Christoph: One latte, please.
Man at the counter: I'm sorry. May I offer you a regular cup of coffee for free instead? [Looks at me] Would you like one, too? [I nod dumbly.]
My thought process: Wait... free? Really? I must have heard wrong... That's too easy...NOTHING is free here.
My words to Christoph: Did he really just say "for free??"
Christoph: Yeah! That's what he said.
My words to the man: Wow, kiiitos!
------
And that's how we got two cups of coffee with milk for free from McDonalds. :) It turns out that they were supposed to sell latte until 10pm. However, they had cleaned the machine 10 minutes early tonight, so the man felt obligated to give us free coffee instead. I like Finns.
Monday, October 26, 2009
Karaoke Bar
Two of the Fulbright girls have this idea of holding regular dinner parties, where we all invite our friends, so that we can meet each others friends and make more friends. So anyway, we began with Indian food night on Saturday. I ended up missing most of it because of a feud with Expedia, but the food was delicious, and I was able to make it out to a karaoke bar with them afterward.
The bar, Paja, was filled with old regulars, who were really excited to see us. The bar wasn't packed, so we didn't have to wait for hours to get a song in, and they were so welcoming... "New blood, that's why," Erika told me. :) In fact, one elderly lady bought Alex and me each a blueberry shot with whipped cream for singing "You're Still the One" by Shania Twain, because she wanted us to have more fun. They spoke broken English, and we spoken negligible Finnish, but it was great. During a few of the songs, one couple waltzed around the bar counter, as the rest of us standing - the Americans - swayed in various directions. Another blond lady, probably over 60, pulled off her hairtie to shake her hair around her shoulders and dance with us. We want to go back and perhaps become regulars, too.
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Other happenings...
My uncle, or second uncle I suppose, visited Helsinki on a business trip from China. It still sort of blows my mind that after only seeing family about once a decade, I've gotten to see an uncle for the second time this year by being in Helsinki.
The Herring Festival. :) Fish pastries, super dark and rich Finnish bread, cloudberry jam, and all sorts of pickled herrings.
One of the best cheeses I have had thus far, maybe even the best.
The bar, Paja, was filled with old regulars, who were really excited to see us. The bar wasn't packed, so we didn't have to wait for hours to get a song in, and they were so welcoming... "New blood, that's why," Erika told me. :) In fact, one elderly lady bought Alex and me each a blueberry shot with whipped cream for singing "You're Still the One" by Shania Twain, because she wanted us to have more fun. They spoke broken English, and we spoken negligible Finnish, but it was great. During a few of the songs, one couple waltzed around the bar counter, as the rest of us standing - the Americans - swayed in various directions. Another blond lady, probably over 60, pulled off her hairtie to shake her hair around her shoulders and dance with us. We want to go back and perhaps become regulars, too.
------
Other happenings...
My uncle, or second uncle I suppose, visited Helsinki on a business trip from China. It still sort of blows my mind that after only seeing family about once a decade, I've gotten to see an uncle for the second time this year by being in Helsinki.
The Herring Festival. :) Fish pastries, super dark and rich Finnish bread, cloudberry jam, and all sorts of pickled herrings.
One of the best cheeses I have had thus far, maybe even the best.
Wednesday, October 21, 2009
Project Update 1!
Some of you, especially those who supported me through the application process, might be wondering how my project is actually going. I haven't talked much about it for a couple of reasons. 1. Information security in my lab - like all other forms of security in Finland - is rather tight, so I can't speak in depth about the subject matter. 2. The progress has been slow.
The autism group here is currently in sort of a state of flux. Half of the Peltonen lab is situated at the Sanger Institute in Cambridge. My immediate adviser is about to transfer to Sanger, and another PhD student is already there. That leaves a graduate student, an undergraduate, and myself. It's a little scary, but perhaps exciting, too, as an opportunity to do some independent thinking.
As for the project itself, the preliminary data, which was supposed to have been complete before my arrival, is still being collected. I've been trying to be productive, though, by learning UNIX for linkage analysis and working on a couple of small projects. Whether or not the linkage analysis produces anything good, I'm glad to be learning it, since genetics is becoming so bioinformatics based and really over my head. :) I hope that soon, I will get to work on my originally intended project, but overall, I'm just going to push myself to learn as much as I can this year.
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On another note, the days are getting shorter now, and the nights longer. The change really accelerages during the end of September and the beginning of October, and now it seems to have settled into a more constant pace.
