Over the past three years, I have completed a 45-credit Master of Business Administration with a special focus in Business Analytics from the Isenberg School of Management at UMass Amherst. I chose this fully online program of study for its depth, breadth, challenge and reputation. Through an international move, two years’ worth of parenting and working in a pandemic, and two epic summer road trips with the kids, I finished it with a 3.93 GPA. Additionally, I qualified for and passed my exam to become a Professional Project Manager (PMP) and became an Evaluation Team Leader for school accreditation visits with the Council of International Schools. 

Let me just say it has been NON-STOP. I would sometimes wake up at 4am to study before work, or stay up late to join optional synchronous class sessions taking place in Massachusetts. Every weekend was planned months in advance to make sure I could keep up with the pace of the classes. I usually took 6 graduate credits per semester in order to qualify for student loans, so I had to plan every hour to fit everything in. It was absolutely worth it, and I discovered some key passion areas such as lean management, organizational behavior, business intelligence, and project management while also getting a solid foundation in areas such as business law, corporate finance, and organizational strategy.

I could never have done this alone. I first need to thank my kids, Gabriel and Arianne, who showed endless patience during my study times and have learned to love quick ramen dinners. Thank you to Vikesh, who believed that I could achieve this from the beginning. To Leena, our wonderful nanny in India, who took care of everything so I could focus on studies, and who made the most amazing food to keep my energy up! To Freda, our babysitter and housekeeper in Korea, who has shown endless adaptability while managing our schedules through the pandemic, and who is so creative with keeping the kids active and happy. To Duarte, for always being willing to organize our co-parenting schedules so that I could get done what I needed to do.  

Thank you to my applied learning team members – John, Nate, and Rob – who have encouraged me every step of the way and helped me to find balance, joy, and meaning through the challenges. Thank you to KIS School Director, Michelle, for the encouragement and flexibility; I could always feel positive about scheduling a personal day to take a big exam or finish a project, and I’ve had plenty of opportunities to use my MBA skills at work. 

To my parents, sister, family, colleagues, and friends around the world, I appreciate all of your encouragement and belief that I could finish. To my professors and peers at UMass, it was a wonderful journey to take together. To all the friends who have stayed with me through the challenges, thank you! 

And so, to celebrate this accomplishment, I decided to go on a little graduation adventure. I had half of winter break to work with, and I’ve always wanted to go to Lapland, so I booked a direct flight to Helsinki and a domestic flight up to Rovaniemi at the Arctic Circle. I won’t likely be able to get back to the US to walk in the Isenberg graduation ceremony in May 2022 (including winter 2022 grads), so I packed my cap and hood and off I went for some outdoor adventures. 

I’ll be posting more about the trip, but a few highlights were: ice climbing at a frozen waterfall, horseback riding in the snow, forest skiing, a mountaineering course, taking a dog-sled ride, learning how to use a Finnish sauna, and snowmobiling in the taiga. I also spent a few days in Helsinki seeing the sights, thrifting, enjoying a bit of spa time, and getting a curly-girl haircut. Fellow curlies, you know how exciting this is! A non-stop degree to a non-stop vacation, although I did have time to read a few books since each Arctic winter day only had about 4 hours of daylight.  

I took a few graduation photos outside in the sub-zero temperatures, a black fleece on hand instead of the bulky graduation gown. Now it feels like I’m done! Time for the next chapter of life. I am excited for whatever adventures are in store. 

One of the things I was most excited to do was to try dog-sledding with huskies in Finnish Lapland. As part of a tour booked through Visit Rovaniemi, I went to Raitola Reindeer & Husky Farm where I got to take a short ride on a dog sled. You can also book self-driving tours, where you learn to drive your own sled, and multi-day excursions where you sleep in the wilderness with your team of dogs. The best season for multi-day husky safaris is from February to March when there is sufficient snow and daylight hours for longer journeys.

The short husky ride and farm visit is great for families, and you’ll have plenty of time to see the dogs. The Siberian huskies, which are purebred, are used for the short rides around the farm. The Alaskan huskies are the dogs that do the multi-day excursions.

