So here I am in my new hometown, going on day three. It's a bit like a collission between Finland, germany and Russia here. Something from each culture.
The houses here are real diffrent from each other. There are these nice and fancy newbuilt ones and old ones, looking like they survived World War II or something like that. But I think that people are more into renovating the inside of their houses/apartments, then the outside. And as Mom pointed out, the old wall-materials they have used building the original walls are probably steadier and weatherproof than the new ones.
That gets me to my own studentdorm. They somehow figured out to put me on the same floor as the ERASMUS-students, which means a lot of partying and noise in the evening/night. Lets look how my first night here will go. I hate it there, and it's not just sharing a 16m2 room with another girl, but it's dirty and small. And former exchange students have just left a lot of garbage there, so it really is awful. But in about one hour I will meet a lady who is coordinating apartments for rent on the private market, and we will together look at an object near my own faculty, which is a bit outside the centre of town. Hopefully it's nice and I can move in there in a couple of days. It's a 30m2 apartment with all necessary furniture etc. and the rent is quite okay too. Lets keep our fingers crossed.
I will need to get a bike too, people are walkers to the core here, and maybe that explains why everyone is so SKINNY. Because they are, and they're tall too and all girls/women are walking in high-heels, don't know how they manage to do that, since the distance to town can be a couple of kilometers. So maybe I shouldn't buy a bike, just start walking everywhere, then the extra-kilos will fall off me ;)
Tomorrow is the first day "of school" and I hope things will look a bit brighter after that. Getting to know some people and so on... seeing my goal again and that will motivate me in staying and also enjoying my stay here.
Stuff here is cheaper than in Finland, at least most of the time. In a country where 2liters of Coca Cola cost about 1€ maybe is my cup of cake?! But some people literally do stink, and today I might have found out why: Shampoo costs about 3€ and if you're short on money... you can imagine the rest.
Yesterday Mom and I walked around for about 2 hours to find the Tartu branch, without any success. Mom got frustrated for the first time while being here (we arrived Saturday afternoon). I was just happy and enjoying the city (for the first time during my stay).
So that will be all for this time, have to go and meet that lady showing me the apartment soon!
31.8.09
25.8.09
Frustrating things...
So today I went to KELA (Finnish health insurance department) to get an appliance-paper for some social benefits. I had to wait in line just because their homepage was stupid enough not to give it to me. And here in Pietarsaari their office is quite shabby and the employees too few.
Then I went to my normal insurance company to get a travel insurance (the school needs it). But they just told me a lot of crap and didn't listen to anything I told them. They just complicated things, so I went away real angry and frustrated. I won't ever buy any insurance from them, that's for sure. They made me look like I didn't know what I was talking about, even though it was the other way around.
On top of all, a car almost hit me and my friend on our hunt for all kinds of stuff around town. But it was mainly the insurance company's fault, since they send me to get some more information about my move (but since I already knew all of that it was quite unnecessary).
The only nice person who really helped me was at the magistraten and she implied how stupid those i-companies are, since they don't seem to get that you can be a citizen in Finland still and get all benefits even though you're studying in a foreign country.
I will write KELA and the i-company some feedback, and boy it won't be good ones!
But I think stuff are working out, and that I will be ready to head to Helsinki on Tuesday morning! The same day I will have lunch at my "old" school and meet some of my classmates, which I really look forward to! Just being in Helsinki will be fun, since it is my favorite town. Along with Frankfurt, Stockholm and London.
Tomorrow they have the traditional Spotlight event in Pietarsaari and it will be the last evening with my girls for a very loooong time. I hate to say goodbye, even though it's not forever. But still... I'm really blessed with great friends(older and newer), and especially when you move away from each other you realise how hard it is to be as comfy with new friends as with old ones you've known for many years. That doesn't mean that you can't find new good friends, but friendship is always a process!
Problem of the week: How to get your cat to swallow the whole dose of it's oral antibiotics-fluid when it's so smart that it won't eat any food that smells like it and spits it out the second it gets it in its mouth????
Book of the week: Right now I'm reading Ian McEwan: Atonement. It is as good as the movie so far (have about half of it left), and really complex by showing all people's perspective on the story. The library-scene from the movie is at least as intense in the book too ;)
Then I went to my normal insurance company to get a travel insurance (the school needs it). But they just told me a lot of crap and didn't listen to anything I told them. They just complicated things, so I went away real angry and frustrated. I won't ever buy any insurance from them, that's for sure. They made me look like I didn't know what I was talking about, even though it was the other way around.
