Chicken Pox!

Have you ever had chicken pox?  Oh you must remember, that time you got to stay at home from school for a few days, you were itchy - so your parents spread calimine lotion all over you and you looked like a pink spotted giraffe....

Well, a friend's son has it and I asked my other friend who works in the Neuvola if kids in Finland are automatically vaccinated for it (like in North America).

Guess what?  They are not.  They are vaccinated against mumps (or measles?) if I remember correctly, but chicken pox must be rare because you have to ask for the vaccine and it's 78� a shot (per child).

Why bring this up?
Because I'm in Sweden currently, while the husband attends a conference and the friend's son is a good friend of ours and he appears to be showing signs of chicken pox.  He's 4 and born in Finland and was never vaccinated for chicken pox...and apparently, neither of my children have either.

Chicken pox is highly contagious causing discomfort and usually a fever...something I don't want to deal with right now while travelling!  It can be transferred without touching as well apparently!

Also, chicken pox can lead to shingles - a grown-up version of chicken pox...lots of pain and itchiness and it activates the dormant chicken pox in your body apparently!  Everyone reacts differently - some people can't get over the pains and so on, while others just feel a bit of discomfort.

*Please note, I am not a doctor or any sort of medical professional - just giving you the information I found online and through my Neuvola-care giver friend.*

Happy 3rd Finniversary To Us!

Today is the 13th and that means 3 years ago today:

• I was 26 weeks pregnant with our first child.
• We were at the Halifax International Airport and they didn't charge us for travelling with the dogs because they had no idea how to.  (Due to the delay in the American airport we had to re-check our luggage and dogs and then we paid...thankfully it was only once!)
• We were re-routed to Connecticut airport instead of JFK for whatever reason and ended up missing our remaining flights...
• We got on the wrong trains in Helsinki to Jyv�skyl�...
• We finally gave up and left our dog's kennel boxes at some random train station :(.  Which totally sucks because we have bigger dogs and they were quite expensive (even second hand!)...
• Some tall stranger with long hair was running towards us when we got to the JKL train station and I nearly peed myself because I thought we were about to be robbed...(typical Nova Scotian thinking) - turned out to be my husband's supervisor there to pick us up and help us move to our flat.

Fast-forward 3-years:

• We have 2 boys...and gave them super Finnish names since they were born here.
• I am a champ at looking for cloth diapers and love using them - probably not something I would have done in Canada to be honest!
• We still have our dogs!  One is 9 and the other is almost 5.
• We still do not speak fluent Finnish - but we're working on that...
• We have not been to all of Finland - especially the super tourist-y places like Lapland (Northern Finland) for example...working on that one too.
• I've been to Ikea only once (it's a Swedish company).
• We still do not own or have rented a car - no need for one really.
• I have had 1 piece of black licorice and still do not like it...and no, we haven't tried salmiakki - a very strong black licorice.  Despite being advised to have a piece every now and again to increase my blood pressure during the second pregnancy - I have some sort of fear and often think of it as "Salmi-yucky".
• I still do not drink coffee...but the hubby says it is better than the stuff in Canada...
• I have a K Plussa card and an S Bonus card but require a Finnish ID card (55� - thinking about it) to spend the benefits earned on the green S Bonus Card....working on that one too.
• I've fought with Kela and won some things and lost others and still have a love-hate relationship with them.
• I should probably get new glasses with my eye sight going down the drain...I've had the same pair for over 4 years and clearly my sight is crappy.
• I'm learning how to ride a bike here...yup.  That's work in progress anyway.
• I still order my book from The Book Depository and DVDs from Play.com - because it's so much cheaper than buying here sometimes!  And a wider selection of English books - that's for sure!
• I've had a wide range of experiences with meeting people, other dog owners and of course the local drunks...
• I have made quite a few friends - despite doctors or random strangers believe to be true.  It's not hard - well, some friends took a bit of poking and prodding but now we chat quite regularly now - even in person! (HA you know who you are!)
• I admit I'm pretty good at faking Finnish - or at least the cultural part where you firmly nod your head and say "Joo..." (yes) and nothing else after that.
• We love it here!  And we really do hope to make this a permanent home for us and our family - as it would make things a lot easier - especially when it comes to learning Finnish! :D
  
  Here's to another few more!

Duh Moment 5387

A few nights ago, I was riding my bike.  I only practice REALLY late at night to ensure that there's less cars, usually nobody out and no loose dogs running around.
(I'll put a "Night Rider" chapter on this blog soon - as I've had several "interesting experiences" since learning how to ride my bike.)

