Return to Finland

[@oscargold1554]

Very beautiful. Your daughter looks like a finn and her reactions were 100% finnish 😊👌🏻

[@kenwilliams12]

Thanks, she fit in just fine and would love to go back.

[@uniqueflowsnake]

I was gonna say almost exactly the same! Such subdued behaviour common to us finns. Looks 100% like a finn too!

[@uniqueflowsnake]

We had some distant cousins visit us on the west coast of finland some years ago. They seemed to have a similar experience to yours! Lovely that you made the trip. Very moving! Ty for making the video!

[@jenniferriggs1900]

I'm in tears watching this video. Thank you for making it. My great-grandmother was from Ylitornio and immigrated to the US in 1914 at age 17, alone. She ended up settling in Brush Prairie, Washington State, which also has a Finn Hill neighborhood. Unfortunately I had virtually no contact with that side of my family, even though I grew up right over the river in Oregon. I've done some genealogy work over the years, and research into the homelands of my ancestors, and nowhere on earth calls to me more than Finland. My financial situation means I'll likely never see the land I feel is my true home, so I live vicariously through videos like yours. Thank you again.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you so much for watching our film. I am interested in your great grandmother‘s courageous journey and by the way I have been to Brush Prairie. I did not know about their Finnish population. The Finnish people have such an interesting background and I am glad to hear that you’ve done some work to connect to your homeland and I’m glad in some small way I was able to bring some connection for you. Kiitos Jennifer.

[@vozERi]

This video is honestly bringing tears to my eyes because of the appreciation of my country and its beautiful nature. And how well you are showing the 'real us'. I also do appreciate the choice of music you have put in the video. We have kind of a rough history as well because of the Winter War, yet we got to keep our independence. Kiitos Ken & Caroline!

[@kenwilliams12]

vozERi Thank you - you made my day with your comments. If there’s something I can do to honor the Finnish people especially the brave soldiers who fought in the war then I’m so glad I can do this.

[@vozERi]

@@kenwilliams12 I sometimes feel bad when sometimes I don't appreciate all the beautiful things around me. Traveling sure helps but videos like these just make me realize how unique place this is and I should value it even more. The winter and the lack of sun (vitamin D!) can really affect our moods and can be quite rough mentally at times, but we should not forget how peaceful and beautiful it is at the same time. EDIT: By the way, I like how your calming voice, how you edit the videos (I know it can be a loong process sometimes) and your camera control! Please keep up with your good work, I can't wait to see your next video! With best regards, a true Finn.

[@karikookoo]

@@kenwilliams12 Put the candle on fire 06.12. on Finish independent day and listen Jean Sibelius Finlandia hymns. kzbin.info/www/bejne/fGbdmJKXm56VbsU and think breve Finnis soldiers.

[@kenwilliams12]

@@karikookoo What a wonderful idea. Thank you for the suggestion

[@karikookoo]

@@kenwilliams12 you can find hier in youtube names Larry Thorne ( Lauri Törni) Simo Hayha. War heroes in Finland and Thorne US army too.

[@ImForwardlook]

You guys are the most quiet and soft spoken Americans I've ever seen and I've been to 43 states. Finnish ancestry is a given lol. My uncle moved to the US at the age of 17, he participated in the Korean War and became a police officer in Chicago marrying Miss Chicago. Unfortunately he passed in the early 60:s before I was born. Thank you for a pleasant video.

[@kenwilliams12]

Yes I guess there’s no question we have finish ancestry then lol. Thanks very much for watching and what an interesting family history you have as well. I think it’s great that you’re connected with your family and be sure to pass it on to future generations like we’re going to do with this film.

[@Jesus-The-Everlasting-Father]

They’re not Americans, they’re Finnish , that’s why they’re soft spoken 🤣

[@Jesus-The-Everlasting-Father]

The loudest tourists i have ever come across with are the Asians. I am Asian and i condemn my own people for being too loud abroad.

