I reckon I just about have enough time before my 10AM to let you guys know what's been going on in Helsinki the few weeks. (I didn't).
The most important is that, from The University's point of view, my first exam is looming. In fact, it's a week on Wednesday - holy ****. I'm reading and taking notes each day on my book and so hopefully it shouldn't be too bad but when you are faced with a 4 hour exam period it can be quite daunting!
Apart from the nerves surrounding the exam I have otherwise been keeping up with my work and enjoying it; which is crazy, although important given a disappointing set of results from last semester.
Lots more has been happening away from the University though, as you'd expect.
A group of us here in res (residence) have been cooking traditional meals for one another, often followed by a GoT sessions before the 4th series comes out! So far we have had Czech and Polish, both were gorgeous and completely different to anything you'd get in the UK. They both involved a soft dough with filling which was then boiled - effectively a dumpling but in different styles. We have a Dutch meal to come this week and then German, Swiss and British. I think I'm rounding off the Come Dine With Me-esque dinners and so shall be putting in my best efforts...although in a room which consists more of bed than any other type of furniture.
I have also been ice fishing, obviously. Two people (man & woman, although unsure as to whether they're a couple) allow anyone to come along and use their ice fishing equipment for free every Friday. The fish are not large, when filleted (or fillayed if you're pronouncing it like an American!? I may have chuckled and teased about this) the size was probably close to that of a thumbnail. I did catch 3 though! and Ohio (or Danny as she is actually named but we have 3 so it's good to differentiate) caught 2, maybe a career in the making? I doubt it.
What has struck me recently though is how much I love the cafe culture here in Helsinki. Almost round every corner you will find an independent coffee shop, there is only one chain (Robert's) which is really successful and only one Starbucks - which I am refusing to go in. Some of these cafes can be expensive but generally they are on a par with what you'd find in Costas and Bucks and safe to say they are so much better, especially as many give you a free chocolate with your latte. If you follow me on Twitter you may know that in each coffee shop I am writing a sonnet, aptly hash-tagged as #CoffeeSonnets. Hopefully by the end of my stay here I shall have a sequence that is somewhere around the 40 mark, each time I write I find new inspiration and it is becoming easier to play with words and to get the sound I want. Who knows whether they are any good but I am enjoying writing them and they are making me explore the city too.
What has come from this is that I now have a craving to own my own cafe in Nottingham. There isn't really a great many cute cafes around and I feel that what I have in my head would be perfect for the area, especially for students. It is probably a dream of mice and men and I should probably concentrate on the degree and a secure job but right now I am allowing myself to dream and it does get me excited when I think about it.
Planning for travelling is taking more shape now too. It isn't long before I head up to Lapland - a post exam celebration - and I think I will be travelling to St. Petersburg in April before my terminal exams. At the moment my mum is coming in the first 10 days of May, which may mean she has to go about on her own for a bit as I may have two exams in that time! After this there is opportunity to go to one more country before I head round Europe on my inter-railing adventure. If any of you guys know somewhere that I must check out please let me know.
The weather at the moment is rather uninteresting, a warm 2 degrees seems to be the standard at the moment and so it's very almost time to get my British tan on. What it does mean though is that going out to a club does not involve being wrapped up in 6 layers before shedding them at the compulsory coat check to the annoyance of all the Finns that watch on at the foreigner. My attempts at learning the language so far have been dismal, when surrounded by English speaking people as it is the most common mutually intelligible language and when studying in English it becomes difficult to pick up such an odd language. Instead I am making efforts at re-acquainting myself with French but I think I need to put in a bit more time before it'll be worth it!
So as it is, Helsinki is great. It keeps providing opportunities to go out and see/do new things (like Restaurant day, where we were welcomed by a couple of artists who opened their home to anyone and everyone. I had lime and cardamon ice cream...it was incredible). The weather isn't horrid and neither are my lectures. Everyone here continues to be brilliant and beautiful and what I think is making it such a worthwhile experience is that it has inspired me to write.
The most important is that, from The University's point of view, my first exam is looming. In fact, it's a week on Wednesday - holy ****. I'm reading and taking notes each day on my book and so hopefully it shouldn't be too bad but when you are faced with a 4 hour exam period it can be quite daunting!
