Are you a Finn - really?

Well, perhaps you have Finnish roots but were born and raised abroad?

Guess what?  You're needed in a study!!

Check this site out for more information and to participate.

I found this link courtesy of someone who posted it in the Foreigners in Jyv�skyl� FB group!
You can still join if you live in the JKL area and are a foreigner - or a Finn with a tonne of information to share!

Tsk Tsk Fazer.

Fazer Chocolate - it's not internationally known unless you know of Finland and know how tasty their chocolate is.
How it doesn't leave a horrible after taste in your mouth like the crap you can get in North America (i.e. Hershey's - my personal opinion anyhow), your teeth aren't slimy and brown after a small bite, they use pure ingredients and the Finns do love their chocolate!

But I am currently betting that the Fazer stocks (if any) and their sales and profits have dipped an all time low when reports have shown that their chocolate is being created by child labor and slaves.

This article is in Finnish unfortunately but if you take that whole link and copy and paste it to Google Translate, you'll get a rough idea of what's going on.

Fazer does not promise or guarantee that their cocoa is not handled or processed by children who are orphans, or under-paid (most not paid at all I am sure) or bullied into working at the plantations.

So what does Fazer do?
They decide to create an advertisement (now they regret it apparently) promising that they will take 5 cents of every Fazer chocolate bar sold and put that towards building a school in Africa (where the cocoa plantation is located) for children.
Aww, how wonderful and kind - they didn't have to do that! is possibly what you're thinking - right?

Well, many Finns weren't impressed and I can't blame them.
I'm curious when are the children going to go to school when they're working for the cocoa factory?  Would the school be beneficial at all if it's empty?
Why not pay the children (older ones that are finished their education) to work?  Instead of hiring brutes to haul them out of their homes and slash them with knives as a means of getting them to haul themselves to the nearest cocoa plant?

Oh and here's the best part: the cost of building the school is cheaper than the cost of the advertisements in a Helsinki paper.

And yes, I do realize this is only a small scale compared to other world-life crises - but for those who use Fazer products nearly everyday - this is shocking I'm sure.

Until you get your sh*t straightened out - I'll be skipping the Fazer chocolate too.

Saunalahti

According to Google Translate, "Saunalahti" translates to "sauna bay".
But I am referring to the phone company that is joined with Elisa (internet and television services).

A few days ago, I got my phone bill from Sonera and nearly passed out when it was again, about 45�.
I have decided that enough was enough - I'm moving on.  I no longer make any contracts with any company due to not knowing our future plans and am glad I didn't make one with Sonera.

Once upon a time, I was with DNA and my phone bill once hit 50� (without internet usage at all - just text messages!) and their options didn't seem all that hot - so I  moved to Sonera.
I originally went to Sonera for their "kamu" program - which meant I could pick up to 5 phone numbers (Sonera based) and only paid 1� per number registered, for un-limited calls and text messaging.  And then I could also have 1 phone number that wasn't Sonera-based for the same price.

My bill was down to about 30� - which wasn't too bad (I don't talk a lot on the phone - I really avoid it unless necessary) - but suddenly it creeped up to 40 or 45�!!
I am thinking it's the fact that I was using my internet more often - and remembered Saunalahti (sister company with Elisa) offered un-limited internet with their fees.
A friend who is also with Sonera said that the fee shouldn't go up but the internet would just work slower on my phone...hmm.

I had previously gone to Sonera to ask for a better deal and they just adjusted my text message package - which added MORE to my bill and that was it.
They aren't very helpful (I've never called into their call center or anything before) and I knew the fellow spoke English - so I don't know what's up.
Also, Sonera offers discounts on their website when you log into your account.  However, my phone is in my name and my bank account doesn't show my name on it but my husband's as he's the primary account holder.  So I wasn't able to create a profile on Sonera's site either.

Then I went into Elisa and got a young guy who spoke great English and the customer service was FANTASTIC.
I quickly explained what I needed:

• I send about 700 text messages per month and was with Sonera for their Kamu program.
• I don't talk a lot on the phone - so about 1.5 hours per month (this varies - it really depends how many family members have birthdays or how many holidays are in that month so I should probably call them.)
• I use the internet quite a bit - nothing fancy.  Just Facebook and Hotmail.

The Elisa fellow quickly pointed out a plan for me (non-contract):

• 1200 text messages for 9,90� a month
• Mobile "Mini" internet package (unlimited usage) 4,90� per month (speed is average 0.5Mbits/s)
• Monthly fee is 0.66� per month
• Talking is less than 6 cents per minute too

So total is approximately: 15.46� per month.

And for the first month, I get 50% off of my internet fee....and for 12 months (aka 1 year) I get 50% off of my text message package too!

So I'm looking at about 10� and some change per month...for a year.
As opposed to 42-44� per month!

After that, he checked out internet options for me because we'll be moving in a month or so.

THEN he asked me if I would like my number to be listed or not and I opted for not - which I assume doesn't cost anything because he didn't advise me of any fee.

I kept my number the same too.

Thanks Saunalahti!

My Bus Mate

Today I had to do some errands and I sat near the back doors so I could access a quicker escape.
Little did I know that I was sharing the scene with another - creature?! for lack of a better term...
No, it didn't talk or try to recruit me to go to Church via home-made dumpling parties...it just sat there quietly.

