I went to the 3rd, 4th and 5th forms at Nordmaling Primary School. Everyone was friendly and I performed well at school. I had acquired - thanks to the family - a good mastery of Swedish right from the beginning. Ma tested my homework. Kerstin's support was also important. The war had impressed its mark on everything in Finland, including school. My Finnish skills were poor at first and the teachers were severe. I was good at singing though. Our teacher Paavo Sarkkama chose me for a fairy play to be performed in the town hall in December 1943. It developed into a musical comedy entitled the Small Hearts that would become very popular later.