Waiting for the Snow

Man, I am moo-oody in Finland. Excited, bored, enthusiastic, lazy, passionate, indifferent; happy one hour, sad the next. In a foreign country, everything can go so right and everything can go so wrong. New emotions are revealed in uncomfortable situations. Or under bad weather conditions.

Today I arrived at the university to several police cars, security guards, and people in business suits standing around and talking on their cell phones. The University of Tampere, the Prime Minister's Office and the Ministry for Foreign Affairs/Europe Information had arranged a seminar on the future of Europe, welcoming Prime Minister Jyrki Katainen, German Federal Minister of Finance Wolfgang Schäuble and Minister of Finance Jutta Urpilainen. I wasn't able to attend the one-hour event, but if I get more information, I'll post it.*

At lunch, Shizuka and Alisa (Armenian international student from Russia, with thick, wavy black hair and sharp features; a friend who can always make me feel confident, cared for and calm) were beaming from Salsa. They go to the gym at least once a week for dance lessons. Sometimes it's Zumba, sometimes "Latino mix" and sometimes "Armybic." The girls' excitement made my gloomy attitude disappear. I remembered what dancing meant for my mother: independence and movement; and for my father: socialization and relaxation. Alisa said that the dancing instructor wanted them to loosen up and enjoy: "It's not physics or mathematics," he said. Awesome.

I had pasta and tuna fish for dinner again. I really need to stop with the tuna. Maybe I'll start with sandwiches again? I was disappointed to see so little fish in the grocery stores. In Norway I had bomb salmon, but it was three euros a pack. Livin' aint cheap in Scandanavia. But it sure is quiet! Sorry to switch the topic once more in one paragraph, but MAN -- this afternoon I was walking down Hammenkatu, the main street, with lots of shops and people and cars, and I didn't hear one driver honk his or her horn. Not one! I'm sure it has happened, but I am waiting to witness it.

Winter is coming, which means winter break is coming! My friend from Hardegsen, Germany invited me to spend the Christmas holiday with her family. She also said I could stay with her in Heidelberg, where she studies. My other friend Vicky (the girl I went to Estonia with) invited me to spend a few nights at her apartment in Chemnitz. I would also plan to visit Berlin and Prague. Actually, I just found out my great-grandfather is from Czech. More on that later...

Going to sleep now. I need to wake up early tomorrow and get a head-start on the month.

Blogging is actually becoming kind of therapeutic.



(Monday morning grays)

*Here is the video recording of the seminar.