Help with translation of letter from UVI

[katecapps@earthlink.net]

We received a letter from the UVI and we can't quite translate this part:

Päätös Ulkomaalaisvirasto toteaa esitetyn selvityksen perusteella, että hakija ja kanssahakijat ovat Suomen kansalaisia vireilletulopäivastä lukein.

Thank you.

Kate (in Berkeley, California)

[Hank W.]

As the "decision: applicant and co-applicants are to be considered Finnish Citizens from the day of submitting the application", I think you ought now enroll on some course to learn Finnish to appreciate the fact

(Though to understand Finnish bureaucratese I think that'd require advanced level 4 atleast, as the phraseology is totally removed from "real life".)

[mrshourula]

Agree with your comment about learning language & culture -and actually my partner's first language was Finnish (he is first generation Finnish-American) --and he still speaks it with his father (who is almost 90 years old now) and his brother's family. So conversationally, he is fairly fluent (although he tends to speak like a very old man even though he is only 45 as he grew up with Finnish-speaking grandfather and father) but reading/writing is more challenging.

We were able to to translate to understand the "gist" of what was being written but were curious how close we actually were.

Best,
Kate

[sammy]

As the "applicant and co-applicants are to be considered Finnish Citizens from the day of submitting the application", I think you ought to learn Finnish to appreciate the fact

Yeah, easy everyday words like "vireilletulopäivä" should be in every beginner's vocabulary after a couple of lessons

But don't worry Kate - the official red tape language of Finland, an example of which you've got, is sometimes pretty hard to understand even if you're a Finn

Anyway welcome to the club "Suomalaiset People"

[mrshourula]

"Kiitos" for the translation -- ours wasn't quite as elegant.

Kate

[Hank W.]

[Yeah, easy everyday words like "vireilletulopäivä" should be in every beginner's vocabulary after a couple of lessons

What do you mean the "day of setting the snare" isn't clear to everybody?

Its real fun getting a mate stick a KELA letter or one from the tax office to you asing for a translation and you're stumbling yourself trying to figure out if its good or bad. KELA letters are especially bad as they always have the "directions of how to file a complaint against the decision" even they've given you the handout and you wouldn't dream of contesting the decision That catches a lot of people off-guard

[katecapps@earthlink.net]

I'm not sure how those in Finland feel about this five-year window of repatriation for former Finns and their descendants --but my partner and our two children are very proud to be citizens of Finland -- and I am relieved that my children now have a very real alternative to living in the US.

Born and raised in Berkeley, CA my partner's family has always had a strong connection to Finland through the immigrant community that flourished in Berkeley (his maternal grandparents were here by 1920 and his father came after WWII)*. And our children have always strongly identified with their Finnish heritage as well. Our oldest daughter, who will graduate from high school in 2006 , is making plans to spend a "gap year" in Finland in order to study language and culture. Our youngest will follow suit in three years.
-------
*The Finnish community on the West Coast of the US (Seattle, WA to San Francisco, CA) was the second largest in the nation. By 1920, there were 648 Finnish-born listed in the Berkeley census --many of whom moved here from SF after the 1906 earthquake.

In fact, there are even two Finnish Halls in Berkeley. The Finnish Comrade's Association organized in 1907 and built Toverii Tuppa in 1909 (at 1819 10th Street -- in the heart of "Finn Town."). It was built to be a community meeting place and social center and was used by SF Bay Area Finns for social and political purposes. The United Finnish Kalevala Brotherhood Lodge No. 21 was organized in 1911 and they used the Comrade's Hall for meetings until 1917. The Finnish Comrade's Association stopped letting the Finnish Brotherhood use its Hall due to strong differences of opinion regarding the "civil war" going on back in Finland. In 1935 the Brotherhood builts its own Hall on Chestnut St. And so the "Red" Finn Hall and the "White" Finn Hall (just two blocks apart) come to be.

[LottaP]

Oh, now I understand! I always thought it was strange that a friend of mine was able to study Finnish and Law at Berkeley University...

