Tuesday, December 6, 2016

Independent Finland!

6th of December is the Finnish Independence Day, 99 years ago 1917 Finland gained it's independence. For a Finn living outside Finland, the independence day brings in mind all the good things about Finland and why Finland is one of the best countries in the world.


Reason to put some lipstick on! ;)
We spend our independence day with the other Finns who live here. Our Honorary Consul invited everybody to a dinner on the occasion of the 99th Anniversary of the Independence Day of Finland. Violins were playing the national anthem of Finland and the food was so good!

Our menu for this evening!
Finnish flag cake, nobody wants to get the blue parts as they may be coloring your mouth!
Starters were tasty!

Finland is among the world’s top countries according to a range of international measures. Studies have shown that Finland is among the best performers in the world based on criteria such as honesty, innovation, literacy, success in education and opportunities for girls. We have also been deemed the world's most stable country. This provides a strong starting point for celebrating our independence.
-Sauli Niinistö, President of the Republic of Finland 
(Message from the President of the Republic of Finland to Finnish expatriate communities on 6 December 2016)

Finland is the best!:
  1. Finland is the most progressive country in the world
  2. Finland is the greenest country in the world
  3. Finland is one of the best countries for girls
  4. Finland is the most stable country in the world
  5. Finland is the safest country in the world
  6. Finland has the best governance in the world
  7. Finland’s judicial system is the most independent in the world
  8. Finland has the least organised crime in the world
  9. Finland is the best country in protecting fundamental human rights in the world
  10. Finland has the smallest difference in the employment rates of women and men in EU countries
  11. Finland has the most human capital in the world
  12. Finland's primary education is the best in the world
  13. Finland has the most forests in Europe
  14. Finns drink most coffee per person in the world
  15. .....


Today I'm so proud to be a Finn! Happy Anniversary Finland!

-Camilla

Saturday, November 26, 2016

What do I miss from Finland? Top7

I bet there are some things everybody are missing from their home country if they live abroad. I don't know the next time I will be visiting Finland so maybe I feel a bit home sick and sentimental about everything related to Finland. I'm even planning to order a package online full of Finnish treats!



So, What do I miss from Finland?
1. Family and all my friends and loved ones. 
People I miss the most! I think this is quite obvious remark, but it is the truth. I can try to cook something Finnish here, but I can not spend all the time I wish to with the people that I miss. I'm happy that it is possible to stay in touch via skype, facebook, whatsapp... but it is still different when you are not able to hug and to be honest I'm not the best person to stay in touch via internet. That is why I really appreciate my friends who get that. When we are able to see each other again it feels that we just saw yesterday.

2. Sauna
The warm relaxing feeling without any stupid restrictions like: you can not throw water or there is a maximum temperature that is not enough or you can not bring children to sauna. I have tried sauna here a couple of times but it was like torture as I couldn't throw any water. The sauna was so dry it was almost impossible to breathe. Never again! I miss the normal Finnish sauna.

3. Food! For example: rye bread, black sausage, carelian pie, different milk products, liver casserole (maksalaatikko), hot wings.....
There are many kind of foods that are not sold here or I'm not able to prepare them on my own. Also our oven is the size of a microwave so that I'm not able to prepare everything I wish. I miss Finnish supermarket and all the products (just not the prices!). Before Christmas I'm planning to bake many Finnish treats, for example cinnamon rolls, gingerbread's and maybe even Christmas tarts.

4. Candy, specially all black candies! 
I can get good chocolate and normal candy from Poland, but salty licorice and salmiak! I also miss normal candy by weight, there is something similar in Poland but everything is always hard and dry and the selection is not as good. I can not wait to order my package!

5. Drinks, like glögi, longdrink(lonkero) and different kind of ciders.
I want glögi for Christmas, I think there is something in Ikea but the selection is not as good I could hope for. Lonkero is a soft alcohol drink sold in Finland, I don't like it so much anymore but as I don't like beer I hope to have bigger variety of choices. The same goes for ciders, in Poland you can find only a couple of brands and couple of tastes where as in Finland there is a plenty of different kind of tastes.

6. Easy instructions how to do things, for example for university
I feel that in Finland I was always able to find easy instructions how I should do something and here I just should know. Not any official infos about anything, everything I have learned about the whole university system is from my friends. We are now having a separate classes for writing thesis with our supervisors. At the same time I know that in Finland you could have a separate class for research, for writing and meetings with the supervisors. I miss this feeling that I know everything!

7. Nature
We live in the city so that it is hard to find a place just for yourself. I miss everything clean and green. I have grown up in a place where the nature was always close, just to go out for a walk in the forest and barely see anybody else. Playing in the forest and building some shelters, climbing to trees.... Maybe I wouldn't do the same things anymore but I miss walking alone, being able to pick berries and mushrooms.

