Freitag, 18. Juni 2010
Sonntag, 30. Mai 2010
Going with a blast
Hey guys...
Actually, I wanted to leave this for my very last post here, but today is my last night in Kuopio, I am freaking out because I have to go home tomorrow, so I am not in the mood to update everything from the last two weeks. I will do this eventually from home, there are more exciting stories to come, buuuuut this I really HAVE to share now! It was our secret project, and this is the outcome! Enjoy our Erasmus spirit!
Actually, I wanted to leave this for my very last post here, but today is my last night in Kuopio, I am freaking out because I have to go home tomorrow, so I am not in the mood to update everything from the last two weeks. I will do this eventually from home, there are more exciting stories to come, buuuuut this I really HAVE to share now! It was our secret project, and this is the outcome! Enjoy our Erasmus spirit!
Samstag, 29. Mai 2010
Summer in Finland
music: lena - satellite
mood: light-headed
So. We are approaching the end. It is 2:55 am, no matter what that stupid blog-time is telling you, so my English might be a little bit funny now. But as this is my last day here, I guess I have to update now. If I come home and everyone is asking me how it was I want to be able to say: Read my blog! so I don't have to tell everything over and over again. Hehe, I am mean, I know!
Today, Germany won the Eurovision song contest! Whohoooo! Thank you Europe!
mood: light-headed
So. We are approaching the end. It is 2:55 am, no matter what that stupid blog-time is telling you, so my English might be a little bit funny now. But as this is my last day here, I guess I have to update now. If I come home and everyone is asking me how it was I want to be able to say: Read my blog! so I don't have to tell everything over and over again. Hehe, I am mean, I know!
Today, Germany won the Eurovision song contest! Whohoooo! Thank you Europe!
Ok, I wanted to talk about the month of May, my last month here. In the middle of May, I had finally finished all my classes and assignments, so the last two weeks were basically free time. I half-heartedly started to study for my exams at home but I was way to happy to be able to relax so it didn't exactly work out.
The weather was really amazing, spring arrived with a blast, nature exploded and led us right to summer! The sun does not really go down any more, I told you already about our sun watching day (actually we repeated the walk to the tower and the sunrise the day after!). Bad thing is that my curtains are not made for keeping out the light so in the beginning, I was really insomniac. The funny solution for this problem are my allergy pills that are knocking me out so since the birch trees started annoying me by letting my nose run and my eyes itch, I sleep rather well.
The last two weeks, we had 30° C, so we went bbq-ing a lot. Romanda organized the greatest American style BBQ in Puijonlaakso, thanks again for that! We also went swimming in the lake. I am so proud of that! Think: two weeks before that, the water was still frozen. So the temperature was at a point that made it a really painful experience. Also I would not really call it swimming, but running in, jumping, running out again, screaming. Buuuut I overcame myself and went in there!
Last week, we also went on a cruise in a boat on the lake. It was so beautiful! We were just relaxing, enjoying the view, getting a huge sunburn and having fun!
Then there were the balcony chats over the edge with Jakob and Arthur, lots of icecream, buying shorts (didn't expect to need them in Finland) and whatever stuff you do in summer. Still, we were walking on our secret project. Can't wait to tell you guys, but I will save the best for last!
The weather was really amazing, spring arrived with a blast, nature exploded and led us right to summer! The sun does not really go down any more, I told you already about our sun watching day (actually we repeated the walk to the tower and the sunrise the day after!). Bad thing is that my curtains are not made for keeping out the light so in the beginning, I was really insomniac. The funny solution for this problem are my allergy pills that are knocking me out so since the birch trees started annoying me by letting my nose run and my eyes itch, I sleep rather well.
The last two weeks, we had 30° C, so we went bbq-ing a lot. Romanda organized the greatest American style BBQ in Puijonlaakso, thanks again for that! We also went swimming in the lake. I am so proud of that! Think: two weeks before that, the water was still frozen. So the temperature was at a point that made it a really painful experience. Also I would not really call it swimming, but running in, jumping, running out again, screaming. Buuuut I overcame myself and went in there!
Last week, we also went on a cruise in a boat on the lake. It was so beautiful! We were just relaxing, enjoying the view, getting a huge sunburn and having fun!
Then there were the balcony chats over the edge with Jakob and Arthur, lots of icecream, buying shorts (didn't expect to need them in Finland) and whatever stuff you do in summer. Still, we were walking on our secret project. Can't wait to tell you guys, but I will save the best for last!
Mittwoch, 26. Mai 2010
Vappu
music: guru josh project - infinity
mood: between amazed and disgusted
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vappu#Finland
"In Finland, Walpurgis day (Vappu) is, along with New Year's Eve and Juhannus, the biggest carnival-style festival held in the streets of Finland's towns and cities. The celebration, which begins on the evening of April 30 and continues to May 1, typically centres on copious consumption of sparkling wine and other alcoholic beverages."
