Count Me in to the Cottage Weekend

August 24th-26th, 2012

It was funny how exactly two years ago I was starting an incredible adventure abroad, and now I was spending the weekend with some of the people who made that experience special. Janne my beer buddy and one of the Spanish exchange students Laura arranged a really relaxing and fun cottage weekend basically in the middle of Finnish nowhere.

All what was needed was good company, food and beer. And a wine tasting session.

"hello i'm janne's girlfriend"

groceries

The middle-aged people in the neighboring cottage were arguing during the night, calling each other names and the next morning two huge taxis came to pick some people up. But only a few left, so apparently their egos were too big for normal-sized taxis. And they say that young people don't behave well...

Best moment I guess was when we were on the dock just watching the night sky full of stars. Those kind of peaceful moments are hard to get, but we were lucky enough that time.





cool pictures takes by laura

French Films @Freetime, Jyväskylä

By far one of the best Finnish bands French Films hit my hometown Jyväskylä, when they performed in indie bar Freetime last Friday. Many have said they are great live and it's hard to disagree. Providing raw energy and tunes for the audience to easily jump and dance to, there's no doubt old fans got what they came for and that new ones were born. Someone even did a roll and split jumps on the stage after the gig and got carried away by the bouncer.

The only thing that made me feel really uncomfortable was seeing the guys wear their leather jackets, while sweating worse than in a sauna. Talk about an efficient work out.

Exactly 20 years

and a week ago we moved from The Philippines to Finland. Someone has said that I've perhaps had a rockier path in growing up, when I am more Finn than other family members. Always have had to learn and understand my homework myself, when my parents couldn't help with the language and six years older siblings were somewhere else. Being raised with three cultures, of couse I've suffered from identity crisis. Especially, when I haven't been able to fulfill the culture, which has had the biggest influence on me through my family. Christmas ham is missing from the table and on Midsummer Day we're one of the few, who stay in the city.

Is this how non-Christians feel during Christmas?

Some have raised the issue of when second generation immigrants feel they've become truly Finns. The world at home and outside are two different places. For me all it took was to leave the country. It wasn't until moving to Holland that I started to tell people that I come from Finland and didn't explain my roots further to just make things simple.

I also began to realize that I actually am a Finn.

It's not about your blood, but your mentality. Though my family coming from somewhere else makes me special and makes me more aware of happenings.

I remember my teacher once saying that the Finns abroad are more Finnish than the ones here. What she meant was that while abroad you embrace better those characteristics, which define you as a certain country's citizen, but without feeling superior towards other cultures. After all you don't only start to appreciate the positive things in your country, but also dislike the negative.

The funniest part though is that Finnish people constantly think that at least one of my parents must be a Finn. And the most common comment of people abroad was 'I thought that Finns had blond hair and blue eyes!'.

No, it's the Swedes.

Attack of the Aunts

March 6th-11th, 2012

After not seeing my sister in over two and a half years, I was really excited to have her visit Finland again. I even did some hand crafts, which I wasn't good at in school, and got some Finnish goodies.

In exchange I got some American/Canadian goodies, including Austra's deluxe edition debut album!

I'm sure my sister was very stoked of seeing our nephew for the first time too! Almost as stoked as eating rye bread again.

The week also included seeing my father, since December in London.

A shopping day in Helsinki. Yes, I bought a dress.

We celebrated someone's two-month birthday.

Nate is already a big handsome boy!

The highlight was when not only did he smile at me, but kept eye contact and smiling even when I walked pass by him; he followed my movement! He looked like a toothless little old man.

Hearing French Films

What is the first thing you think of when talking about French films? For me, it is the eternal question of why the French have to include so many erotic scenes in their movies, that it could be classified as soft porn. While I’m figuring out an answer to that, I could also think about ‘French Films’, as in the indie band from Finland.

Formed in 2010, French Films consist of five members coming from cities called Järvenpää and Espoo aka The Ass of Helsinki. When I listen to their music, for sure they’ve been influenced by post-punk acts such as Joy Division and The Cure. However, it is officially stated that dreaming, cold and dark winter and being alive are what is driving them musically forward. 

It doesn’t come as a surprise that the climate is one reason for the depressing and melancholic music the Finns/Nordic people are known for. This comes clear in the song ‘Living Fortress’ with lyrics;

Oh winter. You're looking kind of mean now. You take away a lifetime. 
And never pay it back.

Although, the upbeat melodies and photos of the band posing by the water and sun shining on their faces; I can’t help dreaming of a summer spent on the road in a hot car with the cooling wind blowing from the windows, giving me and my friends exactly what we need. So, here’s another thought when discussing about French Films; SHOT GUN!

When the band’s first single ‘Golden Sea’ was released in 2010, it was well-received on blogs, which made singer-guitarist Johannes go ‘shit, we gotta top that…’. I guess great makes fantastic, as French Films’ debut album ‘Imaginary Future’, released the following year, is full of gems. My personal favorite is ‘The Great Wave Of Light’, which I could say to be the ‘happiest’ track of the album. I play the air guitar to it, and the lyrics are simply brilliant; 

So I wanted to live in the clouds or the cartoons or the clouds in the cartoons.  

But it goes like this every time we wake up in the afternoon.

 

It just puts a smile on my face, as does the whole album.

© Tuomas Välinen

Two is still One

February 5th, 2012

Last Sunday Finland got a new president. It was expected that my favorite (check here who) didn't have great chances, but there was always space for hope. What came as a surprise, though, was the huge difference between Pekka and Sauli's votes. Sadly, it broke the record. That's something to be disappointed about, and the fact that less people voted comparing to the last election.

However, I realized after a while that we got over a million people to vote for our man, Pekka. Over a million people voted for tolerance and a brighter future.

A politician mentioned that he senses a much healthier atmosphere now in the country. This is not a defeat, only a step towards victory.

As I leave London soon, I think it will be the first time I feel proud of going back to Finland.

Kakkonen on Ykkönen

22.1.2012

So we're off to the second round on determing who will be Finland's next president. Luckily we have the two most strong candidates, including my personal favorite. It's my first time to be able to vote for the president, and I'm glad that the election still continues, we get to take the most out of this experience. But I must admit if my favorite wouldn't still be in the run, my level of interest would have gone down.

Yesterday we were at the Finnish Seamen's Church in London watching the election coverage live. I wasn't surprised of the amount of young people, but the cans of beer and cider yes! And you know when there are Finnish people around you is when you can 'feel the excitement'. People elsewhere would jump around and scream of any result they would hear, but the most you could get out of a Finn is perhaps a smirk on their face or a spark in their eyes.

Nevertheless I enjoyed my pulla.

Exciting times are ahead. Please go vote, and don't let anyone or any party make up your mind for you when you decide who's fit for president. The only ones who you should be listening to, are the two candidates.

I know who I'm voting for.

Today I felt so honored when he started to follow me on Twitter. And I don't care whether it was him personally or his team. By far one of the proudest moments online.

And thank you to everyone, who's been working hard for Haavisto during this campaign, including my friend Janne, who promised to save a Haavisto badge for me! Quoting now Janne's words: 'How can someone's sexual orientation determine how well are they able to run the country's foreign policy and be represented as their country's leader? In my opinion, it can't.' No wonder Janne is a very loved guy.

Now saying all this, you still can't say that all of those who won't vote for Haavisto are homophobic, red necks, people who don't want to take issues forward and so on. As Haavisto would say it, there should be respect for the competitors. Chance to discuss and equality for all.

Number two is number one - Kakkonen on Ykkönen