I've been here so short and so long at the same time! Honestly, it doesn't feel like a month. It feels like forever and that I've always belonged here. Maybe it's because I was lucky and got into this absolutely amazing host family, great school (even though all my friends back home had one more month of holiday) and I'm surrounded by all these wonderful people anywhere I go.
I was thinking what I could say about Finland, people, things around me, which I consider as interesting/important, etc.
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| http://finnishnightmares.blogspot.fi/ |
Hahahahaha! On our arrival orientation, they were getting us ready for all the stereotypes, so we're not surprised when we'll make an eye contact and then smile on a Finnish person. Yes, it's their nightmare. Or that they don't really show emotions and sometimes it's hard to start and keep up a conversation. And it's probably gong to be us that will have to start some interaction. The first shock came right after I came to my host family. I've never seen anyone showing more love and warm gestures than they do. I got the cozy feeling very soon. Later on, my sister's friends came over. There wasn't any quiet moment at all. Anywhere we came there were loud voices and laughter. Few days later school started and it isn't the most quiet place either. Everyone is talking to everyone, they're all hanging together. It isn't hard to start a conversation. It's hard to end a conversation! Everybody wants to talk, they're all very curious about Slovakia. They don't make any differences and it makes me feel like I'm talking to someone I knew for a long time. On the other hand it's true that Finns like to be quiet and they don't "talk shit". There's something like comfortable silence in Findland. You don't have to comment everything you do. And if a Finnish person bumps into you, he/she doesn't say sorry. They say; "ooho!" Or if you obstruct and they want to get somewhere they start coughing a little. Which didn't really make sense to Slovakian in a flu season. Then they just pull you out. No words needed.
Kahvi = coffee is everywhere you go. We have two coffee breaks at school, when you visit your friend or if there are some guests comming. There is always one, two, three cups of coffee. I'm trying to keep the limit of maximum six cups per day, which doesn't really happen. I'm loosing count after seventh cup. They love their kahvi. The best one is in the Moomin mug, to keep it even more Finnish.
Everyone goes there. Every Finnish household has one. If you don't have sauna you're weird. My host famly heats up their sauna every second day. It's great relax after an exhausting day. But I still didn't dare to jump into the river after. I'll wait until there's snow (which is probably going to be soon) and then I'm going to do snow angels.
You have to eat something while enjoying your kahvi. Before I came here, people were saying, that northern food isn't very good and that I'll be hungry and hate fish after eating them all the time. That's not true. Food is delicious here. It's good either at school (if I compare it with Slovakian school canteens) or at home. I love salmon soup and pastry. There's leipä (bread), especially dark bread and karjalanpiirakka (bread with rice in the middle) as a side dish to almost every food. Finns also eat very often. Speaking of food and kitchen, men are in the kitchen more often than in other countries. Households are very equal here.
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| http://finnishnightmares.blogspot.fi/ |
That's a theme itself. Everything is very punctual here. Everyone comes at least five minutes sooner, rather than being late. Except for my maths teacher and bus. Two things that never go on schedule. If you're traveling you need to follow certain rules. When bus is comming you need to raise your hand and then just hope that the bus driver saw you. When you walk inside you tap your card and quickly look, if there's a free seat. Free seat means seat by the window, if there's someone sitting it's considered as full. If it is full, it's a nightmare. Social ineraction with stranger! You look at the person and ask if the seat next to him/her is free. If you know the saying: "silence means agreement", one good point for you. Then you're just waiting until he/she starts caughing, or you press the stop button (which doesn't always work) and get off the bus. In worse scenario you get off one-two stops later. Not a big deal.
That's everything that comes to my mind at the moment. I definitely need more training to become a professional Finn. Finland is an awesome country with beautiful nature, delicious food and wonderful people, who break all the stereotypes. I've been enjoying every moment so far and I hope, that every month will be at least (or even more) amazing as this one. Big thank you goes to both of my families for support and friends back at home, that they didn't come to kill me for my late replies, friends here for being so patient and overcoming themselves in speaking English. I'm so thankful for all these nice people and stuff hapening around me.
Heippa!
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