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I believe that most people who decide to move and take up residence abroad and this includes myself,go through what can only be described as a cultural shock.Some people feel that they can adjust quickly,others may take some more time.

With regards to my own personal experiences,I found looking back on the early years,that there were definite stages of change with in myself and coming to terms with living abroad and a new country,culture,customs and language.

* Tuorist or Honeymoon period
* Cultural,customs,language shock
* Settling down and adjusting to a new lifestyle
* Anger at being isolated
* Finally coming to accept and begin integrating in to the new society

Tuorist or Honeymoon Period

When I first arrived in my destined for country,Finland.Everything was taken as though I was only on a holiday.Everything was extremely exciting and at times I would feel, much as Peter pan felt in those classic childhood books.There just was not enough time in the day to explore,everything I wished to explore

The excitement of trying new foods,discovering a new city and being amongst a language that I had absolutely no knowledge of,was adrenelin pumping and very addictive.But unlike a tourist you are not returning home.I had the constant feeling that a dream had come to fruition.It really resembles getting married for the very first time,the excitement of getting there ...

I was lying awake in bed the other night,it was 0230.I was enjoying the silence of the city of Helsinki.This was at what the British term “Pub kicking out time”.I was listening to the night birds(feather variety)chirping and passing messages,what ever they do.I did not hear any cars or voices,apart from the local Night Bus Service,hourly.There was true silence.Only the rustle of the tree leaves in the gentle breeze and the occasional movement of a wild animal.There was no shouting or screaming from drunken homeward bound late night drinkers.

It was a place and time unto itself.In the morning I funnily enough received by email,a report.It was entitled “Luxembourg the worlds safest city”
Helsinki second safest city in The World

In the anual 215 city survey,conducted by human resources consulting company Mercer.Helsinki,Finland came joint second place with Geneva,Zurich and Bern(Last three in Switzerland)Pointers that had a big influence on these rankings,included:Politically stable countries with good international ralations and sustainable economic growth and Personal safety and security.

I for one find some confirmation of what I already have seen and believed for a long time.The city is kept spotlesly clean,the Helsinki Public Transport runs predictably and on time.The Helsinki City Police keep a low profile while maintaining safety for inhabitants and visitors to The City(This applies equally well throughout ...

Miniaturansicht angehängter Grafiken

 

Today we went to downtown Helsinki with Pasi, Outi's boyfriend. He is.. I don't know. He isn't mean or a bad person... he is nice to her, but I don't know why, there is something I don't like about him. sometimes it's just feelings I get from people :/ It's true he doesn't look 34, but more like 24. but I guess as long as both are happy, age doesn't matter much?
He doesn't drive well. HA! maybe that's just how it feels with most of the people driving when you are from montreal and you are a driver with nerves of steel. :P
Mr. had to buy pants, so we went shopping for pants (no, seriously, since when do men go shopping?) and I bought the checkered red/white scarf I saw the other day with Hannele from Carlings. We ate pizza and had a beer or two at "on the rocks" and "elmo bar". Then we went to see the movie Hancock at Finnkino. It SUCKED. real bad. :P I forgot my glasses at home too. haha! and in Finland, you actually have assigned seat from when you buy your ticket. but once the movie starts, you can always switch palces.
Outi might come next time with me to Tampere, to see one last time Wellu and Lauri. But she is still not sure since she must save money for Austria too.
Tomorrow we are leaving to Savonlinna for the opera festival. we have to get up at 7h30 to leave at 9h. that's in about 6 hours. haha!

Hey!
Today I met up with Hannele (Lee) and Dani (Mirq) . I was corresponding with them over myspace, and Hannele asked me if it would be possible to meet up during my stay. like I already said, I am not very fond of meeting people from internet, but since the ones I met were actually really nice people, I decided it would be okay. and anyway it's in Helsinki in Rautatieasema: there's always people there!

Beforehand, Outi and I went to Kamppi because she wanted to buy a shirt for the opera festival in Savonlinna. We went to mortica, and the 2 sellers were really bitchy and mean. They gave me deathglare. I didn't give a damn. they could talkshit all they wanted, I could understand them anyway. So Outi bought a shirt and she went with me to the front of rautatieasema at 13.30, to meet Hannele.
Outi then left to get a new haircut. So we (Hannele and I) went to Forum to take some coffee at Arnold's and waited for Dani to arrive. we talked about all kind of stuff, and she also told me about this really good book she was reading from the saga Twilight from Stephanie Meyer (I read it, it's really good! ). We walked around the town and went into different shops. It was funny, because both are big simple plan fans. (they are 15-16). I am not a fan really, but I know them personnally so I told them different stories about them. After 17.30, we all decided to go home, so I took the bus back home.

Ilari was there and as always, he brings a movie ...

Today I got up quite late, and, surprisingly, I wasn't hungover! It's quite a miracle! well, I wasn't drunk, but I was tipsy.. anyway. Today we walked to Henna's place around 16.00, and we all went together to Downtown Helsinki. There we went to Hesburger (my friend mikko has insisted on me having to go eat in Hesburger once). we laughed a lot, because Henna once was looking for a picture of a wombat on goole, because she didn't knew what it looked like, and the first picture was a picture saying; "the secret sex life of the wombat" (here is the picture if you want to see it :P (there is no offensive/disturbing thing on the picture. you just see a wombat with a weird/funny face)http://images.google.ca/imgres?imgur...la:fr:official)

So now she is just scared of wombat, and we kept making that weird wombat face to her, and we all laughed about it. Then around 19.30, Outi and I went to her older sister's (Elli) appartment, near the academy of Finland (in Töölö). She has 2 cats, iso kissa and pieni kissa. haha trust me, iso kissa really is huge :P
There ...