America meets Finland

This past weekend, I met up with Tiina, my Finnish friend!  After a relaxing visit to a local café and a nice walk around Joensuu, we decided to head over to the city market.  This is the first time I have been grocery shopping with a Finn since the night I arrived in Finland!  As you might suspect, the efficiency of shopping greatly increases when at least one shopper knows the language and is familiar with the products. J

Now, let me clarify that this was not just any visit to the grocery store.  We had a well-defined plan going into the store.  First, we had the important mission of determining whether or not peanut butter exists in Finland.  For those of you who aren't aware, peanut butter is a very American concept (and peanut butter and jelly sandwiches are a laughable matter in Europe).  Second, we needed to get viili.  I have been in Finland for four weeks now, and have not yet tried this infamous Finnish yogurt.  Tiina was curious to see my reaction to it. J  Third, for another cultural experience, we had to get some Panda licorice and Fazer salmiakki. Panda and Fazer are two big Finnish brands, and licorice and salmiakki are very common Finnish treats.  

Long story short, our trip was a success.  After checking both the honey and jam section of the store, we came across two brands of peanut butter (neither of which was Skippy).  The viili came in all sorts of flavors in the diary section—we picked mansikka banaani (strawberry banana).  And, the Finnish treats were readily available in the candy aisle.

Peanut butter meets viili.  America meets Suomi.

Tiina shows the "American" peanut butter, while I
hold the Finnish viili.  (American is in quotes because
the peanut butter is actually made in Finland, but the
concept of peanut butter is very American. J)

Having acquired all the items, it was now time for some taste tests.  I started with the viili.  While it is very similar to the yogurt you find in the States, subtle differences give it a whole new personality.  If you are at all familiar with oobleck, the consistency of viili resembles it.  As you scoop the viili with your spoon, it goo's over the edges forming long strings which are difficult to tame.  The description Wikipedia gives is fairly accurate: "[villi] has a ropy, gelatinous consistency [...with] a velvet-like surface."  While this description may not sound appealing, I still encourage you to try it when you come to Finland.  It's a delicious treat.

Wikipedia describes viili as having a "ropy, gelatinous
consistency."  Here you can see the "ropiness."

After enjoying the viili, Tiina encouraged me to try the Finnish licorice and salmiakki (salty licorice).  The licorice—pretty tasty.  The salmiakki—well, let's just say it may take a few more tries before I am able to tolerate its unique deliciousness.  Later that evening when we were walking home, a police car drove by.  Tiina informed me that they are tracking down all foreigners who dislike salmiakki.  Oh dear.

The Salmiakki Police

All in all, it was a wonderful afternoon.  The weather was gorgeous.  The colors were abounding.  Culture was exchanged.  And laughs were shared.

P.S. With the bread and jelly back at home, it was difficult to make a peanut butter and jelly sandwich for Tiina to try.  So, you will need to stay tuned for the peanut butter and jelly report.

Water and Colors

During the summer of 2008, I lived in New Zealand while interning at a local high school.  For my three month visit, I stayed in a lovely bed and breakfast run by Miriam and her cat, Millie.  Now you must understand that Miriam is one of the most incredible people I have yet met.  Not only is she a nurse for the elderly, professional gardener, amazing bed and breakfast owner, stairwell cleaner and talented artist, but she constantly seems to be seeking out new adventures.  (When I left at the end of the summer, Miriam was beginning to write a book and taking a course at the local university in addition to all the other jobs I just listed.)  Needless to say, if any of you are planning to travel to Wellington, I HIGHLY recommend staying at Millie's Bed and Breakfast.

Ok, now getting back to the point of this lengthy introduction...  As a talented artist, it was Miriam who introduced me to the world of watercolor...or rather, watercolour.  On weekends, she took me on short painting holidays, allowing me to try new techniques while seeing the different parts of Wellington.

On the left is a picture of Miriam and her leucadendrons. 
On the right is a picture from our first watercolour outing.

Two years later, I am now in Finland continuing to be amazed by the endless possibilities that can result from a box of paints, sketchbook and brushes.  I still find that the pleasure I get watching colors smear across the page compensates for the skills I lack.  Below you can see a couple of pictures I've done in Finland.  The river scene was done about a half kilometer away from my flat, while the autumn sidewalk was done near city center (you might recognize it from the previous post).

