The Difference Between Canada (specifically Newfoundland) & Finland

Sorry it's been awhile - my oldest son had surgery recently so now I am home for the week (yes it's almost over - I realize that) and finally made time to sit on my arse and blog.

So I bet you're wondering what are the differences between Canada and Finland?
There's tonnes!

• Language:  Finnish/Swedish are Finland's national 2 languages where as English/French are Canada's.
• Currency:  Euros versus Canadian Dollars (which are not the same as American ones).
• Flags:  Finland's is white and blue, whereas Canada's is white and red.
• The post-surgery advice after a child gets their tonsils removed.

Ha -  I bet you didn't expect that last one, eh?  (A Canadian term - the Finnish equivalent of "no, niin" or "voi ei!" - just randomly placed wherever...and sounds like the Finnish "ei" - which means "No.")

Well, V got his tonsils and adenoids removed on Monday morning and tubes inserted into his ears... and I was advised he should take lots of medicine 3x a day (mixture of Tylenol/Ibuprofen...or Finnish versions:  Panadol/Burana) and eat only smooth and cold foods.

I was prepared!  I had vanilla pudding in the fridge, ice-cream in the freezer and yoghurt available too.  Oh and some mini smoothies ready-made...
Did he eat any of it?!  No.
Did he eat anything in the hospital?  No - just drank juice boxes and some water.  And we had to stay there overnight just in case of bleeding.

There weren't any stitches - they left it raw and to be honest - the stench of his breath post surgery made me want to hurl....

You know how in Twilight, Bella complains that she doesn't like blood because she can smell that iron/"metal" smell in it?  Yeah me too.  And no, my Edward equivalent doesn't glitter in the sun.

Apparently it'll get worse when the scab falls off - good gracious I'm not ready for that.  

ANYWAYS, my friends on Facebook have been super supportive and tossing me advice about how to deal with post-surgery pains and screams and so on...and some wanted to know the procedures in Finland.

As I'm not a surgeon and I don't think the one we had was too bright (he had 0 idea about the tubes in the ears bit), I just know that the child is given tablet pain killers, then a liquid one to knock them out about 50%...then some laughing gas I guess - as there was a mask of some sort in the bed with my son after....and they do the surgery and ta-da - they wake up.

A friend of mine - who is from Newfoundland, was shocked when I said that I was making smoothies and he was drinking from juice boxes.

Her boyfriend's son had his tonsils removed a few weeks ago and he was told:

• Don't drink from a straw.
• Don't cough.
• Don't eat bananas because they can cause your throat to swell.

Well, I guess drinking from a straw was okay - because the hospital gave us juice boxes as it was easier to drink from than a cup....

And the not coughing - ick...that's hard to control -but another reason why (in Finland) they recommend that the child is not sick prior to surgery....

And the not eating bananas - well, I had to refer to a nurse friend here about that.  She never heard of anything like that (and her own tonsils removed here about 15 years ago) and even a search on Google.fi - proved this was wrong.

There was only 1 case of someone saying their throat hurt more after getting their tonsils removed and then eating bananas...most people in Finland were eating lots of bananas because they're soft.

I asked if he was allowed to sneeze and she said that was pretty much all he could do.
But he didn't bleed or have any infections.
So that's a good thing I suppose.

Oh and my boy is eating chips and other crunchy snacks (he's super picky) as of today...here's hoping it doesn't bite us in the arse later.

2 Perky Mormons and a Canadian Go For a Bus Ride....

**Disclaimer:  Don't be offended by what you're about to read.  I rarely write about religion (or politics) because it can cause a lot of "issues"...take this with a grain of salt or don't continue reading.  It's just another funny conversation on the bus.**

You know when you see someone you don't want to see...you automatically turn your head...dig in your backpack or purse...count change for the bus...dig your nose deeper into your book (that you already finished or promised you would finish after cleaning your flat)...cross the road or turn in the other direction...or you whip out the phone and either engross yourself into a text message/e-mail or fake a phone call - RIGHT?!
It's okay - I am guilty of doing it a lot...especially when the slurring drunks come by when I'm waiting for the bus or try to walk by them....

Well, I got on the bus after getting my groceries and stupid me.  Instead of taking my normal bus route - I thought, "I'll just grab the one going closest to the day-care instead and wait a couple minutes extra...save myself that huff and puff of running across the parking lot with all my stuff - what a great idea Dominique!"
Note to me: Don't listen to myself.

Well, as the title suggests - 2 Mormons (they have black name tags with white lettering) and I get on the bus...*suspenseful music playing*....
I sit down first and they eye me cautiously - seeking their prey out on the bus - to see who is more likely to chat them up and listen to their speech and who will more likely not understand them because they don't speak a lot of Finnish....

**TARGET SPOTTED....SIT IN FRONT OF THAT LONELY LOOKING ASIAN WITH GROCERIES AND A BACK-PACK.....
BUS IS IN MOTION (we have paid) AND DOORS ARE SHUT!  

GO GO GO!!!!**

I continued to do exactly what I normally do on the bus - finish an e-mail via my phone and as I began going through photos on my camera....like robots - these young ladies turned their smiling sunshine-y faces towards me and said something in FINNISH.

AHA - I will stun them with my Finnish sentence about NOT speaking Finnish!  Muwahaha I thought - but wait a minute...I think I heard them speaking English before we all got on this bus...hmm...

Yep - it back-fired.  Their faces lit up EVEN MORE when they realized I'm NOT a Finn (as if it wasn't stereotypically obvious enough...) and began to jabber to me in happy-go-lucky voices.

