Fun in the sun...before it's gone

We have been advised that there are a limited number of warm sunny days left so we are doing our best to take full advantage.  We had a great weekend in a neighboring town. We met friends and enjoyed a day of sightseeing and activities. The kids had a blast doing a ropes course.  Enjoy the pics!

We were surprised and impressed by a huge sand sculpture near the city center.

 

Monkey See, Monkey Do

It is said that the Finnish and Russian language are among the hardest to learn. From what I have seen, I agree. We are picking up a few words here and there, but we find that we can usually just say "English" and they are able to speak English pretty well with us. However, we still find ourselves in situations where we look for contextual cues to survive.

There are lots of activities listed in the newspaper, the problem is, it is in Finnish. We have been trying to immerse ourselves in the community here and I have made a few Finnish friends who have recommended activities for us. Today, I took Alayna to a gymnastic class. We showed up not knowing anyone. The teacher gave all commands in Finnish and Alayna did her best to just follow what the others were doing. I too have devised a strategy. I find a mom who looks the nicest and then make my move. I introduce myself and explain how I just moved here from America. I then ask her to translate for me. I find that strategy to work most of the time and they seem to enjoy the interaction as well.

Tonight, the kids and I met a group of my husband's co-workers at the restaurant where we have already become regulars. It was nice to be among Americans, some we knew, others we just met. For a moment, I almost forgot we were in Finland.

Finnish Hospitality

Today the kids participated in what I would describe as a track and field club.  The kids perform various exercises and warm-ups that are typical of track and field.  In Finland, schools do not have team sports.  Team sports are all performed through city or private organizations.  The kids enjoyed these exercises and plan to join.  They will go two times a week for 60-90 minutes. Tomorrow we are trying gymnastics which is also through the city.  It costs about $50 for 6 months.  Activities through the city are one of the few bargains in Finland.

After class we were invited to our Finnish friends' home for bread cheese.  Bread cheese is a traditional Finnish dish.  It is hard to describe as I have nothing to compare it to.  It is large and flat, like a pizza crust would be.  Uncooked, it has a rubbery texture and "squeaks" when you chew it.  Basically, it has a texture between fresh mozzarella and cheese curds.  It has a mild cheese flavor similar to mozzarella.  Cream is generously poured over it and then it is baked until it is golden a bubbly.  It is traditionally served with cloudberry jam and fresh berries.  The end result is simply delicious.  The kids and I gave it five stars.  I mean it's cheese cooked in cream, what's not to love about that?  The only thing that was more delightful, was the company.  They were so warm and welcoming.  We truly enjoyed their Finnish hospitality and were made to feel right at home. 

Lesson of the day:  For all you Angry Bird enthusiasts- it was invented right here in Finland.  So you can thank the Finns for all the time you have wasted catapulting birds.

Bread Cheese-Yum!

The Mushroom Effect

This has been one of the most enjoyable Mondays I have had in a long time.  Today, the kids rode their bikes home from school with me driving a bit behind them on the road that paralells the bike path.  It is a real easy ride and they only have to cross a main road once.  Alayna played with a friend after school who mainly speaks Finnish.  It was fun seeing how the girls were able to play so well without speaking the same language.  We had fun pointing to things and giving the English name while she would then translate to Finnish.  The translation ap on my iPhone also facilitated our game and communication.  Tomorrow, we are going with our new friend to try out a "Track & Field" club for kids that she belongs to.

I met my teacher friend today and assisted in her 6th grade math class.  Upon my arrival, she shared with me some of her prized chanterelle mushrooms.  Chanterelles are a delicacy that only grow certain times of the year.  Mushroom hunters fiercely guard the secret location where they find this treasured fungus.  These golden beauties were delicious and unlike any mushroom I have ever tasted before.  

After the class, I met up with my American friend and toured the local gym.  It is small and basic, but I think it has everything I need.  I hope to make the gym part of my regular routine soon.  We caught up with my new friend's coffee group at a local cafe after touring the gym.  It was a unique group consisting of two local Finn women, my Brazilian friend, and two American women.  We enjoyed coffee and chatting for well over an hour.  We exchanged contact info and plan to make our get togethers a regular event.  We have even discussed having a bible study group and wine tasting night-not at the same time of course. 

