Lapland resident speaks about finding a partner on Tinder — YLE News
In Finland, 38-year-old Mirka Kanerva, a resident of the village of Äkäslompolo in Lapland, spoke about the difficulties of finding a long-term partner through Tinder in a tourist region. As YLE News reports, around 700 people live in Äkäslompolo, located in the municipality of Kolari, but the number of people in the area increases significantly during tourist seasons.
Kanerva, who has not had a partner for 11 years, wants to find an active man with whom she could start a family and spend time outdoors. Three years ago, she came to Lapland for the winter after taking unpaid leave, but decided not to return. She works as a physical education teacher at schools in Kolari.
Tourists and short romances
According to Kanerva, many tourists who use dating apps in Lapland’s tourist centers are looking for short romances during their holidays rather than serious relationships. She noted that arranging a date can sometimes be very difficult.
Another obstacle is the long distances between settlements. Kanerva explained that trips for dates require advance planning: a possible overnight stay and safety issues must be considered. She tells her friends where she is going. The furthest she has traveled for a meeting was to Rovaniemi, about 170 kilometers from Äkäslompolo.
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Social pressure in small communities
Anne Holappa, a researcher of online dating at the University of Turku, said that dating in small communities can involve social pressure. People are more likely to know one another or have mutual acquaintances, so information about dates spreads quickly.
According to her, dating app algorithms were mostly created for densely populated cities. In small settlements, they may broaden age and distance criteria, show the same profiles again, or state that there are no new users nearby. At the same time, Holappa noted that a large number of potential partners does not guarantee success, since only one suitable person is needed.
Kanerva eventually met a man from Sodankylä who had come to Ylläs. They walked near Lake Kesänkijärvi and drank cocoa. Kanerva said she hopes to see him again.