The sleds take 4 people, and if you’re in a smaller group you’ll be asked to combine so that the weight stays similar for the dogs on each ride. The tallest riders go in the back, while shorter riders and children go in the front. The dogs go quite quickly, but you’ll have a professional driver on the sled to give commands.

One of my favorite things about the husky farm visit was exploring the grounds and warming up in the wooden shelter, or kota. In the kota, you are served hot juice and cookies while one of the farm’s staff shares facts about the dogs. Overall, it was a fun and low-key activity with lots of opportunity to see the dogs in action. If I can go again, I’d definitely want to do a longer self-driving tour into Lapland’s wilderness.

Right next door, you can visit Raitola Reindeer Farm. If you’re interested in Lapland’s capital, check out this post about Exploring Rovaniemi.

In Finnish Lapland, there are more reindeer than people. The 200,000 reindeer are domesticated and cared for by local reindeer herders. As a tourist, you can visit these majestic animals at a reindeer farm and even have a chance to be pulled in a sleigh. While Laplanders prefer speedy snowmobiles to reindeer travel these days, it’s easy to visit Raitola Reindeer & Husky Farm near Rovaniemi City to try this traditional form of arctic transportation.

I booked my tour with Nordic Unique Travels through the Visit Rovaniemi website. You can combine a reindeer sleigh ride with a husky farm visit, northern lights chasing, ice fishing and many more activities depending on the season. Reindeer farms can be visited year round. Going in winter was fun because there was a lot of snow on the tracks.

After your sleigh ride, you’ll be able to warm up in a wooden shelter called a kota. At Raitola Reindeer Farm, they served hot juice and cookies. The reindeer farm owner came to answer questions and tell guests some facts about reindeer. This is a very family-friendly activity, with sleds and piles of snow around for kids to use while waiting their turn for the sleigh. Most of the tour companies will pick you up and bring you to their office first in order to be outfitted in warm winter gear, including snow boots and arctic overalls.

Raitola also has an on-site restaurant, which I didn’t eat at but smelled and looked amazing with mains such as creamy salmon soup and sautéed reindeer with mashed potatoes and lingonberry jam. Many tour groups go to the farm, so it’s best to book your sleigh ride and tour ahead of time.

For more on what to do in Rovaniemi city, including where to shop and eat, check out this post.

Rovianiemi is the capital of Finnish Lapland. This city of approximately 60,000 residents is known as the official home of Santa Claus and serves as a jumping-off point for many of the region’s excursions. If you’re looking for a place to shop for winter gear, browse Lappish souvenirs, relax at a trendy bar or cafe, or simply stay in one place while day-trip providers organize your travel details, this is the place. 

The city is quite walkable and pedestrian-friendly. I visited during the dead of winter, when there are only 3 hours of daylight and 21 hours of darkness. Whenever I was approaching a snowed-over crosswalk, cars and trucks would stop and wave me on even if I hadn’t yet pressed the crosswalk signal. Families tugged kids around in sleds, and the paths were well lit. 

Accommodation 

Hotels in the city center book up quickly in the winter season. I ended up booking a small, single room at Guesthouse Borealis, a cute bed and breakfast slightly west of town but near the railway and bus stations. There wasn’t much available under 100€ per night when I was looking a few weeks before my trip, except shared bunk rooms in dormitory-style hostels. 

The family resorts like Santa Claus Village are located further from town and tend to be pricey. Other properties are more remote and have rooms with glass walls or ceilings for better chances of viewing the northern lights away from the city’s light pollution. These are also on the high-end, often have perks such as private saunas, and should be booked well ahead of time. I  opted for the city so I could easily get to the main sights, shop, and catch the ski bus onward to Pyhätunturi.  Rovaniemi city is also a convenient pick up point for many excursions such as dog sledding, reindeer farm visits, and snowmobiling.