I have only been in Finland a short time, but I feel my circle of friends has "mushroomed" with some truly unique and delightful people-and that is a real treasure!

Chanterelle mushrooms

Ready, Set, Go!!!

We were off and running this weekend-literally.  Friday, we were invited to a friends house for coffee and snacks.  This family is here with IP but they are originally from Brazil.  The kids made fast friends with their two young girls. 

This weekend was Imatra Days so there were a lot of activities going on in town.  Saturday morning I ran in a 5 mile fun run around the lake.  I can check running a race in a foreign country off the list.  I even made the local newspaper.  That evening, while the kids were at their new friends' house, Mike and I escaped to a local Irish pub for a drink.  We ran into another American couple, who are also there with IP, and enjoyed a couple of drinks while getting to know one another.  The pub resembled an authentic Irish pub- I could definitely get to love that place.  Later, we  met up with our friends and kids for dinner.  The weather was beautiful so we were able to eat outside and listen to a local cover band belt out local and American rock tunes.  Many of the restaurants in Finland have a kids play area where the kids can go play while the parents eat.  We adults were able to visit peacefully while the kids played.  What a brilliant concept!

The kids both now have new bikes and are eager to ride them to school by themselves.  We are going to do a practice round tomorrow.  I will jog the mile journey with them as they ride their bikes.

Lesson of the day:  Corporal punishment of children is illegal in Finland and punishable by law. So spare the rod!

Extra! Extra!  Read all about it! (Or just look at the pic-lol)

Alayna posing for a picture in our "backyard"

The kids can't wait to ride their new bikes to school.

Groceries 101

I began today by attending my kids English class with them.  It was fun to observe and I even was able to participate in an "ice breaker" game with them.  Their teacher is Finnish but lived for a long time in Canada and has been very welcoming to me.  She asked if I would be willing to do a short presentation on where I live in America and what it is like-where do I even begin??? 

I spent about 2 and a half hours in grocery stores today.  On one of the trips, the kids English teacher even accompanied me to help me find/identify things.  It was fun exploring the aisles to find things I could recognize and discovering new items.  I have come to realize that our families staples of dill pickles, ranch dressing, sour cream and onion dip, and dryer sheets are non-existent here.  However, I hit the jackpot with some chicken breasts in a mystery sauce and a new type of bread.  My kids have been surprisingly enthusiastic about the food here.

Today, a Finnish friend gave me a tip.  She told me that if I want winter clothes, I better start buying them now before it gets cold because when they're gone, they're gone.  Crazy to be thinking about winter clothes when most of the people I know are dealing with 100 degree weather.  I am beginning to fear this Finnish winter-I have been warned...

Tip of the day:  Actually, today I am asking for tips on how to do my presentation about America for 5th graders.  This assignment has me more nervous than a middle aged woman learning to drive a stick shift in a foreign country!!!

Smooth Sailing

We were able to keep the ship sailing in calm seas without our captain. Mike reports a good first day of work with a lot of work ahead of him.  Every day, Mike crosses the border into Russia for work.  It is less than a 10 mile drive but he must pass through customs both ways. 

Today I stayed at school and volunteered my time in a 5th grade classroom. Interesting to observe a Finnish classroom. I am very intrigued by their system as they rank near number one in the world while the US hangs down in the 30s. I can't wait to find out their secrets.

In other news, I now have wheels and have driven in a foreign country so I can cross that off my list. I am still a little nervous about driving as there is a lot of cycle and pedestrian traffic to watch for and learning to monitor speed in kph as well. By the way, gas is roughly $12 /gallon here. Many Finns do not have cars and walk or ride their bike even in the ice and snow. Just a little to think about the next time you complain about the price of gas.

I continue to be amazed by how environmentally conservative the Finns are.  Finns may wear the same outfit for 2 or more days in a row. Most Finns do not have dryers. A Finn considers one load of laundry a 24 hour process as they air dry clothes on racks or over doors. No wonder they wear the same outfit again and again.

My kids continue to amaze me with their adaptability. Some of their books and classes are mostly in Finnish and they just try to participate as well as they can without complaint. At lunch it is strongly encouraged that you try everything that is offered and wasting food is frowned upon. Lane ate spinach soup today and said it wasn't bad. Again, for my strict non vegetable eater, this is HUGE!

