Meet Lapinlahti people: Pavel Suokas

Many people in Lapinlahti share this sentiment: nothing would get done without Pavel! In the big, old, historical building there’s often a lot of things to do, so building maintenance has a big role—and Pavel has a big role in building maintenance!

—I’ve worked here for eight months, and until further notice, I will be here until April. I help with items and furniture, other building maintenance assignments, as well as everything else that others don’t have the time to do. I have a lot of ideas about how to improve work methods, Pavel tells using Sign Language. We talk through an interpreter, because Pavel is deaf.

—I came to Lapinlahti through job coaching, and everything has worked well. I have enjoyed myself a lot here.

Pavel says that he hasn’t had issues with communications in Lapinlahti.

—I use gestures, and people show things with their hands a lot. I use Finnish Sign Language. My mother tongue is Russian Sign Language, but I also know Finnish and International Sign. I also write in different languages.

Pavel mostly uses Google Translate, so the hearing person speaks, and Pavel reads the speech as text on his phone’s screen, answering with writing.

—I have been very happy with the atmosphere, and Lapinlahti is like a second home. There are no big challenges. I am at work six hours a day, every other weekday than Thursday. Sometimes my workdays go on longer than intended, and I might be working for ten hours some days. Last Saturday I came to work at 2 pm and left at 10.30 pm.

Pavel describes Finland as a peaceful place.

—The culture is different than in my home country. I was born and raised in Moscow, Russia. Now I have lived in Finland for 21 years. There’s nature, people, and peacefulness here.

Pavel came to Finland in 2003. It was hard to get a job. He studied to be a car mechanic, and worked in the warehouse industry. He lived in Jyväskylä for ten years, but moving to Helsinki didn’t help—it was still hard to find a job.

—Luckily I got here. My dream is to continue working in Lapinlahti. The environment here is so different than anywhere else. In Lapinlahti I do all kinds of jobs, so the work assignments are diverse.

—People are nice and will help others, and there’s a lot of art here. If you’re depressed and anxious, you might get a positive experience from here.

Original text: Siru Valleala

Photo and video: Jukka Leppikangas