Anyways, I was slowing down while approaching my building and noticed in the distance, under the street lamp and by the dumpster in my back yard - that 2 people were totally having "fun".  Replace "fun" with another 3-letter word and you get my drift.
WHAT THE HECK is going on?! is what I'm thinking...as I get a little closer (so I can lean right and turn into the front yard and thankfully park my bike for the night) - they stop and stare at me.

OMG - they think I'm a Peeping Tom or something, I instantly freak and pedal super fast into my not that short drive-way and slam on the brakes, park and lock my bike and rush upstairs to tell the husband there must be a drunk couple going at it in the yard.

I sneak a peek from my bedroom window and see that the movement has slowed down as if they're rushing to get dressed and run away.  Good idea!

The only thing I could do was update my Facebook status to : "Eww, I think I just saw 2 people going at it in the backyard by the dumpster and under the lamp!" or something like that.

Well, while out with my dogs tonight, I saw something again.  Except there was no movement and again, no sounds.

Apparently there is a huge bush/plant thing with pink-ish kind of flowers hanging over the fence behind the dumpster (so it looks like faces beside the dumpster at a much lower level) - and that was the couple I saw the other night.

Yes I do wear glasses and yes, I need new ones apparently.

How To Waste Someone's Time...

As you can see by the subject title - this is not a happy post.

This is a post directed to 2 people who are buyers/sellers on a popular second-hand children item FB group.

I admit - I don't speak Finnish or write Finnish because I worry about confusing the written words and the spoken Finnish and then nobody understanding me.  It's more like Finnglish if I write something...
So anytime I try to make a purchase or a claim on an item on this FB group - I use simple English.

"I can buy, can you deliver to downtown?"  something like that - that hopefully translates to understandable Finnish...and if the person writes back in decent English then I go from there.

I've had people completely ignore (or they've been away to the countryside for their 5-weeks of vacation) my interest in an item (i.e. double strollers) and I'm the only one interested in that item being sold.
I've also had a few super awesome and fast purchases from sellers and those were things we really needed and are great experiences.

So, what has happened recently that is causing this huffy post?

1) I'm selling a double stroller (3-wheels, ABC Design brand, basket below is ripped up and one buckle cracked but everything else is working fine) for 50�.  I've used it for less than a year and bought it second hand over 100�.  Why am I selling it?  Because the bar across the children's laps is not removable and causing us a great deal of strain to pull the kids out and to put them in the stroller.
One lady is interested and says, sure, she'll come and pick it up - can I hold the item for her until July 26th.  Sure, why not?  Then I can make more space in the storage and basement area.  Okay - unless there's another faster buyer - then it's hers.
Two days before - she tells me she's not sure what time she's coming by but she will.  Fair enough - I give her my number and that is that.
The day of - I'm waiting until about 10-11am - no message, no call - nothing.  So I send her an email telling her I'm heading out with the kids but to let me know 30 minutes in advance and I can rush back home no problem.
She responds she can't come now because her car is broken and fine, sh*t happens, but can I hold it again until August 7th and then the car should be ready.
I advise her that I am not available after the 10th of August - so August 7th is the FINAL date I am willing to hold and sell it to her.
She writes me something in Finnish and I write back in Finnish and she thanks me and that yes, she'll come by with the car August 7th.

Tomorrow is August 7th.  I emailed her today to remind her to come pick it up but to avoid a certain hour due to an appointment.
Now, she is advising me that cannot come to pick it up as the car repair ate up quite a bit of money.

BEFORE YOU START BITING MY HEAD OFF and suggest that I am a horrible, sh*tty-arsed person for being so un-kind and heartless...please bear in mind - the car repair was awhile ago and she would have known awhile ago that she would not be able to afford to pay for the stroller or pick it up even.
I consider that rude and in-considerate.  There's nothing to be ashamed of in having a broken car or not having enough money for something you really want or need of course, so I think that she could have contacted me on her own in Finnish or English to tell me this.
I'm sure I'm not the only person she did this to because I noticed she commented on other people's photos asking if they could reserve items for her...SO.