Apart from the nerves surrounding the exam I have otherwise been keeping up with my work and enjoying it; which is crazy, although important given a disappointing set of results from last semester.
Lots more has been happening away from the University though, as you'd expect.
A group of us here in res (residence) have been cooking traditional meals for one another, often followed by a GoT sessions before the 4th series comes out! So far we have had Czech and Polish, both were gorgeous and completely different to anything you'd get in the UK. They both involved a soft dough with filling which was then boiled - effectively a dumpling but in different styles. We have a Dutch meal to come this week and then German, Swiss and British. I think I'm rounding off the Come Dine With Me-esque dinners and so shall be putting in my best efforts...although in a room which consists more of bed than any other type of furniture.
I have also been ice fishing, obviously. Two people (man & woman, although unsure as to whether they're a couple) allow anyone to come along and use their ice fishing equipment for free every Friday. The fish are not large, when filleted (or fillayed if you're pronouncing it like an American!? I may have chuckled and teased about this) the size was probably close to that of a thumbnail. I did catch 3 though! and Ohio (or Danny as she is actually named but we have 3 so it's good to differentiate) caught 2, maybe a career in the making? I doubt it.
What has struck me recently though is how much I love the cafe culture here in Helsinki. Almost round every corner you will find an independent coffee shop, there is only one chain (Robert's) which is really successful and only one Starbucks - which I am refusing to go in. Some of these cafes can be expensive but generally they are on a par with what you'd find in Costas and Bucks and safe to say they are so much better, especially as many give you a free chocolate with your latte. If you follow me on Twitter you may know that in each coffee shop I am writing a sonnet, aptly hash-tagged as #CoffeeSonnets. Hopefully by the end of my stay here I shall have a sequence that is somewhere around the 40 mark, each time I write I find new inspiration and it is becoming easier to play with words and to get the sound I want. Who knows whether they are any good but I am enjoying writing them and they are making me explore the city too.
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| HKI+ one of the many coffee shops in Helsinki, although this one has only two tables and a 1€ discount for students! |
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| The MASSIVE cinnamon rolls from Cafe Esplanad and yes I did eat it all to myself. |
What has come from this is that I now have a craving to own my own cafe in Nottingham. There isn't really a great many cute cafes around and I feel that what I have in my head would be perfect for the area, especially for students. It is probably a dream of mice and men and I should probably concentrate on the degree and a secure job but right now I am allowing myself to dream and it does get me excited when I think about it.
Planning for travelling is taking more shape now too. It isn't long before I head up to Lapland - a post exam celebration - and I think I will be travelling to St. Petersburg in April before my terminal exams. At the moment my mum is coming in the first 10 days of May, which may mean she has to go about on her own for a bit as I may have two exams in that time! After this there is opportunity to go to one more country before I head round Europe on my inter-railing adventure. If any of you guys know somewhere that I must check out please let me know.
The weather at the moment is rather uninteresting, a warm 2 degrees seems to be the standard at the moment and so it's very almost time to get my British tan on. What it does mean though is that going out to a club does not involve being wrapped up in 6 layers before shedding them at the compulsory coat check to the annoyance of all the Finns that watch on at the foreigner. My attempts at learning the language so far have been dismal, when surrounded by English speaking people as it is the most common mutually intelligible language and when studying in English it becomes difficult to pick up such an odd language. Instead I am making efforts at re-acquainting myself with French but I think I need to put in a bit more time before it'll be worth it!
So as it is, Helsinki is great. It keeps providing opportunities to go out and see/do new things (like Restaurant day, where we were welcomed by a couple of artists who opened their home to anyone and everyone. I had lime and cardamon ice cream...it was incredible). The weather isn't horrid and neither are my lectures. Everyone here continues to be brilliant and beautiful and what I think is making it such a worthwhile experience is that it has inspired me to write.
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| My little book of poetry. |
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| Restaurant Day; some artists opened their flat for anyone to come and buy their food, Rosemary ice tea is definitely a thing. |