[katecapps@earthlink.net]

Indeed, Finnish is taught at UC Berkeley (by my sister-in-law no less, who is a lecturer in the Scandinavian Dept).

http://ls.berkeley.edu/dept/scandinavia ... rgrad.html

Also, there is the Finnish Studies Program

http://ies.berkeley.edu/fsp/

Overview
The Finnish Studies Program (FSP) was founded in recognition of the importance of Finland and Finnish-American culture in the Bay Area, California and the international community. The Finnish-American community's history in Berkeley includes pioneering contributions such as the co-op movement and the establishment of local halls and churches. With a distinguished Scandinavian department, many faculty in a broad range of disciplines with research interests touching on Finland, and sizable library holdings, UC Berkeley launched FSP following a joint agreement in 1995 with the Finnish government to promote scholarly exchanges between Finnish academic institutions as well as the study of the language, culture and society of Finland. Every year, FSP sponsors a variety of lectures and an annual conference. In 1999 conference on "Challenges to the Network Society" drew more than 500 people. The Finnish Ministry of Education provides partial funding that allows the instruction of Finnish, the only EU language that was not previously taught on a permanent basis in California. In the past, the Institute provided seed using grant money from the Department of Education's National Resource Center Title VI funds. Today, the Finnish Ministry of Education with the University and specifically the Scandinavian Department support the teaching of Finnish.

John Lindow (Scandinavian Studies)
Chair/Director

[khu]

At the Univ. of Washington in Seattle, we have Scandinavian Studies as well (the American definition of Scandinavian including Finland). There a sizeable curriculum on Finnish language and culture there as well!

[katecapps@earthlink.net]

Are you enrolled in the Scandanavian Studies program at UW? My daughter is looking at that program (as well as the one at UOregon) as possibilities for next year (she would be a freshman).

If you are, could we exchange email (mine is my userid) as we'd like to learn more about your experience.

Thank you

Kate

[mrshourula]

We received a letter from Raahen maistraatti and we can tell that it is informing us of these social security numbers for these new Finnish citizens and also inform us of information entered into the Population Registry. But the first paragraph of the cover letter is in bold text and, at least in the USA, that indicates emphasis and we are wondering if it is telling us that we need to do something. If anyone one has a moment to give a brief translation of this paragraph, it would be most appreciated:

Te sekä lapsenne (child's name deleted) ja (child's name deleted) olette saanut Suomen kansalaisuuden ja Teidät ja lapsenne on merkitty Suomen väestötietojärjestelmän poissaolevaan väestöön. Teille on annettu Suomen henkilötunnus, jotka näkyvät oheisilla oteille.

[otyikondo]

Time for congratulations, I feel. The condolences bit will come in good time, don't you worry.

I was up in the Pacific NW a few years back, and was most impressed in Seattle on the "Underground Tour" with the role played in the early years of the city by (mostly very Red) Finns. All the way along the Oregon coast there are similar pockets - in places like Astoria and Seaside for example.

I didn't know about the settlements further south, but that year there was a Finnfest in Seattle at UW, and another a few days later in Vancouver, BC - where of course on Malcolm Island they also have the Sointula connection.

[dar1us]

with the finnish i have learned in 11 months as an exchange student, let me give a try

you and your children have received finnish citizenships; and you and your children have been marked as 'absent population' [those finns who were away, probably immigrants] in the population-information-system. you have been given finnish identification numbers, which you can see [somewhere on the page ].

wow, i imagine getting that letter myself, would feel weird but very nice

Te sekä lapsenne (child's name deleted) ja (child's name deleted) olette saanut Suomen kansalaisuuden ja Teidät ja lapsenne on merkitty Suomen väestötietojärjestelmän poissaolevaan väestöön. Teille on annettu Suomen henkilötunnus, jotka näkyvät oheisilla oteille.

[mrshourula]

for the translation. I think you did a very fine job!

There were attachments to the letter which listed personal information and the henkilötunnus--and I was able to find some information about the henkilötunnus in English on a web site.

Next is applying for passports.

This is a very interesting experience for us as we navigate an unfamiliar bureaucracy in a language we don't speak. It is giving us a glimpse into the immigrant experience -- albeit from a rather privileged position.