[@lenzikka]

Hope you will come back to see midsummer in Finland, those days when the sun doesn't go down.

[@kenwilliams12]

Lenzikka We definitely want to come back and it would be a completely different experience to have all that sunlight instead of darkness at about 4 PM. I’m sure the experience would be just as good as the visit we had in the winter. Thanks for watching the movie I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@sing759]

what a lovely and beautiful video, it's like travelling back throught Time, thanks for sharing with us....

[@kenwilliams12]

Thanks for watching and I'm glad you enjoyed our film.

[@san2_]

Very good and warmhearted video. You enjoyed all the same things as I do here. Welcome back!

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching. We really enjoyed Finland

[@NorthMoon.666]

Such a beautiful video. This Finn says thank you and kiitos.

[@kenwilliams12]

Northmoon Thank you for taking time to watch the video and I’m happy that you liked it. You live in a fantastic country!

[@petrusinvictus3603]

I was in the Navy, say so more...

[@scanpolar]

Very interesting to watch the sledging part of the video with huskies in Lapland

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching and yes it was quite an experience to sled through Lapland in the cold Finnish winter.

[@seranig]

Thank you to the both of you. So good to see you connect with your relatives. I left Malaysia to go to Singapore and work in 1971. My 2 sons were born in Singapore. The Family moved to Perth, Australia in 1992. My Australian born granddaughter will probably find Malaysia and Singapore as fascinating your daughter found Finland. Thank you both once again.

[@kenwilliams12]

I’m so glad that you’re able to reconnect with your family as well. Nothing more important than family

[@mikrokupu]

That was interesting, thanks! I'm from Finland myself, after making a DNA test I found some unknown cousins in Wisconsin. I didn't know my father's uncle had immigrated to US around 100y ago. So many Finns left Finland for N America those days. That 6:30 yellow color was popular especially during the Swedish era, the color comes from the Swedish flag/royals. The Hollola church was a Catholic church originally and became Lutheran after the Protestant reform. In Finland the reform was so powerful that Finland became least Catholic country in Europe and that's still the case. Lapland looks good as always, the tourism has really grown there. I just read someone from the Kardashian family was seen taking selfies in Finnish Lapland. So we are in fashion now I guess :)

[@kenwilliams12]

mikrokupu Thanks for the information and I am glad you found out that you are also Finnish. Yes my grandparents were like so many others that came over here to create a better life and it’s great that you have that connection too. I couldn’t believe how booked Lapland was - We had trouble even finding a place to stay in Rovaniemi although once we did it was fine because you can walk to the city center and there is everything you need there. Thanks for taking a few minutes out of your schedule to watch our film.

[@mikrokupu]

@Alaskan Wolf The orthodox church has around 1% share, 69% are Lutheran. Finland is the least Catholic nation in Europe, with just 0,5% share.

[@mikrokupu]

@Alaskan Wolf The Orthodox church has a similar official status as the Lutheran chrch, both collect "church tax" from their members, through the state income tax. To avoid that you have to sign out officially, the Lutheran church has been shrinking for years now.

[@auvomesilampi6325]

Mine did too.

[@antcommander1367]

yellow color in church actually means richer comparing to red (puna-multa) color, nothing to with swedish.

[@yanihalohalovlogs]

thanks for sharing, I am happy and in tears at the same time.

[@kenwilliams12]

yaniylitalo Thank you for watching and it makes me happy to know that you felt some emotions watching the film - I know I did and still do.

[@aaro3455]

wow interesting video👍😮

[@kenwilliams12]

aaro 345 Thank you for watching and I’m glad you liked it. We had a great adventure. Finland is a fantastic country.

[@TheFuel89]

Thank you guys for a wonderful video. And thank you for being finns somewhere out there!

[@kenwilliams12]

We are proud to be Finns and thank you for watching.