However, I was disturbed...VERY disturbed.

Lucky for you (not so much for me), I had my camera in my pocket.

What IS this creature on the bus?

I believe it's a clump of hair...not sure if it is from an animal but I'm leaning more towards a human head produced these....that or someone decided to do some man-scaping/bush-trimming on the bus.  If THAT'S the case - I feel like barfing.

When I told my newly-made friend about this hairy-ordeal, he advised me that he once came across a naked man covered in bloody vomit once - on the bus - in Helsinki.

Surprisingly, that made me feel much better.

How Much Uff Is En-uff?

I know what you're thinking, "What the heck is she talking about NOW?!"

Uff.

Uff is the newest second-hand clothing (only) shop in downtown Jyv�skyl�!!

And when you shop - you're helping others in need.  Read more about it here.

Located beside the Post Office downtown.

With the exception of already priced items or smaller items like scarves and belts - here's the price list for every day of the week.
Monday - 7�
Tuesday-Wednesday - 6�
Thursday-Friday - 5�
Saturday - Monday - 4�

This is for the first opening 2 weeks and then they are individually priced items!

They are closed on Sundays after the first two weeks (they opened officially on September 17th).

Uff also re-stocks EVERYDAY with second-hand items for you to buy!

Parking is limited because you have to share with post office customers...but it's near the main bus stop downtown!

I brought a double stroller inside (one child in front of the other) and it was okay for maneuvering but I ended up leaving my sleeping child and the stroller near the front of the shop where there was a bit of space.  A double stroller side by side may not be so easy to push around indoors.

There's lots of women's clothing, some children and men's too.  

Today there happened to be a 5 for 20� sale - so I scooped up 3 coats, a couple of shirts and 4 scarves for 34� and some change.

I will try and brave the crowds this Saturday I think!! :)

And in Finnish, it's pronounced more like "oof" than an English "uh-ff".

Wave Your Arm!

I know what you're thinking.

"What in the world did Dominique do in Finland now?  I mean the title of this post - how odd...I must keep reading!"

Today I met up with some Foreigners in Jyv�skyl� for our monthly get together.  Last month was a bust I think - but this time some of us got together at Presso and had a great time.
Although, I must apologize - the Canadians totally dominated in numbers....

Welcome Faber kids!

Taken a couple weekends ago while hiking...and yes, that's my dog on the right digging in a cave...

You can check out Sarah and Adam's blog here.

Anyways, it was nice to meet another person that was a foreigner and we chatted politics, philosophy, weather, life-styles and so on.  

When it was time to take the Fabers on a tour downtown, my family and I rushed to catch the elevator and I had pressed the button (in Sokos) and the door opened.  My husband was weaving the kids in the stroller through some light "traffic" aka customers just standing there and not moving very fast...so I stuck my hand into the elevator door where the sensor was and continued to press the button.

Thanks to the arse-holes downstairs who kept violently punching the button - the door slammed shut onto my wrist. I quickly punched the button again and the door opened...of course.

Today's lesson folks (and the reason for the title)?

The sensor doesn't work if something is blocking it (i.e. my wrist or maybe yours) - you have to make sure you - wave your arm.

*Please do not test this theory as I cannot guarantee that the stupid elevator will recognize anything in time and may cause more harm than what I experienced today.

Crafty Therapy

Whenever I am stressed out - I tend to eat more "bad foods", shop a little "more than necessary" or just get cranky.
However, a friend suggested I take a rug-weaving course with her and she described using the loom as very therapeutic!  Why?  Because you pull this huge wooden "thing" towards you and it makes a big banging sound.
I apologize now that I do not know the terms properly because I haven't looked them up yet and the course I am taking is in Finnish.
Well, as long as I cannot break any of my fingers (or someone else's) - why not?

The course sign-up was back in August and it only started last week.
There were limited spots available because of course, there are only so many looms available.  It's only once a week after work from 5-8pm or so.
The course is held in Vaajakoski and can be reached by a variety of buses in Jyv�skyl�.  Like the 2M (fastest but only available during rush hour), 1,2 and 3.
Oh and it is above the library....

Here's some photos:

A loom!

From the weaver's side...

Some people's work in progress... (also known as "WIP")

Someone else's WIP

A rainbow popped out after it was done raining - so naturally we ran to the windows like little girls and said "OOOH" and "AHH" a bunch of times.

My instructor getting her weave on and helping me start my rug...

I accomplished a lot in a couple hours!!  Very addicting...just 1 more row...

I was doing a basic pattern but my friend Anna decided to follow a pattern (she already took a similar course and was merely there for the weaving time and to translate for me).

A room of looms!

In almost every Finnish home, I have seen a woven rug/carpet.  It is possible that you buy fabric (got mine at Poppeli in skeins and then I wound them in balls then onto the shuttles) or that you could cut up your old bed sheets...or other old clothing and use them instead!
Yes, it's also possible to buy them.  But this is so much fun and even though the course is in Finnish - it is well worth the time to learn!

And my friend Anna, who has experience making several of these - she has one for every part of her home pretty much.  And she can point out which parts of the rugs hold the most memory!  A favourite shirt that had worn out, a particular dress...a certain table cloth even!

The possibilities are endless!