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2011 18/05
Kello 22:58 | Kirjoittaja: Outi Ronkainen | Luokka: Aiheeton |

Home, sweet home

Ok, now it seems that I haven´t been anywhere. 3rd week in Finland and feels good :)  I guess I didn´t have any cultural shock or difficulties to sleep or live in this time level. Maybe it´s like this because I´ve been so busy with my studies and unpackin and packing again, I just started my final training in Helsinki.

Some times I feel a bit guilty for my limited time. I haven´t see all my relatives and loved ones :/ Well Canada is a BIG country but it´s not easy to travel around in Finland either.

Summa summarum: Time in Canada was something to remember when I´m old and siting in rocking chair. All those lovely people and friendly welcome, all those beautiful farewell words I will always remember. And definitely I have to go back! At least to visit :) But now it´s great to be back home, it´s boring sometimes, but it´s easy and comfortable at the same time :)

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2011 29/04
Kello 23:07 | Kirjoittaja: Outi Ronkainen | Luokka: Aiheeton |

in Toronto Pearson International airport!

Our journey is almost done now :O Eh!

3 months ago we left cold and snowy Finland and tomorrow we´ll see it again, without snow!

Time here in Canada have been awesome! Friendly and helpful people everywhere.

Friendly indeed, especially in airport :P I had 28kg in my check in-baggage :/ Lovely lady said that I should do some arrangements. So i did. One tenant gave teddy bear to me, it was quite big and heavy so I have to leave it :( I saw lovely boy, so I asked him if he would like to have it. Hi did. So now mine teddy bear is starting new life in some other country than Finland :) I put some extra shirt on and Marja also took some of my clothes on! :D BUT WE DID IT! Mine bag were 25kg and no extra charge and same thing with Marja´s stuff!  And all these kindness because UK´s weddings! I haven´t gave any extra credits to weddings but I just change ti! Thank you William and Cathrine for making people nice!!!!

Next time I will write from Finland! How cool is that?

Mum, I´m coming home! :)

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2011 19/04
Kello 5:35 | Kirjoittaja: Marja Tiihonen | Luokka: Aiheeton |

I`m so excited!

Music says it all, I mean, my feelings all now like these two songs: I`m so excited and All the good things come to an end.. People want to know often that are we anxious to go home, how we like Canada and all I can say is: yes, I really do like Canada, but yes, I`m anxious to go home! 10 days left..

Spring is coming and it`s good time to fly back home. Now we have new Parliament in Finland and politics is really something in Finland (and it can be seen even in Canada!) Last weekend we were in Ottawa and saw BBC and CNN news telling us about Finnish voting results. WOW! I have to say that “True Finns” (perussuomalaiset) is not my kind of political party but these Finns got things interested, voting percent was over 70 and people are interested about things outside Finland also.

Weekend was relaxing, we spent 3 days in capital of Canada. Ottawa was beautiful, rainy and nice. Because of the rain, we spent time in Canadian museum of civilizations, national gallery and shopping. Now we are sophisticated and can highly recommend museum of civilizations, it`s worth of visiting! We also tested “beavertail”, which was delicious ;) (and yes, I`m still vegetarian!) Beavertail was a must-thing-to-try in Ottawa, local pastry.

Friends and family, see you soon! I`m looking forward to see you ALL!! I`m so excited!

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2011 07/04
Kello 3:05 | Kirjoittaja: Marja Tiihonen | Luokka: Aiheeton |

Canada is a beautiful country, don`t you think?

Last weekend we enjoyded the beutiful weather, (+8 degrees) jumped into a car and went to Levack and Onaping high falls. And I must say I`m now impressed! Sudbury downtown and the area where we`re living isn`t that beautiful but Levack is! And all I can say is that now I`ve seen the nature I believed is somewhere in Canada.

Onaping high falls -beautiful!

Onaping high falls -beautiful!

Me, enjoying my stay in Levack

Me, enjoying my stay in Levack

Today was a special day too. We went to Honorary Consulate of Finland – and you know why? We needed to vote! Today was the only day you could vote abroad for parliament and of course, you have to be a good citizen and vote. That`s democracy!

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2011 03/04
Kello 3:21 | Kirjoittaja: Outi Ronkainen | Luokka: Aiheeton |

Here and there

Last couple of weeks have been amazing! It´s good to take off from familiar environment and give a change to new experiences. For me there been dozen of those :)

It took night bus to Toronto. Ride was uncomfortable because roads here are patchy and bumpy.  I slept dogs sleep for 4 hours, mainly I was scared to hit in rocks or something :( Anyway I survived to Toronto. The city were great! Sun was shining but wind was cold.

