The Endurance Blog: As hard for me to make as for you to read...
Well I've had a busy week: I watched with a friend a magnificent performance by my host parents in a dance competition in Ulvila. The judges gave them a unanimous first!!! we were cheering them on as loudly as possible...I unfortunately used very bad finnish when I called out their number, earning much embarrassment: "WOOO!! Kahdeksan...Oh Sh*t...Kymmentä Kuusi!!" (and I quote!!- I hope the finns don't speak much english...though I learnt the finnish swear words first so maybe it's too much to hope for...)
My parents ===>My experience moves ever onwards…I again visited Turku for a couple of nights this time and immensely enjoyed the city as much as last time…I noticed many landmarks: A new accordion player, a lack of a certain T-shirt salesman (some very nice T-shirts with Finnish swearing on them…great to bring back to Aus!), the signpost which I threw a snowball at the last time I was there…ah soo many memories already…
After purchasing some Muumi merchandise and, of course, accidentally leaving some objects behind (same as last time!!), I bid farewell to the exotic city and returned to Hyvinkää…
But WAIT!! There’s more!!
My journey had by no means ended…it was onwards for me to my family’s summer cottage in Rantasalmi…and yes… for those of you who don’t know your world seasons:
It is, in fact, winter here.
We began our packing the night before and, as these pictures adequately illustrate, not a moment too soon…
The journey began…Noora, Ria and her boyfriend Sami, Marjatta, Jarmo and myself set out to conquer a new land…well it was new to me anyway…
*reminiscing on the past events* Ah yes…this was a particularly charming picture of me…And yes the shirt does match the drink…(Note for Rotarians: No rules have been broken in the making of this blog- Minimal alcohol with parents is OK.
I hope.
Otherwise I’m in trouble…)
Beer+sudoku=hauska (fun)
Oh no! A crisis has occurred!! Upon arrival we discovered the television’s refusal to work thanks to a build up of snow on the roof… something had to be done…
The hard working Finns. And me, making Australia proud.
Wow that was hard…
After this day’s difficult work the finns decided to take a sauna and I, the Australian of the party, decided to roll in the snow forcing the Finns to copy the "Hullu vaihto-oppilas"… (crazy exchange student)
For the sake of all the Non-Finns/people who have never been in a Finnish sauna “au naturale”, I have censored this image.
And, of course, the final relaxing exercise: FINNISH MONOPOLY!!!
Never before has a game this violent and heartless been produced en masse…
After an early loss I went to sleep at 12:00 am (early for finnish time- they kept playing until 1am!)
The next day… preparations are made to go to the non-heated outside toilet on a fine winter’s morning…
-30 C is not the ideal temp for such an adventure but hey, I felt prepared…
The excitement of being told I was going to fish in a hole in the ice today was cut short. I was, in fact, too heavy for the ice, and soaked my shoes a few times before finally returning to the cottage for a defrosting session.
The Fishing Hole
The holes in the ice produced by my feet
Me defrosting...
And after patrolling the Finnish lake one more time:
We moved on to my host mother’s parents’ house where I discovered a new pastime for next spring…Her father agreed to teach me to make my own Finnish-style knife. He has an amazing workshop…
The workshop
A woodpecker for the bird lovers
All good things must come to an end…right?
Nope.
It seems I shall be off to Helsinki this Saturday as well to see another dance competition…
SUOMIMAA MINÄ RAKASTAN SINUA!!!
Davidakarobbie out!
