Saturday 2nd April

I really had a good day yesterday, trying to forget that Lucky was near the end of his days.

Britta and me, went to Iris and Dennis' place to meet a few other people and study some Finnish grammar. I enjoyed it, it was a fun afternoon!

I left at 5pm to go home and wait for Jen to come around. Jen got here and we had a good gossip. Britta came by at 7pm after staying longer at Iris and Dennis'. We made some cheese bread, apple and cinnamon crumble. Then roasted sweet potatoes with plain salmon with salt and peper (for me benefit) and soya, chilli and honey salmon. Looks and smells divine but the soya allergy prevents sampling for me!

We then watched the film buried.... Omg, possibly the worst film I have ever seen. So unrealistic, one scene for hour and half, inside a dark coffin. No real morals or lessons... pointless and thats a few hours I can't get back! hehe Just don't bother watching it....

Also the Finnish exam is just over a week away so I have to hope I don't panic and we get the job done! and do well! For me, Finnish is now hard, after never learning another language and not ever being taught much English grammar at school. But it is still not impossible and we are considering private classes for speaking at the minute! will keep you posted!!!

the other thorn in my side, we had another seminar to write but as a pair... 29 people enrolled in the course, I had a partner... I couldn't start the presentation and seminar until last week as my schedule (and many others were too heavy) but 15 pages between two people is not so bad. So I email my partner, nothing. Then check the uni website... half the people have left the course!! including her so now I have a week and a half to type this report alone and prepare for the Finnish exam!! You can imagine my new stress level!!!

It has only been 2 weeks

School is really taking it's toll this semester, I have 3 days where most of my studies or all are in Finnish some days have 4 hours of being spoken to and expected to understand in Finnish... it is so tiring i actually don't believe it!

Fridays are my study day but they are being used to study as I have been researching my seminar report and starting to research for my thesis next year. This week I have one intensive course ending. But I have 2 exams in February and an allergist appointment. On the upside we have no classes on week 9 so that will be a nice lie in week at least unfortunately there is so much work to do to have "time off" but life is like that and master's degrees are not meant to be easy.

Eero is helping me improve my Finnish speaking and I am very proud of him for keeping his promise as boring as it must be for him to help me.

Weekends are a blur at the minute as school work is eating into them. I handed a project in early on Saturday at 10.50pm. I know it will all be worth the time and effort in the end or I hope so!

Sunday was fun, we walked to Jenny's for lunch with Britta and friends. It was great! and we meet the cutest dog in the world! Alas we can't have a dog yet but that won't stop me trying!

We are all going to learn to skate next weekend, poor Eero doesn't know what he let himself in for. Well he does and I think it bemuses him greatly that we are always moaning, laughing and messing around. He's happy when I am these days!

This was just a quick blog to prove I am still alive! we have 57cm of snow at the minute too! awesome!

Suomi 3

So The day before we start this course we have an email; "Kurssilla puhutaan VAIN suomea." Which will be as hard as hell, I am used to English if i am not optionally trying or don't quite know what i want to say... to add to the fun we never practiced much speaking previously... But Eero to the rescue has actually start teaching me to speak which is great a few hours private tutoring a week, also a small group of us are gathering once a week to practice and learn some new words... yay!

I am also on a grammar course to try and get all these rules to live in my brain and not in my books!

shows the levels of speaking and learning we are on the B1 course now!

This is meant to be a hard course as the new rules are more complicated but we will see! 5 people dropped out after the first class and the surprise test...

School Dayz

School is taking up most of my time, though it is well spent doing so but it can be a little crappy knowing all I do is work, walk and go see Eero. But the return of exams grades and maintaining 4 and 5's are making all the "urgh" worth it. I suppose it is because a lot of my friends are eramus student's and keep getting to go away as they don't have much on at school, unlike those of us who study full time.  I am loving this renewable energy course though and trying to keep up with the Finnish course.

The Finnish course I love but it is the hardest for me, never learning another language I have to undo 26 year's of bending letters from being a native English speaker. Hard thing to do but most of the time in shops I am understood and natives seem happy you try to learn and speak. Alas progress is progress... I just wish I had more time to listen to my audio cd's.

Dear Santa,

I have been good all year, please c0uld I have more days in the week or more hours in the day?? these days and hours do not have to contain daylight so long as my lights work.

Thanks

P.S

I leave the reindeer carrots and you cake and a drink and it's a deal, right?

Eero, has detected my distress with speaking Finnish and is starting to help me now, just hoping it lasts longer than the other attempts for him to help... one has to hope!

I have however attended all of one subjects lectures then dropped it at the last minute. I could see so me conflict impending with the lecturer and it is a bonus course so I thought I would cut my losses and run.

OF course, exam weeks are approaching again and technically start for me next week with 2 Finnish speaking exams, one is enough lol and another presentation in English... I am excited about them all sadly... I am enjoying exams which is sad!!!

School keeps me walking 8km a day or more and it keeps me busy when I am not there... I am excited about next semester when all my waste management and water management courses start! haha!

Search, find, learn

We have been lucky with the weather last week, though it has been cold in the day (damp cold that aches your bones) it has been sunny.



Tuesday after school I went for an 8km walk to explore a few places around Jyväskylä I hadn't been to. Mainly because I go back to Tampere after school Thursday and don't return until late Sunday night. So now I spend my Tuesday afternoon's walking around looking for new walks and places while taking photos. I found two new nature walks and still haven't got to explore Harju park properly yet. Hopefully the good weather holds out as next weekend Eero comes to visit me in Jyväskylä so we can explore a few places.