Serendipitous Flat

Alpina was not feeling well Monday night (another flat...this time it was her back tire), so this meant another trip to the bicycle doctor.  After eighteen hours and a hilarious game of charades with Finns who don't speak English, Alpina is back to her normal self.  Hooray!  I am so appreciative of the bicycle rental shop.  They do all repairs free of charge and have very friendly service.

Alpina honestly couldn't have chosen a better time to get sick.  The weather for the two days she was out was some of the best we've had in days.  This made the walks to and from city center absolutely lovely.  The trees are slowly acquiring their autumn identities and the river mirrors their beauty.  It turned out to be an excellent excuse for me to take some photos while enjoying the crisp fall air. 

This picture was taken in my kitchen minutes before I
found out Alpina got a flat.  See what I mean by great
weather—bright sunshine.  Get your fill of vitamin D.

Here you can see the great sidewalks
I get to ride down every day!  Brilliantly wide.

 

Guess what!  Finland has mushrooms!  And they aren't
just any mushrooms.  They are BIG red mushrooms!

 

The entire 5km ride from home to school is beautiful,
but this 20m stretch is pure bliss.  The pine trees on the
left give off the distinct odor of Christmas.



After the Christmas trees, this stretch of the trail
is my next favorite.  A sidewalk lined with maples.



I love this time of year.  The greens give way
to the shades of a spectacular sunset.



One mystery I have yet to solve...
what is the red, barn-like building and
why is it sticking out in the river?



Onion Cake!

Yesterday evening, my German friend AnKa invited Jana and I over for an autumn dinner.  She made us a popular German dish—onion cake!  Before you get too turned off by the name, you should understand that onion cake is like a quiche packed with onions.  Absolutely delicious.  The meal was finished off with a slice of Finnish ice cream for dessert.  Yum.

Photo courtesy of a Bing search.

Sunday Mornings

The past few Sundays, I have been attending Joensuun Vapaaseurakunta, a small Free church in city center.  While all their services are done in Finnish, they have a translation ministry that I greatly appreciate.  Every Sunday, I get a pair of headphones that allow me to listen to an English translation of the service.  Besides me, there is only one other gentleman from the Congo who uses the headphones (and he happens to be the husband of the woman who does all the translating). 

Attending Joensuun Vapaaseurakunta has not only been a good opportunity for me to join in fellowship with some local Finns, but I have also appreciated getting to practice the few Finnish words I know.  With each passing week, I find that I am able to understand more and more of the lyrics in the songs during worship.  I am also becoming more comfortable with how to respond when people greet me with an enthusiastic "Tervetuloa" (Welcome) or "Hyvää huomenta!" (Good morning!).

Technical Issues

Lately, it seems my blog has had some sporadic trouble with formatting.  If some of the entries look jumbled when you come to the blog, then reload the page and the entries should sort themselves out.  Sorry, I am not sure what causes this issue, so I am not sure how to fix it yet.

Alpina the Awesome

This blog update is long overdue, but I wanted to make sure I fully understood the personality of Alpina before introducing you to her.  So, ladies and gentlemen, I give you Alpina, my slightly run-down and hardly attractive two-wheeled friend which has a can-do attitude and resilient style.  Alpina has been (and will likely continue to be) my main mode of transportation while in Joensuu.  She is my bicycle.

To give you a little history on her, I found her in the back alleyway of a bicycle rental shop.  With three gears, two fenders and a softer-than-stone seat, it was nearly love at first sight.  She has a frame the color of dirty snow and a seat the color of a faded mustard seed.  Her name is inscribed in delicate red letters across the top bar of her frame.  Determined I could take good care of her, I signed off on all the official paperwork and away we went.

Unfortunately, the quick transition proved to be a bit much on her.  Within the first week, her front tire got a flat.  But, let me remind you, she has quite a resilient style.  After an hour walk in the cold, pouring rain and a free appointment with the bicycle doctor, she was all fixed up.

Since then, we have had many good times together exploring the nearby river, navigating the city streets and taking trips to the market.  She is also an excellent companion on the half-hour rides to and from school.  Recently, I outfitted her with a basket, and removed the piece of chewing gum that her previous owner left on her spokes.  I have also found that she likes it when you say nice words to her in the morning (however, when doing so, you need to keep in mind that she only speaks Finnish).  So, there you have it.  Alpina the Awesome.  My bicycle.