Rovaniemi Culture Pass 

With the Culture Pass, you can pay for three main Rovaniemi attractions on one ticket: Arktikum, Pilke Museum, and Korundi House of Culture. All are within walking distance of the city center, and you can easily see them all in one day. The pass was valid for seven days from the first use as of Jan 2022. I most enjoyed the Arktikum Science Centre & Museum which is focused on life in the Arctic. Inside is a small theater where you can watch a six-minute simulation of the northern lights. 

The Science Centre Pilke is more for kids under 5, so I was in and out quickly. I wouldn’t recommend it with other older kids, as you’ll need to go up two big flights of stairs, check in, and then down two big flights of stairs. Most of the exhibits are meant for interactive play for younger kids; I saw several happy toddlers stacking boxes and climbing on board the tractors. 

Korundi House of Culture had some interesting modern art exhibits, mostly sculpture and abstract. All of these attractions have nice gift shops where you can buy souvenirs. I bought my culture pass online ahead of time, which seemed to cause more confusion than simply buying it for the same price on site at one of the three locations. Make sure you get a yellow card that you can use to go back during the seven-day validity period. 

Shopping 

Rovaniemi has a quaint central square lined with shops as well as large indoor shopping centers. Revontulli and Rinteenkulma are located near the town center and connected by a pedestrian walkway. If you need winter gear or clothing, there are options for men, women, and children’s sizes, although I did not see much plus-size clothing.  Supermarkets are on the lower levels if you are self-catering and need to stock up on supplies or snacks. 

Finland is well-known for its thrifting culture, and I enjoyed browsing second-hand clothes near Lordi’s Square at SMUK. Inside Rinteenkulma shopping mall, my favorite shop was Taiga Koru jewelry where I was able to pick up some silver pieces with Lappish designs. I browsed the site ahead of time and chose my favorites, otherwise I totally would have blown my budget! 

Eating 

Rovaniemi has a number of international and Finnish restaurants. Amusingly, a Saigon noodle restaurant is located right next to Rang Mahal Indian restaurant. Having lived in Vietnam and India, it was fun to see those cuisines come from the tropics and the desert up to the Arctic Circle. For cheap eats, you can find bakeries, pizzaries, and kebab shops. I had lunch at the chic Cafe & Bar 21, a delicious salmon soup alongside a seasonal cocktail. Other patrons were ordering these huge waffles topped with salad and chicken or pulled pork, and the cafe also had a selection of pastries and gelato. All the tables were full; you might want to make a reservation. I also enjoyed the family-style restaurant Rosso, near Nordic Unique Travels office, where I got to try pizza with reindeer meat.

Covid Info 

At the time of my visit in December 2021, all adults were required to wear masks while walking around the city. Vaccine confirmation was needed to enter restaurants, bars, and museums. I used the Korean COOV app alongside a photo ID since I don’t have the EU vaccine passport. The city has signs up everywhere to remind people to wear masks and practice good hygiene. The most amusing one is “Find your inner Finn – keep social distance.” I felt quite safe walking around and people were very friendly when checking my vaccine information. Covid testing centers were set up in various places, including a 9Lives testing center (closed 4pm) in Lordi’s Square. Travelers could use the FinnEntry app to find places to do Covid tests for travel. I wasn’t able to register with my Korean phone number, but I was able to write to FinnEntry customer service and get the information I needed. 

The northeast coast of South Korea offers access to the Goseong Unification Observatory Tower and the well-curated DMZ Museum. Until visiting, I didn’t know how big DMZ tourism is for domestic tourists within Korea. I was surprised at how much of a destination these sites are, and I’m definitely interested in making my way along the northern border to see as many other DMZ tourism sites as possible. 

Planning Your Trip to the Goseong DMZ 

You’ll need a personal vehicle to register and get through the checkpoint. There are sometimes buses, although I didn’t see them anywhere and nothing is listed in Naver Maps public transport details. These travelers from Open Road Before Me were able to hitch a ride with another family entering the zone. However, in Covid times with a 4-person maximum per travel group, this would be tough. Bring your own vehicle or rent a car to get in. Give yourself at least 3 to 4 hours in order to explore the observatory, coastal area, and museums. You’ll need to exit through the security checkpoint at the civilian control line before 5:30pm. 

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