five weeks have been nothing short of amazing! I've been hiking, seen the Midnight Sun, I've eaten blueberries and raspberries from the ground, I've swam in crystal clear lakes, seen the Northern Lights four times, baked myself in Finnish saunas, eaten a reindeer burger and meet some incredible and inspiring people! I am constantly dirty and covered in mud, raw meat or dog fur and pretty convinced that I smell like a dog (here's hoping I can get through customs when I leave) but I would not have it any other way. I am so glad I spontaneously took the chance to come here. For anyone seeking a real adventure or a journey into the wild do not hesitate, just go for it! I have loved every single minute here and already planning my next trip here!