Alpina and I explore rain or shine!

O'Boy! A New Hobby!

And so my friends, it is true.  Since coming to Finland, I have developed a new hobby.  Grocery shopping.  While this hobby might seem mundane to most, I find it rather enjoyable.  Where else can you be surrounded by items which are so familiar yet so foreign?  When else are you required to slow down and intently examine a stick of butter?  To give you a glimpse into my new hobby, I have put together a small collection of stories and pictures.  Please read on if you are interested in the adventures that exist just two minutes down the road from me.

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Within the first 24 hours of arriving in Finland, I had the task of deciding which carton contained milk in the dairy section.  After five minutes of deliberation, I chose a dark blue container that had a cow prominently displayed on the front.  Surprised by how challenging it is to distinguish buttermilk and whipping cream from regular milk, I decided it was still best to ask the cashier to ensure I wouldn't be having coffee creamer with my cereal the next morning.  Shyly, I asked, "Is this milk?"  The cashier smiled and nodded.  Day one.  Success.  (The following day, I learned that maito is the Finnish word for milk... so now I have no troubles with this item.) 

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As the weather is becoming increasingly brisk, the necessity for hot chocolate has grown exponentially.  So, one afternoon on my way home from school, I made a stop at my new favorite place—the S Market.  After walking up and down the aisles for some time (because, you see, I can't read the labels posted above the aisles yet), I found it!  Hot cocoa mix!  Looking over the variety the store had to offer, I was immediately drawn to the package shown below.  What better than a steaming cup of O'Boy!



 

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As I approach the three week mark for my adventures in Finland, my grocery shopping techniques have become more refined. This past weekend, American pancakes (different from Finnish or Czech pancakes) were on the menu for Saturday morning breakfast.  However, as you might suspect, making them was only half the battle.  First, all the ingredients had to be acquired!  Anticipating that some of the items in the recipe may require a bit more skill to find (compared to apples and bananas which, for the most part, are fairly obvious), I decided to compile a list of ingredients with their Finnish translations.

flour—vehnäjauho

salt—suola

baking powder—leivinjauhe

baking soda—ruokasooda

sugar—sokeri

egg—muna

buttermilk—kirnupiimä

butter—voi

maple syrup—vaahterasirrappi

Excited, I mounted my bike to head off to the grocery store with my list.  What followed was a delightful hour-long outing in which I nearly pranced up and down the aisles locating the treasures and placing them neatly in my basket.  Carefully checking that each product's label matched the translation on my list, it was quite satisfying as checkmarks appeared next to each item on the list.   

Can you identify which item this is?  It was probably
the most challenging item to find.  Who would have
thought baking powder would be with the spices?!

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Grocery shopping in Finland has been an interesting study in product packaging.  It definitely has given me a new appreciation for what goes into designing a package that properly conveys the contents within.  As there surely are more adventures waiting for me in aisle seven, you can expect more posts in the coming months related to this new hobby.  Grocery shopping.  Adventure is out there!

I can see Russia from my backyard!

I am not sure if you have looked at a map of Finland recently, but if you have, you may have noticed that Finland borders only three countries—Sweden, Norway and Russia.  Joensuu, the average-sized town where I reside, is considered a "border city" because of its proximity to Russia.  Indeed, Russia is only an hour east of Joensuu.  Folks, I can see Russia from my backyard!

Needless to say, a trip to Russia is an obvious must.  And so, when the student union began selling tickets this past week, I was one of the first in line to sign up.  In mid-October, I will be taking a four day trip to the elegant town of St. Petersburg.  Located directly south of Joensuu, a bus will be our main mode of transportation.  While I am there, I will have the opportunity to visit one of the largest and oldest art museums in the world, tour a local fortress and cathedral, and perhaps even take an evening boat trip down the city canals.  In the meantime, I need to fill out a Russian visa application and figure out where to get passport photos taken in Joensuu.

Phlexible Philosophies

My Philosophy of Education course started this week!  We had the first two lectures of a five part series (yes, this course will finish within the next two weeks).  Like most classes I have taken, the course expectations and requirements were presented on the first day.  Unlike most classes I have taken, the only course paper we must write is due sometime in the next three years.  Yes, three years.  You read that correctly.  As I have mentioned before, there is much greater flexibility in the Finnish school systems, so the professor is happy to process our credits whenever we turn in the paper.