I had thought before that Finns would be hardered to this drastic change of seasons, but they're actually quite sensitive to it, perhaps because the change is so drastic... from all day to almost all night, every year. I can sense it in my lab. The coffee breaks are just a little heavier. People in general are becoming a little more moody and irritable. Terhi tells me that you learn to appreciate the dark, and I think that this is true. I personally prefer loads of sunshine, but the grayer days are sort of gentle, when not windy, and really not very cold. The ruska of the autumn is also settling in and slowly fleeing, in turns depending on the type of tree, so that bright yellow leaves are swirling around all the time. And it's really neat the rare moments when the sun decides to appear and tints all the buildings with gold. This sounds cheesy, but it's a fitting time to start drawing on those inner sources of joy: listen to good music, read good books, and appreciate good company.
Last week was a rough week for many of us with the Fulbright, personally and professionally. Asked by Karoliina about the progress of our projects, many of us have found ourselves facing new challenges and finding new directions. On the personal side, we're all really glad and grateful to be here, but the realities of living in a foreign country for a year are beginning to sink in.
I think that the overall tone of our grants will be like a wave. Giddy excitement, followed by the harder face of reality, until things equilibrate into a steadier, calmer sort of content enjoyment and productivity.
The autism group here is currently in sort of a state of flux. Half of the Peltonen lab is situated at the Sanger Institute in Cambridge. My immediate adviser is about to transfer to Sanger, and another PhD student is already there. That leaves a graduate student, an undergraduate, and myself. It's a little scary, but perhaps exciting, too, as an opportunity to do some independent thinking.
As for the project itself, the preliminary data, which was supposed to have been complete before my arrival, is still being collected. I've been trying to be productive, though, by learning UNIX for linkage analysis and working on a couple of small projects. Whether or not the linkage analysis produces anything good, I'm glad to be learning it, since genetics is becoming so bioinformatics based and really over my head. :) I hope that soon, I will get to work on my originally intended project, but overall, I'm just going to push myself to learn as much as I can this year.
------
On another note, the days are getting shorter now, and the nights longer. The change really accelerages during the end of September and the beginning of October, and now it seems to have settled into a more constant pace.
I had thought before that Finns would be hardered to this drastic change of seasons, but they're actually quite sensitive to it, perhaps because the change is so drastic... from all day to almost all night, every year. I can sense it in my lab. The coffee breaks are just a little heavier. People in general are becoming a little more moody and irritable. Terhi tells me that you learn to appreciate the dark, and I think that this is true. I personally prefer loads of sunshine, but the grayer days are sort of gentle, when not windy, and really not very cold. The ruska of the autumn is also settling in and slowly fleeing, in turns depending on the type of tree, so that bright yellow leaves are swirling around all the time. And it's really neat the rare moments when the sun decides to appear and tints all the buildings with gold. This sounds cheesy, but it's a fitting time to start drawing on those inner sources of joy: listen to good music, read good books, and appreciate good company.
Last week was a rough week for many of us with the Fulbright, personally and professionally. Asked by Karoliina about the progress of our projects, many of us have found ourselves facing new challenges and finding new directions. On the personal side, we're all really glad and grateful to be here, but the realities of living in a foreign country for a year are beginning to sink in.
I think that the overall tone of our grants will be like a wave. Giddy excitement, followed by the harder face of reality, until things equilibrate into a steadier, calmer sort of content enjoyment and productivity.
Monday, October 12, 2009
First Snow
The elevator in our apartment complex smelled like wet dog this evening.
It snowed for the first time in Helsinki today. It was mixed with rain, though, so the weather was quite cold and gray.
The good news is that our apartment heater is finally on, high enough for the metal panel along the wall to feel warm to the touch.
It snowed for the first time in Helsinki today. It was mixed with rain, though, so the weather was quite cold and gray.
The good news is that our apartment heater is finally on, high enough for the metal panel along the wall to feel warm to the touch.
Sunday, October 11, 2009
Hospital Choir, and settling in... :)
I am joining a small group of amateur singers who call themselves the Hospital Choir. The group has been around for a couple of decades, and now, it consists of a core of eight or so middle aged and elderly woman, plus a younger pianist called Marika, and a pastor who conducts and sings bass.
It was really a blessing to find this group. I've been looking for something simple and musical to do, and they were one of only a couple of community choirs I found online, with English websites. They practice once a week and then go sing at nursing homes for people who can't make it to church anymore.
