Home sweet home!

SA journey plans

16th of November: Leaving Finland at 1:05pm. Leaving München at 8:50pm.
17th of November: Arriving at Johannesburg at 8:35am.

19 of November: Leaving Johannesburg at 2pm and arriving at Durban 3:10pm.

13th of December: Leaving Durban at 4:55pm. Leaving Johannesburg at 9:20pm.
14th of December: Leaving München at 8:50am. Arriving at Helsinki-Vantaa 12:20pm.

20 September 2011

Sun is shining, it rained while I was at school. I dyed my hair. My dog didn't bite me even though I gave him all the reasons today. A good day, makes me feel somewhat hopeful, I suppose. School still stinks.

17 February 2011

Don't know how time flies so quickly! It's already past mid-Feb. I spend most of my time in school. I hate school, feel like it’s not my place but I passed 3 out of 4 exams this week so not all is bad school-wise either. Even though I am still considering other career options… Unfortunately my principles are not allowing me to quit school. Therefore, for the next two years all good ideas for my future will be welcomed.

My friend, Iina is leaving for Kenya on Monday for 3 months. :'( I'm scared/excited for her. We had her farewell lunch today with most of our class. I had the most divine basil chicken. Then some hot chocolate at Public Corner, Voudin kellari, my regular hangout spot. I’d give quite a lot to be able to leave for somewhere sunny and not-Finland for three months as well. The coldest the meteorologists have “promised” for this weekend is -33 degrees Celsius. Can’t wait…

At some point today we talked about Eurovision Song Contest and a joke came to mind. All you non-Europeans, who have no idea what I’m going on about, can skip this chapter. ESC is the biggest thing that happens to me in May. And yet again, I don’t like our this year’s entry for the contest. Lordi has been the only exception for years. I liked it and see what happened (=they won)!

But here is the joke anyway - poorly translated by me for which I’m terribly sorry.

TEMPERATURES:

+15 Celsius: Spaniards wear beanies, gloves and quilted jackets. Finns are sunbathing.

+10 Celsius: Frenchmen try to turn on the central heating in vain. Finns are planting flowers.

+5 Celsius: Italian cars won’t start. Finns drive convertibles. Laplanders sunbathe if the sun happens to rise above the horizon.

0 Celsius: Distilled (clean) water freezes. The water in River Vantaa gets a bit thicker. Rental residents in Southern Finland put the heating on.

-1 Celsius: Breathing becomes visible. Finns eat ice cream and begin to plan holidays near the Mediterranean Sea.

-4 Celsius: The cat wants to share your bed.

-5 Celsius: First bodies to have died of coldness are found in California. Finns end their Midsummer celebrations.

-10 Celsius: Scottish put the heating on in their homes. Finns start using long-sleeved shirts and begin to plan a holiday in Africa. Laplanders go swimming.

-15 Celsius: It’s so cold, it doesn’t snow. French cars won’t start. Home-owners in Southern Finland put the heating on.

-20 Celsius: Breathing becomes audible. Swedes stay indoors. Finns grill the last sausages before winter.

-22 Celsius: American cars won’t start. Finnish politicians begin to worry over the fate of the homeless.

-24 Celsius: Japanese cars won’t start. It’s too cold to ice-skate.

-26 Celsius: The cat wants to share your pyjamas. You can cut your breath into igloo building material.

-28 Celsius: Half of Greeks freeze to death. Finns start drying the laundry indoors.

-30 Celsius: German cars won’t start. Finns curse, kick the tyre and go start Lada (Russian car).

-32 Celsius: Too cold to kiss, lips would freeze together. Lappish soccer team begins to practise for spring.

-35 Celsius: Theoretically it’s time to plan a two-week-holiday in a hot bath. Finns shovel snow from the roofs.

-39 Celsius: Mercury freezes. Theoretically it’s too cold to think. Laplanders do up the last button of the shirt as well.

-40 Celsius: Fake Santas move south. Finnish military winter training session is cancelled due to the weather being too warm.

-42 Celsius: The car wants to share your bed. Laplanders start wearing jerseys.

-45 Celsius: Laplanders close the bathroom window.

-50 Celsius: Danish teeth fall out. Finns rent movies and stay inside.

-55 Celsius: Sea lions leave Greenland. Laplanders change gloves to mittens.

-60 Celsius: Polar bears evacuate the North Pole. Finnish military winter training session begins.

-65 Celsius: University of Lapland hosts a sporty afternoon event.

-70 Celsius: Siberians move to Moscow. Finns get furious for Koskenkorva (Finnish 38% spirit drink) can no longer be stored outdoors.

-75 Celsius: Santa leaves the Artic Circle. Laplanders lower the ear flaps of their caps.

-114 Celsius: Ethanol freezes. Finns get even more mad.

-183 Celsius: Microbes in food die. Finnish cows complain that the milker's hands feel cold.

-268 Celsius: Helium liquefies. Finns notice "P*rkele, it's cold!"

-273,15 Celsius: Absolute zero. All movement of elementary particles stops.

-280 Celsius: Hell freezes over. Laplanders admit that "Ith is getthing a bith chilly." (NOTE: Lapps put 'h' everywhere when they speak, even when presumably sober.)

-300 Celsius: Finland wins the Eurovision Song Contest (again).

(NOTE: This was a joke. In reality, Finnish men start complaining about the weather at -5*C and women closer to -15*C. We are sissies.)

And here is a link to Lordi's winning Eurovision 2006 song: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=_M6px6Ynm90&feature=related

PS. Not for the faint of heart, I suppose, and not for people who detest hard rock/heavy metal.

PPS. Got to love the shoes!