How to Say "Hei Hei" to 30�

Do you ever have one of those days you think, "It can't possibly get any worse....but maybe it will?"
Yep - one of those - right here.

I was un-usually crabby today and was internally wanting to beat myself in the face with my little Finnish-English dictionary during what felt like a long day in class and was super happy when I got to the day-care that V�in� was napping in the double stroller.
Fantastic!

Ahti (youngest) was able to enjoy his snacks and a different movie other than Teletubbies in Finnish, while I started laundry, a load in the dish washer and did some tidying up.
Unfortunately, due to all this noise and the inner door of the flat being closed as well - I didn't hear V�in� scream when he woke up downstairs in the building's lobby.
Thankfully a neighbour from below came up and rang my bell and I rushed out - clumsily closing the inner door and hoping the outer door would stay open a bit so I could get back in (my neighbour looked pretty mad) quickly with V�in�.
No of course it couldn't be that smooth.
The outer door slammed quickly with the rush of air between the doors (Ahti opened the inner one) and I was locked out with an Autistic, screaming 3 year old...in my shorts and long-sleeved shirt - no socks and no shoes...no phone or keys.
Hubby wasn't due back for at least another hour or so...and I actually was calm about my 1.5 year old alone in a flat with the two dogs....the kitchen door was shut (=no knives, dishes or stove access) and the balcony door was closed (=reduces chance of a cold and eating dirt blown onto the balcony)...and a movie was playing....the dog's water bowl was the only thing I worried about actually!

I grab V�in� and start ringing doorbells of my neighbours - hoping SOMEONE would answer and speak English or understand my horrible Finnglish.
The neighbour beneath us did and kindly lent me her phone - so I tried calling my husband twice - no luck.  He wouldn't answer because it was a strange number and thought I was a telemarketer...I even called him once after another.  I didn't want to send a message and abuse the courtesy of my neighbour so she called the maintenance people and they came within 15 minutes to un-lock my door.
The flat lay-out is the same, however it was not home and V�in� was hungry and angry.
I thanked my neighbour profusely for her patience and help and believe it or not - her daughter got upset that we were LEAVING....shocker I know.  So I'll be leaving her some cookies tomorrow for her help.  She looks like the jogging/exercising type...hopefully she likes cookies though!

Signs I am possibly learning Finnish (in English):

Then the maintenance guy opened the door, I thanked him and thought he would leave.  He ended up walking into my flat - which was a total mess (I was working on that while V�in� was asleep!) and  stood there.  Finally he said the one word in English he knew after I asked him if he could speak English..."MONEY."
Well, how much because I don't carry cash and there was none to be found in my husband's desk...
30� (I'd be even happier if I mis-heard and it really was 13� - guess I'll find out later)...Okay well I don't have that amount and can't you send me the invoice? (I'm making square gestures by this point) and apparently that was a no-go.
So I told him flat out I don't have cash, I just have my bank card and he just stands there and stare at me waiting for me to pull the money out of my arse I suppose.
I figured out how to ask him if he could come tomorrow morning for the money and that I would have the cash then.
He understood and I double-checked everything and he finally left me in the peace and squalling of a 3-year old and a 1-year old retaliating against him with screams of his own.

It really depends who you rent from and the organization that provides the building maintenance because others in the Foreigners in JKL group have mentioned different prices and their companies DO provide an invoice...
I mean once you're in, would they actually ask you to leave since you can't pay in cash???

This is a FIRST since moving here that I've been 100% locked out...an experience not worth repeating or paying for - in case you were wondering.

How To Help And Offend...AT THE SAME TIME!

A couple weeks ago (I know - total slacker with my blogging...), Jyv�skyl� was a sheet of ice.  I'm not just referring to the lakes either!
The sidewalks were horrendous to walk on but as the sun peeked out more and more  - most of the side walk ice began to melt - yay!
But there were still a lot of rough and icy patches I assure you!  I have the busted up bruised knees to prove it.

Anyways, I decided to get my hair cut after my Finnish lessons one day and then grab the bus to head to a knitting group.
While waiting for the bus, I dug out the latest Sookie Stackhouse ("True Blood") novel and was enjoying trying to figure out who killed so and so...and what will happen with Eric and Sookie...or Bill..or Tara's pregnancy!
Sorry, did I get side-tracked?
This little old lady came walking over and there was a huge patch of ice in front of the bus stop and I noticed she had a cane with a rubber bottom - she didn't use the metal pick attachment.  Brave lady.
I kept an eye on her to make sure she got to the bench safely and she did.
After a couple minutes she asked me a series of questions in Finnish - I don't dare to try to write them down IN Finnish but my guesses in English instead, along with my responses in Finnglish.
*Please note:  When I hear Finnish now, I pick out the words I DO know and try to string them into a sentence to figure out what is being said/asked!  Also, please excuse any poor spelling in Finnish or Finnglish.*

• What book are you reading?
  "Englangtia!" - me so proud of myself...
• Oh English.  I have 2 boys and one lives in America and married an American (amerikkalainen) and they have children.
  "Joo.  (Me being super brave and thinking "maybe I'll use some of the Finnish I learned today!")
  M� olen kanadalainen."  (My inner Finnish-learning goddess does a happy dance since I repeatedly said this at least 20 times that day in class).
• "MIN�!" she screeches at me.
  *BANG*  There goes all my confidence...a quickly deflated balloon floating to the patch of ice on the ground...
  "Oh.  Min� olen..." I whisper meekly...but I double checked with other Finns later and they think it depends where she's from and perhaps "Min� olen" is the old-fashioned way...and my schoolwork still says "M� OLEN"...so there.  (Perhaps it's an issue of written versus spoken..anyway - clearly I'm still learning!)
• "Is your husband Finnish?"
  "Ei, kanadalainen." (Confidence slowly building...)
• "Does he live in Finland?"
  "Joo, asun Laajuavuoressa!" ("Yes, I live in Laajuavuori!" WAHOO - I'm getting there!)

Insert some quiet Finnish silence...then I dip my toes in the water again...
"Mulla on kaksi lastaa." (I have two children.)
She then continued to converse with me and all was fine in the world.

THEN the bus came.  

I flagged down the bus and she dug out her bus pass in her right hand and held onto her cane with her left.  I shuffled on the ice then turned back to help grab her RIGHT elbow to help her across the ice.

Well, she clearly thought I was going to rob her of her bus pass...because she had a look of fear on her face.

SERIOUSLY.

So I pointed to the ice and the bus and showed that I was trying to help her - not steal her freaking bus pass.
She then snootily told me that she did not need my help.

Fine - I got on the bus and that was it.

After sharing this experience on Facebook, some Finnish friends advised me to not take it too seriously or to heart that I was rejected to help her NOT break her bones because older Finns tend to be pretty darn un-grateful at times of need.
One friend mentioned that she helped this elderly lady carry her groceries X flights of stairs and made sure she got into her apartment safely and the lady didn't even thank her.  Just slammed the door in her face and that was it.
Not that my friend expected anything more than a "Kiitos!" (Thanks!) which takes all of 2 seconds to muster the courage and say it...and is free.

Thankfully, I do not use that bus stop very often - if at all.