On top of all, a car almost hit me and my friend on our hunt for all kinds of stuff around town. But it was mainly the insurance company's fault, since they send me to get some more information about my move (but since I already knew all of that it was quite unnecessary).
The only nice person who really helped me was at the magistraten and she implied how stupid those i-companies are, since they don't seem to get that you can be a citizen in Finland still and get all benefits even though you're studying in a foreign country.
I will write KELA and the i-company some feedback, and boy it won't be good ones!
But I think stuff are working out, and that I will be ready to head to Helsinki on Tuesday morning! The same day I will have lunch at my "old" school and meet some of my classmates, which I really look forward to! Just being in Helsinki will be fun, since it is my favorite town. Along with Frankfurt, Stockholm and London.
Tomorrow they have the traditional Spotlight event in Pietarsaari and it will be the last evening with my girls for a very loooong time. I hate to say goodbye, even though it's not forever. But still... I'm really blessed with great friends(older and newer), and especially when you move away from each other you realise how hard it is to be as comfy with new friends as with old ones you've known for many years. That doesn't mean that you can't find new good friends, but friendship is always a process!
Problem of the week: How to get your cat to swallow the whole dose of it's oral antibiotics-fluid when it's so smart that it won't eat any food that smells like it and spits it out the second it gets it in its mouth????
Book of the week: Right now I'm reading Ian McEwan: Atonement. It is as good as the movie so far (have about half of it left), and really complex by showing all people's perspective on the story. The library-scene from the movie is at least as intense in the book too ;)
24.8.09
Photo highlights
Take 5 girls and 5 kg of strawberries and have a picnic in the park!
Make sure to jump out of joy...
And this is what will be left at the end of the evening :)Lii's birthday in Vaasa
Singing some Lips on the Xbox
Partying later onFestinord in Denmark
The week ended with a James Bond-themed Gala Ball
They even brought in a Lamborghini
The ladies ;)Riina's birthday in Vaasa
The birthdaygirl herself. Real yummy cake!
All the girls gathered <3
20.8.09
Tartu/Estonia
I googled facts about my new city/country of residence and here you too can get some facts about it:
Estonia
-The official language is Estonian, but many people do also have Russian as a mothertongue
-They still use Estonian Krones as their money, but are planning to join the EMU as soon as possible. Inflation still is too high. (hope this WILL happen next year as planned!)
-Their capital city is Tallinn, which also is the biggest city with 400.000 inhabitants
-They declared themselves independent after world war I, but didn't get independence until Soviet's fall in the early 90's
-Estonian people in general are a bit like Finnish people, you have to make an effort to get to know them, and they usually don't make the first move in getting to know new people
-Historically Estonia has been part of Germany, Sweden and Russia.
-The railway in the country is really underdeveloped, people usually take the bus or cars to get somewhere
-Estonia is about the size of Denmark
-2/3 of the inhabitants live in the larger cities
Tartu
-Also known as Dorpat
-Has about 100.000 inhabitants
-Records of the city are found from the early 1100th century
-University of Tartu was established in 1700th century
-Has always had close connections with Sweden, they even have a Uppsala Maja, a wooden cottage, as a "monument" for their friend-city Uppsala
-Is about 180km away from Tallinn. Every half hour a bus is going to and arriving from Tallinn.
-Has a river running through the city. The river connects Estonia's two largest lakes with each other
-Every 10th person on the streets of Tartu is somehow connected to the university
19.8.09
Sometimes I just randomly feel extremely happy
Well yes it's true. Sometimes you feel like you could hug the whole wide world for no particular reason at all! I had a quite normal day today, but lots to look forward to!
-I'll be meeting my friends in Vaasa this weekend to celebrate my friend's birthday. One of those wild, glamorous nights out; dresscode: black. And since I a while ago attended a theme ball-James Bond, I already have a gooood outfit. Only problem is to get up on that stand we always dance on...
-Next week I'll be in Helsinki for a couple of days, probably meeting friends there too! Yay!
-Listening to that song I posted yesterday, and in a partymood right now :P (anything can happen...)
-I did actually have a day of work today, even though I officially ended work and having "vacation" now. It was a new place to me, so it was a bit nervous going there (as always). Everything went fine, I hate that I always get nervous about stuff that I manage just fine!
-Saw a real gooooooood movie yesterday; Public Enemies. Or I don't know, I think I most of all liked Johnny Depp being so handsome ;D I went with a girl from work and we both went all crazy about him (while you're single you can freely choose going to a bang-bang movie with a girl AND talk about the great male actors, without making your man jealous!) I don't think the movie would have been any good without Depp, he's an amazing actor! But I wouldn't say that it is a movie I could watch all over again. The thrill wouldn't be the same.
