I don't think there was ever a time in my life when I thought I'd have the opportunity to live like a kid in the Willie Wonka movie (minus the turning into a blueberry part). Yet, here I was, at the Fazer Experience Visitor Center in Finland on Thanksgiving. For those of you who don't know, or are too lazy to Google (don't worry, I've got you), Fazer is a company that produces all kinds of foods and goodies, including chocolate candies - YUM. The company was founded by Karl Fazer in 1891 and is still going strong today. Upon entering the building, we grouped together and started the tour with a very interesting and informative video about Fazer. I say interesting because there were parts which made me laugh because of the weirdness. You can actually view the video yourself on the Fazer website (see Fazer Story). After the video, the tour guide took us into the greenhouse, gave us a history of Fazer and Fazer chocolate, and let us explore various small interactive exhibits. Unfortunately, we did not have the option to see workers in action, but that's ok. I can say that I did not know what I was getting into when we visited the Fazer Center. Specifically, I did not know that they were going to give us 15 glorious minutes at the end of the tour to eat as many chocolates as we could. You heard me. As many chocolates as humanly possible in 15 minutes. Challenge accepted. It was a magical experience. Magical. Glorious. Spectacular. Until there was regret, and boy was it instant. Perhaps it's my age (doubtful), or the fact that I truly took the 15 minutes as a challenge for myself to see how many chocolates I could eat (because who can pass up free samples?), but my stomach hurt. It was definitely the sugar overload. My stomach was not prepared for the onslaught of candies. I wondered why I had made the decision to eat as many candies as I did. I did not count how many I ate of course, and if I had, I think I would have stopped before I got bad. Or, perhaps not. I also worried that I wouldn't be able to enjoy Thanksgiving dinner that evening (I still question why we had both events on the same day). Of course, these thoughts came after I ate a copious amount of candies. I did not want to see, smell, taste, or touch chocolates for a long time. I had had my fill with chocolate and I did not want it anymore of it. Thankfully, they put the chocolate-eating (challenge) experience at the end of the tour. If it had been any earlier, I would have been in a sugary-induced coma and unable to walk. So perhaps I did become the blueberry child of Willie Wonka. I think the rabbit was one of coolest things I saw in the Fazer Center. It is a pretty sweet rabbit. It's made from 9330 real egg shells and stands 3.2 meters tall. Pretty neat, huh? The whole experience was very colorful and I felt like a kid in a candy shop for the first time. The world was my oyster. Candies. Oh so many candies.
The greatest 'tree' of bowls of candies, and I tried oh so many of these candies.
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Finland is dark in the fall and winter. Like, really dark. In fact, November in Finnish is Marraskuu which refers to death. Yup. November is literally 'death month'. I come from Wisconsin, and despite having lived in Texas for four years, I thought I was ready for the dark. I was wrong. Yes, the sun was setting around the same time as in Wisconsin, and yes, I do like it dark, but there was something different. I couldn't put my finger on it. And then it struck me. There was no sunlight. The cloud cover is so thick here that it can be days, even weeks, without seeing the sunlight. You can tell quickly when the sun does come out that it was the sun that what has been missing in your life. You can tell because you find yourself at the window, perhaps outside, standing and staring at the sun. Ok, not really staring directly at the sun, but you get it. It's like stumbling through a desert and you find the oasis, at least for a few minutes. Pro tip: So, for anyone planning to visit/live in Finland for an extended period of time, get ready to take vitamin D daily (multiple vitamin D - add in a multivitamin while you are at it), and perhaps invest in a SAD light (therapy lamp). Highly recommended for the winter months. If you can, start taking the vitamins before you really need them. So how does this all tie into a museum card? Well, the Fulbright Finland Foundation was gracious enough to provide us with a museum card to access over 300 museums in Finland. It is also beneficial to be in a place with a lot of museum cards and a friend who wants to visit museums with you. We visited art museums, history museums, you name it (I've posted some photos from a few below). It was a breath of fresh air (and a lot of artificial light). Without having something to do, I would have slept the month away. It was a struggle to get out of bed, and I found it difficult to fall asleep at night. It took a bit of time for the vitamin D to really start working. The symptoms were similar to that of depression and the struggle was real. We visited the Museum of Contemporary Art Kiasma. Most of the installations made me feel uncomfortable in all the right ways, but of course, I only took photos of the ones that didn't make me uncomfortable. The museums in Finland tend to be small. So small, that we actually visited three museums in one building! The Finnish Museum of Theater, Photography, and Hospitality. Like a 'scratch 'n' sniff' but you push a button and sniff - ha! The HAM Helsinki Art Museum. Small, but it had a great installation. And that, my friends, is how I survived the month of November.