There is many more things that I miss, the list could probably be endless. Even when I miss many things from Finland that doesn't mean I wouldn't be happy here. I feel happy and that Wroclaw is my home now. I could also make a list why I love my life here, but for now, feeling a bit sentimental about Finland list about the things I really miss felt more suitable.

-Camilla

Sunday, November 20, 2016

Stockholm Part2

Hey, now is the time to tell you what we saw in Stockholm!

On Friday afternoon we went to the Moderna Museet, the admission is free for some of the collections. 
Moderna Museet has one of Europe's finest collections of modern and contemporary art. It inculdes key works by artists such as Pablo Picasso, Henri Matisse, Dorothea Tanning, Andy Warhol and Niki de Saint Phalle.
-Moderna Museet



On Saturday we went to the Royal Palace of Stockholm. Part of the palace is a museum. We visited the Royal Apartments and exhibition of the Royal wedding dresses. I haven't visited the Palace before even when I have visited Stockholm many times and now it seems that we have still part of the palace to see; the Treasury. 






When we were leaving from the palace we saw a demonstration and an opposing demonstration. It started to get a bit violent so we decided to leave. On our way to find another way out from the Old town we saw police with horses coming to break the violent part of the opposing demonstration. Link to the news about the happenings:
https://www.rt.com/news/366683-stockholm-neo-nazi-march/


On Saturday evening we went to the Fotografiska, it is just next to the Viking line terminal and open till very late! During our visit there was exhibition 1-2-3-4 of the work from Anton Corbijn. He has taken pictures from well known bands and musicians, for example The Rolling Stones, Courtney Love, Nirvana, Johnny Cash, Metallica and Bruce Springsteen. 


Also on both days while in Stockholm we were walking in the Old town (Gamla Stan). There are a lot of nice small boutiques for handcraft and souvenirs. The architecture itself is beautiful too, small streets and different atmosphere than in the rest of the city.

Every time we go to Stockholm we want to eat in Mongolian restaurant :D It started maybe 4-5 years ago and now it is more like a tradition. The restaurant we went for the first time is not working anymore but luckily we found similar one. The point is, that it is a buffet and you pick everything to your plate so that it is not cooked yet. The cook will prepare your plate in front of your eyes. 

If you haven't been in Stockholm before I also recommend Vasamuseet, maritime museum that displays the 17th century warship Vasa!

-Camilla

Monday, November 14, 2016

Trip to Stockholm! Part 1

We had a family gathering in Stockholm for this weekend. We traveled to Stockholm from Poland and my family from Finland. It was great to see my family and have a small vacation at the same time with the people that I love. It is so important for me to see my family and just know that they are always there for me, willing to travel just to spend a couple of days with me. (Crying a bit now...)



But yea, our travel to Sweden didn't start in the perfect manner. Our flight was leaving from Katowice early in the morning. We bought tickets to the train just day before and there were no seats anymore. We also bought bus tickets from the train station to the airport. When we got to the Wroclaw train station, we noticed that the train is 35 minutes late. We were supposed to hop in to the bus just 30 minutes after the train was supposed to arrive. We got to the train and luckily we got seats so that I was able to sleep a bit. Eventually the train was 40 minutes late and we missed the only bus to the airport. We checked from the web that taxi would cost 160zl..... Way too much.... We got an idea and for the first time we used Uber. That costed only 89zl (a lot but not as much as the taxi....) We got to the airport on time just with one experience more. The Uber car was brand new and clean, the driver was driving very well compared to some carzy taxi drivers in Poland, it was a good experince and I can see myself using Uber again sometime.

Our flight was on time and we landed to Skavasta (still 80min bus drive to Stockholm city). In the city my family came to the bus station and the family weekend was ready to start, everybody at the same time at the same place!

Just days before we arrived to Stockholm there was a huge snow chaos. Some flights were cancelled and it was almost impossible to move by any transportation. I'm happy that this didn't influence our trip and the situation was already under control. In the old town we saw that the road was closed for a while as the workers were cleaning the roofs of the buildings and pushing the snow to the ground. The snow is so heavy for the buildings and also if it would fall on its own it could be very dangerous for the people walking down on the street.




We all have visited Stockholm many times before. It is quite common to take a ferry from Finland to Sweden and stay in the city at least for one day. There were still things we haven't done before when it comes to sight seeing. In my next post I will write about the things we did and saw, with some tips and my favorites!

-Camilla

Monday, October 31, 2016

Autumn colors!


