Häkki interrogates is our new questionnaire series, in which we interview our members with foreign backgrounds. We bite into the scene of the Helsinki metropolitan area as seen by foreigners, and we investigate what got our interviewees interested in Häkki.
Hey, introduce yourself briefly to everyone
Howdy! I’m teanofa, representing the Baltics here in the cold North.I’m a bit of a hyperactive and talkative oddball, always interested to dip my foot into the unknown waters, which eventually led me to Häkki.
I joined Häkki only half a year ago, but have been dabbling in BDSM and kink for quite many years.
What lured you into Häkki and when did you join?
I first heard about Häkki’s existence when I went on a Bumble first date with the guy who now is my boyfriend. I was intrigued right away that such a community even exists, especially it being connected to a university, so I went back home, googled “hakki helsinki”, soon after I visited my first munch where I got to meet some of the people in the scene, and within couple weeks I decided to join this merry band of kinksters myself.
Did you participate in the events of the BDSM scene in your home country? If you did participate in any events or munches how would you compare them with the ones we have in Finland?
Sadly I neither participated, I was not even aware of the existence or even possibility of such events / organisations, back when I lived in my home country.
I moved to Finland right after graduating high-school, so while I was already somewhat aware back then, that I might be interested in this relatively more alternative lifestyle, as I was still underage, I was only barely dipping my toes in any of these kinks with my partner at a time.
Is the Finnish BDSM scene welcoming to those who don’t speak the language?
I would say that in general, it is very welcoming and fun, though it sometimes does have a slightly higher barrier for those, like myself, who don’t speak Finnish.
However, the people that I met in the scene are very inclusive and have made me feel not only secure but also involved.
As a foreigner, sometimes you do have to be a bit more proactive, but it’s only at the beginning, and it’s not like being proactive is a bad skill to have anyway.
Are there any challenges that you face as a foreigner?
Probably the biggest challenge, that is related to kink, is virtual communication. Especially now during these odd and somewhat more isolated times, when virtual communication has been only increasing, sometimes it is easier to feel a bit out of the loop, when not speaking the common language among the Finnish kinksters.
However, apart from this tiny hurdle, I don’t feel that foreigners face many other unique problems in kinky scene, that they wouldn’t share with locals.
Do you have any unforgettable experiences in the BDSM events/munches you would like to share with others?
Oh, dear… I do, but most of them I would rather not share in written form. However, the last kinky party I went to will probably be imprinted in my memory for quite a long time.
The ambience of the atmosphere almost brought back the memories of the lounge room of Kitkat (the famous club in Berlin of the hedonistic embrace), with music varying from old Finnish songs, to heavier sounds, to 2000s pop music, people dressed up or down, or even tied up… mingling, playing, enjoying the sauna, or just relaxing.
Not only did I get to know some really interesting people that night, but I also got to try out vampire gloves and have an overall very exciting evening.
Any words of encouragement to those who are still questioning whether or not they should participate in events?
Just give it a go. Whenever I struggle to make a decision, I always ask myself – “What is the worst that can happen? And now… what is the best that can happen?”
In the unlikely event, you never have to show your face again, but in the more likely scenario, that you will have fun and meet new friends, with shared interests – hey, you just unlocked a new chapter and enriched your life at least a little.
Hope to soon meet you at some upcoming event!