Back at it: Finland

I was a little shocked when I saw the last time that I had blogged.  A lot has happened since then, a lot has changed.  For one I was in a relatively warm country, with a beach just minutes away and koalas in the trees.  Fast forward 6 months to NOW... I'm in a quaint, however very active little town that goes by the name of Vimpeli (about four hours north of Helsinki).  

Here's what I pictured when I heard I would be going to Finland for a month.  I imagined everybody having blonde hair, blue eyes.  I imagine 8 feet of snow, with sled dogs hauling people from place to place and reindeer wandering in plain sight.  Here's what I see, after a week of being here.  People with dark hair, people with light hair, no reindeer (yet, I'm being told I need to eat some soon), no sled dogs (very cute dogs as house pets, though!),  NO SNOW (except a few days), big houses, nice cars, and a lot of bicycles.  Even the older folk hop on their bikes and ride 5 minutes to the bakery for coffee or grocery shopping at their market.  When I say older folk, I'm talking 80's, people.. They do not mess around here.  Just the other day I witnessed an 82 year old doing the splits.. What?? 

A lot of me wishes I could have come here for the whole basketball season.  The gym is a minute walk away from where I stay, and I am free to use it whenever I need, unless somebody else is using it.  It's one of those towns where everybody knows each other, where everybody waves to each other.  If I had to compare it to something, it would be like the town in Hoosiers with a European twist.  Which, you know, is awesome.  

Sometimes I freak myself out when I think about how before I was here, I had NO idea this place even existed.  I go to these places.. Haskovo, Adelaide, Vimpeli.. And I meet these people and spend a lot of time with them, then leave and go our seperate ways.  I guess it's just funny where life takes you, and how the path you follow takes you to these unknown places where you meet people you would have never known had you taken a different path.  

By the way, there's a slim chance I'll be able to speak Finnish by the time I come home.  This language is ridiculous.  They just decide to cram eight words together and make it one.  So their words look like this " jfcudhsuaksmdh ahdyhsysyuuu Dodjdjhdudjdndjekk". Okay not exactly like that but actually not too far off.  That sentence would translate to "please do not eat the reindeer because it could be Rudolph, we appreciate it, thank you kindly and have a good day."    

Thanks for being patient, probably a lot of you forgot I had a blog.  I think I forgot I had a blog.  Enjoy the few pictures I've taken in the week I've been here! 

Until next time, 

Jess