Vappu...aka Labour Day...aka Hang-Over Day.

If you haven't read my blog last year around this time - then you probably never heard of Vappu!  Or at least not from me anyway.

You're probably wondering why (in Finland) so many young adults are wearing funky coloured jump-suits...with badges sewn all over them...and why are some wearing similar shirts or wigs or hats....
It's almost as if there is a MAJOR pub crawl about to happen.

Well, then you'd be kind of right if you thought that.
Vappu occurs every May 1st - some know it as "Labour Day", some know it as "May Day"...and some know it as "Drink a heck of a lot the night before and nurse my hang-over with a lovely picnic - rain or shine day!"
However, Vappu starts the day before and the next day is more of a relaxing and picnic day because nothing is opened.

You will also probably see an insane amount of white caps that look almost like sailor caps...those are what students get when they graduate their program.
The jump-suit colours depends on what program you are in.  I haven't seen my husband wear them at all - and I doubt I ever will.

Some things I've seen today on individuals or groups of people:

• Older lady (late 40's-50's) wearing too much make up and a purple curly-haired wig with streaks of green and hooker boots...
• Girls with green fairy wings
• Sponge Bob Square Pants t-shirt wearing girls
• Afro-wigs....several of them.
• Ladies wearing BRIGHT pink ties with the words printed on them: "GIRLS NIGHT OUT!"...before 11am.

And in case you are wondering, yes Finnish people CAN drink a lot.
I know in Canada - it's pretty common to be able to drink a lot - depending on where you are from.
Well, I am quite confident a Finn could out-drink a Newf easily and still survive (somehow).
A typical house party or drinking fest of any sort tends to start at 4pm (depending on the host) and end 12 hours later or more.  No joke.

Oh and downtown JKL had this market - I forgot to take photos but if you check out this other JKL blogger, Willie - then you can see what it looks like!

Happy Vappu!

PS And if you're wondering what yours truly is doing - I'm having some friends over for a bbq in the fire pit in the back yard....and then we'll just hang out and talk in English. Ha.

Duct... Duct... JESUS!

Okay, so perhaps one of the funniest things I learned today (via Facebook) was the reference of Jesus and duct tape.
Seriously.
Finns have nick-named duct tape (you know, that silvery stuff that keeps EVERYTHING together but a relationship??), "Jeesusteippi (Jesus Tape)".
Why?  "Because you can repair almost anything with it", my friend H. said!

Don't believe me?  Check out Jeesusteippi's Facebook Page!
And yes, I do realize and know from personal experience in Canada - that duct tape comes in more colours than silver/grey.....
I bet even the not-so-religious types are thinking "Oh - I DO have Jesus (tape) in my home!" :P
Finns say the darnest things.......

Tap Sum Bong!

Are you familiar with a Canadian comedian named Russell Peters?
If not, you should definitely check him out...especially since the title of this post, "Tap Sum Bong".  It's not his best work - but it will do for the purpose of this blog.

Coming from Canada, one thing I was regularly exposed to - as young as a teenager (from what I can remember anyways) is the smell of drugs.  Marijuana or weed specifically.
I personally do not encourage or participate in ANY kind of illegal drug activity (or un-necessary drug usage).

Anyways, so I will explain my first encounter with drug paraphernalia in Finland...
Today, April 27th, a friend of mine kindly looked after my kids while I took the furrier ones to the local woods to run and exercise.  The husband was in Helsinki presenting a paper - hence why I was doing this!
I also forgot to ask the lady I was meeting (she has a puppy) for her number AND forgot about the Helsinki trip....so I HAD to go.

Her Mastiff pup was super excited to see us and everyone was having a good time...until I saw my younger dog, Loki, jump into a swampy area - neck-deep, swimming for some plastic THING in the water.
I thought it was a bread bag...then after a few attempts, he dragged out a plastic Coke bottle.

My oh my - it looked odd!  Turned out it was a home-made bong.
I don't have a photo of it yet...if it's still there - but if it is - I'll take a photo next time I go there!

It was a Coke plastic bottle with the cap on it, and the lower section (on an angle) was cut off and replaced with the top part of another bottle attached and a straw in that section...and it was a bong.
Funny how I go to these woods regularly and the most "extra-curricular activities" I've ever seen the evidence of was drinking, fireworks from New Years Eve and the odd (but rare) condom package.
Hmm.

**Please note:  I do not recommend creating any sort of bong or use of any kind of drugs whatsoever!!! I just wrote this because it was an experience in Finland.**

Panda Factory!

You read that correctly.  I went to a Panda Factory.
Now before you get all upset about me going to a Panda Factory - please note, that "Panda" is a brand.  And no, I don't mean a brand of panda bears that are endangered or extinct either.