[@SloMo2723]

Nothing like going to the land of your grandmother! In 2017 my daughter and I went back to Scotland where in 1905 my grandfather moved to America from. It was so magical to see his home and to see two churches that my 4 and 5 time grandfathers built and are still being used! The people there treated us so kind and as you know with Finland , there is something that can't be explained about returning to country of your roots! Finland is on my map of a place I want to go see! Great video Ken. All the best

[@kenwilliams12]

Monte Whitefield then you knowand how it felt to stand on the home country soil after so long. Just shaking the hands of a long lost relative is enormously meaningful. I am learning bagpipes I would sure enjoy going to visit Scotland one day

[@user-vx8mh4iy9c]

Beautifully narrated video! Really enjoyed watching

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you so much for watching and glad you enjoyed it. Finland is a fabulous country.

[@KasperiVonSchrowe]

So warm hearted movie, thank you for that. And you guys, you most definitely have Finnish blood in you veins. You seem so much more Finnish than Americans excluding language.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching and your kind comments. Yes we definitely felt at home there in Finland with the relatives.

[@veli-pekkanaumanen9804]

I loved the part at the end with dogs. I was born in Lappland but live in Southern Finland now. It brought so many memories from my childhood and about our family dogs who ran free with me when skiing in the woods. Your daughter is so lovely and so finnish in looks and behaviour.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you very much for watching. We really enjoyed dog sledding in the north. What a great memory to ski in the woods with your dogs. Yes my daughter is as Finnish as they come.

[@terokyngas]

Im crying watching this... Thanks for this! I needed it now, even im not part of any of this....You are totally soooo meitä suomalaisia

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching our film and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@kapten1271]

This video should have so much more views. I loved it! I'm from Northern finland... Kiitos Ken & Caroline! 😊

[@kenwilliams12]

kapten thanks so much for watching.

[@emil.soderholm]

This was a really beautiful video. One day I'll visit Lapland again, I was there with my dad when I was 9 years old, Wish you and Caroline all the best.

[@kenwilliams12]

Yes Lapland is a beautiful place. We loved it up there. Thank you so much for watching and I hope you get to go back soon

[@moonliteX]

caroline seems exactly as talkative as any finn!

[@kenwilliams12]

Yes she is Finnish after all and thank you for watching.

[@cjb34]

Beautiful and heartwarming! ❤

[@kenwilliams12]

Thanks so much for watching!

[@amberlahikainen8128]

Kiitos for making this film of your trip. It inspires me to hold onto my dream of doing the same. My own great grandfather, Malakias Lahikainen also migrated to America in 1905. He was 21, born in Luusniemi. I long to return to Suomi to reconnect. It is wonderful that you had the opportunity to fulfill this dream, and to take your daughter with you.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching our film. How great that you are thinking of reconnecting with your Finnish roots. There’s nothing quite like being back to your own country and following the steps of your great grandfather.

[@DNeiKN]

I live right next to the hollola church, it was nice to see my small hometown in this video! All the best to you guys

[@kenwilliams12]

What a beautiful area. The church is amazing isn’t it? Thanks for watching.

[@helenakoivisto4459]

Very wonderful and interesting video. Thank You. By the way Your daughters hair colour looks so beautiful and so familiar here. Welcome back in middle of summer. It could be a another adventure with sun 24/7. Kiitos.

[@kenwilliams12]

helena koivisto Thank you for your comments and taking time to watch the film. Both Caroline and I would love to come back in the summer. Yes I think my daughter is beautiful and has a beautiful color to her hair as well. When she was very little we trekked in Nepal and all the people are fascinated with her blonde hair as a little girl.

[@helenakoivisto4459]

@@kenwilliams12 The same happened to me when I lived in India. We blond hair women are not so ordinary elsewhere in the world. Tell alll my greetings for your daughter. Have a happy life and thank you for your interested about our life and for me..it was emotional video! Now I live in Helsinki Finland and I am look the same like almost everyone; blond hair woman here. ...So happy video!

