Kristiina "Kiikki" Huotari: I want to be growing goodness

Kristiina "Kiikki" Huotari, what was your path to Aalto?

I have a community work background from Manchester, and I've done 24 years of diaconate work. I discovered early on that I love community building and teamwork. But diaconate work, both practically and statistically speaking, is among the occupations that quite often lead to disability retirement. It's extremely demanding. It’s where people come if they have fallen through the gaps of the welfare system. I got tired of it and took a break. I went back to finish the theology studies I had started in my youth.

When I graduated in spring 2023, I had no idea what I would do. I had never thought I could be a university chaplain. There are very few vacancies because everyone loves their job like crazy. But surprisingly, there were four vacancies, one of which was this position –– so I was ordained as a university chaplain. The Aalto chaplains are employed by the Espoo Parish Council but we work at the university, so one foot is in, and one foot is out.

I enjoy working at Aalto. The work is wonderful, free and open and the atmosphere is good. I can discuss larger than life issues.

What do you emphasise in the work of an Aalto chaplain?

My motto is that I want to be growing goodness. It means working to ensure that everyone has equal opportunities to access all the good that exists in the world, such as education, hobbies, food or a home.

I believe that every human being is essentially good. But of course, there are also reasons why some choose evil –– life is never simple.

Can you share a concrete story about your work?

The Aalto chaplains are part of the Starting Point of Wellbeing group, under which Beat the Blues events are organised. In these events I have been given the opportunity to facilitate the group sessions.

The most memorable moment in my work has been the Beat the Blues event that had a friends and festivals theme. I was responsible for it, together with my colleague Marjaana Faugel. We had a warm-up session at the beginning, where everyone had to find a date first. Then we asked the participants to find a date at 12 o'clock to whom they should tell their name and which country they came from. Then at a 1 o'clock date they would share their favourite party, for example. I got up on a chair to see what would happen. There were about 50 people there and it was a mad rush. People were excitedly telling each other about their parties and forming their own Telegram groups, finding company for things like cycling.

What if we also took a couple of minutes at the beginning of each lecture to turn around and talk to someone next to us about what we had for lunch, for example? Greeting strangers could become a culture. It’s also important because Covid and isolation left us with really deep wounds.

What's it like to walk in Kristiina Huotari's shoes?

Walking in my shoes is fun and also varied. It encompasses the spectrum of life from light to painful. If you want a surface connection, you can't get that at all in my shoes. Sometimes I need to dive into deep waters, but sometimes I can also float in warm waters.

My work is about weaving a tapestry everywhere; I exist for both employees and students. I have also studied to be an art therapist. During the upcoming Wellbeing Week, I will be running an art therapy workshop, and my dream is to infuse more art therapy into my work.

You listen to the concerns of the Aalto community. Can you tell us more about your work and the atmosphere on campus?

People usually come to see a priest with an unspoken emotion. I always start by observing what emotions are behind the anxiety. Emotions provide a lot of information. 

Otherwise, there is a generally relaxed, good-humoured atmosphere on campus. It's interesting given the fact that people talk a lot about how tough the competition is and how you have to succeed. There is a lot of pressure. Nevertheless, I would even describe the atmosphere as upbeat. Of course, it's influenced by the fact that I come from a world where every day people have to think about how they're going to get through today into tomorrow.

What inspires you about meeting people?

People! It wasn't until I was about 30 that I realised that not everyone is as enthusiastic about people as I am. People are endlessly fascinating. I also love talking about the real things. When you walk away from a conversation like that, it's like your soul’s had a shower!

What do you think about faith?

I think that faith is one of the great questions of life. It is as sensitive and personal as, for example, sexual identity. No two of us are the same. I think that human beings are also spiritual beings, but the spiritual mother tongue is different for everyone. It is influenced by one's own cultural heritage, background, life experiences and the environment they grew up in. It is essential to respect the uniqueness of each individual.

Personally, I am a Christian by conviction and I interpret the world from a Christian worldview. That does not mean that someone else's perspective is inferior. I think that God is light and love. If you look at things from the perspective of love, you are always looking from the right perspective. Then there is room for everyone. But when your perspective is not one of love –– no matter what religion –– your perspective is skewed the wrong way.  There is power, evil and abuse in all religions and worldviews.

Would you like to send a message of wellbeing to the Aalto community?

Less is more. It's a cliché, but it's true. The brain only receives a certain amount of information. There's no point in running around like a headless chicken. The holy trinity of life is to make sure that rest, work and leisure are in balance, all in equal amounts each day. It has been studied –– it produces the best results. For new students I would say, to limit all work to 40 hours a week. Period. That's the maximum, but you can do less.

What do you do in your free time and why is it important to you?

I hang out at home, pat the cats and wish someone in the family needed me. I also spend a lot of time with friends. I have all sorts of communities, including a sewing club to weave the pieces of life together, a sauna club, a reading circle, artsy women and supermums from the time when our kids were small.

For example, two friends and I have a 17-year long tradition that only breaks during the holidays. We meet on Friday mornings for coffee to talk goodness. This means that we talk about how good the upcoming week will be. We imagine we are a week away and tell each other how the week ahead has gone. Finally, we raise our coffee cups and say: "This will all happen, or something even better". It's an important ritual. It also feels safe: whatever happens, I'll see my friends at that time.

I go to church every Sunday. There I'm free to feel all my emotions. I can sometimes get annoyed if the sermon is unintelligent. The preacher may even dodge difficult or embarrassing Bible texts. I think you have to be brave enough to take on what you don't understand. Equally, in church, I can weep for joy and sorrow, be happy, desperate, elated, weary, comforted - whatever arises in the moment.