2) A seller posts a pretty awesome swimsuit in blue - it's not a Speedo style (sooooooo common in Finland - on men too) and it's not a trunks/shorts style..it's like a full body one (well stops at the knees I guess).  It gives great UV protection and perhaps would encourage my little man to go into the water a little more if he wasn't feeling so cold etc.
Well, I exchange a few basic comments with the seller, asking if she'll sell it to me and if she could deliver to downtown (price is 15� normally 50� for a new one - what a deal!).  She said she was able to deliver it to downtown on certain days...okay - great!  I forward her my phone number and have been waiting for over a week to hear back from her.    She said she's able to post it to me for an extra 4�.  I HIGHLY doubt it costs 4� to ship to me from across the bridge...what a rip off - so I told her I can meet downtown.
No response.
In the mean time, she's been posting new items and no response.
Today, she drops the price down to 10�...THANKS A LOT LADY.
So I left a comment asking why we're not meeting and that I was still very interested in purchasing this item (hint hint, I was the first one to comment and nobody else has said anything).

She JUST emailed me now asking for my mailing address because she doesn't have a car.  She'll send it to me and is only charging 2� for postage.  Great!  (And she couldn't tell me this before because.....?)
Hallelujah.  Now my son will get his swim suit just in time for NEXT YEAR.

Marimekko in the USA

Marimekko is a huge Finnish brand of fabric, clothing, accessories and home decor...

And Anne Hathaway (actress: "Princess Diaries", "The Dark Knight Rises", "Bride Wars" etc.) has just made Finland super proud...how?

Photo from People.com.

By using a Marimekko umbrella.
Those poppies on her umbrella are one of THE most popular designs created by Marimekko.

Cool, huh?

(It's funny that living here after awhile makes little things like this photo - make me very proud to be living in Finland!)

Rally!

August 1-4th marks the Neste Oil Rally happening in Jyv�skyl�.  This happens every summer and I still have not gone to see it.
Race cars or bikes are not my thing - sorry.

But if you're thinking of visiting Finland for the Rally - you may want to consider or note some things!

• Hotels are expensive so if you are able to find someone renting out their flat - try that!  There are TONNES of posts on the University "Tori" site - however, you now have to be a student in order to sign in.  This is due to the recent flood of spammers - thanks a lot jerks.
• You don't tip at restaurants here.  Nope - not even at caf�s.
• Taxes are included in the price you see.
• An individual bus fare is now 3,20�.  Cabs are super pricey too.
• Most restaurants are downtown - or if you're renting a flat or a room, perhaps you can hit up the local grocery store and cook your own food.
• When shopping at the grocery store - you require ID (like a Passport) if you use a credit card to make a purchase.
• You bring your own bags or pay for plastic bags here...ranging from 18 Euro Cents to 1� for the sturdy re-usable ones.
• You weigh most of the fruits and vegetables on a scale, print the label and stick it onto the food or onto the plastic bag so it can be scanned.
• There is a Forex Exchange Shop (to get local currency) located downtown.
• If you use your Visa card (and probably any other credit card) from your home country while visiting here - you will be charged an extra 2-3% (depends on your bank's conditions and terms) for the conversion to be printed out onto your bill.  
• If you intend to rent a car while in Finland - please note that MOST vehicles here (as in about 95% or more) are manual/standard driven.  NOT automatic.
• If you are in the downtown area and are looking for some places to eat that is "not a burger joint" - I'll list some recommendations and the approximate prices you'd be spending.  
• (� = Dirt Cheap, �� = Average Pricing, ���= Expensive)
• Harald's Restaurant ��� - a Viking Restaurant with huge portions of food and a wide range to suit almost any appetite!  (i.e. boar, reindeer, vegetarian, etc.)  This is located downtown across from Sokos Department store and up the hill a bit. 
• Lunch is quite nice and much more affordable than dinner.  You should probably call and book a reservation for any evening dining.
• Subway �� - Instead of 6 inches or a "Foot Long" - it's 15 centimeters or 30 centimeters.
• Shalimar Indian Restaurant ��-��� - the ONLY Indian-based cuisine in JKL is located in the train station with 2 separate entrances.  One through the train station and one outside leading directly into the restaurant.  Lunch is served from 11am-3pm and is quite reasonable in prices and just as delicious. (I linked their Facebook page for you).  They also offer 10% discount if you order take out (often known as "take away" here).
• Grilli 21 � -  There are 2 located downtown and serve typically greasy food.  One is by the market square downtown near V�in�katu and the other is closer to the University campus (and Sowhi bar).
• Sowhi �-�� (about 10-20�) - it's a bar and located near the University and they have seasonal items on their menu.  They also offer an English menu.
• Ban Thai Deli �-�� - This is located downtown and there IS an elevator inside the Forum mall that goes to that floor if you have a stroller or require an elevator.  Their lunch buffet is great and very spicy.
• Muang Thai �-�� - This is another Thai restaurant and they are located behind Antilla.  They also have a lunch buffet but theirs includes sushi!  
• Pizzeria Maria �-�� - Located on Kauppakatu and apparently outside of pizza their other foods are pretty good (got this information from someone else).
• Lounge � - This is a fairly new coffee shop and some packaged snacks are also available for sale.  The owner of this caf� also runs the tattoo parlour next door, Simply Tattoo.

