Shannon Leyko Fell in Love with Rauma’s Carefree Daily Life
Uutinen
American author and influencer Shannon Leyko moved with her family from Alaska to Rauma in early August. Leyko, who hosts the “Paring Down” podcast, has over 800,000 followers on social media. She is delighted with the safety, bike paths, and sense of community in her new hometown.
1. What brought you to Rauma, and how have you settled in?
We moved to Rauma as a family to follow my husband’s three-year work contract. I’m originally from Virginia Beach, USA, and have also lived in New York, Florida, and twice in Alaska—we moved here from Kodiak. Life in Alaska was very similar to life in Finland, right down to the climate.
We’ve been warmly welcomed, which has made settling in easier. For example, our neighbors have helped with the kids’ activities, and locals lent us dishes and mattresses while we waited for our own belongings to arrive.
The youngest member of our family is in daycare, and the two older ones are attending school as part of an immigrant program, where they’re also learning Finnish. The teachers have been really nice, and the kids are excited—they already speak Finnish better than I do!
2. What kind of town is Rauma in your eyes?
We’re adventurous and have always wanted to live abroad, so we jumped at the chance as soon as we heard about the opportunity to move to Finland. I already knew Finland to be an idyllic, safe, and peaceful country with a high-quality education system.
Rauma is a fairly small town, but still larger than Kodiak. There are plenty of great restaurants here and a wide variety of activities for the whole family. The safe and clean living environment ensures that we can focus on enjoying the best aspects of life without any extra worries.
Daily life is made easier by the fact that people speak English well, even though I want to learn Finnish. There are also more familiar things here than I expected, such as Prisma, which is very similar to Walmart in the U.S.
3. Where do you work, and how do you spend your free time in Rauma?
I work in a studio I set up in our home, where I record my Paring Down podcast. In the episodes, I talk with various experts about decluttering, and I want to help listeners let go of the unnecessary. In April 2027, Penguin Random House will publish my book on the subject, Don’t Save the Good Stuff: Declutter Your Life While Celebrating What You Love and Creating Space for What Matters Most. I’ve published one book before and am currently writing my third.
In our free time, we bike a lot, since it’s easy to do so in Rauma, where distances are short. The kids can be more independent in a safe environment—and unlike in Alaska, we don’t have to worry about bears here! I also love the walking trails, which might lead me to Otanlahti Beach, for example.
4. Have you gotten to know the local traditions and events yet?
In September, we went to the Herring Market, where my daughter fell in love with fried vendace. We’ve gone swimming in Lake Turajärvi and visited Moominworld in Naantali—it’s just a short trip from here to nearby attractions. We also make the most of our home’s sauna and the harvest from the apple trees in our yard, and my husband whips up all kinds of treats from the apples.
5. Have you found any favorite spots yet?
The Otanlahti beach area and the renovated Keskuspuisto are important to our family with children and get a lot of use. The beautiful Old Rauma is also one of our favorite places for walks. I’m already looking forward to the Christmas atmosphere and lights there, as we plan to spend Christmas in Rauma and also visit Santa Claus in Lapland.
WHO?
Shannon Leyko
- American author, podcaster, and influencer
- Hosts her own podcast, “Paring Down,” and has over 800,000 followers on social media
- Has previously lived in Virginia, New York, Florida, and Alaska
- Crowned Miss New York in 2012
- Her family includes her husband, children ages 5, 6, and 8, and two dogs
