Family | Jaime Moreno and Ericka Oliva came from Venezuela to Finland and immediately fell in love – now they are expecting a child and praise the counseling

When Venezuelans Jaime Moreno29, and Erica Oliva22, moved to Finland in December 2022, they quickly fell in love with their new home country.

The duo will soon become a trio, as Ericka is expecting the couple’s first child. The addition to the family is due to be born in Seinäjoki around mid-October.

The couple is overjoyed, of course, because of the future little girl, but also because they will be adding to their family specifically in their beloved Finland.

“It’s really amazing, perfect!”, Ericka Oliva beams excitedly.

“Our little girl is about to enter the world, we are really excited and happy,” says the future father Moreno.

Pregnancy during that time everything has gone well. Oliva says that the pregnancy was easy, and according to her, she has had no problems of any kind or, for example, physical sensations.

“Of course, everything is different. This is a completely new experience for me. That experience is different for every woman and somehow impossible to describe in words. It’s something you know when you experience it,” he says.

Jaime Moreno is a soccer player by profession. The couple arrived in Finland about a month after their wedding, when Moreno had signed a contract with SJK, who play in the Veikkausliiga.

Moreno’s opening season in Finland was so effective that SJK quickly decided to use the two additional years in his contract. This way, Moreno and his family will stay at Seinäjoki at least until the end of the 2025 season.

Moreno and Oliva have had time to really like, for example, the local counseling services and how future parents are taken care of in Finland.

The couple also praises how their first-time parents have been taken into account in the services.

“I really like the counseling center and the attention we have received. The truth is that the nurses and doctors have guided us very well in all matters,” says Oliva.

“It’s not just about taking care of the baby – everything has been fine with the baby – but also about taking care of the parents mentally and physically. The parents have to be in good shape as well,” emphasizes Moreno.

There was says that at the beginning of the pregnancy they were given a survey, which investigated the mental well-being of the future parents.

The survey surveyed what kind of psychological help might be needed. Or would it be for anything.

“I think it’s a really good thing, and I don’t think you can get a similar service everywhere. It felt good,” says Oliva.

Although Finnish public health care has been heavily painted in a negative light in recent years, the situation is very different from the chaotic Venezuela.

“Really. Public health care is really lacking in Venezuela. It doesn’t really work, which is dangerous. The private sector is of course different, and I think it works well in Venezuela as well. There are good doctors in private hospitals, but unfortunately not everyone can afford to use them,” Oliva says.

One the service, familiar to every Finnish parent, struck the couple with a complete sense of humor. It is, of course, a maternity package.

When Ericka Oliva heard about the existence of such a package, she expected to receive a cardboard box. It didn’t seem surprising, because Oliva has drawn attention to the fact that in Finland “everything is packed in cardboard boxes”.

When the package arrived, it was quite a surprise.

“We talked about the maternity package in a previous interview and I started laughing because I thought it was another cardboard box,” says Oliva.

“It turned out to be a really beautiful, embroidered box, which is like a cardboard cradle. There are great winter clothes and all kinds of other essentials. Towels and a bag with anything inside. There is also a book with stories in Finnish to teach your baby. Everything is there.”

Immediately after seeing the packaging, Moreno said that this must be a Finnish invention. The tracks lead to cardboard once again.

“It must be a really Finnish thing, because it’s a cardboard box. Even though it has embroidery and is really pretty, it’s still a cardboard box. A cardboard box with a mattress where you can put the baby to sleep.”

The family however, the plans are to continue living in their new home country for longer, even permanently.

“We are very happy here in Finland. We want to stay here and will buy an apartment in Finland. Our idea is to build our home here. We understand and know that I have a few years left in my career and it may be that we go to another country for a while, but our domicile will remain in Finland”, explains Moreno.

“Of course, everything depends on everything, and you can’t be completely sure of anything, but this is the plan.”

The decision is not surprising in the sense that Oliva swore his love to Finland already a year ago, when Moreno’s first season in SJK was coming to an end. He said that he fell in love with the country even before arriving there, and that the feeling has only gotten stronger while living in the country.

“If we can live here, that’s incredibly great. Even for the rest of your life. I would like our families to come here too. All here to live!” he said at the time.

Last week, the family had pleasant guests when Ericka’s parents came to the village from Venezuela. Both came to Finland for the first time, Ericka’s mother even left Venezuela for the first time in her life.

The future grandparents stay in Finland for several months, so they also get to see the birth of their grandchild.

It seems that the couple’s speeches are not just platitudes. Everything really seems to be fine.