I mean Panda chocolates and candy!
I didn't take any photos inside as it looked like a candy/chocolate store...but there ARE tours available.  This is located in Vaajakoski - about 20 minutes outside of Jyv�skyl�....the bus #1 goes by there.
I only know that because I took the wrong bus my first year here...and saw the factory as we drove by.

There are free samples when you immediately walk in - and I'm glad they had some!  Not that I was hungry but I was a little cautious about tasting the fruit-flavoured licorice!
I really cannot stand the black-licorice flavour - and to prove it to my friend, I took a bite of the "Natural Licorice" and at first - the taste was very light...but the more you chewed - the stronger it got.  My face was distorted and my friend couldn't stop laughing.

When you get there and stand outside - you may just go into diabetic shock!  Why?
Because it smells like delicious candies and chocolates!

You are currently looking at 10 cavities in a bag...for about 17�.

A mixed bag of chocolates!

I swear I did not eat this all!  The bright blue bags of licorice are not for me!
The bag of "SMASH!" (far left yellow bag) is amazing...they're Bugle corn chips (those cone shaped ones that you would pretend were claws if you put them on your finger tips as a kid) coated in chocolate...dangerous.
Blueberry licorice - not all for me either.  Thankfully - it does not taste like regular black licorice.
Some chocolate bars and a bag of chocolate filled with marshmallow filling.

If you ask any Finn - they'll tell you that Panda makes FANTASTIC licorice (it's a world-wide company and can often be found in airports and in some specialty candy shops!) but not-so-great chocolate.

Karl Fazer usually takes the cake for the best chocolate and crummy candy.

Well, by the time my friend and I left the store - we could not smell the sweetness outside because our noses were filled with all the sugar one could possibly smell inside the shop!

Well, I can officially say that I've been to the candy shop and 50 Cent wasn't there! HA.

Finally - a complaint letter to UPS.

This was sent April 17th, 2012 from me to UPS....regarding my lack of a Kindle.


"Hello: 


I was advised as of Friday morning by one of your UPS representatives (via telephone) that my package would arrive yesterday (Monday April 16th). This was not the case, nor has the tracking information been updated on your website. Technically, my package is still in Helsinki from the looks of things. 
I have also requested a text message when my package was being delivered and have yet to receive one, so I think it's safe to say - it may not have reached Jyv�skyl� yet. 


I also wish to have this e-mail forwarded to a supervisor or manager as I find the services from UPS very disappointing. The e-mail representative I have dealt with (____name removed from this blog post for privacy purposes___) was very helpful, however - I am not impressed with the lack of communication between UPS and myself, as a customer. I had received 1 phone call on April 4th, that I did not answer and it turned out to be a pre-paid and un-listed number. I assume it was UPS because after a response from _________, I received a phone call - over a week later - from a UPS representative requesting my Finnish Social Security number. The number was also un-listed and pre-paid when I tracked it. Why it could not be requested via e-mail also baffles me. I find it very odd that I had to initiate contact and wonder why your staff did not attempt to call me again, either later on in the day time or on another day. I deem this extremely poor customer service and I would not be recommending your services to anyone in the future. 
Sincerely, D. Riggs"


The person has since emailed me advising me they have forwarded my email to a supervisor and that they will try and find my package soon and contact me soon.  And that they were very sorry for all the trouble I was going through to get my package.  


Here's hoping I get it before Christmas. 


**UPDATE:

Here's the response I got from a supervisor:

"Hello

I got  your message regarding to your shipment.

We called you on 4^th April and after that request from social securityn number  was sent to you by email. Based on your message you haven�t got my previous email.

I�m sorry about this bad service you have received from us."

Jyv�skyl�'s Craft Exhibition!

Yes it's true - JKL has a craft exhibition twice a year - one in April and one in early December, just in time for the holidays.

Well, this is what I picked up:

Some charms - a flip flop, a camera, some knitting and an owl!

Pretty ribbons!

These were buy 1 get 1 free. YES!

This is made in Finland.  It's a loom that will create a rope as you wrap the yarn  around!  (I'll blog more about it later!)

These are all hand-made!  The artist was amazing, spoke English and very friendly!

Check out the details!  (And her site).
She doesn't use any molds except for the cupcake base and ginger bread men for the Christmas holidays.

Good old viruses!

I'm not talking about the string of colds/the flu going around...I'm talking about something a tad bit more serious.

When purchasing frozen raspberries - please check the bag to see where they are from.  If they are from Finland - this doesn't apply to you.  (The ones from Finland are very clean and more expensive).
There has been some issues with the raspberries from elsewhere (yes even the frozen ones) because they contain the Listeria bacteria and there have been cases of the Noro Virus!
So! If you want to still eat them - you can.
Just they must be cooked at a minimum of 90*C for a minimum of 2 minutes.

I happened to be shopping with a friend of mine when I was buying frozen berries and I kept ignoring the note that was printed and taped to the freezer door....and of course it's not in English - so another reason why I ignored it!