#26 Reminder!

Hey folks!
Just a reminder that I'm renting Table #26 at Silinteri in Jyv�skyl� (Kortepohja area) and have just dropped prices on a lot of great things for babies!
I have TONNES of cloth diapers (most are stain-free!), diaper covers (all Imse Vimse brand) and some maternity clothing and some small baby clothes too (62-68cm).
Thanks!

"Pancake Tuesday" - the Finnish version

This past Tuesday was Shrove Tuesday, but in North America it's often known as "Pancake Tuesday".
So what do you do for Pancake Tuesday?  You eat pancakes.  Yep...with lots of butter (or margarine because let's face it - butter is pricey in North America!!) and maple syrup.
Traditionally, pan cakes were served with coins or other sorts of surprises cooked into them...can you imagine?  What if you lost a tooth on a coin....or worse, swallowed it?!

Well, it's not "Pancake Tuesday" in Finland... but they do have a special food to eat on Shrove Tuesday!
They are called Laskiaispulla!
Pulla is defined as any kind of sweet bread or buns in Finland...not something you would use for a lunch-time sandwich!
I'm typically not a huge fan of pulla because it tends to be super heavy but while visiting a good friend of mine, she showed me them...and all I could see was whipped cream.
(All I could think about was WHIPPED CREAM!  And not think about how tight my pants are already...)

I took one look and asked my friend politely, "How in the world do I eat this without getting it all over myself?"
She told me she likes to eat the top piece then work on the bottom like a donut.
Okay, so NOT like a burger filled with whipped cream and strawberry jam.

These ones have strawberry filling and some have slivered almonds on top...or just whipped cream.

Unfortunately, these are not baked with coins.

What's Your Number?

So Finland recently went under some slight renovations near the cash registers of their grocery stores...

What did they do?

Well, there used to be a panel with photos of cigarette packages on it, and you pressed whichever photo of cigarettes you wanted - and a box would shoot out from a machine and go down a little ramp and plop!  Your cigarettes would be ready on the conveyor belt with your groceries.

But now, you're probably seeing something like this:

See the little ramp underneath?  That's where your smokes will fall from.

The reason for this (if it's like Canada - where they hide the cigarettes/filters and papers) I believe is to discourage smoking and have a healthier life style -especially in younger people.

Mind over matter, if you can't see it - then the temptation is less...who knows.  But it's a start.

And not all cash registers have these panels either!

If you don't know what number is what brand, that's okay!  Just ask the cashier and they have a list of all the types of cigarettes and what number to push.

I had to ask to take this photo because in most grocery stores - you're not allowed taking photos inside.
I mean, sure I could have taken it with my cell phone, but I thought I should probably ask.  The cashier at first thought I wanted to take photos of cigarette boxes - and that I would have to buy them first before taking a photo of them.

I had a "WTF" look on my face and said, "Oh I don't smoke.  I just want to take a photo of the panel for my blog about Finland."

After checking with her supervisor - I was given permission to take a photo as long as it was just of the panel and not of customers or anything else private.

So huge thanks to the lady who let me take a photo inside the grocery store!
Just an FYI - if you're buying cigarettes from different shops - the numbers might not be the same as the other shops.  It's always best to just ask first!

FYI I don't smoke and don't support it - I'm just pointing out something available in Finland for those that do.

iDon't Work!

If you're moving to Finland and have a Smart Phone - such as an iPhone, a Samsung Galaxy - really, anything with a touch screen - please be warned that these types of phones generally do not work in Finland.
They work in warmer temperatures but if it's cold like -30*C - they will not work.
Some do - but not always.

Why would I tell you this?

Because iPhones for example, just came to Finland last year.  I do not own one because the current model, iPhone 4S (I think?) is going for about 455-600�.  As cool as it would be to have an iPhone or any kind of smart phone - I don't want to pay an arm and a leg either!
So of course, iPhones were on everybody's must-have/gotta-try list last year and there was a huge disappointment throughout Finland when they realized that they didn't quite work their best in the winter time.

I have been hunting around for a new phone because mine was having problems with signals, receiving photo text messages (I'm getting it looked at today) and the back cover kept falling off with the lightest touch (for example, pulling it out of my pocket!).

So I thought maybe getting a Smart Phone with a touch screen would be cool.
For the first time ever, I did some research.

