It's All Good In The Neighborhood

Hello from Helsinki!

Here I'm, 

here I'm 

and I'm busy. 

So so busy. 

But first how did I get here? 

Well of course when I was supposed to clean up my Vaasa apartment before the big moving day two weeks ago.. but I didn't feel like doing so, therefore I planned an extempore goodbye party for myself at Johanna1s house (thanks bb for letting me use your house for this!)  Johanna brought the wine and I brought the biscuits. I mean literally Johanna1 put three liters of white wine on the table and said "get sum". And when does a Finn ever say no to free alcohol? So I got drunk as a skunk - so much so that when Johanna2 came to the party first thing she said was "Oh Jenni you, how drunk are you?" Johanna1 + 2 and Sami came to the party with CH, Mika, Teija and Julia.


I wasn't supposed to go to the bar but there isn't really an option when Julia is around. First thing she said to me was "JENNIII today we are going out and we are going to bust a move".





It was so much fun to spend an evening with my close friends. I haven't seen Teija and the crew in ages so I think we had fun - can't really recall what happened later on but apparently the more drunk I got the more annoying I became. Which is no news to anyone, I'm quite the annoying one when I drink one too many. Luckily I was out with my close friends so me and my 'funny jokes' were nothing new to them. I actually felt the need to apologize Julia for some remarks I had made about her bosom. Luckily Julia is as whacked as me so she just laughed. That's why we are family. We are allowed do be dump and inappropriate in our friendship.

Salla said:

Oh dear, you and Julia should never be allowed to go out and about. Julia gets you do stupid things - you do them - she laughs and you are embarrassed the next day - she still laughs. 

Anywho. My last Saturday was spent on the floor. Literally. I dragged a mattress there, ate pizza, had Jaffa and slept. And watched the 2 Broke Girls. My new favorite comedy. So so funny. GENIUS.

Sunday I cleaned. Packed my stuff. Said goodbyes to the little brother. 

And Monday morning I headed off to Helsinki.

Mum and Tapsa came to pick me up with a van Tapsa had lent for the occasion and we set off to Tampere Ikea early on in the morning. Of course I took this opportunity to sleep in the van. My lovely mum had brought with some coffee and bread. Felt like a field trip.

Finland in the Winter is pretty much like Mordor - dark and miserable and especially dangerous to drive as the roads are made of ice and because of this it's better to get to your destination when there is still light.

Mordor? Isn't that a bit too much Jenni? No. Take a look at the Youtube video made here in Helsinki about the difference between Summer and Winter in Finland and you'll understand:

Because of the Darkness Tapsa wanted to get to Helsinki as quickly as possible and we didn't have enough time in Ikea. Okay okay. For some two hours is enough. For me two hours is like .. well it's not enough. (Was trying to think a figure of speech to express how little time two hours was and all I could think was: Two hours in Ikea is like watching the Titanic and not crying. Not possible.)

Got my stuff that I had previewed from online and next stop was Helsinki. On the way radio was blasting some 70s tunes and mum was the one busting the moves this time. Talking about the 'Good old times when they still knew how to make music and not the crap they make these days". (When Sia's song: She Wolf was played on the radio, mum said: Please make this woman stop whining to my ear. What on Earth is this??)


Salla was meeting us at our new flat (which is GREAT btw!) and recieved warm hugs from me and my mum. We started unloading the van and of course two addicts came by to stare at what we were doing (and looked keen on stealing something worth of steeling - there was non) and Tapsa seemd so nervous that I half expected him to push me back to the car and ship me back to Vaasa. Salla was trying to cool off the situation by saying that there are not that many addicts in the neighborhood really, that the neighborhood is safe. Tapsa didn't seem to believe her too much.

It didn't take too long and sooner than soon mum and Tapsa were off to Helsinki to dance the New Year away and I was left standing around with my Ikea.

Salla wasn't as enthusiastic about unpacking as she was about drinking that champagne she had purchased for the New Years Eve.  I was determined to unpack so she enjoyed the sparkling wine and gave me moral support while I was going bananas with Ikea ... (Screwdriver included my ass!) I did take a break to acknowledge the New Year and we took the elevator up to the rooftop to watch the fireworks and to do the countdown : 5...4...3....2...1! Happy New Year!

