Became a member in: 2019
Renewal Date: 28/Jul/2022
We're a family of five: the parents Marja and Olavi and the three young adult children Tuuli, Eetu and Turkka. We have been swapping homes throughout Europe and in Canada since 2010 through another home exchange association.
Marja is a trained expert by experience in the field of healthcare. Olavi runs a pet shop in town. Both are semi retired. Daughter Tuuli, 23, and son Eetu, 21, have moved out to study at universities but enjoy traveling with us during their vacations. Our youngest son Turkka, 19, still lives at home and goes to high school.
We all like to do different things in our spare time. Marja does carpet design and weaving, baking, postcrossing and many different sports, and Olavi is into carpentry. Eetu likes to play musical instruments and fix computers. Turkka does a lot of outdoor sports and is a skilled simulator car racer. Both guys like video games. Tuuli is into music, movies, languages and martial arts. We all go bowling, disc golfing, biking and of course traveling together, and we love coffee, ice cream and escape rooms.
Additional languages spoken
English
Affinities
Plants & Gardens,
Pets,
Watersports,
Skiing,
Cycling / Mountain Biking,
Hiking,
Foodies,
Yoga / Meditation,
Music Lovers
MoreLessAffiliations
Retirees,
Homemakers,
Medical & Healthcare Professionals,
Technology Professionals,
Science / Research
MoreLessProfession
pet shop owner and expert by experience (Retired)
Simultaneous Home Exchange
Hospitality Exchange Wanted
Smoking Not Allowed
Children Welcome
Use of Personal Car is preferred
Open to all dates | United States | California, United States | New York Metropolitan Area, United States |
Open to all dates | Iceland | Netherlands | Denmark |
Open to all dates | Norway | Portugal |
Open to all dates | Open to all destinations |
Open to all dates | Australia | New Zealand |
Description of the home we are offering for exchange
We had our four-bedroom, two-bathroom house built in 2002. Our house has a light-filled kitchen with all necessary amenities, a private sauna with an electric sauna stove and a cozy garden. We have underfloor heating and air conditioning which keep the house comfortable all around the year.
Type
House - single floor/ Main Residence
Amenities
Entertainment
Extras
Setting
Description of our neighbourhood and surrounding area
Our house is located in a quiet, green residential area 2.5 km (1.5 mi.) from the town center of Pieksämäki. Many of the sights and activities of the town are located right in our neighborhood and within walking distance. The services of the town (grocery stores, marketplace, library, pharmacy etc.) are easily reached by our car, which we can exchange as well. In the summer, you can also ride to town on our bicycles.
You can enjoy various sports and the outdoors around the year right next to our home. There are various sports facilities - golf, tennis, soccer and disc golf grounds, swimming beaches, forest trails, outdoor fitness stairs, a kayaking club... - just nearby. In the winter, our house is a stone’s throw away from various well-maintained ski tracks in the forest, on the field and on the ice of the lake, as well as a tour skating track. There is also a newly renovated indoor swimming hall within walking distance, and a winter ice swimming spot at the lake for the daring!
The most important cultural sights in our neighborhood and in Pieksämäki are the old rectory Iso-Pappila and the Old Church, both of which represent the traditional wooden architecture of the area. There is also the cultural centre Poleeni, which is home to a library, a theater, a café and a music school, among other things. Additionally, there are a few small museums, including the charming Savonian Railroad Museum.
Outdoor Activities
Leisure
Cultural Activities
Transport Nearby
Neighbourhood Services
Our home exchange - places to go and things to do while staying in our home
The town of Pieksämäki is small but centrally located at a rail and road crossing the heart of the Finnish Lakeland. Several larger cities (Jyväskylä, Mikkeli, Kuopio, Savonlinna and Varkaus) with lively culture, all sorts of activities, renowned Finnish architecture and design, and fascinating history are within 30 to 75 minutes by car or train.
Helsinki is three hours by train and four by car; since that is where you usually fly, it’s convenient to spend either the beginning or the end of your vacation getting to know the capital region. Rovaniemi at the Arctic Circle is six to seven hours away. You can even take the train to St. Petersburg, which is only four hours by train at best and only requires one change of trains.
Our area, the Lakeland, is excellent for experiencing something very Finnish: the Everyman’s Rights. In Finland, every person is granted permission by law to spend time in the nature on anyone’s land or forest walking, biking, horse riding, swimming, plucking berries and mushrooms, picking flowers, and angling. Our town is surrounded by plenty of forest and nature which is just right for such activities. There are also a couple of national parks nearby and forest cabins in untouched wilderness which are worth a visit.
Leisure and cultural activities
Walks or jogging paths
Interesting day trips
Our home exchange - here are our Preferences and House Rules
We like our house clean and tidy and would expect to find it pretty much the way we left. We have full insurances for our house and car and would prefer if you had them for yours as well. The only restriction to car exchanges is no driving to Russia since our insurance doesn't cover that, but there are a few daily train connections from Pieksämäki to St. Petersburg if you wish to go.
We have a dog, but since it's quite labor-intensive to take care of him, he will be boarded in a dogsitter family when we travel. Correspondingly, we would wish to exchange with partners without pets that need everyday care.
A couple of members in our family are extremely allergic to mold dust. For this reason, we would kindly ask you to refuse from exchanging with us if you have/suspect any mold or damp problems in your house.
Conditions
Use of Personal Car
Home Exchange Type
Became a member in: 2019
Renewal Date: 28/Jul/2022
We're a family of five: the parents Marja and Olavi and the three young adult children Tuuli, Eetu and Turkka. We have been swapping homes throughout Europe and in Canada since 2010 through another home exchange association.
Marja is a trained expert by experience in the field of healthcare. Olavi runs a pet shop in town. Both are semi retired. Daughter Tuuli, 23, and son Eetu, 21, have moved out to study at universities but enjoy traveling with us during their vacations. Our youngest son Turkka, 19, still lives at home and goes to high school.
We all like to do different things in our spare time. Marja does carpet design and weaving, baking, postcrossing and many different sports, and Olavi is into carpentry. Eetu likes to play musical instruments and fix computers. Turkka does a lot of outdoor sports and is a skilled simulator car racer. Both guys like video games. Tuuli is into music, movies, languages and martial arts. We all go bowling, disc golfing, biking and of course traveling together, and we love coffee, ice cream and escape rooms.
Additional languages spoken
English
Affinities
Plants & Gardens,
Pets,
Watersports,
Skiing,
Cycling / Mountain Biking,
Hiking,
Foodies,
Yoga / Meditation,
Music Lovers
MoreLessAffiliations
Retirees,
Homemakers,
Medical & Healthcare Professionals,
Technology Professionals,
Science / Research
MoreLessProfession
pet shop owner and expert by experience (Retired)
Over 70 years of home exchange experience
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