I know my good friend in South Korea loves his Samsung Galaxy.  It's also never -30*C there in the winter.
I have a friend with some sort of Nokia model Smart Phone - and despite it being from a Finnish company - the battery dies very quickly (typical for any electronic with such cold temperatures!) and it doesn't always work.  And she pointed out, "Who wants to remove their warm woolly mittens when it's so cold - just to make a phone call or send a message?!"
Another friend said hers works okay as of lately, because the temperatures have been -10*C or warmer.  But she found sending a text message difficult.

I personally text far more than speak on the phone...really I just book appointments for the kids and make quick calls if something last-minute comes up with my dog-walking friends.

Then I opted for a Nokia E63 - it looks like a Blackberry (iPhone's competition I suppose in North America and is frequently known as a "Crackberry") - and got it second-hand from a friend.
It's not nearly as heavy as it's previous models, it has a flash light and the same light can be used when taking photos, a full QWERTY keyboard and is fairly easy to use.
The reception is fantastic - no more screaming at my husband that I can't hear his voice!
And in downtown Jyv�skyl�, I even get signal in the underground grocery store beneath Sokos!  HUGE bonus, as I previously got text messages for food to be added to the list while I was shopping...and got that message when I left the building....pretty pointless and crappy!

I have yet to try this in -30*C...but I'm sure it'll be fine.

5 KM!

Oh no, I'm not a runner/jogger or sprinter or on any sort of track team...!

I just learned the other day that here in Finland, if you're a student in school (not university or college) - and if you don't live close to a school - they'll provide a cab or a bus pass for you, free of charge.

What's the limit?
You must live more than 5 kilometers away from the nearest school that you should be attending.

Because I'm Canadian and most Canucks don't actually use kilometers to judge distance - let me tell you approximately how far 5 km is.
I live about 2.5 km from downtown and it takes me 30 minutes to walk.  And that's even with a double-stroller and 2 kids.
(Yes, it's true - Canadians are used to gauging distance by how long it takes to get there either by foot, bus or car etc.!)
So I would think about 5 kilometers is about an hour's walk away.

A Bit About Finnish School.......

Last Thursday (Feb. 16th), I happened to be downtown and about to cross the street to get to the pedestrian walk-way, when I realized that I couldn't quite cross because there were line ups on both sides.
At first, I was thinking : "Oh!  A protest!  But nobody's yelling and there's no signs or sandwich boards hanging off of these people..."
Then I thought something horrific had happened and there was a car/pedestrian accident and someone was seriously hurt or dead...and with snow on the ground and fresh blood...I know - my imagine ran wild.
Then I saw that there was absolutely nothing, traffic was going as usual, just not many people were crossing the street.
I looked both ways and went across...then I got brave and asked the first relatively young person I saw (and hoped spoke English) what was going on.
He thankfully spoke English and advised me that the 2nd Year students are about to have a Reading Holiday break, today was the last day of classes and then they are to study for their final exams in mid-Spring.
The students will be paraded up and down the downtown area via trucks and they will toss candy out to waiting passerbys and it's typical tradition.

So here's what I saw:

Waiting for the trucks to drive by again and some are bravely picking up candy and watching to make sure they don't get hit by a truck or other vehicle!

Some people wore masks...or dressed as a Nun.

They did it!

Some dressed as Pippi Longstocking (she's from Sweden by the way), a cheetah, a Viking...the list goes on!

Pretty sure Finns know what "ASS" is in English.

Why not bring a light saber?

The costumes were fun!

Even Sponge Bob came along!

The Mario Brothers and Wario...

So these soon-to-be graduates do not get a prom.  They write that final exam and graduate in May/June and then move on in life or into higher education.
The day after, (this parade of students is always held on a Thursday) the 1st year kids who will graduate next year (hence they're in their 1st year program) get dressed up in super fancy tuxedos and dresses and have their ball.
I happened to be downtown again today but without my camera, and saw many beautiful dresses and many handsome tuxedos and suits!
Traditionally the ladies wore old-fashioned dresses, but now it's been changed up a bit and it's more of a "prom"...and the 2nd year kids are the 1st year kids "slaves".
They get teased a lot and that's pretty much the extent of it from what I understand.

Why do the 1st year kids get a prom?
Because they are celebrating entering their final year of school.
Seriously.