[@anikajoseph6641]

Very interesting video ...thank you for sharing.Blessed New Year hyvää Uutta Vuotta 2022.

[@kenwilliams12]

Same to you and thank you for watching our film

[@myrrysmaikku]

Beautiful video, although i’m a bit jealous now 😁

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you so much for watching and I hope one day you can go. It’s a beautiful country.

[@S.p.a.c.e.C.o.w.b.o.y]

Great video and nicely documented. :)

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you so much for watching and I’m happy to hear that you liked it

[@vozERi]

Amazing video. Thank you for this. Wish you all the good from Finland!

[@kenwilliams12]

vozERi Thanks for watching. You live in a great country and we can’t wait to come back.

[@vozERi]

@@kenwilliams12 thank you for the reply. Thank you for your words, please visit us again! All the best for you and your family!

[@mawecom]

Have to say this video was one of the best i seen in a long time as it cover so much more. Letting us follow your path in Finland. As am i a dog lover i really liked the dogsled through the snow-covered Finnish wilderness. Loved when your daughter Caroline had the husky sleeping in her bed. Hope you and your family will come back to watch Finland in the summer as it is just like winter something really beautiful and amazing. Have a great 2019 from the southern part of Finland. If you come back i hope you will see The Archipelago of Tammisaari. It is a beautiful place in the summer.

[@kenwilliams12]

Marco Westerlund Thank you for watching the film and I appreciate your comments. That was pretty funny how Caroline struggled with her lead dog sled trying to go to sleep. We will definitely come back because it such a wonderful country to visit. We have heard from others about how beautiful the archipelago is and is our list to see.

[@pade9206]

Small note: That blue building referred as presidents palace is actually town hall. President palace is the one most right building in same shot. :)

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for pointing that out and thank you for watching our film

[@amadeuz8161]

You can rent the grave spot for a longer time(our family has a atleast 3 or 4 generation spot) and if I remember correct they should just move the stone not destroy it.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thanks for your comment. Yes I thought that was a little strange but I know space is pretty tight. Thanks for watching the film

[@ButterFly-zh8ho]

I was born in Finland but i live in France, a part of my family is from Hollola and many live ever there. My great-grandfather and other family members migrated to New York in the early 1990s, his wife and their children remained in Finland, he died in an accident at the docks where he was working his family at the time remained in Finland, but the others remained in the USA and others migrated to Canada. I haven't been back to Finland for a very long time, it's nice to see videos like this.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for sharing your story. It’s similar to my family story in terms of lots of immigration and moving to different parts of the country. Glad you enjoyed our trip and it’s so great that you are connected with your family history. Thanks for watching the film.

[@jukkaharstela156]

Lovely. Thanks for sharing this. Fantastic how people had found our beautiful country, ofcourse by the old related. Merry x-mas..

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching. We loved Finland and would like to go back in the summer and see a different part where other relatives are from.

[@jukkaharstela156]

@@kenwilliams12 excellent!

[@TukTukElephant]

I really appreciated your video! Thank you!

[@kenwilliams12]

Wonderful and thank you so much for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed it.

[@branchman8047]

Wow! What an awesome video! Welcome home guys!

[@kenwilliams12]

Branchman Thanks very much for watching it was an amazing trip

[@mydearcod9639]

You may left Finland, but Finland never left out of you :D

[@kenwilliams12]

Yes that is true and thank you for watching

[@hemalalwithana1106]

Very beautiful

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching and I appreciate your comment

[@hurri7720]

Some of my relatives who emigrated to the USA also come at times, mostly in the sommer, to Finland. Nice well made video, the 50 year grave thing was new even for me and odd.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thanks for watching. I guess there is only so much room in the cemeteries. Glad that you have connected with your US relatives.

[@TheNismo777]

You just got my sub cuz of this intro! Thank u! Suprised & got really happy

[@kenwilliams12]

Mine Aver Thank you for watching and I am happy that you like the film. Finlandia is such a beautiful piece of music - I literally get a chill down my spine whenever I hear it

[@stinkygraykitty6808]

I love this! How wonderful you did this, I've been to a couple of my ancestral countries, going to Finland in January...yep I'm 5.39% Finnish!!!