This Sunday I decided to go for a long walk around the city as I wanted to take some autumn pictures. I have to admit, that I fall in love with Wroclaw every time I go out. I always find something new for me and something beautiful. While I was walking I felt so happy! I fully don't  know why, but I was relaxed and saw other people so happy. I saw at least 5 wedding couples taking pictures in Hala Stulecia and in the park next to it. I saw families feeding ducks, couples walking hand in hand, dogs playing in the park, everybody was enjoying the beautiful weather and the amazing colors the nature gave us. Here are some of the pictures from yesterday ;)


I stared from the Museum narodowe. The walls are so beautiful during the autumn as all the leafs are in different colors. 

I walked though the park next to the museum. I passed Panorama and climbed to a small hill next to it. 
View from the hill towards the other side of the river, Katedra.

Next I took a tram to Hala Stulecia :)
So beautiful path next to Hala stulecia and the fountain. 

From the park next to Hala stulecia, I followed a path that didn't go anywhere, just to this beautiful tree.




Autumn wonderland!

I know that in Finland it is already more gray and even some snow! I hope you still like my autumn pics! :) We are having a long weekend as tomorrow is the All Saints' Day. We will visit the biggest cemetery and feel the atmosphere. Now we will go and get some candles for tomorrow! 

-Camilla


Sunday, October 9, 2016

First week @Uni!

The first week at the University is over! It feels weird that all my friends from Finland have already studied for a month and I just started. Even when only one week of this semester is over, I feel exhausted. During the summer I was not using English in such a high level that University requires, the autumn started at the same time as the Uni (it has been raining and colder than before), maybe for that reason I also got a flue. Enough reasons to be exhausted? :D

During the first week we needed to choose a supervisor for our thesis. I was stressed about this decision as I felt it will define my next year. I changed my mind the evening before and now I feel confident about my choice. Now starts stressing about the real work related to the thesis!

The first week at the Uni was also great as I was able to see my friends and spend some more time with them. I was already missing the coffee and lunch breaks. I think loveat noticed we are back :D After the classes it was nice to be able to say "see you tomorrow". Friday afternoon I spend maybe 4 hours just talking with my friend and enjoying our desserts. We went to Dinette just in time for their lunch menu and we saw this  pumpkin and salted caramel (pumpkin cream + salted caramel and juniper ice cream + apple gel + sea buckthorn jelly + apple and bison grass cake + hazelnuts oil powder) We needed to have it and it was delicious! I feel lucky as everything is so cheap here, for the dessert and homemade lemonade just 6 euros!





Now for the weekend the plan is only to relax. Not to do anything, just hope that next week I wouldn't feel this sick anymore. Sleeping, movies, good food... Reality may come back next week ;)

Happy Sunday! :)
-Camilla

Thursday, September 22, 2016

It is still holiday!

It feels weird that the summer is almost gone. I should get ready for the next school year and that starts with shopping! The feeling when you have a new wonderful notebook and you feel happy to use it. I haven't found that yet. I don't want to find that yet as then the next semester starts to feel more real. I don't want to start stressing about my Bachelor thesis (even that I'm stressing about it now)....











I will allow myself one more week without thinking anything related to the uni! (That is about the time that we still have summer holiday :D) Last summer days without work or uni, just relaxing and taking some time for myself. I hope my last holiday week will be full of great days, warm weather and no stress! Now I want to buy strawberries and raspberries to get the last taste of summer 2016!

-Camilla

Friday, September 16, 2016

8 things to do in Finland during the summer!

Sometimes I feel that staying in Finland is a different reality for me. Two months past so fast even when I was missing Poland. 

Me at my mums birthday
1. Spend time with my family
 It is important for me to spend time with my family when I'm able to do it. 






2. Enjoy the nature
Everything seems to be so clean and pure. I don't miss that so much while in Poland, but when I get to Finland, I need to get to the forest and just walk.

Mustamakkara



3. Eat Finnish food
I love to eat all the things that I can not find from Poland (or things that only grandma or dad can cook). Favorites 4ever mustamakkara (black sausage) and wings. :D



4. Work
Summer is the time to earn money for the next school year.



5. Spend time with my friends
It is important for me to see my friends, I always have a great time with them. Unfortunately I feel that I didn't have enough time this summer.



6. Sauna
Relaxing in sauna. Best is when there is also a lake and you can just swim and go to sauna and repeat for hours.





7. Road trips! 
Different kind of nature, more people to see... Perfect!



8. Shop Finnish design to bring  back to Poland
I didn't buy almost anything for myself, but a lot of things to our home. Finlayson, Iittala.... It is a great reminder about everything during the winter.

-Camilla

Back in Poland!

I arrived to Poland about a week ago. It feels great to be here! This is like a second summer for me as it is still so warm compared to Finland. Sometimes even too hot! Even when I have been here only for a week, a lot has happened. I met a new friend and had to say good bye for another. We even had a small trip to Poznan already.

-Camilla