As we were told, Vappu is one of the most important holiday for students, where the student club members get to wear their overalls (did I actually tell you about my nice red overall from the biology student club?), so we felt obliged to join the party. Vappu traditionally includes picknick, outside party and throwing a professor in the fountain, so the disappointment started when it started to rain in the afternoon of the 30th of April. Anyway, we had a nice preparty with sima (mead, traditional Vappu drink, the one from the supermarket tastes like Almdudler and has 0.7 % alcohol) and beer. At around 5 pm we decided to not care about the weather and go to the city center. We heard that it was supposed to be a huge party but the market square was basically empty. After a while, some people showed up around the fountain, they set up speakers and eventually, it became sort of crowded (lots of people in overalls!). Another tradition we didn't know was that members of the student clubs wear some kind of sailors' cap. After a choir performance and some Finnish speeches, two students decorated the statue of the naked guy in the fountain with such a cap. After that, a professor was carried around the fountain and then thrown in. It was really cold that day but as he is Finnish, he seemed to enjoy it and even splashed around with the water. Then, the show was already over. We went to have some coffee and then we went to the lake where all the Finnish guys were hanging out.
I tell you, that was quite a show! A lot of dressed up people crowded the lake shore - it is a carnival after all - getting totally wasted. We were watching in awe. I have never seen that many that drunk people in crazy outfits in one spot. Not even in Cologne at Carnival! I mean, they were all outside and concentrated in one spot! The outfits of the girls were mostly sexy bunnies and slutty nurses. Some slutty nurses were hitting on some of "our" guys. They reported later that the girls were 17 and accompanied by an empty bottle of Vodka and a box of condoms. We made bets how long it would take for each girl to get raped and/or pregnant that day. At around 10 pm, all the over 18 year olds went to the clubs so only the drunk underaged persons remained. Somebody, I don't remember who, said that only the babies and people in the hospital are not drunk that day in Finland. Also we learned that the fee for peeing in public is 20 €. After being annoyed enough (for the guys: enjoyed the view enough), we went to Hunters. It was never that crowded in there! A life band was playing and people were actually happy and dancing! Crazy!
My conclusion about Vappu: The definition of a holiday in Finland is getting totally wasted. It is a lot like German carnival except for the part that you dont have to sing stupid songs, get dressed up silly if you dont feel like it and pretend that you're having a good time when in fact you're not. Just get wasted. The old and the young, the rich and those who can afford only the cheap alcohol, the pretty and the, well, less fortunate, all united in the goal of drinking yourself beyond conciousness. Kippis!
mood: between amazed and disgusted
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vappu#Finland
"In Finland, Walpurgis day (Vappu) is, along with New Year's Eve and Juhannus, the biggest carnival-style festival held in the streets of Finland's towns and cities. The celebration, which begins on the evening of April 30 and continues to May 1, typically centres on copious consumption of sparkling wine and other alcoholic beverages."
As we were told, Vappu is one of the most important holiday for students, where the student club members get to wear their overalls (did I actually tell you about my nice red overall from the biology student club?), so we felt obliged to join the party. Vappu traditionally includes picknick, outside party and throwing a professor in the fountain, so the disappointment started when it started to rain in the afternoon of the 30th of April. Anyway, we had a nice preparty with sima (mead, traditional Vappu drink, the one from the supermarket tastes like Almdudler and has 0.7 % alcohol) and beer. At around 5 pm we decided to not care about the weather and go to the city center. We heard that it was supposed to be a huge party but the market square was basically empty. After a while, some people showed up around the fountain, they set up speakers and eventually, it became sort of crowded (lots of people in overalls!). Another tradition we didn't know was that members of the student clubs wear some kind of sailors' cap. After a choir performance and some Finnish speeches, two students decorated the statue of the naked guy in the fountain with such a cap. After that, a professor was carried around the fountain and then thrown in. It was really cold that day but as he is Finnish, he seemed to enjoy it and even splashed around with the water. Then, the show was already over. We went to have some coffee and then we went to the lake where all the Finnish guys were hanging out.
I tell you, that was quite a show! A lot of dressed up people crowded the lake shore - it is a carnival after all - getting totally wasted. We were watching in awe. I have never seen that many that drunk people in crazy outfits in one spot. Not even in Cologne at Carnival! I mean, they were all outside and concentrated in one spot! The outfits of the girls were mostly sexy bunnies and slutty nurses. Some slutty nurses were hitting on some of "our" guys. They reported later that the girls were 17 and accompanied by an empty bottle of Vodka and a box of condoms. We made bets how long it would take for each girl to get raped and/or pregnant that day. At around 10 pm, all the over 18 year olds went to the clubs so only the drunk underaged persons remained. Somebody, I don't remember who, said that only the babies and people in the hospital are not drunk that day in Finland. Also we learned that the fee for peeing in public is 20 €. After being annoyed enough (for the guys: enjoyed the view enough), we went to Hunters. It was never that crowded in there! A life band was playing and people were actually happy and dancing! Crazy!