-A less fun thing happened yesterday, and this I just have to write in Swedish! Så igår var vi med vår oranga lyckokatt-Pushkin till veterinären, eftersom han hade ett sår på ryggen som inte ville läkas. Nåja, snälla veterinären börja dra bort sårskorpet och huhu, såna sår har jag inte ens sett på människor, att det har blivit sådär utbrett från ett litet ställe! Det hela slutade med kompress på ryggen, antibiotika och en drogad katt i tratt. Då han vaknat till sig lite fick han inte ens gången till att bli rak. Plus att även drogfri en dag efteråt krockar han i precis allt med dendär tratten xD Jag har småmobbat honom enda sens det, han TROR sig vara så smidig, så fastnar tratten i ett hörn, vilket han int fattar, trycker på och duns, katten ligger på golvet :P Jag får nu leka veterinär. Påpekade igår åt mamma att det vore helt skönt och vara katten just då. Alla pysslar om en, alla pajjar en, alla tycker synd om en; man får TILL OCH MED spy på sig själv! Mamma tyckte jag var lite konstig om min största dröm är att jag får spy på mig och andra torkar upp det... ;)
-I'll be meeting my friends in Vaasa this weekend to celebrate my friend's birthday. One of those wild, glamorous nights out; dresscode: black. And since I a while ago attended a theme ball-James Bond, I already have a gooood outfit. Only problem is to get up on that stand we always dance on...
-Next week I'll be in Helsinki for a couple of days, probably meeting friends there too! Yay!
-Listening to that song I posted yesterday, and in a partymood right now :P (anything can happen...)
-I did actually have a day of work today, even though I officially ended work and having "vacation" now. It was a new place to me, so it was a bit nervous going there (as always). Everything went fine, I hate that I always get nervous about stuff that I manage just fine!
-Saw a real gooooooood movie yesterday; Public Enemies. Or I don't know, I think I most of all liked Johnny Depp being so handsome ;D I went with a girl from work and we both went all crazy about him (while you're single you can freely choose going to a bang-bang movie with a girl AND talk about the great male actors, without making your man jealous!) I don't think the movie would have been any good without Depp, he's an amazing actor! But I wouldn't say that it is a movie I could watch all over again. The thrill wouldn't be the same.
-A less fun thing happened yesterday, and this I just have to write in Swedish! Så igår var vi med vår oranga lyckokatt-Pushkin till veterinären, eftersom han hade ett sår på ryggen som inte ville läkas. Nåja, snälla veterinären börja dra bort sårskorpet och huhu, såna sår har jag inte ens sett på människor, att det har blivit sådär utbrett från ett litet ställe! Det hela slutade med kompress på ryggen, antibiotika och en drogad katt i tratt. Då han vaknat till sig lite fick han inte ens gången till att bli rak. Plus att även drogfri en dag efteråt krockar han i precis allt med dendär tratten xD Jag har småmobbat honom enda sens det, han TROR sig vara så smidig, så fastnar tratten i ett hörn, vilket han int fattar, trycker på och duns, katten ligger på golvet :P Jag får nu leka veterinär. Påpekade igår åt mamma att det vore helt skönt och vara katten just då. Alla pysslar om en, alla pajjar en, alla tycker synd om en; man får TILL OCH MED spy på sig själv! Mamma tyckte jag var lite konstig om min största dröm är att jag får spy på mig och andra torkar upp det... ;)
18.8.09
Sexy Bitch
This is an awesome song by one of my favorite dj's. Listen and enjoy the vibes! :)
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZumu_wJYlc&feature=related
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=dZumu_wJYlc&feature=related
17.8.09
When life gives you lemons, you can't always make lemonade...
Today I went to the bank to figure out how in the world I should finance my tutionfees. And guess what? KELA is only getting me about 4400€ per year for a loan, that leaves me about 3000€ short on the first two years of school. Per year that is. So great. It's always about the money baby! I really need to come up with some solution, this is kind of freaking me out, going to Estonia, a couple of thousand euros short, at least the Springsemester. And I don't really know if taking a "real" loan is an option, since there are some high procentages you have to pay of in the mean time until you start paying back your loan. If anyone has any suggestions, feel free to inform me!
As if that wouldn't be enough, I also still have to buy a new laptop. But there is some hope with insurance. I'll keep my fingers crossed that at least that would fix itself...