Mum came by to say goodbyes the next morning and last thing she said to me before heading off back to Vaasa was: Jenni... I'm a bit sad that you are staying here but I know you and Salla are going to have great time. You are going to enjoy and you are going to live. See you soon!

***

That's that. That's how I got here. Since then it's been... HECTIC. I've been trying to decorate my room. I'm going for the 'Willy Wonka threw up in here' -look.

I had one day off in Helsinki before going to my new job. And you know how the first days are? You are like that weird uncle at children's party. You take too much space, you don't know anything and you are on the way. You are a wallflower and your helping is just really annoying as you slow everyone down. I felt like a student even though my new peers were very welcoming. I was literally a knee deep in shit as I changed a diaper for this young person. A set of brown eyes were looking at me confused as I was trying to clean and be sensitive at the same time while protecting myself from the poo. (No children were hurt while making this diaper change - only a teacher got some poo on herself.) 

At start I missed my old playschool so terribly (and still do). It's not that I don't like the new job - I do, but it's just that I miss my children. There. I said it. I miss the kiddies. The rascals. I miss knowing what I'm doing and being in charge. I knew where the paints were and what time do we go resting. I knew the staff and I worked with the most wonderful twosome and Marivic. So yea. I miss my home base !

I never left Vaasa because I was unhappy with work. I was unhappy with life after work. Here - I'm adjusting to work and I'm happy with home. In this field of work, it takes time - two to three months to know what you are doing and being comfortable of showing your true colors. It takes while to know what is asked from you and are you up for the job. We'll see what the future brings.

But, Tiia and Sarita. You are missed.


***

Sanni and Katri came over last weekend. "A few classes of wine" turned into many bottles and a bottle of Vodka. Me and Sanni were taking the backseat as Salla and Katri were on fire. It was nice having the girls over and I'm expecting many more evenings such as that. Maybe when our flat is a bit more homey?


 Me and Salla just had a crepes date and both agreed that our flat still needs a lot of work. And it rfrom Scotland with clothes and make up so she is going to Ikea next month to buy furniture. I don't personally need anymore stuff. But most likely when I go to Ikea. I'm gonna get some.

Best part about Helsinki?

Walking in the crowd and being anonymous. Not that I'm a fame monster or anything in my hometown. But I do know the street thugs,  the teens and the drunks in front of the Citymarket. And I love walking in a big crowd. Pretending that you are in a rush going somewhere when you are really not.

Today as I got off from work I made my way to Stockmann (a department store) and I didn't know anyone. When I walk around in my hometown it's "been to school with her" "she dated my friend" "I don't like her" "Ohhhh noo I don't feel like talking to him today.." and after four years of working in Makuuni basically everyone knows that "You are the girl from Makuuni right". So when I walk around Helsinki. It's busy, it's noisy, it's loud and there is traffic left and right and people are pushing and tourists are slow and and.. yea. It feels good to be back in a city :)

Anyway. I'm off to bed. Only one day left as a substitute and then I'm off to doing something else again.

Life is busy and life is good? I'm just waiting for this long ass January to end so I can make a trip to Ikea. Katri, me and Salla are taking a booze cruise to Estonia. Katri is having a birthday party in the middle of the month and then Johanna2 and Sami are coming over. It seems as in March - Easter time I'm off to Canary Islands. Anywho. All kinds of events are coming up in the near by future. It's not ALL good in the neighborhood just yet - but it will be.

Cheerio mates!

Jenni

And BTW. Tuesdays still suck. This Tuesday I was lucky enough to meet up with Hanna Banana but I was majorly unlucky with leaving my phone to her house. And my work key... she lives an hour away and we decided that she'll send the phone to me. You can imagine how I've been feeling when my new Samsung Galaxy III was somewhere making its the way here. It came home to mama today and I'm so so happy. But my hate on Tuesdays is strong.

P.s On my first week of work. The first four days I got lost three times. Yup. It's not easy carrying this head of mine on the shoulders.