Helsinki: 2 weeks in.

So today starts the first week of non introductory lectures. The system over here is really weird, well...in comparison to what I'm used to.
I have courses which span the semester (January to May) but also a book exam (no lectures, read a book, 4 hour exam) and then an intensive course (a module over 20 days). It's all rather baffling but I think I'll get the hang of it.

There have been little bits going on here and there since my last post. We went to see The Wolf on Wall St. the other night, about 20 of us, and it is so good! Di Caprio as ever is awesome and it is just opulent, excessive and ridiculous. Some felt it was a bit too long and parts laboured but I really enjoyed it and thought it worked well pace wise.

We also went to Estonia this weekend, these trips are all organised by us so a true independent man I may return! The amount of literature I need to read might even make me a proper English student, being able to quote authors from way back when whom everyone should know and speak verse by heart. We shall see.
Estonia is beautiful, we only stayed in Tallinn and only the Old Town at that, which is a UNESCO World Heritage sight. Rightly so too, it is gorgeous. Beautiful architecture and cobbled streets. Our main reason for going however was for alcohol, it seems to be the rite of passage if you're an exchange student to stock up on booze for the semester by going to Tallinn with a backpack or suitcase. I can see why; where one night out in Helsinki has cost me 40€, I came back from Estonia with a crate of beer, a bottle of gin and a bottle of wine for 35.50€. BARGAIN.

Events keep popping up on Facebook and I will soon be confirming my Lapland trip, which will be a celebration after that 4 hour exam in March! I can't wait to travel around, it's exciting me to think I will be country hopping and going around Europe like a feather in the wind. I certainly shan't be bored here or until I am back in the UK.

I can't remember much else that has been of note but no doubt I shall after this is posted but I thought I would share an extract from one of the pieces I'm reading for my Introduction to Finnish Lit module. Rosa Liksom is an artist, writer, director and general eccentric - her book One Night Stands is the first book on our reading list and there were moments where I was taken aback because I haven't read anything quite so graphic in literature before. I hope it doesn't make you feel ill, these aren't really the worst either! But her writing is actually really good and we had good debate in our seminar today.

I'll leave you with some photos of Tallinn so that you aren't alone with Rosa's writing.


"I would like to establish a kingdom of men, sufficiently  large, with well-defined borders and abundant natural resources, where Penis Power decides everything. The bigger the penis, the greater the authority. Women are disgusting and primitive, even from a scientific point of view, with our slimy cunts, bleeding orifices, gaping mouths and stinking armpits. That is the truth about us, and that is why I have been working on a new law under which, as of next year, all newborn females will have their throats slit immediately, in the maternity ward, where this can accomplished in a manner both hygienic and efficient".

"She looked at herself in the mirror on the bedroom ceiling. She looked hard but could not see anything. Not even her own face. She picked a heavy vase off the floor and tossed it at the ceiling. The mirror shattered and rained down on her. The splinters tore bleeding wounds into her body. Some of the wounds were deep and gaping and blood streamed out of them. The blood soaked into the sheets, her body throbbed with heat, and the blood smelled like old, hard life. She jumped down to the floor. Mirror splinters pierced the soles of her feet but she did not feel any pain. Excited, she danced from wall to wall, humming and unknown melody. The white-flowered wallpaper became stained with red. Her breasts and thighs were steaming with blood. When she finished the dance and collapsed on the floor, the last drops of blood gather in a puddle in her own lap."
Rosa Liksom; One Night Stands. 

87

Just a quick post to take you to my YouTube channel. It's not extravagant but I have just written and (attempted) to sing a song.
I've named it 87 and it is a reference to a long time ago, with obvious inspiration.

Hope you enjoy it and I might try and I met get a Kiwi to come and play some guitar for it at some point.

