Meeting the parents (help required!!)

luoto · Post by **luoto** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 8:28 pm

Outside of the great metropolis that has been more my experience, and it amazed me and shocked me. My wife to be (only two weeks to go) and I have discussed this and we will be encouraging the three language family and reading early on if we are blessed with kids.

Just double checked with the good lady and it was her experience, she also added that there is a difference to being around books and more structured learning (my mother started me to read a few years before I went to school),.

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Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 10:34 pm

when I have kids (God willing) I think I would feel a bit uncomfortable about letting my kids start school at seven, I would want them to start earlier, maybe send them to school in England then when they turn seven we can all come back and they can continue in Finland. I guess it is because I am used to school starting at the age of four. but If I marry a Finnish man (again God willing, I really want this!!) he may persuade me to let them start at seven if he started at seven.

Anyways, my boyfriend has told me that when I meet his parents we will be having traditional Finnish food, help!! what is traditional of Finnish food? what do you have? I hope it doesn't include peas (I hate them) or nuts because I m badly allergic to them and can' be anywhere near nuts.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Sun Jun 12, 2005 11:02 pm

Lefty wrote: what is traditional of Finnish food?.

Pizza and kebab it seems

If they really want to exorsize you they might have pea soup; but I doubt anything more exotic than bangers and mash will make it to the table.

Hopefully your stomach is up for coffee. There is a lot of it around.

The only time people will really stare at you is when you ask for tea and then pour milk in it

RA · Post by RA » Mon Jun 13, 2005 8:52 am

Potatoes! I've never in my life eaten so much potatoes like I do here. Apparently the first time my mom-in-law made lasagne, she made potatoes to go with it. After all there needs to be some real food on the table...

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 8:58 am

So apparently you haven't visited Ireland

RA · Post by RA » Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:16 am

Actually Hank I have and I still think Finns eat much more potatoes... kuoriperuna, muusi, uudet perunat, uuniperunat, röstiperunat, perunavelli.... every meal has potatoes. In some lunch restaurants... you know Amica etc.. when they have pasta or rice days, you can always ask for potatoes, they'll have it.

acwan · Post by **acwan** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:19 am

What i've been wondering is whether or not Finns eat any fruit?

RA · Post by RA » Mon Jun 13, 2005 9:34 am

Noooo of course not. Only carbs count as food!!! Fruit's only an extra for those very special days. Have you seen the prices? Tho' to be fair oranges, tangerines, apples you can get at okay prices. And there's berries in the summer - free for gathering in the forests and swamps. And when you're out of everything... there's always euroshopper tinned pineapple.

llewellyn · Post by **llewellyn** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 10:40 am

RA wrote:Actually Hank I have and I still think Finns eat much more potatoes... kuoriperuna, muusi, uudet perunat, uuniperunat, röstiperunat, perunavelli.... every meal has potatoes. In some lunch restaurants... you know Amica etc.. when they have pasta or rice days, you can always ask for potatoes, they'll have it.

Hmm, "chips with everything"? I mean, really, everything... When I worked for an unnamed, ever cursed multinational, chips would be served at every lunch (of course, you had often pasta, soup etc. as alternative - but chips always). Sometimes, every now and then you would have as an exotic delicacy BOILED potatoes - shocking really! Well, Irish chips are actually the best in the world (those dry sticks we have here are really not the same species), but sometimes it was too much of a good thing.

Hank W. · Post by **Hank W.** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 11:35 am

RA wrote: In some lunch restaurants... you know Amica etc.. when they have pasta or rice days, you can always ask for potatoes, they'll have it.

yeah, but if you go to a chinese or a curry place or a pizzeria and ask for chips in Finland they'll tell you to p*off to McD

As llewellyn ap gwenwynwyn said, it's not quite "chips with everything". I think one of the Finnish things is you've learned to mutilate the potato into so many forms.

And fruit? What you think, we're the first ones to come from the tree, green stuff is for rabbits.

(if you ask a "true Finnish man")

RA · Post by RA » Mon Jun 13, 2005 2:57 pm

Hank W. wrote: I think one of the Finnish things is you've learned to mutilate the potato into so many forms.

Aye, you've got a point there. I've learned to make lots and lots of different potatoe dishes. Me mamma would be proud

. I did love wedges in Ireland though. Maybe I didn't feel the potatoe take-over as much there because I could always escape and get other foods like curry etc, plus I wasn't there that long. And before you tell me you can get that here too...in Helsinki, remember I'm in the bundus. We have 2 chinese restaurants in Kuopio (which are a tad disappointing for me anyways so they don't count).

Lefty, here's a link you might find interesting.
http://www.globalgourmet.com/destinatio ... astro.html
Bread here is wonderful by the way. And if I remember right you're going to work in Tampere? If so then you'll have to try black sausage. http://www.reklaamikari.fi/musta/

Lefty · Post by **Lefty** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 4:00 pm

curry is always good, potatoes are good but if they will become a daily occurance, I'll have to put a stop to that. FRUIT ISN'T EATEN MUCH!! NO!!! I need fruit, we are advised to have 5 portions of fruit daily over here and fruit is very cheap. This is going to be an enormous change over of lifestyle. I could always become a vegetarian I suppose. but I like meat.........

RA wrote

Only carbs count as food!!!

bad bad bad! in England everone seems to be on one low carb diet or another, there is a vast obsession for losing weight and looking good. Gyms thrive, diet specialists are big and almost every single food has a low fat, low carb version.

chips with everything, I would love that!!

acwan · Post by **acwan** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 4:05 pm

Lefty wrote:bad bad bad! in England everone seems to be on one low carb diet or another, there is a vast obsession for losing weight and looking good. Gyms thrive, diet specialists are big and almost every single food has a low fat, low carb version.

chips with everything, I would love that!!

Yes, I do believe my butt has become noticeably bigger since I've moved here from the States.

But not to worry as there are gyms here as well.

Xochiquetzal · Post by **Xochiquetzal** » Mon Jun 13, 2005 4:06 pm

Lefty wrote: bad bad bad! in England everone seems to be on one low carb diet or another, there is a vast obsession for losing weight and looking good. Gyms thrive, diet specialists are big and almost every single food has a low fat, low carb version.

chips with everything, I would love that!!

Now I remember why I left Los Angeles so happily. You think the low carb and image consciousness thing is strong in the UK, you should see it in LA. You couldn't even go into a supermarket without full makeup and formal attire.

Viva la Finland!

RA · Post by RA » Mon Jun 13, 2005 4:45 pm

Yep. Forget doing Atkins or any low carb diet in Finland. But you can work off the calories and energy by taking up the swimming in the ice or just doing sauvakävely (what's this in English again?... walking with the ski thingys).
Fruit you'll get but it'll cost you. Meat you'll find too so don't worry you don't have to become a vegeterian if you don't want to. In the winter you'll have a harder time finding fresh vegetables and fruit at a decent price compared to the summer. But we do survive

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Meeting the parents (help required!!)