My conclusion about Vappu: The definition of a holiday in Finland is getting totally wasted. It is a lot like German carnival except for the part that you dont have to sing stupid songs, get dressed up silly if you dont feel like it and pretend that you're having a good time when in fact you're not. Just get wasted. The old and the young, the rich and those who can afford only the cheap alcohol, the pretty and the, well, less fortunate, all united in the goal of drinking yourself beyond conciousness. Kippis!
Montag, 17. Mai 2010
April
music: the kooks - shine on
mood: contemplative
mood: contemplative
I am getting back to my chronological order, or at least I am trying. I left you in the middle of April after exhausting two weeks. As I already mentioned, after some weeks of being entirely bored by university, my courses had started again while Meli and my mum were here, so I had to skip quite a lot of lectures. After a weekend of relaxing, I started studying again. The courses were quite intense and tiring, with lots of due dates for reports and presentations all at once. Leaves me with the question: Why can't they schedule their courses so that you are busy for some time every week and not that you are bored for some weeks and busy 24/7 in other weeks?
The worst was a week with computer class each morning and each afternoon without lunchbreak and after that week two seminars in one day.
Well, I got through it and with decent grades (so far) so I am happy. Today I officially finished all my assignments so I am free for the last two weeks of my stay!
Also the last weeks of April got me into being disciplined mood. I started going running with Lisbet and we managed to keep it up for about a week, but right now our morning routine is somewhat lost. I really want to start again because I figured it was a lot of fun and somewhat addictive. Also started going swimming and worked a lot for school (necessary!).
The worst was a week with computer class each morning and each afternoon without lunchbreak and after that week two seminars in one day.
Well, I got through it and with decent grades (so far) so I am happy. Today I officially finished all my assignments so I am free for the last two weeks of my stay!
Also the last weeks of April got me into being disciplined mood. I started going running with Lisbet and we managed to keep it up for about a week, but right now our morning routine is somewhat lost. I really want to start again because I figured it was a lot of fun and somewhat addictive. Also started going swimming and worked a lot for school (necessary!).
Running and going for long walks is very nice now because spring arrived in Finland. We discovered lots of things that were hidden beneath the snow, such as siderails, bushes, ashtrays,... The trees got new leafs, the flowers started blossoming, the birds started singing, the hayfever started.... honestly, my nose is running like crazy now. The meds I am taking are really good for letting me sleep but work only so far to not make my eyes go crazy, otherwise they are quite useless. Have to find something else!
We went for really nice walks and discovered great BBQ places near some of the lakes (where we lost Gio, see last post!).
Concerning parties:
In April, it was Julia's birthday, but she was in Germany by that time. We wanted to have a party anyway so we celebrated Julia's birthday without her and made a video! It is too long to post it here but it was really fun!
In the end of April, Liesje left us. She had sort of a goodbye party week which was great but the fact that she left was sooo sad. On her last evening, we made a quiz about all the people here. We managed to get from the idea at lunch to the powerpoint with about 90 slides in less than 7 hours so that was quite an achievement!
The saying goodbye really sucks and it really got all of us thinking how fast the time is passing. Now it is less than two weeks until we are all gone and it gives really mixed feelings. I guess I will go on whining about that in the next few posts so I quit it now.
Anyway. With saying goodbye to Liesje, April sort of ended and Mai started with the celebration of Vappu, the Finnish Labour Day. Wait for it...
Samstag, 15. Mai 2010
F***ing birds
Or: The day where we lost Gio twice but found the sun! Also twice.
music: bob marley - sunshine reggae
mood: dazzled
Good morning!
I am afraid I have to lose my chronological order here but I have to talk about yesterday... it was legendary!
Yesterday was friday and Gio, Julia and Dovile had their last big exam. After that, we started working on a still secret project that I am going to share as soon as it's done... wait for it! Anyway, we went to Prisma and went our seperate ways to do our shopping. When we were done, we met to walk home - except for Gio who was still missing. After several times of trying, he answered his phone and told us that he was already almost home. We were quite mad because he didnt wait for us but made us waiting for quarter of an hour, but he made it up by buying us ice cream (yes, we have 25°C and sunshine here!). That was the first time we lost Gio.