Lesson for the day:  Be environmentally conscious; wear your clothes more than once, maybe even 2-3 times, as long as they don't stink.

First Day of School

We have had a very busy past couple of days taking care of the usual business when one moves and the not so usual busines one encounters when moving to another country.  We have required the help of a translator in some cases such as getting our Finland residence card at the police headquarters.  These things are tedious and time consuming.  Speaking of tedious and time consuming...the grocery store!  Nothing looks the same and all labels are in Finnish.  I don't even know where to begin as it is a bit overwhelming! Another new thing for me, manual transmission cars.  Mike attempted to give me a lesson in a parking lot much to the amusent of some Finnish folks.  I am sure I will revisit these topics later in my blog. As entertaining and humerous as these stories may be, they pale in comparison to the big news of the day.

******

Today was the first day of school for both the kids.  School is very different so far.  I do not think that teachers come back to prepare until the day before the kids do.  Also, there is no "Meet the Teacher" night.  That being said...I don't think I have ever been so proud of my kids as I was today.  Just stating that, brings tears to my eyes.  Mike and I were both fortunate to take the kids to school today.  We waited with all the other children (gr.1-5) and some parents, on the playground, while the principal announced what class was to line up-this was all in Finnish.  We were left to deduce what grade was being called.  Once we figured this out, we sent the kids in their respective line, and waved goodbye.  I can honestly say, that I am sure we all had a knot in the pit of our stomach at that moment.  There we were, trusting our kids to true strangers, as we had never seen these teachers or kids before.  My kids bravely joined their line, doing their best not to cry, though I could see they were fighting it.

One big difference in the school here is the schedule.  Some days the kids start at 8:00, other days, not until 10:00.  There is a day where Alayna starts at 10:00 and is done by 12:45.  There are also days where Lane and Alayna don't have the same schedule.  It is going to be a challenge to figure out how to balace that. (Did I mention that since I can't drive a stick, I don't have a car-this further complicates things for now).  Today, the kids were done at 12:00.  We were so relieved to see smiling faces when we returned.  The kids were so excited to tell us about their day.  They were most excited to report that teachers don't come outsidewith them at recess and they can walk around the school/campus on their own.  They were also raving about the school lunch.  Today they had noodles and "the best sauce ever".  Those of you who have an extremely picky eater, as I do, can appreciate the sense of relief this gave me.  I should mention that it is not customary (or socially appropriate) to bring your own lunch to school so this was huge for us.  They were also thrilled that they serve themselves lunch.  There are no lunch ladies to slop the food on  a tray for them.

Every day there are literally hundreds of lessons.  I am still processing them as fast as I can.  Tomorrow is yet another big day.  It is Mike's first day of work and our first day to manage without our captain.  We'll see if I can keep the ship afloat.

Lesson of the day:  Many foreign countries primarily drive manual cars. (Why oh why did I not learn to drive a stick when I was 16!?!)

It has become a tradition to make this cake for a treat on their first day of school.  Let me just mention that in Finland there is little or no packaged cake or frosting.  A special thanks to Aunt Maria for packing us a suitcase full of goodies that included frosting and a brownie mix (along with 69 pounds of other food items).

A Little about Imatra

Today, was a lazy Sunday.  Most retail stores are not open on Sundays.  This evening, we took in one of Finland's most popular sights, the Imatran Rapids.  Everyday at 6:00 pm, during the summer, water is released from the dam and the rapids rush through the gorge.  Tourists line the rocky gorge and the bridge overlooking the rapids, all the while, music plays and people zip line across the roaring falls.  After about 20 minutes, the dam is closed, the show is over, people scatter, and the town returns to its otherwise quiet self.  We returned to the Italian restaurant, from the previous night, and enjoyed a pepperoni pizza and people watched.  That is, we ate pizza while people watched us.

If you are interested in finding out more about Imatra, follow this link:   http://www.imatra.fi/
(You can change the language to English by clicking on the British flag in the upper right hand corner.)

Holy Guacamole! There's a pickle in my burrito!!!

We have been spending the last two days getting further acquainted with the area and furnishing our apartment.  It has been fun furnishing our apartment.  We basically came with clothes, so we need everything.  Yesterday, Mike stopped at the local electronics store while the kids and I waited in the car.  While we were sitting there, I noticed smoke coming from the hood.  At first, I thought it was exhaust, but when it started billowing, I thought,  "This can't be good."  As luck would have it, we were only a mile from the Volvo shop and were able to make it there and get a loaner while the fan is being fixed on the other one.  Whew!  Another tragedy averted, because that could have been bad!