In North America, prom is held for those that are graduating high school (completion is grade 12 - all grades are compulsory and average graduating age is 18 years old) and is held normally before the actual graduation ceremony.  (Or at least that's how mine worked).

Congratulations to all those kids in the trucks!

Happy Valentine's Day - Arnold's Style

So I thought for this Valentine's Day, I don't have any time to make a card for my husband or kids.

I was right.

Instead, I decided to pick up a bottle of red wine, a couple steaks and a couple Arnold's donuts (a rarity in our home and diets) and surprise my husband with a quiet steak dinner with wine and for dessert - something not made by me.

Well, for V-Day, Arnold's came up with these super cute pink boxes with some sort of Japanese anim�-looking characters on them and your donuts went in the box and you also got a sheet of stickers.

And some stickers were even in English!

Very cute idea - especially if you're a secret admirer and don't want to reveal your hand-writing...

PS Valentine's Day = not a big deal in Finland at all....there was still a knitting group meeting on V-Day!

Just For the Ladies!

Let's talk ladies about the best way to get free fabric to make yourself a fabulous skirt!


This February there are 29 days, as opposed to 28 - and it only occurs every 4 years.
Some know it as Leap Year (the year that the extra day occurs) and some know it as Leap Day.

What's the big deal?

Well, it's the day that everybody considers a little odd and backwards - so of course, the tradition of a man asking for a woman's hand in marriage is nixed and it's the woman who can propose to the man!
I know - it's not entirely a "Finnish tradition" but I'm getting to it!

So if the man says "Yes! Joo!" - great!  Get planning and congratulations!

But what if....what if the man says "No thank you.  Ei." ?!?!?!?!
That man has to buy you some fabric for a skirt!!!!!!!!!!!!

I know what you're thinking and hundreds of single Finnish women have done it too....
Start proposing to every single man you know - and you'll have a brand new wardrobe of skirts!  (You only get the fabric - so you better be good with thread and a needle or have a very loving friend to sew it for you!)

Finnish women do this on purpose and I can't blame them!!  If I could sew and was single - then I would definitely be sending out emails to random strange men and go wild with skirt patterns! HA!

Now, one hilarious thing that my friend told me about, was from 1956-1981 there was a man Finnish President named Urho Kekkonen and after his wife passed away in the 70's...all the ladies sent him a proposal request.
He denied all of them BUT he sent them all fabric and has never re-married!

There ya go...advice on a new wardrobe AND a love story (sort of)!
Have fun proposing!

*Huge thanks to my friend Arja who told me all of this so I could blog about it!*

Finnish Top 90 Problems!

If you're on Facebook and you have a Finnish friend or two on there - then you may have seen this site, Finnish Problems.

They're all the same image - of an older man with long hair and a thick beard - probably portraying the ever-so-famous V�in�m�inen - complete with a Kannel (an old traditional musical instrument) and a bottle of Finnish vodka.

I wonder if Jay-Z could write a new rap song, "Finland's Got 90 Problems (Thus Far)..."

#26

For 2 weeks I'll be renting a table at Silinteri.  Table #26 - which is near the front by the cash register :).

It's mostly baby clothing up to size 68cm (4 months or so), other baby things and cloth diapers!  My baby is THAT huge that he's grown out of a lot of stuff and I'll be bringing stuff to the table everyday...it's just a matter of gathering it all together and pricing it etc.

Thanks!

Swamp Water?

For those that were kids in the 90's...do you remember "Swamp Water"?

Swamp Water was a mixture of all the pop (or "soda" as Finns call it) at the party or wherever you were drinking pop.
Coke, Pepsi, Sprite/7-Up, Root beer, Cream Soda, Ginger Ale, Mountain Dew...whatever was there - you mixed it in together to create "Swamp Water".

Well, I found a mixture of orange and Coke-a-Cola....it's called Mezzo Mix and doesn't taste too bad.

So may this be a lesson to you - whenever you go out and ask for a "pop" - Finns will give you the "WTF?!" eye (unless they know the word).

It's not called "pop" here...it's "soda".

Or just simply stick with "a drink of ________".  I often forget that "pop" is an odd-ball word here and then when I'm about to grab a cup at Subway, THEN the cashier is like, "OH you meant soda."

WOW!

Restaurant Day was super fun and I can't thank you enough for supporting Hooked On Sweets!
I was mentioned in a newspaper article and thought I'd share that with you too.

Thanks a bunch and I can't wait for May!