Compiled with the help of artificial intelligence, based on Spanish-language information. Source below the article.
From freezing Finland to the sunny south
Tua Sjöblom spent much of her life dreaming of leaving behind Finland’s freezing winters and settling somewhere warmer. But she waited until retirement to turn that idea into reality. At 65, she sold her house, said goodbye to her children and grandchildren, and arrived in Tenerife alone with just two suitcases. She had no permanent home lined up and no certainty that her new life would work out as she hoped. She gave herself a month to find a long-term rental and start from scratch on an island she knew only from holidays taken with her children.
More than six years on, Tua is still living in Tenerife. Now 71, she resides in Costa del Silencio, in the municipality of Arona, and says she is grateful to have had the chance to fulfil a dream she had put off for decades. “I have always hated Finnish winters,” she explains in an interview given to the publication Kotona Living. The cold caused her various aches and pains, and for some time she had been wondering which country she could move to on her own and manage without depending on anyone.
Meticulous planning before the big move
Before retiring, Tua worked as a services manager in Finland. Her move was not entirely improvised. In the years leading up to it, she had researched her options and joined a Facebook group for Finns living in Tenerife, where she made her first contacts. When the time came to retire, even her boss congratulated her on the courage of moving abroad alone.
Spain and Turkey had been her two final choices, but she ultimately settled on Tenerife because of the climate, the safety, and her previous holiday experiences on the island. She also carefully studied which part of Tenerife best suited her needs. She was looking for a quiet area, with services nearby, away from the noise of the main tourist resorts and without too many slopes. In the end, she chose Costa del Silencio.
Family support from afar
Leaving Finland, however, meant moving away from her two adult children and her grandchildren. Her daughter Anni was actually one of the people who most encouraged her to fulfil her dream. She understood that they could visit during the holidays and turn her mother’s home into a kind of family residence for spending time in Tenerife.
A rocky start and a home found through neighbours
The beginning of Tua’s new life was not without problems. After selling her home in Finland, she landed in Tenerife with two suitcases and the aim of finding a stable home within four weeks. Her first rental lasted barely a few days. Shortly after moving in, she discovered the house had damp and mould and had to leave. She then found another property in the complex where she still lives today, but it was too expensive and had such a gloomy terrace that both she and her plants suffered from the cold.
The solution came through her new neighbours, who told her about another flat available in the same complex. It was a two-bedroom home with a kitchen, living room, and a large sunny terrace. The property was not in good condition initially, but Tua decided to renovate it. She painted the walls herself and hired professionals to carry out the electrical work. She also repaired doors and wardrobes, replaced the bathroom lights, and renewed the taps and kitchen worktop.
A terrace garden and a new daily routine
The terrace has since become one of her favourite spots. There she grows chillies, raspberries, papayas, flowers, and various climbing plants. In the afternoons, she also likes to swim in the complex’s pool. Distance has not broken her relationship with her children and grandchildren. Tua travels to Finland when she finds affordable flights and keeps in touch through video calls. When her daughter decided to become a mother again, the Finn returned to her home country to support her during the birth.
The family also spends time in Costa del Silencio. Her daughter and two grandchildren have stayed with her for several months at a time, taking advantage of maternity leave and the possibility of the eldest child temporarily continuing her studies remotely.
Life with Calvin the dog and a stray cat
When she is alone, Tua shares her home with Calvin, a dog adopted from a shelter in Las Chafiras, and a stray cat that appeared at her door one day and decided to stay. Walks with her animals and conversations with neighbours have allowed her to meet people and build a new social circle. Her routine begins each morning with a walk with Calvin. Then she has breakfast, reads novels that she swaps with other Finns living in Tenerife, tends her plants, and knits garments for her family. In the afternoon, she goes out with the dog again and sometimes meets friends or swims in the pool.
No regrets: “You only live once”
Tua acknowledges that living in another country has also allowed her to appreciate certain aspects of Finland differently. In Tenerife, she has encountered difficulties, from problems with rentals to a social inequality she considers more visible. Despite this, she does not regret selling her house and arriving alone on the island with two suitcases. Her explanation is simple: “You only live once.”
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