I am a fairly spontaneous person, and so the week before my birthday (which was 30 September) I decided to see where I could afford to fly for my birthday weekend. Copenhagen, Denmark, was my destination. This would be my first trip alone to a location where I would know no one. I heard from a friend these are the trips that are life-changing. I was too excited to be overly nervous. That, and I decided that I was going to make friends with someone in the hostel I was staying at (Steel House Copenhagen - see image for my space bunk!). The forecast predicted rain for my three-day visit, but I was not going to be deterred from touring the city. I had mapped out all the places I wanted to visit, all of which were easily within walking distance from the hostel. I also hoped that the forecast would change, as it typically does. If not, I was prepared with my raincoat and umbrella. The first day in Copenhagen was dreary. I took the train from the airport into downtown Copenhagen, Thankfully, the train was also fairly close to the hostel. Unfortunately, the checkin for the hostel was 3pm, and so I paid for a locker for a couple of hours so I could go tour the city for a short period of time. The great thing about my hostel was that there was a perfect (colorful) landmark to help me not get lost. There was definitely no way that you could miss this place. I decided to visit The Round Tower as it was within a reasonable walking distance given the weather. I didn't have too much trouble finding it, and I had a lovely time enjoying the scenery on the way. The Round Tower (Rundetaarn) is a 17th century tower and observatory is the oldest functioning observatory in Europe. There were nearly no stairs in the tower - the floor was slanted and curved in an upward spiral. If you walk the outer part of the loop, you'd end up walking 268.5 meters despite the fact the tower is only 36 meters tall. It was quite the workout. Thankfully, there were a few 'stops' on the way up, one of which was an art gallery, and the other allowed you to see parts of the tower's core through glass flooring. Needless to say, I definitely got a workout. I really enjoyed myself though. I made sure to take my time to really enjoy each aspect of the tower. I had time, and I was taking it all in. After I decided I got the full experience, I made my way back down. I needed to make sure to get back to my locker at the hostel before the time was up. Now, you think I would be able to make my way back with the map on my phone, but I serendipitously got lost and found myself walking through a beautiful green space close to the hostel. I walked slowly through this space, taking in the smells and sounds. It was quite the nice little surprise. I did make it back to the hostel in time to get my things and check in. I got my room key, and went to my space to drop off my things. At this point, I had made it a priority that I would make friends. At least one friend to tour the city. Of course, no one was in my room at the time I went in, but as I left, I saw someone headed for the door. I waited to see if she was in my room, and she was! Even better - her key card did not work and so it was my opportunity to introduce myself. I found out that her name was Lauren, and that she was over from Canada! After she put her stuff in the room and got settled, I asked if she wanted to tour the city with me tomorrow (in my head I was saying "Please be my friend!"). Thankfully I didn't appear too desperate and she agreed! I found out that she happened to be there for the exact same period of time as me. Talk about luck! Saturday came, and we got up in the morning with the intention of seeing all of the sights. I did not realize until the end of the day that we had walked over 10 miles. We saw all of the tourist destinations. Of course, we couldn't get enough of it and so we went to almost all the same locations the following day (that, and Lauren's sister arrived so of course we had to go back). Unfortunately, the Tivoli Gardens were closed while they decorated for Halloween. Beautiful streets and buildings. Nyhavn. I thought this organ was neat! Views of the city. Kastellet. Statues! Life's like a box of chocolates. Riding for Men's Health. Thanks friend!
