Helloooo everybody

Well I was able to rest for a week, because my university has a one week break in the middle of the semester. It was nice and restful I managed to see more of Tampere. The days are becoming shorter as it becomes dark now at about 4:45pm now, which is about time I had to class awesome...October 23rd was a big day for the city, because they unveiled the lights that hang over the main street Hameenkatu. They seem to be more like Christmas decorations, but I guess they do this every year. The mayor of Tampere was there to present it and there was a large crowd of people. I swear I will put up pictures of the lights as soon as i get them on my computer. Also I finally shaved my head...Not bald of course and not too short, but the shortest I have ever done. I'm taking baby steps here. My Cuban friend Carlos was my barber and he did a mighty fine job. This weekend is going to be big, and not just cause its Halloween, but because I'm heading out to Munich. I leave Friday morning to Helsinki, then fly out at like 1:15 to Munich. I get to meet up with Sean for the first time and we get to spend Halloween together. I'm pretty excited just writing about it, but I can't wait to actually get there. I'm starting to plan what we should see, but of course I can write a detailed itinerary when I get back, with pictures of course. But I will be coming back Sunday morning, then I wanted to hang around Helsinki for a little bit before I go back because I haven't really seen the town, just a glimpse. Since I will be in Munich this weekend I will be missing my first league game that I'm playing with some Finnish guys, plus some other international students. I think 2 others actually and guy from Italy and then one from France. That should be fun once I'm actually in town to play of course.

So now everyone knows what I'm doing you probably won't hear from me until I get back, so Happy Halloween everyone and go Ducks!

Moy moy

The biggest party of the year

Well I survived test #3 today for services marketing, I thought it went well and it didn't take nearly as long as the other two. Next week is off for all students, because the first period is over of the semester. Then period 2 starts up a week from Monday. This is also a significant date because this the half way point to my trip, and 2 months from today I will be heading back over the pond to the great northwest.

But back to the biggest party of the year. Today is what is called around here the "drunken crawl" where thousands of students all around Finland come and do this race from pub to pub drinking the night away. So I guess at the start you choose what degree you want, but I guess it represents like grades 1-4 or frosh-senior or something like that. The higher the degree the more drinks you have to drink before you finish. The lowest degree is 8 drinks, and it goes up in increments of two each degree, so the highest would have 14 drinks. But you only get 4 hours...Plus, you have to go from pub to pub. So the starting line is at Keskustori and then from there you have a map to follow the route you have to take, or in what order you have to go to the pubs. Some pubs you only have two drinks, but some have as high as 5. Now in Finland it's a tradition to get overalls, and each colored overall distinguishes the different subjects you study. So I believe business majors are blue and international relations are green, but i'm not sure about any of the other colors. So there is a ton of drunk Finnish students running around in there different colored overalls all over downtown Tampere on Hameenkatu. So basically the streets of Tampere will be one huge party, I'm imagining something along the lines of Mardi Gras, probably not that big but something to shoot for.

This happens every year so apparently it can't be too dangerous. I got some pictures of earlier in the day, it definitely wasn't at it's peak but there were different colored overalls everywhere. Have a safe October 15ht everybody!

Moy moy

What a night

After a big week of school, two exams and an essay, I decided to unwind on Friday and have some fun with the others in Lapinkaari. The night started at about 8:30 where I met up with my companions started talking about the Olympics, and watching competitive skiing trick challenge thing. Apparently it is big in Europe and Sweden apparently is very good at the sport. The others were also telling me stories about their trip to Stockholm and how EVERYONE was beautiful. As we kept talking, socializing, and hearing about Lapinkaari drama it was baout time to head out. At about 11:30 we head out as a group to walk to the club Saha, it was a big international party or something, but it was free cover charge so that is the only reason I went. At Saha I met some Finnish people who wanted to teach me some of the language. I never grasped it of course because Finnish is impossible and don't remember what I was taught after the first 5-8 minutes. We were there until closing, which was 4 in the morning. Afterwards we were all about to go home, until some of my other friends decided that going to sauna would be a good idea. I agreed for some reason, so we went to one of the other student housing complexes and went to the sauna. At about 6 a.m. was the time I got back to my room, so it was a long and fun night. I get to bed and wake up at about 11:45 a.m and open the window cause it felt pretty stuffy, then went back to sleep. The around 1 I awoke to something flying into my room and it freaked me out for a second. A bird had made it into my room and decided to chill on my night stand right next to my bed. Of course I didn't feel comfortable going back to sleep with a bird in my room, so I go to my computer thinking that the bird would get timid and fly back outside. But the bird was pretty content, and decided to hop around on my hat and then flew to my suitcase and hopped around some more. I kept encouraging it to get out of my room but no luck. I got some pictures and a video because I couldn't believe a birdwas just hanging out in my room. After about 20-30 minutes it decided to leave, and I was not tired anymore so he played the role of unwanted alarm clock. This was a good time since I hadn't hung out with my friends in a while and I got my mind off of school. Sometimes you forget about that you're in Europe, and you have to enjoy yourself because I will probably not live in Europe again.

