Terrifying SUCCESS!

Ever since going on maternity leave, I've been promising myself regularly that I'll study some Finnish.
I'll sneak in a chapter here and there...heck - even a paragraph a day would be nice!  But I'm not succeeding very much in reading any of my Finnish text books...*wipes dust off the books...*
Then I decided the LEAST I could do is listen more and without translating to English in my head - try and listen to my friends talking among themselves (i.e. knitting groups) and try to guess what they're talking about.
And then I thought I would take it a step further and try to speak Finnish once in awhile.
I'm pretty much a pro at ordering a Big Mac or Kerros meal (ateria) at McDonald's or Hesburger...I know the basics - food, drink, here (or take away).
Then I had this wild idea yesterday...I missed the bus - I'm going to go to Subway.
I know - mother of 3 becomes a wild party animal at 12:15pm on a Monday....watch out!

And I'm going to order in Finnish.  Oh yes...as long as there isn't a huge line - because it may take me awhile.

So with baby #3 strapped to me and my hands full of second hand goodies and some new cotton yarns - I walked into Subway.
There wasn't a line up....that means I HAVE to order in Finnish...and nobody coming in behind me.
Alright - let's DO THIS!

So I calmly put my bags down at an empty table and went to the counter and this is my conversation (excuse the grammar, spelling and the fact that I have no memory of what she said in Finnish - written in green):

• "Moi!  Kolme-kymmenta senttimetria Subway Melt." (Hello.  30 cm Subway Melt.)
• "What bread?"
• "Hunajakaura" (me feeling excited that I made it this far...Honey & Oat bread)
• "We have  X, X, X, X, cheese - which would you like?"  (At the same time she's training someone who is studying her every sandwich-making movement like a hawk).
• "Normaali - kiitos." (Normal cheese - no idea what it is - but I'm still going - HOO RA!)
• "Would you like it toasted?"
• "Joo kiitos."  (Me hoping that was the next question...I am rewarded by her sliding my sandwich on the pan and tossing it in the oven swiftly...*fist pump in the air!)
• "What vegetables would you like?"
• I actually prepped before walking in what I'd say....  "Kaikki mutta ei tomaattia ja sipulia."  (All but no tomatoes and onions.....phew....we're almost done and STILL nobody waiting behind me.)
• "Okay - and what sauce?"
• "Hunaja sinaappi."  (Accidentally said "Hunaja sipulia" - honey onion - oops.  Then quickly corrected myself and she kept talking to me in Finnish!!! SCORE!!! I'm almost at the finish line....)
• "And would you like oils or spices?"
• "Vain pippuri.  Kiitos."  ("Only pepper - thanks." ..I'm digging my bank card out quickly before they realize I only wanted to test myself in Finnish and ended up actually ordering the sandwich by myself...without a single word of English...)
• "For here or to go?  And would you like anything else?"
• "Mukana.  Ei kiitos."  ("To go and no thanks.")

And I order the same thing (usually the meal) every time - so just need to fine tune this bad boy and I'll be a Subway ordering machine eventually!!!!

I then proceeded to calmly insert my pin code, decline the receipt, get my sandwich and bags and leave the shop....but inside I felt like I was having a Finnish fiesta!!!

I DID IT!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!  

(Huge thanks to the Subway staff who kept speaking Finnish and by this, I felt encouraged to keep going - despite the look of fear on my face - which MAY have been mistaken for starvation and exhaustion from carrying a heavy baby.)