Hi, I'm Heidi Jokela! I am the energetic entrepreneur of Polar Star Travel, Polar Meetings and Lapland Nature Experience. In addition, I am the mother of a "bonus extended family" and the "nonna" or grandmother of three little princesses. I am the beating heart of my companies and our home.
In this blog, I want to open a window to the roller coaster of my life, share moments in Lapland's nature, and open up my everyday life as a mother of a "bonus family", a family entrepreneur, a career woman and a global citizen, and my search for a healthy - and as natural as possible - life.
The loves of my life are my five sons, daughter and three sweet nonna's (grandmother's) mussukas, my husband and business partner Juha and the Lapland fells. I wouldn't trade any of these. Every morning brings something new when it comes, and come what came, nature always delights me.
From Helsinki to Europe and Back
I am from Helsinki, but before moving to Lapland I lived in Europe for 18 years: Italy, Russia, Portugal and Great Britain. I studied languages at the University of Rome, after which I worked in marketing and sales positions in the tourism industry in Europe, mainly in Italy.
Lapland's wonderful possibilities as a tourism mecca opened up for me when I was working in the Italian sales of the Restel hotel chain and doing marketing for the Italian Tourism Promotion Center and Finnair.
I returned to Finland in December 2004. However, the dark and slushy winter in Helsinki did not feel like my own and I applied for a job in Rovaniemi at the legendary Hotel Pohjanhov. I spent a year in Rovaniemi, during which I got to know Lapland's arctic nature and tourism industry operators.
To and Above the National Circle
From Rovaniemi, my road led to Levi, where I led a project aimed at developing Levi's snow-free period and smoothing seasonal fluctuations. When I arrived in Levi, I felt that I wanted to put down roots here in Lapland. The fell landscapes and the incredibly beautiful eight seasons enchanted me. I met my local man Jokela Juha and that was it.
I became the mother of a large family and with Juha I also got three bonus sons and a daughter. In 2007, our family grew with twin boys, and my husband and I founded a travel company - and we are still on that path.
The peak years have continued for 15 years; we have run the entrepreneur's family with children, moved a log frame from Härmä to Lapland and built a traditional log house from it for our family. It is a real 100 % eco house! We have also founded two companies and lived with emotion, close to nature, as has always been traditionally done in Lapland.
Rooted in the Falls
Love for Lapland's nature, fells, unique local culture and wonderful people have made me root for Levi. Here, the light is special every moment: in the blue moments of the kaamos, bright spring days, in the sunlight of the nightless night and in the dark autumn evenings when the northern lights are blazing.
You can really notice the change of seasons. I love the authentic atmosphere of Lapland and the fact that here everyone can be themselves. In the season, people make circular days, but then, as spring progresses, you can sit on top of the fell and admire the fell scenery that continues to the horizon.
Arctic nature is not exotic here, but an important part of everyday life. Children ski or kick sled to school and on a berry excursion you can grab water from the spring with a stick. Here we collect the berries, mushrooms and yrits ourselves. We get reindeer meat from local reindeer herders and venison is used in almost every family.
Here, "Lapland's madness" affects every day. Those who arrived by train and the locals form a unique network, where it is nice to work as an entrepreneur and develop Levi together. Levi has always had plenty of strong personalities. Here, "crazy" ideas have been believed and together they have been made into Levi's strengths.