I also had my last day of work yesterday, and it was real good too. Every patient seemed very pleased and nice (or was it just me being happy to get some vacation..?). I really liked that place, working in a hospital with all kinds of people, both nurses and patients. Some of them I'll probably never forget, and I made some nice friends too :) Tomorrow I will actually go and watch that new Johnny Depp movie Public Enemies with one of my former collegues. Hope it's good!
A couple of things are checked on my to-do list before leaving, which is also great. Amongst them are planning my leave and packing days the last weekend in August. Mom is gonna come with me to Tartu, and that I am truely grateful for. I won't be stranded there until 30th August all alone. Just hope we'll get most of my stuff there the two of us :P My books will have to wait ;)
The first reactions I get when I tell people where I will be next semester is
-So why don't you just study in Finland? (Well, just let me bang into your head how hard it is, getting in to med-school here...)
-Wow, that's like really far away, aren't you afraid? (Haha, no not at all, it just scares the shit out of me knowing absolutly no one and not speaking the language. But nah, no biggie)
-Who else is going with you? (Oh my whole family and all of my friends! They're so excited! Uhm no, well I am going all by myself. )
And the list goes on.
So let me explain some other useful things.
The first two years will be in English. That's why these years are the most expensive if you look at the tutionfees. During these years we will take intensive courses in Estonian, so that we're ready to switch from English to Estonian as a study-language year three.
Finnish students are allowed to make their internships in Finland, which minimazes the gap when you take the leap into working in your homecountry.
The costs of living there are quite minimal compared to Finland. Living, eating and entertainment is much more inexpensive. But because of diffrent standards in for example aparments it's good to take a look at them before you jump to a conclusion which one to rent. That's why I'm staying at a student's dorm at first, even though it means sharing ONE room with another girl.
And yes I know no one there, and I am really scared of moving to a country I know almost nothing about and that I have never visited. But at least there is a branch there, so I will hopefully get to know some people in church there.
The things that I am most regretful of by moving there is that I probably will end up marrying some Estonian boy. I really would prefer to have one from Scandinavia! And then there is the part of not seeing my superduper family and friends... It is after all 6 years!
But then I also know how it is to study something that you don't want to be, and having a dream that is knocking on your consious every day. So i decided that even though everything is rough about this move, I just have to follow my dream. Because if I don't catch it now, I thing I will regret it for the rest of my life. And I thing this dream is worth the sacrifies I and also people around me are ready to make.
I just have to dig up some excitement so that this whole thing would feel good all of the time. Or at least 90% of the time. So I will be busy looking for that same excitement people around me seem to have about all this. Probably that WILL be a whole-time job ;)
As if that wouldn't be enough, I also still have to buy a new laptop. But there is some hope with insurance. I'll keep my fingers crossed that at least that would fix itself...
I also had my last day of work yesterday, and it was real good too. Every patient seemed very pleased and nice (or was it just me being happy to get some vacation..?). I really liked that place, working in a hospital with all kinds of people, both nurses and patients. Some of them I'll probably never forget, and I made some nice friends too :) Tomorrow I will actually go and watch that new Johnny Depp movie Public Enemies with one of my former collegues. Hope it's good!
A couple of things are checked on my to-do list before leaving, which is also great. Amongst them are planning my leave and packing days the last weekend in August. Mom is gonna come with me to Tartu, and that I am truely grateful for. I won't be stranded there until 30th August all alone. Just hope we'll get most of my stuff there the two of us :P My books will have to wait ;)
The first reactions I get when I tell people where I will be next semester is
-So why don't you just study in Finland? (Well, just let me bang into your head how hard it is, getting in to med-school here...)
-Wow, that's like really far away, aren't you afraid? (Haha, no not at all, it just scares the shit out of me knowing absolutly no one and not speaking the language. But nah, no biggie)
-Who else is going with you? (Oh my whole family and all of my friends! They're so excited! Uhm no, well I am going all by myself. )
And the list goes on.
So let me explain some other useful things.
The first two years will be in English. That's why these years are the most expensive if you look at the tutionfees. During these years we will take intensive courses in Estonian, so that we're ready to switch from English to Estonian as a study-language year three.
Finnish students are allowed to make their internships in Finland, which minimazes the gap when you take the leap into working in your homecountry.
The costs of living there are quite minimal compared to Finland. Living, eating and entertainment is much more inexpensive. But because of diffrent standards in for example aparments it's good to take a look at them before you jump to a conclusion which one to rent. That's why I'm staying at a student's dorm at first, even though it means sharing ONE room with another girl.