After going over course expectations, the professor proceeded to give his international students a taste of Finland.  He shared some Finnish folk music, and then presented a fascinating introduction of Finnish history.  Did you know that the Nazi concentration camps were a Finnish invention?!  German doctors observed such camps during the Finnish Civil War in the years prior to WWII.

The lecture then moved into a discussion about course content.  So far, we have learned some basic definitions of philosophy and became acquainted with some top European and Finnish philosophers.  Should be an interesting course.

Finnish Kitchens

It is time you are introduced to my favorite part of a Finnish kitchen: the drying rack.  Above the sink, the Finns reserve a decent-sized cupboard for drying their dishes.  Not only is it nice to be able to dry your dishes behind closed doors, but the shelves inside the cupboard also allow all excess water to drain directly into the sink!  Brilliant.

 

O Canada! My home and native land!

This past week in Finnish 1, we learned how to say several simple introductory phrases.  In particular, we learned how to ask and answer the question "Where are you from?"  In Finnish, United States is translated Yhdysvallat, whereas Canada is Kanada.  Long story short, I am now Canadian.  I think you understand why. 

P.S.  I apologize for the number of blog posts on the weekends.  Ideally, these would be posted as they occur, but my weekdays are pretty busy.  I'll try to get better, but no promises.

A Lesson on Visuals

One of the things that initially piqued my interest in the University of Eastern Finland was the K-12 practice school it has on campus.  For their teacher education program, the university maintains a practice school with real students, real classrooms, and real teachers.  As an education student, I am allowed to observe as many of the classes as I would like.  I don't need to arrange these observations weeks in advance, but rather I can just show up a few minutes before class and ask to sit in.  It's quite an opportunity!

So, the morning after I got a tour of the primary school, I returned to observe a sixth grade textiles class.  (This time, I came prepared to remove my shoes.)  It was during this observation that my love for VIPs was reignited.

At this point, I should probably pause and tell you what a VIP is.  At Breakthrough Saint Paul (an awesome teaching program I've worked with for the past few years), teachers are encouraged to use Visual Instructional Plans (VIP).  When using VIPs, a teacher breaks down a task into small, manageable steps.  Each step is written down and illustrated.  Here is a VIP for how to make VIPs (meta, I know): 

Ok, getting back to the textiles class...for the first ten minutes of class, the teacher was going on and on in Finnish.  Even though I had attended a whole two Finnish lessons earlier that week, I was still a bit lost.  Surprising, I know.  Anyways, at the end of the teacher's spiel, she wrote some instructions on the board with a complete set of pictures.  A VIP!  All of a sudden, I knew exactly what the students were working on!  I nearly laughed out loud I was so excited.  One of the many benefits of VIPs is in how they enable ELL students (English Language Learners) to better follow along with the lesson.  In this case, the VIP was helping an FLL student (Finnish Language Learner)!  Needless to say, while I've always been a huge fan of VIPs, my appreciation for them increased tenfold because of this experience. 

Knocked my Socks Off

This week, I visited my first Finnish school!  While it did not knock my socks off, it certainly did knock my shoes off!  Let me explain...

The first lecture of Introduction to Finnish School Life is scheduled to begin in fifteen minutes. Passing by large stuffed animals and the masterpieces of second graders, I wander through the primary school looking for classroom 6C.  The hallway turns into what looks like a library—bright red bookshelves interspersed with islands of short tables surrounded by chairs suitable for smaller people.  My favorite childhood books look foreign with their Finnish titles.

It is after school hours; the hallways are empty and the classrooms are still.  I continue on.  Classroom 6A.  Getting closer.  The library evolves into a living room complete with a sofa, coffee table and fireplace.  Classroom 6B.  My destination must be nearing.  The living room transforms back into the hallway.  Small shoes in little cubbies line the wall.  Classroom 6C.  I have arrived.

I go to step into the classroom, and a small voice behind the desk asks me, would you please take off your shoes and leave them in the hallway?  Prior to coming to Finland, I had read this was customary in schools, but nonetheless, it still takes me by surprise when it comes time to partake in the culture. 