Just click here

The Sun

The Sun.
Burning low against the horizon.
Twelve o'clock
Twelve degrees.
What warmth!
What warmth?
Negative is the air,
Clear the skies,
For the Sun to make way,
For the moon.
As night begins as the day starts.
In the city that I am calling,
My home.

The Other Ourselves

Who are we to question?

Is it our right, do we think?

Our arrogance, ignorance.

Our petulance; we petty race

of men.

Questioning the order,

Needed but not for us,

We petty race of men.

To our other side, oursleves.

Two halves a whole,

Our better half part of the

Darkness.

Due to we petty race

of men.

They are not shrouded by

night. As it lights the way

for the Sun. 

We Proceed from our first side.
We petty race of men.

Helsinki: The First Days

Lectures have begun now in Helsinkiland...joys. 

My first foray into the University was for Introduction to Finnish Literature, where there was a majority of English people in the room for the first time ever! There are hundreds of Germans and Canadians here so to hear an actual British accent is a bit of a novelty. Alas this lecture was god damn boring, as all introductory ones are. In my opinion at least. Here is a photo of what I did...

I have American Lit today and that is all, there is only one day where I have more than one lecture which is pretty good. So far it has meant I have been able to go out 5 nights in a row and somehow still live and I guess now it will mean I have time to do all the reading I'm expected to do...and go out. It is also giving me an opportunity to catch up on GoT which I neglected back in the UK. 

Trips are now planned for Estonia, so we can get some cheap alcohol and so I can take some photos of the Old Town which apparently is beautiful! I may possibly be going to the old capital of Finland, Turku, as there is a sale on rail tickets at the moment. We've already been to Suomenlinna which is an Island Fortress, it was bloody cold but a lovely thing to do to fill up the day. 

Since Adam's we've also been to Roska, where you're allowed to draw on the walls! It is just covered in graffiti and plays the most random music in a very intimate setting. They even did a last dance, which I think is the first last dance I've participated in since year 7, safe to say I got a much better deal this time compared to the time when boys wouldn't go near a girl just 'cause. Ahh, those days, so long ago. And then the seemingly infamous Tiger club which is at the top of a shopping centre and so gives you a city view out on the balcony! It was a pretty good night although I think my tired head got the better of me and so I left at 3 rather than the standard 4 as it's been so far. Best thing of all however was that Joep (Dutch friend) and I started a dance circle and pulled people in to have a dance off. 'Peter, Peter! I think...I think this is your song!' These words have I'm pretty sure made me the most achy person alive as when those words are spoken you must own the song. It's a good job I like dancing. 

Hopefully there will be more photos appearing soon and I can tell you all how I am dying under the amount of books I've got out of the library! Now I need to leave for lecture....

Helsinki: Orientation

So we've now had our Orientation, which was over two days. This was just getting to know our tutor group and then sitting through an orientation talk...it was slightly painful and there were definitely some heads beginning to loll. The one highlight was TJ, the IT guy who reminded me of almost any and all of the characters from 'Allo 'Allo! We now also have a variety of different cards and reams of paper which are actually relatively important and so they are just taking up space as I'm not entirely sure where to keep them. It's a 'too important to throw to the back but not vital enough to have on my desk' kinda sitch.

We've also signed up for modules now, I'm a little anxious as to the work load I will have as I am taking 8 of them. Eight. EIGHT. At Nottingham I've managed to avoid the literature courses, I thought that the options would be more interesting here in Helsinki. It turns out I was correct but from avoiding them in Notts I am now having them fly at me as I do 5 different literature courses this semester. So I'm set up to study: Mesoamerican writing systems (looking at Aztec symbols), Global and Regional Variation, Structural Analysis, Introduction to Finnish Literature, American Lit, Post Colonial Lit, Australian Lit and British & Irish Lit. I kind of get the idea that I'll be doing a lot of reading. 