And yes I know no one there, and I am really scared of moving to a country I know almost nothing about and that I have never visited. But at least there is a branch there, so I will hopefully get to know some people in church there.
The things that I am most regretful of by moving there is that I probably will end up marrying some Estonian boy. I really would prefer to have one from Scandinavia! And then there is the part of not seeing my superduper family and friends... It is after all 6 years!
But then I also know how it is to study something that you don't want to be, and having a dream that is knocking on your consious every day. So i decided that even though everything is rough about this move, I just have to follow my dream. Because if I don't catch it now, I thing I will regret it for the rest of my life. And I thing this dream is worth the sacrifies I and also people around me are ready to make.
I just have to dig up some excitement so that this whole thing would feel good all of the time. Or at least 90% of the time. So I will be busy looking for that same excitement people around me seem to have about all this. Probably that WILL be a whole-time job ;)
13.8.09
About life right now
Well since I will be moving away to Estonia I decided to switch my blogging-language to English. So that everyone can catch up on stuff going on there later. And maybe I don't need to explain everything 1000times. You may all read about it here.
A lot has happend since I wrote last time which is more than a month ago. I didn't get in to Med-school in Helsinki, and was quite depressed. A week later I got my acceptance e-mail to the University of Tartu, which is about 200km away from Tallinn. And it feels like lightyears away from my family&friends. Apart from that fact, I will be sharing ONE room with another girl. At least in the beginning until I find a place of my own or somebody to get a shared apartment with. After I was searching for a new "home" over there for a whole day over the internet I gave up and I realised I had to move there and look around at the places they were offering. Since some of them looked really shabby and didn't even have a fridge or shower in it... I don't even want to think about cocoroaches or stuff like that. You would probably find me on the first buss+boat+train home if that would be the case...
It is with mixed feelings I am starting my new life over there. I hope I'll manage!!!
A couple of weeks ago I attended Festinord in Denmark. Which was real fun, regarding the circumstances. The second day there my Oma (=grandma) died in Germany, after some months of being real ill. Cancer took her away from us. And even though I know she's in a better place now, I (or all of us) miss her a lot. So a week after she died I found myself in the bench of the closest family at the funeral. Closest to all the "action". I never attended anything more surreal.
Some time before FiN I visited friends in Helsinki a weekend. And boy, I missed that town! Irene and I visited Högholmen, Helsinki's Zoo. It was nice, but also frustrating since the all the cool animals seemed to be either hiding or taken away to another place because of them having babies... Also I spent a LOT of money. My best buy were definitly my vagabond-shoes. It was love at first touch ;)
I have about 2 weeks left in Finland, and lots to organize/buy/fix/do... But I hope I still will be able to enjoy those last weeks. Let's see when I will have time to visit Pietarsaari once I have moved! That's why a new laptop+skype is number 1 on my to buy list :)
A lot has happend since I wrote last time which is more than a month ago. I didn't get in to Med-school in Helsinki, and was quite depressed. A week later I got my acceptance e-mail to the University of Tartu, which is about 200km away from Tallinn. And it feels like lightyears away from my family&friends. Apart from that fact, I will be sharing ONE room with another girl. At least in the beginning until I find a place of my own or somebody to get a shared apartment with. After I was searching for a new "home" over there for a whole day over the internet I gave up and I realised I had to move there and look around at the places they were offering. Since some of them looked really shabby and didn't even have a fridge or shower in it... I don't even want to think about cocoroaches or stuff like that. You would probably find me on the first buss+boat+train home if that would be the case...
It is with mixed feelings I am starting my new life over there. I hope I'll manage!!!
A couple of weeks ago I attended Festinord in Denmark. Which was real fun, regarding the circumstances. The second day there my Oma (=grandma) died in Germany, after some months of being real ill. Cancer took her away from us. And even though I know she's in a better place now, I (or all of us) miss her a lot. So a week after she died I found myself in the bench of the closest family at the funeral. Closest to all the "action". I never attended anything more surreal.
Some time before FiN I visited friends in Helsinki a weekend. And boy, I missed that town! Irene and I visited Högholmen, Helsinki's Zoo. It was nice, but also frustrating since the all the cool animals seemed to be either hiding or taken away to another place because of them having babies... Also I spent a LOT of money. My best buy were definitly my vagabond-shoes. It was love at first touch ;)
I have about 2 weeks left in Finland, and lots to organize/buy/fix/do... But I hope I still will be able to enjoy those last weeks. Let's see when I will have time to visit Pietarsaari once I have moved! That's why a new laptop+skype is number 1 on my to buy list :)
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