In the evening, we went to a lake to have a picknick and to watch the sunset. We meant to leave at 8.30, but Gio texted that he was still busy and would catch up later. We were a little concerned because he didnt know the way, but he wouldn't let us wait for him so we left. It was a beautiful walk (amazing enough, after several days of summer weather, on some of the small creeks along the way was still ice!) and we watched the sunset at the lake. We even witnessed the spring feelings of a seagull couple that were quite busy and quite noisy while reproducing. We assumed they were annoyed by us watching so the girl left and the guy followed her after a while. When we were about to leave, they came back.
All the while, we were still waiting and calling out for Gio. He called when he left and I tried to describe the way but I guess it was not a very good description. The second time he called he had found some Finnish guy. I told him the name of the spot where we were and he said he knew where it is and he sort of knew the way. The next time Gio called, he had walked more than one hour and was at some other lake, but not anywhere near us. He gave up on finding us then, had his own picknick with his new friend, whom he called Elisabeth Swan, and decided to try and meet us later. That was the second time we lost Gio.
After that new turn, and a lot of fighting with mosquitoes, we walked to Neulamäki Tower to watch the sun rise again in the morning. It was not really dark that night, there was still a stripe of light at the horizon that moved north- and then eastwards and eventually became lighter again. We settled ourselves on the tower with blankets and cookies and watched the sky. After a while, Gio came with some other people from our building whom he had met on the way. We were really releaved to see him and hear from his adventure. He didn't stay long, however, but went to bed. One after another, more people left, until we were only 5 waiting for the sunrise.
I said "It is getting lighter" a lot of times, but we still needed some patience to really see the sun. Also we were not the only ones who had this idea, during the night, lots of cars arrived and left again when they noticed the spot was already taken. We needed really a lot of patience (and some running around the tower to stay awake), but at 2 am, it started to get light again and at 4.15 am, we saw the sun! It was incredibly beautiful and worth all the waiting! After the sun had emerged from behind the horizon, it vanished behind a cloud and rose up again. So we found the sun twice! Now it is 1.48 pm and I am still soooo tired, I guess I go back to bed. Hyvää yötä!
music: bob marley - sunshine reggae
mood: dazzled
Good morning!
I am afraid I have to lose my chronological order here but I have to talk about yesterday... it was legendary!
Yesterday was friday and Gio, Julia and Dovile had their last big exam. After that, we started working on a still secret project that I am going to share as soon as it's done... wait for it! Anyway, we went to Prisma and went our seperate ways to do our shopping. When we were done, we met to walk home - except for Gio who was still missing. After several times of trying, he answered his phone and told us that he was already almost home. We were quite mad because he didnt wait for us but made us waiting for quarter of an hour, but he made it up by buying us ice cream (yes, we have 25°C and sunshine here!). That was the first time we lost Gio.
In the evening, we went to a lake to have a picknick and to watch the sunset. We meant to leave at 8.30, but Gio texted that he was still busy and would catch up later. We were a little concerned because he didnt know the way, but he wouldn't let us wait for him so we left. It was a beautiful walk (amazing enough, after several days of summer weather, on some of the small creeks along the way was still ice!) and we watched the sunset at the lake. We even witnessed the spring feelings of a seagull couple that were quite busy and quite noisy while reproducing. We assumed they were annoyed by us watching so the girl left and the guy followed her after a while. When we were about to leave, they came back.
All the while, we were still waiting and calling out for Gio. He called when he left and I tried to describe the way but I guess it was not a very good description. The second time he called he had found some Finnish guy. I told him the name of the spot where we were and he said he knew where it is and he sort of knew the way. The next time Gio called, he had walked more than one hour and was at some other lake, but not anywhere near us. He gave up on finding us then, had his own picknick with his new friend, whom he called Elisabeth Swan, and decided to try and meet us later. That was the second time we lost Gio.
After that new turn, and a lot of fighting with mosquitoes, we walked to Neulamäki Tower to watch the sun rise again in the morning. It was not really dark that night, there was still a stripe of light at the horizon that moved north- and then eastwards and eventually became lighter again. We settled ourselves on the tower with blankets and cookies and watched the sky. After a while, Gio came with some other people from our building whom he had met on the way. We were really releaved to see him and hear from his adventure. He didn't stay long, however, but went to bed. One after another, more people left, until we were only 5 waiting for the sunrise.
I said "It is getting lighter" a lot of times, but we still needed some patience to really see the sun. Also we were not the only ones who had this idea, during the night, lots of cars arrived and left again when they noticed the spot was already taken. We needed really a lot of patience (and some running around the tower to stay awake), but at 2 am, it started to get light again and at 4.15 am, we saw the sun! It was incredibly beautiful and worth all the waiting! After the sun had emerged from behind the horizon, it vanished behind a cloud and rose up again. So we found the sun twice! Now it is 1.48 pm and I am still soooo tired, I guess I go back to bed. Hyvää yötä!
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