Out of academia, which is obviously the place to be right now, we have all been doing quite a bit...although mainly in the evening. LUX was an exhibition across the city based on light which we were taken around by a couple of tutors. There were some really interesting installments and some odd but what else would you expect from art? After the tour we went for a drink and it cost 7€ for a bottle of IPA. I don't think I've ever been upset about my spending with regards to alcohol but I feel like it may well begin here. With 5€ probably being an average amount for a half litre (which is annoying in itself because we get a pint glass which doesn't have a pint in it. God bless imperial!) From this nice but expensive bar we headed to Amarillo. I think it's likely to be the home of the exchange student because on a Wednesday and Thursday past 9 a half litre is only 1.80€. The music however sounds very similar to Forum's playlist, just outdated enough to question whether it's acceptable to be played but hey I danced! It was good. 

Last night was a different story though. First a few of us went to Alhalla (downstairs) which is the name of one of our common rooms. Walking in I was greeted by new faces and then they just kept coming. There are so many names and nationalities to remember! Nations represented, as far as I can remember, are: Canada, America, Peru, Brazil, France, Spain, Portugal, Germany, Holland, Greece, Turkey, Bulgaria, Sweden, Switzerland, Russia, Czech Republic, Hong Kong, New Zealand and Australia. I'm pretty sure there are more though and it is incredible hearing all the different accents. I feel like that stereotypical Brit though who is speaking English and hoping that everyone else can speak it too, I think it's pretty clear that myself and the language system in the UK is a failure because almost everyone else has at least one other language in their repertoire. Finnish seems particularly tricky to pronounce and so picking up even the most basic of words I think is going to be a struggle. We shall have to wait and see.

After Alhalla we went to Adam's (recommended by two Greek girls who leave soon) and had an incredible night. I am a dancer, I don't think I'm any good I just love to do it. Once I start it seems it is quite hard to stop too but last night it didn't matter. I think we stayed until about 4 and despite the club not being that full I did not care. It was one of my favourite nights out because I danced in a ballroom/club style (which I didn't know was possible but I loved it!) with beautiful people and I didn't feel ridiculous in the slightest. 

Put simply the adjectives are endless. They are all positive. And I presume they'll keep on coming. 

Helsinki: Arrivals

I have arrived.
It's official.
After a 4 o'clock alarm after a 12 o'clock bedtime I caught the 7:30 flight out to Helsinki.
I'd tell you about the flight but I slept through it (see above sentence for why).
Touching down in Helsinki and it was if I was at home. Cloudy, dark, cold and quiet. I waltzed through customs...there actually wasn't anyone there which was odd but I used that new fandangled technology of biometrics.
I took the 615 bus into the city centre where I then waited by the pop-up ice rink for a tutor to come and meet me. I was glad to see that the level of ice-skating had not improved in comparison to Nottingham's Christmas Market - apart from one girl who was doing pirouettes whilst on the phone. Saana came after a latte had been consumed and some DH Lawrence had been read, she took me through the info I was being given and then preceeded to tell me that the literature courses in Finland are hell and she's been trying to avoid them for as long as possible - great start Peter.
I was directed to the Tram which would take me to my new digs and after a lovely Swedish girl let me in to the hostel - which is more like student accommodation than any hostel I've ever been too - I proceeded to my room.
I am the first to arrive of the two and so have taken the bed by the window and more importantly...the radiator! I have nothing of any use apart from clothes at the moment and so currently I am drinking water out of a hip flask and eating a Double Decker that was given to me by a friend for the journey. I've had to use the bathroom in my neighbour's flat as we have no toilet paper and I am going to see if I can also steal some food off him later because my god I am hungry.
Saana had told me that the weather at the moment was quite warm (2 degrees instead of the -10) and so H&M are having clearance sales of their cold weather gear! I also need to find the Ikea so I can get a plate and bowl and glass/mug AND I need to re-find the Lidl which I passed so I can buy some supplies. This will be my job tomorrow.
As for now I'm going to see if anyone else is around and if not get down to those essays which have been my Christmas holiday.