There are many more restaurants in the downtown area - but I have not eaten at all of them - so I also cannot list them all!  But by all means, enjoy yourself and try to stay out of trouble :D.

Tampere and a very famous Blue and Yellow Store...

I recently went out of town to a bigger city between JKL and Helsinki, called Tampere.
It was amazing walking down the street and seeing so many people of different cultures that were perhaps not just students studying there!
Also there was a lot of great food to try - we however, only stayed for the day and it was a fast trip because we limited ourselves to some craft shops and................IKEA.
That's right folks - it was my first time at Ikea and it was amazing.

In the Stockmann's underground parking lots there were special spots for electric cars to plug in.

Plug the car in here!...Somewhere...

A stop at a waffle house...

Taito Shop sold these local map underwear for kids and men!

From across the way...

Entering the parking lot and I was grinning like a 5-year old about to meet the Tooth Fairy, Santa and some hot boy-band member all at once!

Just some friendly advice that buying stuff from Ikea and shipping it out yourself via vehicle is much cheaper than getting it shipped to you.

I could hear angels singing by this point...

Finnish flag on the left, Swedish on the right

My friend wanted an ice-cream cone (the restaurant options are super cheap) and they give you the cone and  a token and I was so confused.
"Where's your ice-cream?!" I asked.
"Oh I have to build my own.  This IS Ikea..."

The lever lifted your cone up and it squirted ice-cream onto it and lowered it for you.  I must say - this was incredibly handy in preventing massive line ups at the cash register!

There was a HUGE canvas with a super large world map on it and I quickly found NS on it.

For 4,95� I got 10 meat balls with gravy, my choice of potatoes and some lingon berry sauce...and a glass of water.
Apparently these Ikea meat balls are FAMOUS.  Well, they were certainly tasty!

So - tips on how to shop in Ikea?

• If possible, know what you want to buy before you go in.  Get a catalogue or look online.  HAVE A LIST.
• When you enter Ikea - you'll probably enter the display floor.  Here you'll find all the Ikea furniture assembled and even layouts of rooms - completed decorated with Ikea items....so it's nice and much easier to imagine what this and that would look like in your own home.
• Pick up a YELLOW bag for your little items - it's not for keeps - it's for shopping with and you'll return it at the cash.
• You can also find a YELLOW cart - not like a shopping cart but for carrying tall and heavy boxes - maximum weight was 33 kg (or about 66 lbs) - so it says.
• Every item has a price tag and beneath it, each item has a code number.  It was on a piece of red paper in the plastic sleeve.  So, write that 4 digit number, "18  35" down (for example) because you'll need it to find that piece of furniture from the warehouse.
• Go to the next floor (I feel like I'm giving you cheats to a video game!) and you'll find all the smaller stuff that you can pick up right then and there.  
• Once you're through - you'll enter a giant warehouse and that's where those little special numbers are much needed.  Because there are not always displays of what the item is at each section.
• Look up - WAY UP and you'll find the first number set marking each aisle.  Go to that aisle and then look around and you'll find the second number set and see your item.
• DOUBLE CHECK THAT IT IS THE PROPER ITEM.  I was picking up some planks of wood for the inner bed frame for a friend and we ended up grabbing the wrong size.
• If you forgot to jot down the number (they even provide pencils and pieces of paper) - there should be computers nearby and you can double-check what that number was and go on your merry little way to find it.
• When you go to pay, you can buy those ever-so-famous BLUE Ikea bags and the smaller ones are 40 Euro Cents and the bigger ones were 1� and they hold A LOT!

I would strongly recommend following the arrows on the floor - so you don't get lost.
Also, you probably should not go too close to Christmas or immediately after...just imagine the line ups....

And make sure you have had lots of rest!