Connecting with Family & Friends

I have a phone, an internet stick, and a bank account!  HOORAY!  I've spent the weekend catching up with family and friends...Skyped with Lisa, Mom, and  Ben.  SOOOO good to catch up with them!  And congratulations to Lisa.  She just landed a nursing position in San Antonio.  Her patients and co-workers are about to find out just how lucky they are to have the BEST of the best coming their way!

...and this afternoon I skyped on the deck so my friends could see just how paradisaical this place is.

This is my officemate, Katja.  She has been such a great help in getting my computer set up, the office rearranged, the copy card registered, etc.  She's also been so kind in inviting me to join her for lunch, giving me tips on where to find good clothes, has offered to lend me her bike, and she is so patient with my rapid fire questions.  I have a hard time speaking s l o w l y and clearly...  Katja has been such a trooper!  :)

I've debated whether to post this picture, but after Katja mentioned that she has always wanted to take a picture of the women's restroom for the staff in our building, I thought it would be fine to include this picture.  Let me just say that the first time I opened the door to the restroom, I was very relieved to see the flowers because otherwise I would have fainted from embarrassment.  The building we work in used to be a dormitory and apparently this floor was for males.  :) 

The bike path from my office to the university's library.

I checked out my first book at the library this week.  Sometimes it  pays to stand in line.  I wasn't sure where to go to find the book I needed so I took a number (yes..just like the numbers you take at the HEB deli) and waited.  The librarian called my number and then was SUPER kind to leave her station to show me where to get the book.   Then she showed me how to check out books.  BRILLIANT!  When can we get these installed in libraries back home?!

The sun was shining so brightly this morning when I drew back the curtains.  Morning devotional is really quite amazing with such a spectacular view!

It's been raining this week and my Texas poncho is just no match for the Finnish rain showers.  So, a trip to the local mall was in order.  I found a killer deal (50% off) on a rain suit that you put over your regular clothes.  And, the best part was that I ran into Elina, another Ph.D. student, who was also rain suit shopping.  We ended up buying the exact same suit.  Truth be told, I want to be just like her...  :)  Here I am pictured in my suit, headless, of course.  This is me looking very confident practicing my Finnish.

And this is me after breaking out of my "silent period" (to all my TESOL friends, think Krashen!) to practice using Finnish.  On one of my first attempts to greet someone in Finnish, I managed to call them a drunk.  Who knew that switching an 's' for a 'v' could be fatal?  Apparently all of the Finns.  But now I know how to correctly say "Good afternoon".  :)  "Hyvaa iltapaivaa!" Thankfully the person just laughed. 

It's such a small world. I met with Bertold from the Dept. of Languages this week and during the course of our conversation learned that he is the neighbor of Sari Laine, one of the sisters in the ward who interprets for me. Then, I met Helena at church. She has worked in the field of deaf education for decades. She invited me over for lunch today. It was so lovely to spend the afternoon with her! She prepared a lovely salad with salmon, eggs, and corn. It was a perfect meal for such a warm and sunny day! Turns out, she is good friends of the Rushforths. They were in the same ward in Mexico City many years ago and after the Rushforths moved to San Antonio, Helena visited them for a few days. I'm always reminded of how important it is to choose the right if for no other reason than that the world is oh so small.

And it seems that all I do is eat.  :)  No complaints at all from this happy consumer of all things Finnish.  This is curd with fresh lingonberries and raspberry soup.  Reetta, my classmate, shared this delicious treat with me.  Thank you Reetta!  And the other picture is of dried dates.  Helena prepared dates and Polish red apples for dessert.  Thank you Helena!

I went to check out the Farmer's Market.  Eija suggested I try the Finnish equivalent of an apple pie.  Let's just say that I'm fortunate that the market is only open on Saturdays and that I ride a bike everyday.

The picture says it all.  YUM!

My new best friend: the apple pie seller.  We will be on a first name basis next week.  :)

This is for Steve C.  He told me that the best strawberries come from strawberries. These were the first strawberries I've seen so I tried them. They are the best strawberries I've had, ever. They are sweet and have a softer yet still firm texture. You just have to come try them yourself. 

The strawberries up close, along with one of the apples I picked up as well.

Plum picking in Eija's garden.

Plums anyone?

Eija baked a barley bread.  I just don't have sufficient adjectives to describe how good this is.  Eija has cooked so many traditional Finnish dishes for me.  I'm taking her home with me.  She really IS the Martha Stewart of Finland.  No exaggeration.  The table is set so beautifully for every meal.  I wish you could all be here enjoying this with me.