The rest of the evening was filled with one surprise after another.  As the professor began lecturing, she seamlessly transitioned from one medium to another.  A chalkboard to write her name.  A Smartboard* to view the syllabus.  A document camera to inspect the worksheet.  A white board to post important dates.  And all of this in a typical sixth grade classroom.

After a lengthy introduction of class expectations and requirements, we get a tour of the school.  Again, one surprise after another.  The ceiling of the science lab has a replica of the night sky from December 2003 formed with twinkling lights.  The textiles room is equipped with a row of Bernina sewing machines.  The cafeteria has small vases of flowers at each table.  And my favorite part—the fact that the entire tour is given in our socks. 

I left the school completely in awe.  While I thought perhaps this was just a special school in Finland, later that evening my Finnish flatmate informed me otherwise.  Apparently, all schools in Finland have a similar warmth and are outfitted with comparable resources.  Wow.  Knocked my socks right off.


*A Smartboard is like a large touch screen whiteboard.  An LCD projects the computer screen onto the Smartboard, and then the user can interact with the board similar to how you use a mouse on a computer.  A document camera is similar to an overhead projector; however, instead of using transparencies, you just place the paper documents under the camera and the the image is projected onto the wall. 

Routinely Random

Perhaps at this point, I should give you a brief overview of how course scheduling works here at the University of Eastern Finland.  Basically, the semester goes from September 1 to December 17.  During this time period, classes can start on any day, meet for any number of lectures, in any room, at any time, and on any day.  So, unlike in the States where I might have a class that meets on MWF from 10:00-11:15 for the entire semester, here in Finland, a class might meet on September 7 at 8:00, September 8 at 10:00, September 10 at 9:00, and finish on September 15 at 11:00.  The classes typically never meet in the same room twice, and oftentimes are overlapping with other courses.  In the case where the lectures overlap, it is up to the student to decide which lecture they will attend and how they will get the information missed in the other lecture. 

This scheduling system reflects the value Finns place on student responsibility.  From a young age, the Finns are encouraged to take responsibility for their own education; at the university level, this concept translates into great flexibility in course selection and scheduling.  With a schedule in which no day is quite like the other, it appears I won't be developing any sort of routines.  It will just be routinely random.  I'm looking forward to it.

Typically, courses are 1 to 2 credits a piece, so it has been a fun challenge piecing together a schedule with 15 credits.  So far, here is a rough sketch of the courses I plan to take first semester:

• Finnish I and II
• Finnish Educational Systems and Organizations
• Geometric Thinking
• Comparative Perspectives of Preschool Education in Different Countries
• Framework and Concepts for Intercultural Professional Development
• Philosophy of Education
• Information and Communication Technology in Teacher's Work
• Introduction to Finnish School Life

For those of you who are not aware of why I am in Finland, it might have become more apparent by looking at this course list (...or, you might just be confused why there are no chemistry courses on the list).  Either way, recent studies have shown that the education Finns provide their students is among the best in the world.  Therefore, as I am interested in teaching, I thought it would be a good opportunity to glean from them what I can.

Fun Finnish Fact of the Week

For those who are interested, I have a fun Finnish fact.  On the first day of Finnish I, the teacher informed us that Finnish words tend to be long because singular words can express quite a bit of information.  The longest Finnish word is 61 letters long:

lentokonesuihkuturbiinimoottoriapumekaanikkoaliupseerioppilas

This word describes an assistant mechanic junior officer trainee who specializes in airplane jet engine motors.  Seems like an odd word to have, but apparently it's an official position in the Finnish army!

Batman has a Bad Attitude

Growing up, my mom always threw "Happy First Day of School" parties.  She baked a cake, decorated it with a school bus, and sometimes even put streamers up around the dining room.  While I did not celebrate in quite the same manner this year, my first day of Finnish school was definitely just as memorable.

Today, I attended my first class—Finnish I.  So far so good.  Katri Niemi is a lively professor who keeps the class attentive with her humor and enthusiasm.  On the left side of the class sits a large contingent of Japanese students, while much of Europe is represented on the right half of the class (just to give you an idea, there are students from Spain, Belgium, Portugal, France, Austria, Italy, Czech Republic, Turkey, Poland and Germany). 

