Julius Miettinen, 18, moved to a new family in the USA – the beginning was a shock

Ottawa

Young Lions credit center Julius Miettinen18, was amazed a year ago in the fall.

Helsinki’s “Stadin kundi” packed his things and moved from his family to live and play hockey on the other side of the globe, in Everett, located on the west coast of the United States.

There was a change shock.

Compared to Everett, Helsinki is a big city. Miettinen’s new hometown has more than a hundred thousand inhabitants, but according to the hockey player, “nothing happens at all” in the city.

“Kiekkokaupunki, there is nothing else there. You can find normal fast food restaurants, but not much else,” he laughs.

To top it all off, the club directed Miettinen to live with a host family whose house was located in the middle of nowhere, far from the city center.

“You had to drive there along gravel roads. It was about time a shock for a guy who grew up in Stad. I was put there to grow up and learn customs,” says Miettinen.

“On top of that, I was living away from home for the first time. I had to use a foreign language and get used to a new culture.”

The Silvertips, a team based in Everett, plays in the Canadian Junior League. The city is located near the Canadian border.

Canada’s junior league players live with host families so they can focus on hockey and balance their lives at the same time. In his first season, Miettinen lived with an older couple together with his slightly more experienced teammate.

“They were really nice, no complaints. Food was also always ready in the fridge. It’s like living with your mother,” Miettinen describes.

However, according to Miettinen, moving to a new family is at first just as special as moving to a new family can be.

“It takes a while to get to know the boundaries and rules of the family. What about the dining table and so on. But it does start to feel like home at some point during the season.”

Miettinen got used to the new food culture quickly, but one thing still bothers him every day.

“There is simply no bread to eat. In Finland, I am used to eating bread for breakfast and dinner, but here it is not. I’ve been eating porridge in the mornings and evenings,” he snorts.

Autumn the first months from the start of the series to Christmas felt heavy for Miettinen. The house was located far from everything, even the trip to the ice rink took 45 minutes. The hockey player had to find ways to spend time at home.

“There was really a feeling at times that I was a bit stuck at home. Especially the first few months before I got home for Christmas. There were many times when I felt like I could get out of this a little bit.”

In his free time, Miettinen tries to further his high school studies remotely.

“It’s challenging, but at least you can pass the time.”

At least the junior hockey players living in host families don’t hang out in the city late at night. The team’s set homecoming time is ten in the evening, and in Miettinen’s first host family it was already nine.

Alun after the adaptation period, life in the USA is already going smoothly. Miettinen moved to a new family closer to the hall for this season. Food service plays a role there as well.

“This family has been a host family for 20 years, so they really know what they’re doing. They give our players enough space, but support when needed,” says Miettinen.

Miettinen started his first season in North America slowly, but over the course of the season he rose to a big role in his team. The team’s coach gave the Finn time to get used to the new country and the new style of play, and the end result was good.

“I started with a chain of threes and played overpower every now and then. From the end of the season, I played in the first chain and had a lot of superiority”, says the Finnish center.

This season, Miettinen has a big role in his team. He plays in the top chains and contracts with both over and under strength.

The Seattle Kraken booked the Finnish forward last summer in the second round. Seattle is located about half an hour’s drive from Everett, so Miettinen has occasionally been able to watch NHL games.

Thoughtful has scored 34 points in 30 games in the WHL this fall. The NHL is not yet a realistic option next season, but the junior series will hardly serve the development of the attacker in the best way. There could be a demand for him from Europe, for example Sweden or Finland.

In Nuori Leijon, Miettinen has played reliably as a center in a three-way chain and made 1+1 performances. Against Slovakia, he had one assist.

“I have been able to play a good role. The feelings are good.”