So, I know I am terrible at this. But I think it's my perfectionism that is getting in the way (my Finnish friend Anu is well on her way to becoming a pro headshrinker, and she seems to think so. She lost faith that I would write another post, so in your face Anu!). So, I think I will just try to post little things instead of only having long, elaborate posts...because it's more important that I at least give something back to my adoring public!! So here, a gift of Christmas cheer, correspondence from moi!
Something that has kind of peeved me since I've been here is the fact that Finns start the Christmas season so early. They were putting out Christmas candy in the stores in mid-October! But apparently it also irritates at least some of the Finns; my 'friendship family' here says that by the time Christmas comes they are already tired of Christmas food, because they've been having it for two months already. Since Finns don't celebrate Halloween (except for some bars/clubs) or Thanksgiving, it makes it easy for the food companies to start pushing their wares earlier and earlier...there aren't really any holidays in August or September either, so I don't know what could stop them from putting out Christmas chocolate in July...but I'm getting off track.
Also, Santa isn't necessarily fat in Finland. And, the Finnish word for Santa translates to "Christmas goat". Yes. I don't think missionaries really tried that hard to stamp out the Pagan solstice traditions when they came to the Nordic countries. Sweden also has a Christmas goat. It's creepy as hell.
Friday, December 23, 2011
Saturday, September 10, 2011
I'm Alive!
So, I said I would write something last Saturday, but that didn't really happen... So here is something for your reading pleasure this weekend! :) I'll try to recap the highlights.
When I first arrived in Helsinki (apparently it's pronounced HELsinki, not HelSINki) there wasn't too much culture shock - I was able to get around fine thanks to my boyfriend Johan, who is Swedish. You may be thinking that I am terribly insensitive to culture, since Swedish and Finnish are nothing alike (except for some loan words), but I'm not. Swedish is actually an official language of Finland, and approximately 5% of Finns speak Swedish as their mother tongue. And for the benefit of this small minority, most all street signs and public notices are written in Swedish and Finnish (at least in Helsinki). Also, because of this 5% Swedish-Finn minority, all Finns have to learn Swedish as their second language...many of the Finns I've talked to think this is a bit retarded.
We didn't tour around Helsinki too extensively...prior to leaving San Antonio, I had been too busy to plan anything, so we ended up just playing it by ear. We stumbled across some neat things, but it was a bit more difficult to appreciate them given that I wasn't familiar with them. All I can say is, thank goodness for Wikipedia!
After Johan left, that was a bit of a challenge. Sure, most everyone can speak English, but they won't do so automatically - you have to explicitly ask for help...this is also new to me. I'm used to being able to just look confused and having people offer to help me. Thus, I'll normally take help if someone offers, but I'm too proud to bother someone repeatedly with my problems. So grocery shopping took a litte longer than it should have....
Things picked up after the Fulbright orientation started...and I started feeling like my normal rockstar self after the first day of orientation. We went to the Ateneum, which is an art museum in the heart of Helsinki. I'm not familiar with Finnish art or artists, so I'll admit, it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. I'm just not that much of an art person. However, there was one portrait there of a Finnish opera singer, Aino Ackté. A few people stopped me and mentioned that they saw a resemblance, which I thought was pretty neat...but you all can judge for yourselves!
In the evening, the US embassy hosted a party in honor of the Fulbright grantees, and I was feeling pretty cool...okay, more than pretty cool. Pretty awesome...as if my ego needs petting! :P I don't think I managed to get in any pictures with the ambassador, because we weren't allowed to bring cameras for security reasons. So you'll just have to trust me on that one.
By Friday I was thoroughly worn out and ready to get settled in somewhere, Coincidentally, my Finnish friend, Anu, (who is actually doing an exchange at Baylor in the spring!) was also taking the same train! So we got to sit together and I didn't feel so out of place...however I doubt that my sleeping was very social or entertaining.
So now I'm in Jyväskylä, and I have no idea what I'm doing. Sure, after a week I have some idea, but I don't have nearly as good of a grasp as I would like to have on my studies (which start Monday). My first class is Suomi yksi (Finnish I), so we'll see how that goes.
Also, since I'm fairly new to blogging, if there is anything in particular you would like to read about, just let me know and I will try to include it later on. I wouldn't want to bore you all!