The lesson I learned is that even if you're cold walking back home don't be tempted to go sauna because then you get to bed at 6 a.m. The other lesson is that if you don't trust your alarm just open up your window and let the birds be a frightening waking call. Live like Fin!

Moy moy

School School

Well I just got my feet wet with school. I just took two exams in back-to-back days on Monday and Tuesday. The first one was in Integrated marketing communications and the other was in strategic thinking and management. Both were time consuming, because they were both free response questions. The strategic thinking and management exam took 3 hours since it was 3 essay questions on 2 books and 5 articles..bughh..But I got through them and now I'm going to relax/write essays/read/study for my next exam on the 15th. Still a lot of work ahead of me still. But it keeps me busy and I knew school came first anyways, they don't call it JUST HAVE FUN abroad, I believe study made it in there. Since my time is going to be bottled up with school and such I guess I can just count down the days til Halloween, and Munich of course. I will get to Sean for the first time but not the last. Everything else is still the same for the most part. Days are getting colder and darker, but I'm kind of liking it. It reminds me of the fall and it's somehting I'm accustomed to. Still waiting for that snow.

Until next time,

Moy moy

Another Day in Tampere

I went for a jog Friday afternoon, and it was very refreshing. The day reminded me of Thanksgiving morning, play in the traditional turkey bowl game, and eat some donuts with some orange juice. It was cold crispy day with yellow and red on the leaves of trees. A very colorful sight. The day was cloudless and all I was surrounded by lake Nasijarvi. After I was done running I sat right next to the lake and stared into the open water. I always have to remind myself I'm in Finland, half way across the world. It always never feels real every time I say it, "I'm in Finland." Once I leave Tampere in December I will always remember that lake, luckily, was conveniently right next to where I live. I can go there to relax, think, and write. It's easy to get lost as all your thoughts reflect back at you off the water, and you can't help but think about all the things that lead me here, why i'm here, and why I love being here. It hasn't been easy being away from home, but I seem to adapt to the environment around me, and learn to love it. It's funny how something like weather can bring you memories from home and almost fooling you in thinking you are home. But then you realize, no one celebrates Thanksgiving, football is nonexistent, and that none of my friends are here. Which is exactly why I came here, to experience a different culture and meet new people. It has been fun thus far, but time sure does fly..I also forget I'm a senior in college..Weird..

Moy moy

Getting to Know Lapinkaari: Story 1

So I decided to write about interactions with some of the people from my building complex, Lapinkaari. My first story took place yesterday, or this morning rather, at 1 a.m. This conversation was with Elias from France. He is very entertaining to talk to, because he loves to talk about stereo-types. The conversation took place in the basement where the one television is. I was sitting there alone watching the tail-end of late night with Conan O'Brien, when he walked in. After we exchanged our hello's we talked about class, and then got into stereo-types again. He had a story to tell me about his interpetation of American women when they come to France. How they always are trying to fall a French guy, because they think all French men are artists, wearing there beret's, in there black and white striped long sleeve shirts. They would paint them and write them poems, like all French guy's are very creative and artistic. Well, then I jokingly said,"is it true all French people are snobby jerks." Elias responded, the snobby jerks mostly reside in Paris, and it's cause they are constantly surrounded by tourists that come obnoxiously to them asking for directions. He came back with his own, "is it true all Americans are fat?" I responded with, you are about 80% right with that statement. My favorite part of the conversation is when we talked about Mcdonalds. I quoted something from Pulp Fiction by asking, "what do you call a quarter pounder with cheese in France?" He seemed stumped. I could tell he really wanted to answer but was just befuddled over the question. He couldn't come up with an answer, and I responded "a Royal with cheese." His eyes lit up and started laughing, "of course, of course!" A very common burger in France, a Royal with cheese, he knew exactly what I was talking about. So it is true for all those who don't know or wanted confirmation. He also told me he liked Wendy's cause of there square patties, he thought that was really bizarre. The last part to this story is when he talked about his trip to the Bronx in New York. He said that he would be in neighborhoods, and a guy would be riding in a Cadillac Escalade, with the music really loud, and spinners on his tires would drive slow as the kids would chase after them. He asked me, "what is the status of the people who drive Cadillac Escalades and who drives them?" As a Snoop Dog music video conveniently comes on, and what do you know, he is driving a Cadillac Escalade, with spinners. I wonder if that answered his question?

Until another story,

moy moy