On 14 September 2019, the Finnish government opened government buildings so that people could tour them as part of the 100th anniversary of Finland's constitutional democracy celebration. I decided to go out with a friend in my building to see the government buildings and learn about Finnish history. I was definitely unprepared for the number of people that were also planning to visit the buildings. I also was not prepared for the weather. Note to self (and others): ALWAYS carry an umbrella. You just never know. I should not have been surprised at the number of people though, as it was a celebration of Finland's constitutional democracy. Because of the long lines (the one I stood in wrapped around the building) I only made it to one of the two buildings - the House of the Estates. However, I was not disappointed. The House of the Estates was designed by Karl Gustaf Nyström in the Neo-Renaissance style. It was taken into use in 1891, and now is used for Government meetings, official functions, and receptions. Interestingly, in spring 2019, it also served as the venue for negotiations to form a new Government. The tour allowed visitors to learn about the history and the architecture of the building, as well as of the works of art placed within. I thoroughly enjoyed the tour, the artwork, and history. I loved the chandeliers and sculptures. What I found fascinating was that there were busts of men and paintings of women.
After the tour, I took advantage of the free coffee and food offered at Helsinki Market Square. The music was also very enjoyable! It was a great way to spend the day. Traveling to other countries in Europe is like traveling to other states in the US. It's fairly simple for the most part. I think that perhaps it's a bit more difficult to travel to other countries from Finland just because a body of water separates Finland from most other countries. Estonia, from Finland, is a short 2-hour ferry ride away, and so it's common for people to travel between the two countries. It's also notably cheaper for food and beverages (in Finland, for example, a single can of pop (soda) is 3€) which is another reason why Finns will travel to Estonia. I, along with a few others, decided to make a day-trip out of Tallinn, and so we boarded a ferry at 10:30am. Pro tip: There are actually three ferry companies that make the journey from Helsinki to Tallinn, and they are all relatively affordable. I paid 28€ round trip and purchased my ticket the same week we traveled (which is actually a fairly cheap fare). I also heard that you can get discounts purchasing tickets as a group. Overall, it was a pretty relaxed ride, and I barely felt the movement (thankfully). I also enjoyed a nice refreshing Long Drink while on board. We arrived at 12:30pm and departed the ferry. We had until 6:30pm to explore Tallinn. The city itself looked very similar to Helsinki, and had many of the same shops. Most people traveling to visit Tallinn are going there to visit the Old City, which was also our goal. The first thing that we did when we arrived in Old City was walk the Walls of Tallinn - and it only cost 3€. Despite the steep and narrow staircases, exploring the wall was exciting. It also just so happened that the weather was perfect to take some phenomenal photos from on top of the wall. After we walked the wall, we headed down into Old Town. I have to say, every time I turned a corner I was impressed by the architecture and the art. Old Town is quite beautiful. I do not think my photos do it justice. We did not have many goals except for seeing the sights, and perhaps visit the oldest pharmacy - Town Hall Pharmacy (Raeapteek) - in Europe that has continually operated in the same premises. The pharmacy was first mentioned in the apothecary in 1422. If you are ever in the area, I would highly recommend visiting it. What I really enjoyed about the pharmacy was that they had some old medicine and such on display. In particular, my eye was drawn to the mummified bat that was on display. If you look carefully, there is a mummified hand just behind it in the upper left hand corner of the photo. After we finished our 'tour' of the pharmacy, we grabbed a bite to eat.
