music: mika- relax
mood: hungry
Päivä...
Today is monday and I want to tell you about my first weekend in Kuopio.
I didn't sleep too well during my first night and finally woke with my back aching terribly.
But as I was greeted by a beautiful sunrise above snowy trees, my spirits were instantly raised and I decided to go exploring.
At first, I went up the hill (I live in Neulamäki area, mäki is hill in Finnish) and soon found a supermarket where I got my missing ketchup and took some time comparing products and prices which I didn't want to bother Jenna with on friday evening in Prisma. When I was paying, the saleslady asked me something and I managed to say "En puhu Suomea" - I don't speak any Finnish, so she just smiled and shrugged. After getting my food home I went down the hill and came across a little square with yet another supermarket, apteeki, posti and R-kioski. I remembred that Jenna had told me to go there to get a finnish card for my mobile phone.So I tried my poor Finnish again on asking the girl working in the R-kioski whether she spoke English. She didn't understand that attempt, though, so I asked again in English which worked out o.k. Now I got my own Tele-Finnland- number!
Then I explored some more in direction of the university, found the important buildings, the ice-skating track on the lake between the university buildings and the way to the city center. I did some window-shopping and got me a mug with a cow and a butterfly on it. And skates for 40€! Totally happy now! Noticed that the toilets in shopping centers also have the weird shower thing...
By that time, I was thoroughly freezing. Mind: it was about -20°C and 4 kilometres from my home to city center. I considered taking a bus back but standing on a bus-stop is even worse than walking so I walked back home. It was only 3 p.m. but it already began to get dark and I got really tired and cold... I found out that the feeling of cold comes and goes in waves. After a while you don't feel cold anymore, the fingers rather burn. But it keeps coming and going...
Back home I ate and slept a little, then spend some time on the internet talking to my family and friends and watching TV. I talked to some guys from Czech Republic who live in my house, too and we decided to meet and do some more exploring. We walked around the area and talked a little, but it was really really cold in the evening so we didn't stay out too long. Unfortunately, we didn't find any kind of common room to sit together so far. Don't know if there is anything like this.
On sunday, we went to the city center together to meet two Spanish girls from the facebook group who live in another part of the town. It was pretty nice, we got coffee and did some more exploring around city center. They already knew some places and showed them to us. Eventually we had Turkish pizza and kebab at this great place where salad buffet and juice, tea and coffee is free if you order a pizza (which is huge, like 40 cm in diameter) for about 5 €. This time, we took the bus home. I definitely need to get a monthly bus ticket because one ride from my place to city center costs 3,80 € and there is no student discount on one-way-tickets. I sort of wanted to meet with Jenna that night but she didn't call so I don't know what's up now. But after that long weekend of exploring I was content to stay home and work on my blog ;-). Did some exploring on youtube, too, you have to check some of the videos out! Just search for Kuopio Erasmus!
Today, I wanted to do business, like register at the university and at student union, return my rental contract to the housing office, register at the police station and so on. When I came to the International Office, a sign said "no registration on 11.01.2010, see you at the orientation week!". Thanks to that, I couldn't do any of the other stuff I had planned as I didn't get my inscription papers. At least, I found the housing office and returned the contract. After some more exploring in city center, I found the famous Passion Club... hope to get in there soon to have some party time! I also went to the Tourist Information and found out where to rent skis. Sports, I'm coming! Thought about some ice skating, but the weather was not so nice (look at the upcoming weather blog) and after I got my survival package (finally!) with my very own pots, frying pan and other kitchen stuff and managed to carry it to the bus stop and then home (terribly heavy!) I was exhausted and hungry (I ate while writing this, now!) I didn't bother going out any more.
Looking forward to orientation tomorrow!
mood: hungry
Päivä...
Today is monday and I want to tell you about my first weekend in Kuopio.
I didn't sleep too well during my first night and finally woke with my back aching terribly.
But as I was greeted by a beautiful sunrise above snowy trees, my spirits were instantly raised and I decided to go exploring.
At first, I went up the hill (I live in Neulamäki area, mäki is hill in Finnish) and soon found a supermarket where I got my missing ketchup and took some time comparing products and prices which I didn't want to bother Jenna with on friday evening in Prisma. When I was paying, the saleslady asked me something and I managed to say "En puhu Suomea" - I don't speak any Finnish, so she just smiled and shrugged. After getting my food home I went down the hill and came across a little square with yet another supermarket, apteeki, posti and R-kioski. I remembred that Jenna had told me to go there to get a finnish card for my mobile phone.So I tried my poor Finnish again on asking the girl working in the R-kioski whether she spoke English. She didn't understand that attempt, though, so I asked again in English which worked out o.k. Now I got my own Tele-Finnland- number!
Then I explored some more in direction of the university, found the important buildings, the ice-skating track on the lake between the university buildings and the way to the city center. I did some window-shopping and got me a mug with a cow and a butterfly on it. And skates for 40€! Totally happy now! Noticed that the toilets in shopping centers also have the weird shower thing...
By that time, I was thoroughly freezing. Mind: it was about -20°C and 4 kilometres from my home to city center. I considered taking a bus back but standing on a bus-stop is even worse than walking so I walked back home. It was only 3 p.m. but it already began to get dark and I got really tired and cold... I found out that the feeling of cold comes and goes in waves. After a while you don't feel cold anymore, the fingers rather burn. But it keeps coming and going...
Back home I ate and slept a little, then spend some time on the internet talking to my family and friends and watching TV. I talked to some guys from Czech Republic who live in my house, too and we decided to meet and do some more exploring. We walked around the area and talked a little, but it was really really cold in the evening so we didn't stay out too long. Unfortunately, we didn't find any kind of common room to sit together so far. Don't know if there is anything like this.
On sunday, we went to the city center together to meet two Spanish girls from the facebook group who live in another part of the town. It was pretty nice, we got coffee and did some more exploring around city center. They already knew some places and showed them to us. Eventually we had Turkish pizza and kebab at this great place where salad buffet and juice, tea and coffee is free if you order a pizza (which is huge, like 40 cm in diameter) for about 5 €. This time, we took the bus home. I definitely need to get a monthly bus ticket because one ride from my place to city center costs 3,80 € and there is no student discount on one-way-tickets. I sort of wanted to meet with Jenna that night but she didn't call so I don't know what's up now. But after that long weekend of exploring I was content to stay home and work on my blog ;-). Did some exploring on youtube, too, you have to check some of the videos out! Just search for Kuopio Erasmus!
Today, I wanted to do business, like register at the university and at student union, return my rental contract to the housing office, register at the police station and so on. When I came to the International Office, a sign said "no registration on 11.01.2010, see you at the orientation week!". Thanks to that, I couldn't do any of the other stuff I had planned as I didn't get my inscription papers. At least, I found the housing office and returned the contract. After some more exploring in city center, I found the famous Passion Club... hope to get in there soon to have some party time! I also went to the Tourist Information and found out where to rent skis. Sports, I'm coming! Thought about some ice skating, but the weather was not so nice (look at the upcoming weather blog) and after I got my survival package (finally!) with my very own pots, frying pan and other kitchen stuff and managed to carry it to the bus stop and then home (terribly heavy!) I was exhausted and hungry (I ate while writing this, now!) I didn't bother going out any more.
Looking forward to orientation tomorrow!
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