7th Finglish trip September 2008 #28
Leena Kuivanen was 21 years old when she told her parents she would like to move to Australia. Instead of Australia she moved to New York City. Leena started to work as a nanny in a family with two homes, one in Pleasantville, in Upper New York and one in Manhattan, near Columbia University. At the age of 32, Leena got her Master of Social Work from the New York University Evening School. She worked as a social worker until 2004 before retiring.
Leena married Kermit, an African American. They got two daughters, Katja Helena and Eliisa Martha, who both live in Brooklyn. They were both baptized at the Kallio Church in Helsinki. Leena, Katja and Eliisa are both Finnish and US citizens.
Leena´s hobby is to knit Christmas elves for the Finnish Church Christmas bazaar. She lives in Lower Manhattan in a former International Ladies Garment Workers Union Co-operative apartment house, built in 1956. The East River is visible from the windows of her apartment.
Next Joan Silleck Manhattan New York City New York USA