When I first arrived in Helsinki (apparently it's pronounced HELsinki, not HelSINki) there wasn't too much culture shock - I was able to get around fine thanks to my boyfriend Johan, who is Swedish. You may be thinking that I am terribly insensitive to culture, since Swedish and Finnish are nothing alike (except for some loan words), but I'm not. Swedish is actually an official language of Finland, and approximately 5% of Finns speak Swedish as their mother tongue. And for the benefit of this small minority, most all street signs and public notices are written in Swedish and Finnish (at least in Helsinki). Also, because of this 5% Swedish-Finn minority, all Finns have to learn Swedish as their second language...many of the Finns I've talked to think this is a bit retarded.
We didn't tour around Helsinki too extensively...prior to leaving San Antonio, I had been too busy to plan anything, so we ended up just playing it by ear. We stumbled across some neat things, but it was a bit more difficult to appreciate them given that I wasn't familiar with them. All I can say is, thank goodness for Wikipedia!
After Johan left, that was a bit of a challenge. Sure, most everyone can speak English, but they won't do so automatically - you have to explicitly ask for help...this is also new to me. I'm used to being able to just look confused and having people offer to help me. Thus, I'll normally take help if someone offers, but I'm too proud to bother someone repeatedly with my problems. So grocery shopping took a litte longer than it should have....
Things picked up after the Fulbright orientation started...and I started feeling like my normal rockstar self after the first day of orientation. We went to the Ateneum, which is an art museum in the heart of Helsinki. I'm not familiar with Finnish art or artists, so I'll admit, it wasn't exactly my cup of tea. I'm just not that much of an art person. However, there was one portrait there of a Finnish opera singer, Aino Ackté. A few people stopped me and mentioned that they saw a resemblance, which I thought was pretty neat...but you all can judge for yourselves!
In the evening, the US embassy hosted a party in honor of the Fulbright grantees, and I was feeling pretty cool...okay, more than pretty cool. Pretty awesome...as if my ego needs petting! :P I don't think I managed to get in any pictures with the ambassador, because we weren't allowed to bring cameras for security reasons. So you'll just have to trust me on that one.
By Friday I was thoroughly worn out and ready to get settled in somewhere, Coincidentally, my Finnish friend, Anu, (who is actually doing an exchange at Baylor in the spring!) was also taking the same train! So we got to sit together and I didn't feel so out of place...however I doubt that my sleeping was very social or entertaining.
So now I'm in Jyväskylä, and I have no idea what I'm doing. Sure, after a week I have some idea, but I don't have nearly as good of a grasp as I would like to have on my studies (which start Monday). My first class is Suomi yksi (Finnish I), so we'll see how that goes.
Also, since I'm fairly new to blogging, if there is anything in particular you would like to read about, just let me know and I will try to include it later on. I wouldn't want to bore you all!
Tuesday, July 12, 2011
Introduction!
Hello everyone!
I am one of the two lucky Baylor graduates who received a Fulbright research grant this year. I will be studying Health Gerontology at the University of Jyväskylä in Central Finland. Like most student grants, mine will begin on September 1st. I'm leaving mid- to late-August. I'm very excited about going, but it seems that there is so much that I need to do before I leave! I signed up to take the MCAT less than a week before I leave, so (after procrastinating for a month and a half), I am studying like mad (or at least I am trying to do so). Plus, there are so many things that I need to do to prepare for my grant! At the top of my list is reading the Finnish Fulbright Center's 100-ish page manual about what I need to do to prepare for my grant. Oh yeah - and learning Finnish.
I am excellent at time management, if you couldn't tell.
I am one of the two lucky Baylor graduates who received a Fulbright research grant this year. I will be studying Health Gerontology at the University of Jyväskylä in Central Finland. Like most student grants, mine will begin on September 1st. I'm leaving mid- to late-August. I'm very excited about going, but it seems that there is so much that I need to do before I leave! I signed up to take the MCAT less than a week before I leave, so (after procrastinating for a month and a half), I am studying like mad (or at least I am trying to do so). Plus, there are so many things that I need to do to prepare for my grant! At the top of my list is reading the Finnish Fulbright Center's 100-ish page manual about what I need to do to prepare for my grant. Oh yeah - and learning Finnish.
I am excellent at time management, if you couldn't tell.
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