C: I think it is quite normal for couples to have some different ideas for decorating home. As we all know you have two daughters, are they living together with you? What kind of influence do you think your diplomatic post has had on your daughters?
A: They did live with us when they were younger, in my first posting and second posting abroad. But they are not living with us now, we have two daughters the elder is 31 years and the younger is 29 years old. They have already lived their own lives. For the moment, they are both in the Finland, in Helsinki. I think behind your question there maybe is not easy for the family move from one country to another every few years. Kids have to leave behind their friends, their living surroundings, go to new schools meet new culture and so on. And we have examples that family suffered from this, however, we have been very fortunate, maybe because my posting abroad is not so many, I spent a long time each time, so the kids did not has to go. We have been fortunately in schools for our Children, so I think so far kids didn’t need leave their friends And we have been so fortunately to schools we have had for our children. So I think in so far as I can say you should ask kids themselves, I think they are quietly benefited by being with us abroad. Learning language skills they have no chance learning in Finland and learning different cultures from other countries. So this gives them better opportunities and their professional life they are now studying.
C: You have been in China for more than two years, what impressed you most? And which city do you want to visit?
A: And again if I told you all the impress me things about China, we would have to spent a long time here, I’ve been here now 2 and half years, I visited 17-18 provinces, cities I don’t know how many, must be 25-30 different cities. But you have a big number of cities in China so no matter how I tried I’d never be able to travel to all of them. As an Ambassador here I think the most impressive thing I’d like to mention as example is the size of your country and the rapid changes that are taking place in your country, the rapid change for the better economic growth and everything that bring. Looking around you can see every day proves of that happening, but also the challenges and the determination of your officials. All the challenges you are facing during the period of reform. Privately, I tried to study history as much as I can, and Chinese history is a unique thing and it is an exciting and subject to read about, the food, the culture, well, a long list. Let’s stop here.