[@kenwilliams12]

Thanks for watching and I’m glad you enjoyed the film. It’s great that you’re connecting with your roots as well and happy to hear that you’re at least a small part Finnish!

[@stinkygraykitty6808]

@@kenwilliams12 I'm having a difficult time trying to locate a facility to get a covid test there to come home, the Helsinki airport doesnt know if they will be doing the testing when we need it early Feb. the one place in Rovaniemi allows you only to book 1-2 weeks prior. Yikes we need something we can book today for that time period.

[@kenwilliams12]

@@stinkygraykitty6808 Oh dear, that sounds like a big problem. I certainly hope you can get it worked out and get the test scheduled.

[@stinkygraykitty6808]

@@kenwilliams12 I enlisted the help of my daughter, so together we figured things out....whew! still makes me nervous trying to get a test

[@karloanttila]

What you identified as 'Presidential Place' is not it. More likely the city hall. The Presidential Palace is the last building on the right. And, yes, I was born in Helsinki.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for letting me know

[@lgfrades]

Really awesome video! I can’t wait to meet my Finnish family next summer at our family reunion in Alajärvi. Thanks for sharing your family story.

[@kenwilliams12]

bebina Thanks for watching and glad you liked it. How exciting that you have a family reunion coming up as well. I hope you have a great time

[@lgfrades]

Ken Williams thank you so much! Thanks to the Finns in Finnish Genealogy we were able to trace the family back to the 1400s. Also, you probably know that all the Finns are on Geni.com. Hopefully you will be able to return again soon! 😊

[@kenwilliams12]

bebina Actually I didn’t know that this is very useful information for me. I’m going to do some research and it’s amazing how far back your family history goes. Thanks for letting me know.

[@pona61]

Kauniisti soi 💖🇫🇮

[@slowmotion1798]

Very nice!

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching our film. Glad that you liked it

[@kitnishal961]

You both have sisu!

[@kenwilliams12]

Kitnishal definitely- thanks for watching

[@sepposavinainen2660]

Welcome back :)

[@kenwilliams12]

It was incredible finally making it to my home country.

[@geodezix]

Nice work!

[@kenwilliams12]

geo dezix Thanks for watching the film and I appreciate your comment.

[@markking4476]

Beautifully done. Curious what is your video setup and what editing software do you use?

[@kenwilliams12]

Thanks for your kind words and thanks for watching. I used a Sony DSC RX100 V with a very light aluminum tripod that doubled as a selfie stick. On the dog sledding, I had a chest harness with the camera attached to that. It worked well. Since then I have sold it and bought an Insta360 X2 witch is a far superior camera for those kinds of trips...waterproof, 360 images, incredible stabilization and much smaller and lighter. I use Final Cut Pro X for editing.

[@SUBTT67]

The President’s Palace is actually City hall.

[@kenwilliams12]

Yes someone told me that a while ago so thanks for letting me know and also thank you for watching the film

[@juholaitakari1305]

Caroline seems like a typical Finnish woman!

[@kenwilliams12]

That she is. Thank you for washing.

[@ASHG0824]

Lovely video. What's the name of the dog sledding company you used?

[@kenwilliams12]

ASHG0824 thanks very much for watching and glad you enjoyed it. The dogsledding company was Hetta Huskies. They did a great job and I would highly recommend them. They followed us with a snowmobile which was very helpful especially when I dropped my mitten and realized there’s no way you can back up a dog sled so they just came over, picked it up and gave it to me

[@ASHG0824]

@@kenwilliams12 thank you for replying. I enjoyed hearing about your families heritage and what a amazing trip. I now live in Finland with my Finnish wife and baby daughter. I hope to create memories just like this with my daughter. Thanks again

[@bjorncarneholm4155]

Good

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching.

