Hello, I am Flore and I will take you along in my Lappish adventure. During my internship in Lapland, I not only got to know my internship company Wild About Lapland, but I also discovered the magical winter wonderland and got to know the Finnish culture. From admiring the Northern Lights and the beautiful nature to learning how to make fire and how to survive in the wilderness at -30°C. That’s an unforgettable experience!
Arrival in the winter wonderland: My first impression
I arrived in Rovaniemi, the capital of Lapland, from my home in Belgium on Thursday evening. Due to the winter season and the fact that it is one hour later than in Belgium, it was already dark. So, I could not yet admire the beautiful winter landscapes properly. I did see a small sneak peek that made me very curious to see it in daylight.
The first thing I did the next morning was look outside. And yes, I immediately got a smile on my face. All the trees, houses and roads were completely white, I fell in love immediately. I had really ended up in a winter wonderland. I packed my bags, ordered a taxi and went to my apartment. Once I had my keys and put my bags inside, I went out. I walked to the store to do some shopping so that I could decorate my room a bit. What a wonderful walk that was, I enjoyed every step I took.
My daily routine at Wild About Lapland
Monday, February 3rd was my first day at work, I was very curious. I arrived at the office in the city center and was welcomed openly and warmly. First, I was given a tour around the office building so that I knew where everything was. Then we calmly settled upstairs at the back office, and I received all the technical explanations about the operations and what my tasks are for the entire period. I was really excited to start!
I arrive at the office every morning around 8:30. The first thing I always do is sending the photos from the Northern Lights tours from the night before to the customers. Then I make sure that the cameras are fully charged and prepared for the next tours. I also help to our managers with internal quality control procedures and customer feedback.
Around mid-day I have a half-hour lunch break and then in the afternoon I can join some of our tours. I always look forward to that because then I am the photographer and videographer on duty. I never go on tour without my camera. After we are back at the office after the tour, I transfer the photos, edit them and send them to the customers.
When I am not on tour, I clean up a bit, make TikToks (don’t forget to follow us there) for marketing purposes of our company or help the front desk team with some minor tasks. I never get bored here! On a normal working day, I am done around 16:30. This can of course differ depending on whether you go on tour or not and on which tour. Every day in tourism industry (and especially in Lapland) is different!
How to spend free time in Rovaniemi?
Lapland has several national parks with beautiful landscapes where you can go hiking. So, you have my favourite – Riisitunturi National Park with the magical frozen forest, really breathtaking. You can also go to Korouoma Canyon with the majestic frozen waterfalls or I really like to go to Ranua Wildlife Park where we can see the typical Arctic animals. Rovaniemi also offers many forests where you can go for a walk and enjoy nature. Do you like action? Then I really recommend snowmobiling! Something typical of Finland is the sauna with ice dip, definitely recommended.
Are you a real Christmas person or are you looking for something to do with your children, then visit Santa Claus Village, fun guaranteed. What else can you experience – snowshoeing, ski trekking, ice fishing, visit a traditional reindeer farm or take a sleigh ride with huskies. There is also a small ski resort, you don’t come to Rovaniemi for that, but if you stay here for a longer period it is nice that you can go skiing. Makkara time should not be missed – you make a fire outside where you can cook a sausage and heat up your bread. Finish this off with a little bit of typical Finnish mustard.
The Northern Lights: Real magic
The Northern Lights are truly phenomenal to experience. I had never seen them before I came here. I have seen them a few times now and they are always magical. They had different colors and shapes and were dancing like crazy. Once there was even an explosion, which doesn’t happen often. It’s so crazy that you can’t always see the Northern Lights with the naked eye, but you can see it through your camera or mobile phone. March is the best month to see the Northern Lights and I have noticed that!
Some tips & tricks from my experience in Arctic
- Wear decent shoes. If you go outside in sneakers, there is a chance that you will slip.
- Dress warmly enough. Wear layers, preferably loose clothing.
- Don’t wear cotton socks, because they will make your feet cold. Preferably merino or alpaca wool socks.
- Between -5°C and -15°C is ideal. Then it is cold enough to feel the cold but not to suffer from the cold if you are dressed well enough.
- Use flint and steel to make a fire, a lighter does not work well in -25°C.
How was my internship in Rovaniemi with Wild About Lapland?
It was an unforgettable adventure that I will never forget! I met a lot of new people, I did the craziest things here and I learned a lot. I am very grateful to my mother for giving me a push to register and to my university for this unique opportunity. I also want to thank Wild About Lapland for everything I learned here, it was an educational experience and a great company.
I will often look back on this with a big smile on my face. I love being here so much that I have an idea in my head – I want to come and work here next winter season as a guide. If you are ever in Rovaniemi, definitely book your tour with Wild About Lapland and who knows, I might be your guide!
Are you looking for an internship in Lapland?
Explore your options with your university and send us your application to partners@wildaboutlapland.com!