By Päivi Arvonen

Writing is the essence of life for Iranian born Kiamars Baghbani. Having lived in ten countries before, Baghbani feels at home in Helsinki and is comfortable with the straightforward and honest Finnish culture. He enjoys ice swimming and can live with darkness but not with fast food.

Kiamars Baghbani’s home in the Helsinki suburb of Jakomäki is furnished with a large dining table. He enjoys cooking and serves Iranian food to her multicultural circle of friends.

“I’ve had a hamburger a couple of times in the past thirty years – but only because I had to. I can’t stand prepared foods but cook all food myself fresh from high-quality ingredients,” Baghbani says.

Arrival in Finland in November was a shock

Baghbani graduated from a teachers’ academy as a qualified teacher in his home country. He taught for a living and also worked as a journalist part time. After the revolution, he left Iran during the war in 1982 and lived in ten countries in the Middle East, India and Europe before he arrived in Finland as a quota refugee in November 1990. 

Finland was not an entirely strange country to him, as he had translated information on Finland for refugees and had read books by Mika Waltari.

“Finland is a peculiar country, and Finnish is a peculiar language. The Finnish language is a gift given only to native Finns,” Baghbani says.

He has learned the Finnish language so well that he has even translated stories from the Kalevala, the Finnish national epic, into his native language Farsi.

“I continue to study the language constantly and keep learning more. It was dull to be put into the same language class with illiterate immigrants in the beginning of the 90’s.”

The darkness and cold were a shock to Baghbani during his first winter in Finland.

“I’m no longer troubled by the cold, but darkness is still difficult for me. On the other hand, the four distinct seasons are a magnificent quality of Finland. Without night, day would be meaningless,” affirms Baghbani, who enjoys ice swimming and sauna.

Writing is most important

The shelves of Baghbani’s study are full of books in Farsi, Arabic, English and Finnish.

“Right now I’m reading Kanteletar,” he says. Kanteletar is a collection of Finnish folk poetry. “I have translated into Farsi some poems by Eino Leino. They are close to Farsi poetry by their nature. I also like books by Juhani Aho, Aleksis Kivi and Veikko Huovinen, but I’m not interested in contemporary Finnish writers.”

Baghbani has written about 15 books either alone or with other writers, and he has translated six books. His latest book was published this year. Titled Miksi aina maahanmuuttajat? (Why always immigrants?), the book deals with cultural clashes experienced by immigrants to Finland.

Baghbani has studied in Finland to be a librarian and cultural producer. In his day job, he works as a librarian at the Helsinki City Library.

“It’s a shame that Finnish schools don’t teach students the value of literature. Finnish young people should learn more about the importance of family and not only about personal freedom,” Baghbani says.

He has two grown-up children, who do not live in Finland.

“When I come home from work, I begin a second workday as a writer. It’s good that I don’t have family at home, so I have the time and space to write.”

It feels good to return to Finland after travel

Baghbani travels a great deal, but he cannot imagine living in any other country than Finland. The aspects of Finland that he particularly appreciates are safety, freedom, high-quality education and health care.

“Honesty is one of the best qualities of the Finnish culture. It’s wonderful that people say what they mean. I feel better when I can be honest.”

Translated by Johanna Lemola

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