Linda Paula

While facing challenges in orphanages and foster care, Arina dreamt of a loving family. As she grew older, believing no one wanted to adopt a teenager, her dream faded. Suddenly, at 15, she met a loving family through international adoption and moved from Latvia to Texas, USA.

An orphaned girl with Down Syndrome was offered for adoption to 127 families, all of whom declined. The girl’s story deeply touched the Wimmer family, leading them to embark on international adoption before even seeing a photo of the child.

Years ago, Arina lived a challenging orphan life. Her transformative journey from adoption to relocation was captured in a published story. Seven years later, we reunited, and she holds the magazine encapsulating her remarkable journey – a story that touched many hearts.

Hear Mariia Kashych’s powerful story of resilience and hope in the latest Stories from the North episode. Host Linda Paulauska explores Mariia’s journey from fleeing war-torn Ukraine to rebuilding her life through studies in Germany and Finland. An inspiring testament to courage and determination—don’t miss it!

In this episode, we uncover the amazing journey of ⁠Yulu Liu⁠ from China. Passionate about service design, Yulu embarked on her Erasmus Mundus Master’s degree in “⁠Service Design Strategies and Innovations.⁠”

At the age of 18, Valeria and Aivis got married and hoped to welcome a baby. Unexpectedly, they faced infertility. With the help of IVF, they became happy parents at the age of 20.

Kiwoong Nam shares his inspiring move from South Korea to Rovaniemi - Finland’s Northern city, and his story of adjusting to Arctic life with his family.

Guided by a deep passion for understanding people, the natural progression led me into the world of Service Design—an ideal alliance that seamlessly integrates empathy with innovative solutions.

A family opened their home to an orphan hosting program during Christmas holidays, welcoming two sisters from a Latvian orphanage, which led to international adoption.

Patrick is a 6th-generation show organizer from Germany. Yuliya is a professional show performer from Ukraine. Their daughter, Nika, is part of every show across multiple countries. They share an inspiring life, but deep inside, their hearts and plans for a home in Ukraine have been broken.