I have an intensive course next week so I have lectures on Friday and Saturday until 12.30pm. Then I will eat and we can go explore some more! Friday I also got the call from Eero to terminate my student lease and we applied for a few apartments in Jyväskylä. Now we have to wait and see what we get as I am out of student halls from 1st November =) yay! Yes I did terminate my lease on the last day in the last few business hours but it saves us paying three rents in one month!

So from 1st November we should have an apartment here but Eero may not get here until late November or December but I will have my own space to clean, wash and do as I please. I am actually very excited about this change, it means it is real again. Then we can see about changing cars =) somewhat exciting even for me (secretly I like cars).

I love my course but it is intense even without the extra course running. Into the deal, I am actually picking up another book exam next week when I can meet my lecturer to discuss terms. I also have my first exam Wednesday afternoon... chemistry calculations it will hurt somewhat I think!!

Oh, I also started taking Marlen's class for academic writing, aim of the class to get yourself published. I am actually loving this class and wished it lasted longer than a few weeks.

Suomi class is going well though it can be a little frustrating as my other classes push for so much time and effort, I have less time and energy for the Finnish but good progress is still being made and I understand a lot more of what people say. Quite handy around town, banks, shops and even on the train. Also be happy when Eero moves and he can start helping me too.

Waterstones are trying for the 3rd time to deliver my books I ordered in May, I hope to anyone or thing that the third time is lucky as my patience is as dry as Antarctica (driest place on Earth).

I have also been forced to book a doctors appointment as my allergies are having random fits and I am sick of trying to second guess what the problem is and my diet is restricted again now (not healthy). Hopefully I can then get referred to an allergist with some speed. Doctor isn't until 12th October as the original appointment clashed with my intensive one week course *ho hum*

Dad also got another all clear with his cancer check up so nothing is spreading. Granddad also got his all clear on his cancer in the beginning of the week. Life is good. Though nan had a very bad fall and has bruised her face and hips but all is normal apart from that.

Week 1 of Uni

I didn't get the start I had hoped for thanks to a bad tummy bug which is still causing issues a week later... but I attended most lectures of the week =)

I really enjoyed my first week at uni even though most of my lectures are master's degree level chemistry (This semester), homework is mostly calculations =)and it has been a while since I have been at school! Part of me misses the way the world of work is but school is also very exciting and getting the chance to learn new things!

Suomi class is also going very well, things now make a lot of sense and I am trying to get as much practice in as possible and trying to text Eero as much as possible using Finnish which works quite well. There are only 11 people in our group so we are hoping that we are allowed to keep that class size or I may get lectures on Friday's

I currently get to come home on Thursday evenings then go back to Jyväskylä on Sunday evenings.. it's quite pleasant!

Friday was a nice day after Eero finished work we went shopping and he brought me a new beautiful coat! So I was happy... now I keep trying to find reasons to go outside so I can wear the coat =)

Haven't done much today though as this tummy bug has made some of my food triggers more annoyed than normal and I wanted to go walking with in Lempäälä!!! So we must go next weekend!!!

Back to Jyväskylä Sunday, then school Monday to Thursday 8am to 5pm... then back to Tampere Thursday evening x

Evil bug

Ok, so there is never a good time to be ill. Even though I can't remember the last time I had a tummy bug so bad that I couldn't eat or drink much for two days. At least today, day 3 I am starting to be able to eat a little.

The most annoying part is my course started full time this week and here I am ill in Tampere, alas these things can't be helped I know that but it is still frustrating when illness alters plans. So tonight hopefully I can return to Jyväskylä and walk 3km home and go to school tomorrow... if I can eat more and regain some energy.

I do feel more alert in my mind today but my body doesn't agree, I have no strength at all and my legs feel like jelly. I know that's its all from being so ill and not being able to eat... I am just glad I seem to be improving. Hopefully the few hours before my train is due to leave I will regain some strength or I could be forced into staying here another day which is not what I want to do!

Eero has been a god send to me this weekend while I have been ill. I started to feel ill Friday but thought it was down to eating so much food... Saturday evening I knew something "bad" was coming but assumed it was an allergy I had annoyed with mass consumption of goji and blueberries... but when the sickness started and illness carried on for two days we knew it was a bug. E has been great he has looked after me and cooked for me, even when I couldn't eat what he could or drink the water he brought. He even stayed up with me most of Sunday night and went to work very tired on Monday.

I hope I don't see another bug like that for a good few years and that Eero doesn't catch it =)

A New Life

So, my ticket was booked, Eero was coming to get me from England (I feared it would be too much crying for me and mom but neither of us cried!!) I enjoyed my leaving party from my friends at our local bar (Ye Olde Foundary) and even the extra Christmas party hosted by my lovely "aunty" Jayne! I was so excited about that party Emma even made us a suitcase leaving cake which mom wanted to devour as soon as she picked up Eero and myself from the party!

Lucky for some, 13th December 2009 we landed in Tampere city airport and forever began! I came to a new city with no job just a plan to enrol for a master's degree, language course and then get a job so as we could afford more luxuries (and I could get a car too!!).

It was a busy few weeks in a brand new apartment block, I spent the first 3 weeks just sorting boxes and moving things around. You would of thought it was a family of five in here not just us! I spent Christmas 2008 here so I was quite excited about being here 2009, even though I missed being with my own family. I guess we get to go back to England some Christmases.

After Christmas, I started asking around for some language courses. We found one and I enrolled a 3 month beginners course. I was so excited!