Today, we drove to the Apple Store in the next town, to see about getting my iPhone unlocked for use in Finland.  It so happens that my version of the iPhone cannot be unlocked so next week we will have to see about getting one that is compatible with the European phone system.  We asked the salesperson to recommend a place for lunch.  He recommended a place called Ole that served Spanish cuisine.  For a moment, I had visions of a big bowl of chips, salsa, and a margarita.  I was slightly disappointed when I did not see that on the menu but I held out hope for the burrito...only to have it dashed as well.  Which brings me to my lessons for the day:  1)  You can put anything inside a tortilla shell and call it a burrito. 2)  The best Hispanic food is in Texas!!!

Yes, there are pickles and processed cheese slices on my burrito!!!

*****

From Russia With Love

It was a nice night so we decided to walk around the town and see what Saturday night was like in Finland.  After visiting a few tourist sights, we decided to find a place where we could sit and enjoy a beer.  On nice nights, such as this, restaurants and pubs have an outdoor seating area.  While Mike ordered our drinks at the stand, I found a quiet table.  It wasn't 10 seconds, when an ogre of a man sat down at the table with me and said something to me in Finnish I presume.  I was taken a bit off guard by his large presence, beefy hands, and questionable hygiene.  I said back to him, "Sorry, English."  At which he concluded with enthusiasm, (in broken English), "Oh! You and I, we are the same!"  I don't know if I was more horrified that he was hitting on me or that, somehow, he came to the conclusion that we were the same!!!  He then proceeded to tell me how he saw me and wanted to sit with me because I look like a nice woman.  I told him that my husband and kids would be sitting there at which he quickly apologized and repeatedly told Mike what a lucky man he was.  Lucky indeed! 

Mike and I later laughed about the experience.  We have been warned about the prevalence of Russian prostitutes.  I asked Mike, "You don't think he thought I was a prostitute?"  Mike gave me a quick glance and replied, "In that outfit?" 

We Have Arrived!

Day 1:  August 9, 2011
We arrived in Helsinki after 19 hours of travel. We had 4 huge bags in tow all weighing in at over 70 pounds!  We each also had a heavy carry on bag and one (or two) personal items to carry. I hope to never travel this heavy again. Much to our chagrin, one of the bags did not arrive when we did.  After a brief panic, we were assured that it would arrive later that evening as it was still in Amsterdam. Whew! Tragedy one averted.  After a much needed nap, we had dinner at the hotel.  The day ended with a couple of lessons learned.  1) Alayna learned that the "shower" next to the commode is not really a shower.  I had to correct her when she emerged from the bathroom at the airport with her shirt soaked.  2)You really shouldn't pack a jar of mayonnaise in your luggage.

Day 2:  August 10, 2011
Today we headed for Imatra, the place we will call home for the next two years.  It was a three hour train ride from Helsinki and was not without its adventures.  Getting all those suitcases on and off the train was an adventure in itself.  Immediately after checking in at the hotel, we were off to the bank to open an account and then to tour our apartment choices (2).  The bank was uneventful.  The apartment, was interesting and small.  Our closets are similar to what you would have at a hotel.  The main bathroom will also serve as the laundry room.  I am trying to look at it as another way to multi-task.  I can wash my hair and start a load of laundry at the same time.  Once I figure how to add pictures to this blog, I will definitely have to post some.
Day 2 Lessons:  1) Weigh your produce and put a sticker on it before you check out. 2) Bring your own bags to the grocery store as there are none there.

Day 3:  August 11, 2011
Today was a relaxed day and we were able to do some exploring of the town.  We were able to locate the city recreation center which offers such activities as swimming, dancing, gymnastics and weightlifting to name a few.  We also located the bowling alley and their small movie theater. 

We decided to go with the smaller but newer apartment.  This smaller apartment is located in a more scenic area as opposed to the much bigger and smellier one that is closer to city traffic and  is on the third floor with no elevator.
Day 3 Lessons:  1) There is no right on red in Finland.  2)  Size doesn't really matter as much as the scenery and the smell.