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

The times they are a changing....

[@kenwilliams12]

Ralf Häggström you got it right-seemed to fit with the reindeer sledding

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

Thsnk You .............

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

BTW ask Your Finnish friends, What is a " PORON- KUSEMA " a "flexible" way of distance ...............

[@kenwilliams12]

Ralf Häggström Now that’s funny I didn’t know this so that’s about 6 miles based on reindeer bladder size.

[@ralfhaggstrom9862]

IT DID. Thank You ..................@@kenwilliams12

[@pona61]

No jotin rotia 💖🎅🌲

[@Ichigoeki]

How can I find that Ieavan polkka-cover? Sounds just like Agents =D

[@kenwilliams12]

Ichigoeki Thanks for watching-here you go: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i3imppZ6Z52arbs

[@hasanhasanov8823]

i am moving to finland for 6 month can you teach me how to live there

[@kenwilliams12]

I am excited for you however we were just visitors. You will know so much more than we did in our short visit. Thanks for watching our film

[@aaro3455]

did you see any northern lights??

[@kenwilliams12]

aaro 345 Unfortunately we did not. It was the only thing that I wanted to do that we were unable to finish. There was one very clear night on our second day of dog sledding and we could see the brilliant stars but there were no northern lights

[@lassemanninen4750]

Not the presidents palace. It is the city hall.

[@kenwilliams12]

Lasse Manninen ok- thanks for the correction

[@helinanurmonen5621]

The Presidents Palace was just next to it in the right tough!

[@jounikorhonen]

What's the song at 2:30??

[@kenwilliams12]

Levan polka- a catchy version of a traditional tune

[@myrrysmaikku]

No it’s Ievan Polokka with an i, that’s ”Eevan Polkka” in an eastern dialect

[@ahto9378]

Im honored to server the Finnish military, this video is very beautiful.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for your service in the military. Every country needs people like you. Thank you for watching our film and I’m glad you liked it.

[@ahto9378]

The very 1st song hits to feelings very hard everytime

[@ahto9378]

my grandfather died to protect this country and many others did it very well

[@kenwilliams12]

@@ahto9378 I’m sure that was during the Soviet invasion- all of those soldiers were very brave and allowed Finland to stay free.

[@ahto9378]

@@kenwilliams12 yes, and still the day in schools they sing the song which starts the video. finlandia hymni

[@OwnedByGalatea]

Welcome to finland Wtf?

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching our film.

[@pvahanen-dh5rt]

The old church books are written in the "old" Finnish letters and script. Today, no one can read it, and especially not the woke people, as if it were Hebrew!. By the way, even in all the remote villages, you can find information about those who left since 1880 (at least) In Finland, everything is documented.

[@pvahanen-dh5rt]

While in office, I have guided and helped two families living in America to find their original home in the "forest". But only with the help of an already old person in the church (half dead in 2024) who knows how to read church books and deduce things from who and from where.

[@kenwilliams12]

Thank you for watching and providing this interesting information. I had heard that everything is documented in Finland and it’s a good thing that it is for family history.

[@pvahanen-dh5rt]

@@kenwilliams12 In the old church book you can read, e.g. Moved to the American state of Michigan, left the village of Tannila in Ii municipality in 1885. That's how accurate the old books are! I know!

[@pvahanen-dh5rt]

@@kenwilliams12 "ii" is a municipality in northern Finland. (Already in the reindeer husbandry area) Shortest name in the world, what a place. A lots of people from here immigrated to America those days.

[@pvahanen-dh5rt]

@@kenwilliams12 If you know the grandparent's name and even a place, city or village in Finland where your ancestor is from, it is possible to find the family roots even with such basic information. Not e.g. Santa is from Korvatunturi!

[@iplmachining]

this dogs are slaves yes

[@kenwilliams12]

Not at all. They love to run and they’re very well taken care of and as they get older they get adopted into families all around the world.