For the BRIEFEST OF MOMENTS - I thought they are not going to recruit me on a bus...I mean WHO DOES THAT?!
I am trapped on a bus with a tonne of stuff and in a rush to get to day-care....

Oh wait - this Chinese girl did...well, part bus - part follow me home...

Anyways - back to that train of thought...They're not going to recruit me...why bother?  They haven't lived here very long - so I bet they're just lonely and excited to meet another English-speaker/expat like themselves....

Again I was wrong.  I mean - I've seen Mormons get on and off a bus before - it's available for everyone to use of course....and only once had two young Mormon fellows feel the need to try and talk to me as soon as their foot left the bus floor - but because I nearly ran them over with a stroller (un-intentionally - I was in a rush) - they stopped their spiel pretty quickly.

Anyways, we went from talking about why we're all in Finland, what we do here (I'm currently studying Finnish - welcome, if you're new to my blog!), and yep I have kids...then - Perky Chick #1 says,

"Oh I miss my family - I have four little brothers back in the US and I love them so much....now that's the great thing about LDS Mormons - we REALLY cherish family and love!"

I don't recall them introducing their first names at all - nor did they refer to themselves as hippies - but okay.

I smile and said, "That's great - that's nice."
Perky Chick #2 asks where I'm from - "Canada"...
"REALLY?! I'm actually a French Canadian!  Well, sorta...my mom is - so that makes me half..."
(Glad that math is a universal language...)
It kinda felt like she was lying to me - just to get on my good side and after a bit PC2 says:  

"So - what DO you believe in?"

Had I not been so stunned by her point-blank question and her mascara'd eyelashes up to her eyebrows - I would have come up with a better response.  Something like these:

• I believe that's not really any of your business - sorry! 
• Equality for all, cookies for breakfast (for me - not my kids to do this), NCIS will go on forever and unicorns.
• Well, since we're on the topic of such personal matters - what's your deepest and darkest secret, how much are you getting paid/how much is in your bank account and  what's your underwear size?  (Not that I actually care - but wow holy blunt was her question - in my opinion...)

 Anyways, my Maritimer senses kicked in and I said politely, "I'm neutral thanks.  I don't necessarily believe in anything or anyone - I just try to be neutral.   Yep - baptized Roman Catholic but that's only because there were some nasty complications so they figured 'Let's slap some Holy water on her head just in case she's a goner'..."

I guess they didn't even hear what I said because they kept barreling on...

Well, apparently PC#2 said "It's never too late to convert!  My mom did it when she was like 22 years old.."

If she thinks 22 is OLD - then I'm way over the hill and then some....and I haven't hit 30 yet!

Again I pull out the "That's nice but I'm not particularly religious but thank you."

PC#1 is FINALLY getting the hint - sorta...that I am a waste of their time...

Well, the offer of meeting up with one of their American (from Colorado) pals was DEFINITELY a must because she's so lonely - I advised them there's the Foreigners in JKL group - so there's plenty of people there they can meet....like 694 other people other than me.

And of course they pushed AGAIN about meeting up at Church/congregation....so I pushed back.
"I'd prefer to meet somewhere NEUTRAL if you want to talk about life in Finland - like at one of OUR meet-ups - you know...in a coffee shop?"
They dug out their cards and handed me one - the whole time behind their heads I'm rolling my eyes, shaking my head and imitating puking on them...the ditzy/can't take a hint attitudes is what kind of got me - not necessarily their religion itself...so don't be offended if you ARE Mormon reading this.

FINALLY THEY'RE GETTING OFF THE BUS BEFORE ME!!!  They asked if I live in the area - nope I don't sorry.

They said "Well, do you know many people living here?"
(I do - but they don't need to know that - because I believe it's not their business.)

"Well, where are your friends?" PC#1
"Facebook?  Like I said before - you can find almost 700 people to make friends with..."

And finally they were on their way to knock on doors and go on about their business...and I was on my way to get my kid from day-care.

Dear Self:

Start taking advantage of your Asian looks and apply a thick and heavy accent whenever a stranger speaks to you....you won't regret it.
And maybe - you'll learn a lesson.
AND use your bike more- I mean, who's ever heard of (any kind) a religious recruiter hunt someone down by BICYCLE?!

World Hunger Day!

I normally just write in the Foreigners in JKL Facebook group regarding events like this - but thought I could possibly reach more people (especially those not in the group or don't use Facebook at all) by posting it here at the same time.

The JKL Red Cross is accepting donations on September 11th - with the intent of re-selling these gently used items to raise funds for - WORLD HUNGER DAY.
If you're able to donate for a very good cause - and needed to do your spring cleaning (a bit late but that's fine!) - then please bring your clean and gently used items to:

Jyv�skyl�n AO koulutuskuntayhtym�

Viitaniementie 1 A

PL 472, 40101 Jyv�skyl�

ROOM:  A2.112

If you don't know where the room is - there is an info desk as soon as you walk in the door and to your right-hand side.

If you're interested in SHOPPING - the actual Kirpputori (second-hand shop) day is:

September 13th - 9 am-12:30 pm in ROOM A2.223.

Red Cross (SPR in Finnish) will be offering coffee as well and maybe other light refreshments.
Please share this - as there is always something hiding in the back of someone's closet that they've been meaning to get rid of or donate but never seem to have the time to.

Thanks a bunch!!

**I updated the time of the Kirpputori as I saw signs in school with the proper time listed!!**