Bill Bobb is now living the good life in Finland.

We met on the internet. “I would like to find an older gentleman with whom to spend the rest of my life.” That sentence, along with a very nice photograph, was enough for me to write a reply. And so it began. I was answering an ad in one of those dating web sites. It was not the first time I had answered such an ad, but it was the last.

At the time I was living in Harrisburg, the state capital of Pennsylvania in America. I was born and raised in a small town nearby. Three years prior to this I resided in California for about 40 years. I was 69 years old at the time. So I did meet the requirements of “an older gentleman”. I went to California in my early 20s and became employed in the entertainment industry as a payroll accountant. There I worked at various times in many of the film studios there, including Universal Studios, and ended up on my own doing freelance work for various production companies.

During the end of my 40 years in California I was fortunate to have formed a 22-year monogamous relationship with my partner at that time. Unfortunately, that old midlife crisis set in for him and he decided it was time to dump me. I had just turned 66. He was about to become 50 years old. I had no idea the end was upon us until I was informed one evening that it had! It was time for me to get as far away from California as I could and Pennsylvania was it.

Finland! He lives in Finland! Wowwee! Our relationship grew and grew via emails and telephone calls almost daily. Let’s meet. I flew to Finland! And we did meet and rented a cabin for three weeks in August. I was having the time of my life as we visited parts of south central Finland and on into the Lake District.

I returned to Pennsylvania feeling my life had begun again at this late stage. Three months later he came to America and we spent three amazing months together seeing as much of the country as time would allow. It was a very magical time for both of us. Three months later I found myself living permanently in this wonderful country and MARRIED. To him!

Finland has made it possible for us to have a full, wonderful loving life together as two individuals who have chosen to be with each other. Yes, “for the rest of HIS life!“ And mine. I personally feel so honoured and privileged to be living in this wonderful extraordinary country. We live in a small town in the countryside in our own house.

We have travelled from Hanko to Utsjoki. I have been told that I have seen more of Finland than most Finns. I have a very large map of Finland where I have all the trips outlined in various colours that we have taken together. These trips have all been accomplished in the past three years and I am running out of colours. There is truly so much to see and I will not stop until I have seen it all. I feel that I have been to several amazing places that are far off the tourist routes. If there were other choices of places in Finland to relocate to, it would be very difficult to choose where that could be. I could not have chosen a better place to be at right now at this stage of my life than right here in Finland.