Pro tip: Even though you might want to eat in the city center, I would advice against it. We went to two different tented areas, sat down, and waited to be served with no luck. Furthermore, eating in Old Town in general is, of course, pricey. That being said, there are some nice restaurants, but they may be busy as well. We ended up eating at a restaurant on one of the streets away from the center. Service was much better! After we finally ate (due to poor service and our indecisiveness) we spent the rest of the time touring the area. Old Town is actually quite small, and so you can experience it all in a day. If you are going there with the goal to browse through stores, then you may want more than one day. Again, I would highly recommend visiting Old Town, Tallinn, Estonia if you ever have the opportunity. I became aware quickly that I needed more sleep, or more coffee. Perhaps both. Field work. It's a tough gig and I think it gets a bit more difficult the older you get. Or perhaps I was just exhausted because I had just adjusted to the new time schedule (8-hour difference) and now had to revert back for field work. I suppose it's my fault that I chose to work with a nocturnal mammal. What can you do? Frankly, I prefer staying up late over waking up early. The problem that I was about to experience is that I was not just 'staying up late'. No. I was going to be staying up from 11pm-7am: the second shift. I traveled from Helsinki to Vaasa to meet with Nicke via metra. It was a lovely, quiet ride, except for the moment when the bank called me. Unfortunately I cannot whisper so I am certain I disturbed everyone in my car as I answered the bank's questions. I tried. The ride was uneventful overall, and I found Nicke with little problem. Pro tip: Depending on how far you are going, the train can be expensive so plan ahead. Onnibus is an alternative option, but they are a bit slower to the destination. I personally enjoyed the train ride even if it was a bit on the expensive side. From the train station in Vaasa, we drove to the docks. To get to Valassaaret (the island where the bat research was taking place) we needed to go by boat! It was very exciting. Fun fact: the island is located in the middle of the shortest distance between Finland As we arrived to the docks, Nicke dropped me by a tower that he suggested to climb to the top while he started packing the boat. I, of course, did as instructed and climbed the wooden tower to the top and was blown away by the beautiful view. After taking in the sights, I found my way to the dock where I assisted with loading the boat with all the gear and personal equipment. We met up with two other people (Johanna and Hanna) going to the island to assist us as well. The boat ride was great, of course. I saw some swans and other birds near/on the small islands scattered about. It had been quite some time since I was on a boat, and so I took it all in. We arrived to the island mid-afternoon, unloaded the gear, and got ourselves moved into our bunk houses. I was in the sauna house with Johanna and Kati. Shortly after we had dinner together and the first shift team (7pm-1am) hiked out to the field site. Johanna, Kati, and I made up the second shift team (1am-6am, which really was 12am-7am due to the mile-long hike each way). Because of our late shift, we took a brief nap and woke up at 11pm to eat another small meal before making the hike out ourselves. The hike was not too bad. It was dark, but there was a well-worn path all the way out to the site. Although I am not for certain, I believe the site was chosen because of all the buildings in the area from which the bats may use as a roosting location. As this research had been taking place well before I arrived, 6 harp traps were already placed near buildings and near the light house. My job was to assist with checking harp traps every 30 minutes from 1am until 6am. Checking the traps was fairly easy. I walked the same route to check them, which was nearly a circle, until I got bored and switched directions for some of the other checks. I will say I was sometimes creeped out doing the walk alone, and had to remind myself that no one else was on the island. Between checks, we would amuse ourselves with card games unless we had bats. Thankfully, we had quite a few bats the first night of work. We caught four different species: northern bat, Brandt's bat, Daubenton's bat and Nathusius's pipistrelle. The Daubenton's bat was special because the researchers are interested in whether this bat is moving between Sweden and Finland. However, I thought they were all great because it was the first time capturing these species. Unfortunately, luck was not on our side for the following two nights. I was told that the first night was abnormal, and that the most bats were caught that night. After the first round of field work was over, we hiked it back to our bunkhouse, and I slept until mid-afternoon. Pro tip: Naps. Once I rejoined the land of the living, and after eating some breakfast (at 2pm), I went with Johanna to pick raspberries. I was very excited about this because I love raspberries and the idea of picking berries myself made me happier than just purchasing them in the store. That, and who wouldn't want to pick berries on an island? Of course, I also had my fair share of encounters with sheep to and from gathering berries (as well as on my way to the field site). Day two was sauna day, and I definitely needed it. There was no running water in the buildings, and so to wash up, you did sauna. Those that stayed longer on the island did sauna every 3 days. Basically, you warmed up in sauna, jumped into the Gulf of Bothnia, and then repeated the process until you had enough. I did two rounds. The temperature of the water is similar to the temperature of Lake Michigan in early September - it definitely woke me up. The stove in the sauna also heated water on the side, and so you'd take some of that water, mixed it with cold water, and would wash yourself. Fairly simple and straightforward. The sauna was so worth it after the first night of field work, and it was conveniently located in the same building I was sleeping in! Day three was a repeat of day one, but with less bats. Thankfully, I was able to sleep a couple of hours near the end of the 1am-6am shift as I was returning to Helsinki and thus was expected to be awake to leave by 10am. I arrived home around 4pm and crashed.