On the first day I went to see the city, lake Ontario and Steam Whistle Brewing ( http://www.steamwhistle.ca/). Worth to visit, definitely! ;) And you will get some free tasters :P

TorontoDSC05521

On Friday I went to Niagara Falls. Bus tickets to student cost 35$ (return) and buses are leaving almost every hour. From Toronto it takes 1,5 hours, so it´s good time for nap :) Whole city seems to be in hibernation. Well there wasn´t need to queue.

Canadian Falls

Saturday was see the city day (again). We went to CN Tower!! :) It´s the second highest building in the word, it´s 446,5 meters from the ground. Of course we went as top we could, so it was pretty cool to stand in 346 meters and admire the view.

CN TowerDSC05612DSC05607

Sunday we went to walk around Korean town, took metro and tram rides and went to shopping. In the evening it was time to take a bus again. Now heading to New York! Bus ride took 10 hours and that was killing me! Benches weren´t made to sleep I can tell! Crossing the U.S border was nervous experience, but I made it. I thought that I have all traveling documents already, but I had to pay 6$ more to get green paper.. Well, it was´t place to argue :P

Well, on Monday, while the sun rise we came to NYC. The firs thing there were to eat breakfast, then to find out where the hotel is and drop out our bags. Our hotel were in China Town, so it was easy to go to southern part of Manhattan to see all those sights. We took Staten Island ferry to see Statue of Liberty, for me there wasn´t any need to go the island to see legs of statue (too much touristy)

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In evening must thing to do were to walk in the 5th Avenue and go to Empire State Building :) And views were great, the best ever! All the lights and everything, oh my!

Tuesday, the last day in NYC :( Walking around Chine Town, lunch in Little Italy, coffees in Central Park. Basic stuff, you know :) And Macy´s of course.  Quite active day, I would say. And the worst part was packing :( I didn´t want to leave! Someone said to me that I´m crazy to New York just for two days, maybe I am, but it was worth it, for sure!

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And I will go back again, I need to!

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2011 23/03
Kello 23:18 | Kirjoittaja: Outi Ronkainen | Luokka: Aiheeton |

a little break off

Tonight I will jump in to Toronto bus.  We´ve been working for some extra hours so it´s time to travel and relax now. Toronto, Niagara Falls and New York, here I come. Next time I will write something about those places and ad some photos :)

Hope weather is nice and all my visas and other traveling documents :P

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2011 19/03
Kello 5:02 | Kirjoittaja: Outi Ronkainen | Luokka: On the spot |

St. Patrick´s Day 2011

Canada is full of different nationalities so different kind of national festivals are part of life, of course!

Yesterday was St. Patrick´s Day, so party for sure ;) Irish know how to do that! People were dressed up for green and I saw shamrocks all over the Finlandia Village. Nice to have something different in middle of normal week.

DSC05462 – KopioYou see green?

In Palvelukoti they had live music and Irish party for residents. PK lobby was crowded!

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In the evening we went to down town to check out local Irish Pub called Peddler´s Pub (of course)! And I would say there were THE party! Whole bar were backed and everyone had some theme costume, so did we :) Bar was decorated from floor to roof and they served GREEN BEER! ;)  I had to try! Not the best one, but good and anything for the theme :)   There were live music as well, really good band played old rock ´n roll songs and people were dancing, awesome!  Night was really good airing for our brains! It´s therapeutic to see young people at times and just relax.

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In the end I have to tell we came back home just after midnight. Not partying too hard, ‘cos Friday is normal day, working day :P

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2011 17/03
Kello 3:38 | Kirjoittaja: Marja Tiihonen | Luokka: Aiheeton |

Learning Canadian style to live

It`s always a new culture you`re arriving when you travel and live abroad. We thought it´s easy to travel and live in Canada because climate and culture are quite same as we have in Finland. Well, there are similar things between our cultures and of course differences too..

Last sunday we turned our clocks one hour forward (in Finland it happens after two weeks). I asked one of our directors here why is that so and he answered that  “it`s because of the energy saving”.  Still I didn`t get it, but then in Sunday morning we realized that energy saving started with our apartment too. Temperature in our little room was just 16 degrees and we were freezing! Fortunately someone helped us and now we don`t save that much energy and everything is fine..