After taking attendance and getting through general course information, we dove into learning basic Finnish pronunciation and introductory phrases.  I quickly found myself being volunteered by the professor as I am the sole native English speaker in the class.  Would the girl from the States please say this phrase aloud?  Reading the words she scrawled across the board, I recited in a loud, clear voice, Batman has a bad attitude.  A few giggles were heard around the room as the teacher explained how I pronounced the Finnish vowel ä almost perfectly when reading the word "attitude."  It was a good first day of class.  I can't wait for more to begin.

Yes, that is me waving at you from the background.

Exploring Our Surroundings

On Saturday, Jana (my flatmate) and I ventured out to explore the surrounding area.  Our day started with a four hour bike ride to a nearby lake.  As it was a wet and cold morning, we shared the trail only with a few mushroom pickers.  All in all, the scenery was definitely worth the trek.  The lake was glassy and the surrounding vegetation lush. 

After a small picnic lunch, our fingers began to go numb so we sought out a warmer climate at the local botanical gardens.  There we found a Finnish speaking parrot, several roomfuls of exotic plants and a butterfly exhibit.  The butterflies made me smile—so colorful, so delicate, so alive.  I have a feeling I will be visiting this place again come mid-winter.

The last part of the day was spent running some errands around town.  We crashed back at the apartment later that evening, enjoying an episode of 'Allo 'Allo, an older British sitcom set in WWII that aired on the BBC. 

On Sunday afternoon, Jana and I mounted our bikes once more as the sun began to peek out for the first time all weekend.  A few minutes down the road we found a small island accessible by bridge.  Here are a few more photos to give you an idea of what Joensuu looks like.

Lumi!

Yup, you read the title correctly—snow!  This past weekend, I was biking around the corner of a building when I came across a large pile of snow.  I am not sure where it is from or why it is there, but my flatmate postulated that it could be leftover from last year.  All the townsfolk having been warning me that Joensuu experienced one of its worst winters this past January.

Needless to say, I am looking forward to winter.  Bring out the woolies and long underwear...and perhaps some of New Zealand's polypropylene too!

FYI, the temperatures are currently hovering in the high forties to low fifties.  I have had to break out the mittens a few times already.

Let There Be Light

Come late December and early January, Joensuu will be getting approximately four to five hours of sunlight per day.  Not only does this mean I will experience my darkest birthday ever, but it also was a major motivator for me to go light shopping.

If you look at the picture of my room in the last post, you will notice my first light purchase in the corner—a nice floor lamp with a blue shade.  After getting it for 4€ at the secondhand shop, I was faced with the challenge of bringing it back to my apartment...by bike...with an impending rain storm.  I will let you imagine for yourself how this might have looked to everyone I passed (or rather, who passed by me) on the sidewalk.

Fortunately, the adventure did not stop there.  After getting it home, I went to the market to get a light bulb.  The lamp told me it could handle up to 75W, but when looking at the selection of lights, I could only see 7W, 9W, 11W or 15W bulbs.  Wanting the most wattage for the long, dark winter nights, I chose the 15W bulb.

Later, I learned that Europe has put new energy-saving light bulb regulations in place.  As part of this initiative, wattages are being reported differently.  It turns out that what is now labeled 15W is comparable to what use to be a 75W bulb.  Success!

I am learning new things every day.

Latolankatu 9. Home.

For the next nine months, I will be living in an apartment on Latolankatu, about 5km from city center.  In Finnish, "lato" means barn and "katu" means street; I haven't figure out what "lan" means yet.  So, for now, you can think of me as living on "Barn Street."  I'll update this translation if I learn otherwise in my Finnish class.

When I first walked into my room, the white walls and simple furniture looked a bit stark.  However, with the help of some pictures and a few purchases from the secondhand shop, things are starting to look more like home.  You can see for yourself:

The view from my window looks out into a forest of tall pines mixed with a few birch. The sun rises in my window, and sets in the kitchen. Small red squirrels enjoy chasing each other up the trees, and a few quiet birds also call Latolankatu home. It's quite lovely.

I have two flatmates in my apartment.  Maria is Finnish, and studies forestry (a popular degree at the University of Eastern Finland).  Jana is Czech, and studies English and History.  Both flatmates are very nice, and are introducing me to all sorts of new things.

