A year in the life.......................

[MagicJ]

Well today's my anniversary of a year in Finland so i thought i'd add a positive foreigner post:

Arrived 22nd November 2006, started work the next day (part time only), Kela organised by christmas, had a great christmas, bought a flat in the new year, joined a football team, started semi-permanent (contract) work, went skiing for the first time, went on a winter ice driving course, joined a second football team, failed to signficantly improve my stopping or turning skills on ice-skates, played in the Snowshoe Football World Cup, had a nice spring digging up and planting an allotment, got married, got lots of positive feedback about Finland from wedding guests, had a lovely relaxing summer, kayaked from Kuopio to Tahko, watched all of Finland's (now failed) bid to qualify for the Euros, joined a third football team, started some Finnish classes, got even more regular work and i'm now awaiting the full onset of winter (i love -20c). Amongst all of that i've made some good friends.

Also thanks to Richard Berman for Hitas advice, Penelope for employment advice, Xochiquetzal for wedding shots and Hank for calling me a twat

Well, not a moan all year -saying british sausages are better than Finnish makkara is a comparison not a complaint.

We're not all moaners, i've had a great year and looking forward to many more..........

[Karhunkoski]

Nice reading, made me smile, thanks!

[Rosamunda]

More like "A life in the year of......" Well done and Happy Anniversary!

(I celebrated a quarter-century of ex-pattedness last summer - June 15th 2006 - don't regret a minute of it)

[Salopian]

Happy aniversary mate, and I've been a big fan of the attitude you happy b*stard!

Maybe see you for this football lark next Friday...

[Hank W.]

...that kayaking must've been fun.

[raamv]

Congrats for surviving for a year.... Give it a few more to turn that positive into a positive one albeit others say why are you being soo negative..and you are wondering what on earth happened!!

[sinikala]

Good on you fella, nuff said.

[otyikondo]

Nice to hear it*. Keep it up.

If you've got through one November, the next twenty or so won't seem as bad, and before long you'll have enough of a nest-egg to get out of the country for the entire four weeks anyway...


*Though of course as everyone at The Times knows, it's only Stockholm syndrome, and your old lady said she'd withhold bedroom privileges until she saw it in black and white.


P.S. Did you actually GO to the Armenia game in Finnair Stadium? Christ, you must be sick.

Edited to add: No, you were lucky enough to miss that débâcle by a few days. Otherwise you might have gone straight home, and we'd never have had this heart-warming thread.

[MagicJ]

...that kayaking must've been fun.

I wouldn't say fun exactly, first time in a double kayak, as a newlywed, paddling constantly for two days trying to keep up with all the experts who had their own canoes. Also having a sea canoe with pedals that kept breaking didn't help, neither did the fact that i weigh considerably more than the missus so the boat was imbalanced.
I'd say it was an experience, beautiful scenery though when i actually had a chance to lift my head. It was however a huge sense of achievement when we finally pulled ourselves onto land at Tahko, especially as on the first day they kept telling us we could stop anytime (my wife is a slim lass) as they thought we wouldn't be able to complete it, my wife however is a very determined lady and i was very proud of her, except when she was knackered and i had to paddle for the both of us.

Strangely we're probably going to do it all again next year.

Fancy a wet arse for 2 days?

[Rosamunda]

That looks really good. Will definitely bookmark that page. We have a double hulled canoe at the mökki that easily fits 3 + dog and then a two man lightweight speedy thing (you get very wet). Maybe something we could do with the kids.

[stevoe]

Well today's my anniversary of a year in Finland so i thought i'd add a positive foreigner post:

Arrived 22nd November 2006, started work the next day (part time only), Kela organised by christmas, had a great christmas, bought a flat in the new year, joined a football team, started semi-permanent (contract) work, went skiing for the first time, went on a winter ice driving course, joined a second football team, failed to signficantly improve my stopping or turning skills on ice-skates, played in the Snowshoe Football World Cup, had a nice spring digging up and planting an allotment, got married, got lots of positive feedback about Finland from wedding guests, had a lovely relaxing summer, kayaked from Kuopio to Tahko, watched all of Finland's (now failed) bid to qualify for the Euros, joined a third football team, started some Finnish classes, got even more regular work and i'm now awaiting the full onset of winter (i love -20c). Amongst all of that i've made some good friends.

NOW That is what Ive been waiting to hear for a long time...somone who knows what it takes to enjoy it here...It really does take getting involved and keeping busey....and if you need relaxing, well there's ALWAYS ALWAYS places and times for that....very refreshing my friend

steve

Also thanks to Richard Berman for Hitas advice, Penelope for employment advice, Xochiquetzal for wedding shots and Hank for calling me a twat

Well, not a moan all year -saying british sausages are better than Finnish makkara is a comparison not a complaint.

We're not all moaners, i've had a great year and looking forward to many more..........

[MagicJ]

I'm so content in Finland i forgot my 2nd anniversary! Enough to make you moaners sick eh?

Salopian what was that about hubris?

[Karhunkoski]

Congrats Magic.

Nice to see someone who admits to enjoying living here.

[Pursuivant]

such a tw...

so, got proper winter yet?

[pres589]

magic: I'm curious, what took you to Finland in the first place? The infamous HBS? Just wanted a change? Sounds like you're doing well there.