People here really appreciate finnish working attitude and I can see now why! We`re having here in Majatalo an open-house day on Friday and we need to clean up things etc. Today one cleaner came downstairs to do her job when we were heading to work. When we got back at 12, she was sitting and watching TV! Everywhere smelled like washing powder but floor was full of sand and dust. I don`t think I would like have that kind of cleaner to come and clean my house!

Today we also did something ” very finnish”. We baked some “pulla”. In Finlandia Village everyone knows what is “pulla” and no-one wants to translate it into english! Our Volunteer Programme Leader Brenda likes “pulla” very much and when we last week offered some to her, she just said that “I never say no to Pulla!” :D

Here are the results of baking today

Pulla

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2011 10/03
Kello 6:41 | Kirjoittaja: Outi Ronkainen | Luokka: Aiheeton, On the spot |

Finnishness!

Today we took part of interesting meeting, finnishness meeting! All management team were there and also board members and we of course! In Finlandia Village residents come from different cultures and language skills, nurses and staff are mainly local  and basic idea for whole Filandia Village came from Finns. Well, if we go deeper in this topic, who really are  Canadians? I´m not going there..

In finish there is  phrase “Kenen leipää syöt, sen lauluja laulat.” So who gives money can say rules for the game.  Point for today was to get together and think about finnishness in Finlandia Village. It should be part of every day work, but it isn´t.  So, we did some group work and brainstorming. It´s not hard or difficult add some finishness to staff work and values, it´s more uncertainty or thoughtlessness. Less (we) they can do is to respect founders wishes,  vision and mission.  They got paid for that, if I speak directly.

For me, as Finn is great to see this small community like this. I don´t mind if here is people from Canada or Ireland or Indonesia, I love idea to share our culture with others. For occupational therapist eyes finishness is also working tool. Here we are  called Suomi-tytöt to residents, so it´s easy and natural to discus about their life histories and ask some question. For us it´s easy to get some reliable information from their lives and difficulties from themselves and we can consider short therapy or our group therapies for them. Sometimes I feel like a spy or something :) Maybe it´s part of my future profession to analyze everything I see!

And ppl, it would be really nice to have some feedback (if there is anyone who read this blog ;) )!

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2011 05/03
Kello 6:18 | Kirjoittaja: Outi Ronkainen | Luokka: Aiheeton, On the spot |

Wind of history

Sometimes is hard to remember that we are living in 20th century, especially here in Finlandia Village! Somehow here we live and think like 50 years ago.

Yesterday we wen’t to church with residents (more like helped them with whealchears) and the priest told how Finland is so chanced nowadays, “you shouldn’t miss back there.” For us it sounded weird, almost sad. She also said how street view has changed in Helsinki. “It’s not like it use to be.”

Dear priest, of course it’s  NOT the same! I beat Canada has changed too in 50 years. Me as student wouldn’t never say anything like that, they are allowed to miss their home country and have their golden memories! I think it doesn’t make them feel any better knocking how Finland is nowadays.

And always when you leave your home you will miss it, that’s part of the game. I do that also :D

It´s also common to discuss  about wars, that´s weird for us. In Finland I used to think it´s forbidden topic, interesting but forbidden! I would say people lives their after-war-period, it does not matter that it´s now year 2011 . For example it´s not unusual if someone ask: “Are  you communist?”  Well, I guess in Finland we would not hear the same question :)

Residents here are old-fashion someway but also they are kind and open minded. They share their stories and we learn everyday some new about Finland´s history. We are having once in a week our remembering group, and all those golden memories seems to give contents to their lives, no matter how old those are. We use Muikkulaatikko with them and there were some photos what we didn´t understand. Those ladies and gentlemen taught us for example what kind of clothes peg they used or what was the meaning for akkunapapaperi (window paper).

Here is also activities to veterans. On Tuesday they had their monthly music afternoon. We sang old folk songs and played tambourines. We also had accordion accompaniment! :) We saw only smiling and laughing faces! That was therapy for therapist! ;)

Many of residents has told the same story. They came here because fear of war. They has dream to be safe and make some money. When they have money enough they will go back home. It didn´t happen and it wount. Kanada pitää omansa- they said.

It´s great to be here! I´m sure we will bring something new OLD with us. On Wednesday ladies taught me to make bun braid with 4 strips! :D :D

It´s true, you have to go far to see close.

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