A Few Friendly Finns

The two smiling girls who met me at the airport turned out to be my Finnish tutors.  It is the role of a Finnish tutor to assist incoming exchange students with settling in Joensuu.  I quickly came to learn how invaluable they are.  For two days, they patiently brought me around town, translating my needs to the local Finns and ensuring that I completed all the necessary items.  Here's a quick rundown of what we accomplished:

• After picking me up from the airport, Maija and Riikka brought me to a small kiosk to purchase a Finnish SIM card for my phone. 
• We then proceeded to the only shop in town which is open until 11pm so I could get breakfast for the next morning.  Here, I learned how to buy fruits and vegetables at the market (it's a bit different in Finland).
• The following morning, I got a short tour of the campus which included a stop at the Student Health Services.  For 6€, I can visit a medical specialist... perhaps I'll keep this in mind in case I get frostbite.
• A stop at Nordea, a Finnish bank, was then in order to open a bank account.
• Afterwards, we wandered over to a bike shop so I could rent (or should I say 'rescue') a bike for the nine months I will be in Joensuu.  More on the bike later. 
• Riding my "new" bike, we went to the Student Services office so I could officially register as a student.
• Lunchtime had passed, so the university cafeteria was the next stop.  Spinach crêpes with lingonberries and potatoes. Mmmmm.
• During the afternoon, I had some time to explore the town on my own.  During this time, I found a helmet for my bicycle.  It will be especially good for winter.
• The following morning, my tutors met me at Joensuun Elli, a housing company.  I signed a lease for my apartment and subsequently moved in. 
• My apartment was in need of a few basics (blankets, towels, etc.), so we visited a secondhand shop where I found some good deals.
• A stop at the library came next so I could get a city library card.
• The post office was nearby, so now I know where to pick up packages should they arrive.
• I also was taught how to use the bus system  in case I can't get motivated to ride my bike on a cold, snowy morning.
• The day was rounded off with a piece of salmiakki-flavored gum.  Apparently, it's a favorite Finnish flavor that most foreigners find disgusting.  It kind of tastes like overly salted licorice.  I can't say I'm a huge fan.

Overall, it was a very enjoyable, productive and exhausting couple of days.  Maija and Riikka, my Finnish tutors, are absolutely amazing.  Helpful.  Humorous.  Knowledgeable.  Patient.  Resourceful.  Finnish.  Oh, and did I mention they do this on a completely volunteer basis?!  They are amazing.  Enough said.  Thank you so much for your help.  Kiitos.

Welcome. Tervetuola.

Velkomin til Íslands. Núverandi tími er 6:55 í morgun. Þakka þér fyrir að fljúga Icelandair.* Welcome to Iceland. The current time is 6:55am. Thank you for flying Icelandair. These are the words the flight attendant greeted us with as the airplane taxied towards Keflavik Airport.  The flight from Minneapolis to Iceland was surprisingly short; I had said goodbye to my family just six hours earlier. Feeling groggy and stiff, I gathered the items around me in preparation for my layover in Reykjavik.

The following flight to Helsinki was as uneventful as the previous. I dozed in and out while occasionally observing the beautiful scenery of Norway and Sweden pass by below. As an interesting side note, on this flight, I learned that the prime minister of Iceland has his number listed in the phone book.  Who knew?

While my excitement was beginning to mount during these first two flights, it was not until the third that my journey to Finland started to become real. Boarding a small plane with approximately 25 other people, I chose an empty seat towards the front of the plane. The flight attendant came over to talk with me while other passengers continued to file on. Hei, olet istuu uloskäyntihuoneessa istuin. Flustered, I apologized and explained that I spoke no Finnish.  She seamlessly translated in English, you are sitting in an exit row seat so I want you to be aware of the safety requirements. This was my first encounter with the Finnish language. The large propellers on the plane's small wings started up and the plane rocked back to taxi out to the runway.

A little over an hour later, the sun lit up the horizon in orange creamsicle hues as our plane pulled into the Joensuu airport.  Prepared to navigate a somewhat larger airport, I was surprised when walking across the tarmac to see a small one-room airport with a sign lit in blue neon lights that read JOENSUU AIRPORT.  Upon entering this room, there was one baggage carousel to the left and two smiling girls waving at me on the right.  They held a sign with "Welcome Jennifer" written in purple ink.  I smiled back and went over to introduce myself.  I couldn't have asked for a better welcome.  A perfect start to my Finnish adventure.

*Disclaimer: All text written in Icelandic and Finnish in this post were translated with Google Translator.  No, I don't speak either language, so I apologize if they are inaccurate. :)