I went to my first nursing home visit after church today. I didn't sing, since I don't know most of the songs yet, but it was very sweet. The nurses walked/wheeled 15-20 ladies into a small dining room, where the choir sang for them. Somewhere in the middle, Paivi performed two solos. Listening to her, I realized that she was actually quite good. Her voice has become a little more coarse and trembled ever so slightly from the effects of age, but it still sent little shivers through me, as she made her way through the melody.
Afterward, a few of the ladies at the nursing home tried to speak to me. Unwilling to say en puhu suomea (I don't speak Finnish) to open-hearted old women who in turn didn't speak English, I just tried to smile and nodd. I was, however, able to catch a few hyva's (good) throughout their speech, so I could say kiitos (thank you) in return.
During my first practice with the choir, a few of the women told me that they had been praying for new people and were very happy that I had found them. It felt strange... to be the answer to someone else's prayers. I've prayed for similar things with other groups before, but I've never been on the other end. In a way... it's very humbling... to be the blessing, also to know that God is still watching out for me, even when I'm not paying half so much attention to Him.
This group has been been the answer to my hopes, too, hopes that I honestly didn't put much prayer or heart into. I had hoped, without seriously believing, that I would find a good church in Helsinki. But through Lea, the lady who created the English website, I have actually discovered a good Baptist church, in a country that's over 90% Lutheran, since the state religion is Lutheran. The services are in Finnish (with English translations), but they remind me a lot of some churches I have been to at home. When I mentioned this to Lea, she told me that the church was founded by an American pastor over 20 years ago. Cool, huh?
-----
In other news, I'm further settling in. I only have a few good friends, but they are friends that I can just hang out with, whether it's in a bar, on an island, or at someone's apartment. At an international student party this past weekend, I knew enough people to feel close to some and comfortable around others. It's really wonderful to feel less and less self-conscious and to be in a setting where there are enough people whom I care about, as well as people who care for me. Just enough.
This knowing of people is related to something that I sort of love about Helsinki. It's the capital and has a big-city feel, but at the same time, it's really not very big at all. It's nice when I can walk through a Unicafe and say "Hi, how are you?" to the few people I recognize. :)
It was really a blessing to find this group. I've been looking for something simple and musical to do, and they were one of only a couple of community choirs I found online, with English websites. They practice once a week and then go sing at nursing homes for people who can't make it to church anymore.
I went to my first nursing home visit after church today. I didn't sing, since I don't know most of the songs yet, but it was very sweet. The nurses walked/wheeled 15-20 ladies into a small dining room, where the choir sang for them. Somewhere in the middle, Paivi performed two solos. Listening to her, I realized that she was actually quite good. Her voice has become a little more coarse and trembled ever so slightly from the effects of age, but it still sent little shivers through me, as she made her way through the melody.
Afterward, a few of the ladies at the nursing home tried to speak to me. Unwilling to say en puhu suomea (I don't speak Finnish) to open-hearted old women who in turn didn't speak English, I just tried to smile and nodd. I was, however, able to catch a few hyva's (good) throughout their speech, so I could say kiitos (thank you) in return.
During my first practice with the choir, a few of the women told me that they had been praying for new people and were very happy that I had found them. It felt strange... to be the answer to someone else's prayers. I've prayed for similar things with other groups before, but I've never been on the other end. In a way... it's very humbling... to be the blessing, also to know that God is still watching out for me, even when I'm not paying half so much attention to Him.
This group has been been the answer to my hopes, too, hopes that I honestly didn't put much prayer or heart into. I had hoped, without seriously believing, that I would find a good church in Helsinki. But through Lea, the lady who created the English website, I have actually discovered a good Baptist church, in a country that's over 90% Lutheran, since the state religion is Lutheran. The services are in Finnish (with English translations), but they remind me a lot of some churches I have been to at home. When I mentioned this to Lea, she told me that the church was founded by an American pastor over 20 years ago. Cool, huh?
-----
In other news, I'm further settling in. I only have a few good friends, but they are friends that I can just hang out with, whether it's in a bar, on an island, or at someone's apartment. At an international student party this past weekend, I knew enough people to feel close to some and comfortable around others. It's really wonderful to feel less and less self-conscious and to be in a setting where there are enough people whom I care about, as well as people who care for me. Just enough.