All in all, I survived the 3 day trip on the beautiful island of Valassaaret. It was a wonderful experience. Imposter syndrome happens to us from time to time. If you do not know what it is, imposter syndrome is a psychological pattern in which the individual doubts their accomplishments. I have had this happen to me on several occasions throughout my short career, but the experience was more pronounced when I attended the US Embassy as part of the Fulbright Finland orientation. Pro tip for imposter syndrome: Ignore that voice in your head! I knew that we were attending an event at the US Embassy; it was on the itinerary well in advance, but I can honestly say that the importance of the moment did not fully sink in until I went through security. I was caught in a daze as I walked where I was told to walk (there were guides directing us), heading for a building where we would hear Ambassador Robert Pence and Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto welcome us. The event was special in that it also marked the 70th anniversary of the ASLA-Fulbright Program and the 100th anniversary of the Finnish-U.S. diplomatic relations. Former Finland Fulbright grantees were there, along with heads of each university in Finland. The evening began with refreshments and hors d'oeuvres, and before I knew it, we were all ushered outside under a tent to hear the speeches. Of course, we all got in a few photographs before the speeches began. Although they were short, it was quite a pleasure and honor to hear the warm welcome from Ambassador Robert Pence and Foreign Minister Pekka Haavisto. After the speeches, I mingled with the guests. With a bit of effort, I managed to find representatives of the University of Helsinki as well as a representative for the EDUFI fellowship that I received. It was a privilege to be able to thank these folks in person. The Fulbright Finland experience has been wonderful so far, and I have truly appreciated all of the time and effort that was spent in planning and preparing all the events for the Fulbright grantees.
Before I go into the history of the sauna, I first need to correct my American friends and family on the pronunciation. I learned, not surprisingly, that I was saying sauna wrong. Whereas I, and others, typically say "sah-nuh", it is actually pronounced "sow-nah" and is the only Finnish word in the English dictionary. There is a whole history on the Finnish sauna, but from what I gleaned was that people do many things in sauna. Beyond relaxing and socializing, women would go to sauna to give birth as hot water was available to them. Saunas were used for religions ceremonies, body cleansing, and healing illness. Saunas were also used to clean the bodies of family members who recently passed away. Basically, saunas were used for many different occasions. What I also did not know was there are several different types of saunas (e.g., electric, smoke, steam); all of which provide a slightly different experience. Of course, it would not be a Finnish welcome without being invited to sauna. At the end of the second day of orientation we went to a Sauna at Villa Hvittorp. Traditionally, people go to sauna naked. However, we all went with suits on. What is nice is that if you do not feel comfortable going to sauna naked, you can always wear your suit and no one will question you. I've been told that there is a 'rule' of three for sauna: you want to go from sauna into the cold water (or snow) three times. I have to agree with this. Going to sauna is a social event, and is quite relaxing. I didn't quite make the three trips as we were limited with time, but I did jump into lake Vitträsk twice (see photo). It was beyond refreshing in my opinion. Now, I found sauna to be so refreshing that I went with a few other Fulbrighters to the Sompasauna the next night. Saompasauna is a free 24-hr sauna in Helsinki, and so we definitely experienced the 'Finnish sauna'. There were actually three different small saunas on site, and of course we tried all three of them. The shape of the sauna changes how the heat is dispersed, but I mainly figured out that the farther you are from the stove the more intense the heat was. I think the most exciting thing about this sauna experience was that I jumped into the Baltic Sea at around midnight. It was definitely chilly but well worth it.
I am looking forward to more sauna adventures in the future, and may even map out all the saunas that I visit. It's the Sunday before orientation, and so I decided to take it slow and just enjoy a slow day in the apartment. The weather is a balmy 68 degrees F and partially sunny; perfect day to open the windows and let the sounds of the city mix with the quiet of my studio apartment. Definitely my kind of weather. What I absolutely love about my studio apartment is the ability to open the windows and not feel confined to the space. There are no screens on anyone's windows on the buildings around me. I never really paid mind to this in the states, but that's because screens are everywhere. We need them to keep pest insects out, because who wants to be eaten alive by mosquitoes? It really is the simple things that I've found pleasing in Finland. There are a few other neat aspects to this apartment. For instance, there are drying racks for dishes hidden behind a cabinet that is directly above the sink. Thus, the water from the dishes falls directly into the sink. What a great way to use space! I've come to determine that people in Finland are very efficient. There is also a drawer in the kitchen that is actually a cutting board. I am not sure about this in terms of cleanliness, but hey, it's an interesting idea. Finally, the bathroom. The entire floor of my bathroom is tiled and there is one floor drain. There is no tub, and thus you can use the shower head to wash the entire bathroom. Very efficient. I also figured out that the hand-held sprayer next to the sink is a bidet. That's right, the toilet is close enough to the sink that you can adjust the temperature of the water from the sink and then wash up using the sprayer.
All in all, the apartment is efficient. Ample closet space, great lighting, and easy access to public transit. Can't beat that! Anyways, I enjoyed my day and I am ready to tackle Fulbright orientation over the next few days. Cheers! I learned that even the ceiling light fixtures go with you when you move. So, here I am, sitting in the dark with only the light of one lamp. If you visited me in Texas, then you would know that I mainly live in the dark anyways. I was provided with ceiling fixtures, but the ceiling is just too high and I am just too short to reach. Such is life. Thankfully I have a lot of light during the day. I have three windows which allow for a lot of natural light in the kitchen and living area for a good portion of the day. I'll get help installing the ceiling light fixtures at some point. Well, it's day 3, and I managed to wake up at 7am, but then I crashed until after 1pm. So much for early morning productivity. I'm convinced that I will live with jet lag a lot longer than I anticipated. Catman seems to have adjusted with little issue. Day 1 was rough for him. Today was the day that I traveled out and purchased items for survival: kitchen supplies and food. Pro tip for shopping in Finland: Make sure to get yourself some shopping bags. This country is all about reducing waste, and I appreciate that. Side note: when I moved into my apartment they provided detailed instructions on how to recycle. Take note US. I think I will have issues transitioning back to the states just for this fact. I was told of a few stores to check out for kitchen supplies: Fida (second hand shop), Clas Ohlson, and Stockmann. I ended up visiting all three in that order. I found some plates and bowls from Fida's - they were having a 50% off sale which was amazing. I then made my way over to Clas Ohlson - a bit pricier, but I managed to find most of the rest of the kitchen supplies. Seeing as it's just me, I didn't want to buy a huge set of classes and silverware, so I decided to give Stockmann a go as I was told you could purchase individual items. Now I was told Stockmann was more expensive than Clas Ohlson, but what I wasn't told was that the store is HUGE. Now, I am not a fan of big crowds, so this store was just awful for me. I can only compare it to a Macy's on steroids. There were at least 5 floors going up and a few floors going below ground level. I wandered around in a daze (with a bunch of things I previously purchased) and stumbled upon a help desk. I only needed to find silverware, glasses, and a litter scooper. I was told the housing supplies were up on level 5 and the cat supplies on level -1 (yup, -1). I managed to find everything I needed and got out of there as fast as humanly possible. Of course, I almost couldn't find my way out of the store. I brought my bounty home, took a break, and then walked across the street to the K-Market (grocery store). Let me tell you a very sad story. I purchased a mango for over 2€. I get teary-eyed thinking about it. I love mangos, but I do not think I can afford to love them here. I noted that other fruits were also expensive - no surprise. I also did not manage to find lentils. I hope I just overlooked them. Anyways, besides struggling to figure out what I was buying (took me a while to find butter - everything is in Finnish wouldn't you know), and then figuring out I needed to weigh and label my own produce (watched someone else do it), I managed a fairly successful shopping trip. And then I ate ramen - ha! Too tired to cook anything else. There are some food items that look similar to those in the US - coffee cake for example - but they don't taste the same. I've been tricked a couple times now, but I'll figure it out. |
AuthorFulbright recipient living in Helsinki, Finland. Owner of the infamous Catman. Bat biologist, traveler, artist. Archives
December 2019
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