This knowing of people is related to something that I sort of love about Helsinki. It's the capital and has a big-city feel, but at the same time, it's really not very big at all. It's nice when I can walk through a Unicafe and say "Hi, how are you?" to the few people I recognize. :)
Tuesday, October 6, 2009
Kilpisjärvi
One of my goals in coming to Finland was to go as far north as I could. I was finally able to do that this past weekend, at least within the bounds of Finland, by visiting Kilpisjärvi.
If you look at a Finnish map, Finland is a lady, and Kilpisjarvi is a tiny town in her left arm, at the point where Finland meets Sweden and Norway. I was lucky to have heard of a biological station there from a man at the University of Helsinki. Apparently, any person who is in any way affiliated with the U of H can visit the station for just 20 euros a night, so I jumped at the opportunity.
The trip took about 20 hours each way, with an overnight train ride on the Santa Express (the actual name ^^) to Rovaniemi, followed by 8 hours on a bus. By the way, Santa Claus lives in Rovaniemi... that's why all the children in Finland get their Christmas presents one day early.
I would also like to talk a bit about the bus ride. This one bus delivered mail, newspapers, very young school children, and travelers, all along its eight-hour route. Our two drivers (or was it a driver and a mailman?) took a break every couple of hours at gas stations to drink coffee and chat. And their personal destination was an overnight fishing trip further up north. It makes me happy in a tingly sort of way when I think about it, to know that such simple goodness still exists in the world.
We went on a 10km hike during our first full day there. We thought about climbing Saana, the tallest mountain - or fell - in Finland, and it was right across the street, but instead, we decided to climb another mountain to get a better view of the hills of Sweden and the snowy peaks of Norway. I was surprise by the richness of the arctic soil. At one point, we lost the path and had to make our way down the side of a fell by maneuvering around small trees, webs of streams, and knolls thickly covered with this soft, mossy greenery. We also found a higher and somewhat barren ranging field of reindeers, lots of reindeers, many of whom had been tagged by phantom shepherds.
View from the station (left); view at the top of the fell (right)
The arctic really holds its own beauty: barren but surprisingly lush, and colorful in a subtle sort of way.
Of course, we can't forget sauna, which felt wonderful after a hike! It's surprisingly comfortable to sit in a hot room with a bunch of naked people. I usually start out in a tank top or a towel, but a couple of minutes in, I just stop trying and end up as bare as everyone else. I think that the puritanical yet very liberal nature of American culture associates nudeness too much with sex. In a sauna with eight other naked guys and gals, we really just end up chatting and enjoying each other's company. All the while, our bodies become hotter and sweatier, until we have to run out for a shower or a dip in the lake, and then you do it again. :) In the words of my roommate Erika, "they wouldn't build a station up there, if they couldn't have a sauna!" (I wasn't quite brave enough for the lake, but I hear it wasn't so bad.)
We ended the evening with some good food and a camp fire in a specialized tepee, with benches covered with reindeer skins set up around the fire pit. This station really was quite well designed. We talked and played little games, with questions like "What's your favorite color and why? Now that describes you." Then we would go around the circle and listen to people's responses. Nothing super serious but just enough to be thought-provoking and kind of fun.
We also celebrated Melanie's 25th birthday, with a super easy and yummy brownie cake, though I have to say that the making of this cake was kind of epic. I burned my thumb in the oven (the resulting blister later tore during laundry scrubbing), and the 21 candles half-melted into the warm cake... creating little dips of neon-colored wax. Addie and I had to hastily pull them all out while in the kitchen, only to stick the candles in again to light them as quickly as possible outside the tepee, protecting the little flames with our bodies, before the wind could get to them.
Oh! And for the record, we walked briskly into Sweden... for about 5 seconds. ^^
To a Finn, this trip might have seemed a little like a waste. We missed the rustra (fall colors) and we were a tad bit early for the Northern Lights, but it was a wonderful trip in its own way, with some good people.
Homage to Fitball
Just imagine a group of women (men seem disinclined toward participating in this group training event) stretching, bouncing, balancing, and occasionally falling off of these big plastic balls... as happy music plays in the background. ^^ Don't let it fool you, though. Today's session was so intense, especially after my bike ride home, that I felt no shame in giving up halfway through a couple of the exercises.
I'm still waiting to try out "Happy Dance," supposedly a very self-explanatory name.
I'm still waiting to try out "Happy Dance," supposedly a very self-explanatory name.
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