The last few days were filled with pleasant surprises and warmth (literally, too, this has got to be the warmest Christmas season Finland's ever known). I have one post to make in the Chamber of Secrets forum to become a Hogwarts graduate, to start with :p
OK, to cut long story short (as it's way too long) - went for a country trip with a Finnish family, crossed the thresholds of two lovely houses come straight from my dreams; one of them a fairy-tale house of utter perfection to the last little detail ("a doll house for adults", as Kari put it); visited a village school for 60 pupils containing more care and modernity than any in Sofia; had a pancake dinner and a sleepover at Zefi's; had an unexpected visit from Leila (who is SO sweet and lovely it's unbelievable) and generally was forced to feet quite acutely the loss I'm in for in little more than a week.
If anyone is interested in reading the longer version (complete with detailed descriptions of mentioned houses and much lauding of this marvellous country), it's in the comments section.
Tomorrow is New year's eve and then I begin to pack and get ready to leave. And thus ends my December, my stay and my year. Have a spectacular New year's and see you on the other side! *kisses*
Sunday, December 30, 2007
Sunday, December 23, 2007
Джовани и Нора
За тях заедно, защото са приятели, съквартиранти и си заминаха заедно. Освен това често мисля за тях в двойка. Колаж, защото им отива и защото имам прекалено много снимки с тях. И не знам какво повече да кажа, не защото няма какво, а защото има твърде много.Весела Коледа! Ще ми липсвате много.
Show some humility
Isn't it funny how everyone seems to think they're the centre of the universe, and you can actually trace this belief throughout their behaviour. I can see it in mine. I can spot it in my thought patterns, even when it's artfully concealed. It seems humility is not easy, and does not come naturally to most of us. I try hard for it when I detect the complacency in my thought-chain or my words, and sometimes I have the feeling I actually achieve it. But it may just be an illusion of humility, a token, whereas the real thing remains out of grasp. I nurture a hope that it can be built gradually, and sometimes I even venture a thought that I have started. Well, trying alone rises my levels of hope and spirit.
This evening especially humility seemed to evade me decisively. I don't know what had gotten into me, because everything started so well, but the more we talked (I was downtown with Gintas), the more I exhibited self-satisfaction, egocentrism and desperate pleas for attention. I don't know how he does it, but Gintas is able to wrench the worst out of me with lazy ease. Perhpas it's for the better though. Perhaps being told unpleasant views about your person helps you look at it from an outsider's point of view and prune it here and there. As I said, I'm hopeful.
And the evening was nice, the uncontainable gushing of dubious emotions notwithstanding. We walked for an hour at least, ending up in a graveyard, which we strolled through, walking among the soft balls of light encircling the candles. Then we spent another two hours in Coffee House, where most of the aforementioned gushing took place. Gintas can't have a very favourable opinion of me, and I can't say I blame him. But he did give my contact info book considerable attention and time. A nice guy, he is.
And I suppose it's time for some news after a month of posting only sudden bursts of emotion. Well, this week was good-bye week. Heartbreaking. You can see the order of leaving people by the posts tagged "the magical world of jyu", starting from Chao. This morning I saw Nora and Giovanni off. (post about them upcoming tomorrow or Monday, depending on cleaning progress.) It's kind of cruel, isn't it, that I have to just cut off, with one brutal strike, the barely-unfolded friendships which were struck here. Cruel, and yet no-one to blame (almost). *sigh* Giovanni and Nora, thank you. Both of you have done more for me than you imagine.
Christmas eve will be spent here, in our little flat. I have no more information, Ewelina is in charge as usual. Christmas day - well, I'll think about that later. I'm gald I'm in a minimalistic country with as little amount of Christmas cheer in the form of kitschy decoration and shopwindow configurations as possible. I like this chubby, up-spirit and, well, merry Western Christmas, but I dislike the exaggeration it sometimes slides into. Plus a little snow would have helped immensely with the Christmas spirit distribution, but - no. snow. in. Finland. I'd write something cheerful for ending, but I can't seem to find anything of that nature in my head right now. Well, I'll just go to bed, I guess. See you tomorrow!
This evening especially humility seemed to evade me decisively. I don't know what had gotten into me, because everything started so well, but the more we talked (I was downtown with Gintas), the more I exhibited self-satisfaction, egocentrism and desperate pleas for attention. I don't know how he does it, but Gintas is able to wrench the worst out of me with lazy ease. Perhpas it's for the better though. Perhaps being told unpleasant views about your person helps you look at it from an outsider's point of view and prune it here and there. As I said, I'm hopeful.
And the evening was nice, the uncontainable gushing of dubious emotions notwithstanding. We walked for an hour at least, ending up in a graveyard, which we strolled through, walking among the soft balls of light encircling the candles. Then we spent another two hours in Coffee House, where most of the aforementioned gushing took place. Gintas can't have a very favourable opinion of me, and I can't say I blame him. But he did give my contact info book considerable attention and time. A nice guy, he is.
And I suppose it's time for some news after a month of posting only sudden bursts of emotion. Well, this week was good-bye week. Heartbreaking. You can see the order of leaving people by the posts tagged "the magical world of jyu", starting from Chao. This morning I saw Nora and Giovanni off. (post about them upcoming tomorrow or Monday, depending on cleaning progress.) It's kind of cruel, isn't it, that I have to just cut off, with one brutal strike, the barely-unfolded friendships which were struck here. Cruel, and yet no-one to blame (almost). *sigh* Giovanni and Nora, thank you. Both of you have done more for me than you imagine.
Christmas eve will be spent here, in our little flat. I have no more information, Ewelina is in charge as usual. Christmas day - well, I'll think about that later. I'm gald I'm in a minimalistic country with as little amount of Christmas cheer in the form of kitschy decoration and shopwindow configurations as possible. I like this chubby, up-spirit and, well, merry Western Christmas, but I dislike the exaggeration it sometimes slides into. Plus a little snow would have helped immensely with the Christmas spirit distribution, but - no. snow. in. Finland. I'd write something cheerful for ending, but I can't seem to find anything of that nature in my head right now. Well, I'll just go to bed, I guess. See you tomorrow!
Saturday, December 22, 2007
Пауза да си поема дъх
За всички тези хора тук. Досега мислех за тях само в бъдеще време - Stammtisch партито следващия четвъртък, "Кхарма" тази вечер, обяд утре в Агора/Илокиви, рождения ден на еди-кой си следващата седмица, пътуването до Русия следващия месец, вечеря в пицария "Мария" след Cafe Lingua в понеделник, pre-party-то у Джовани довечера и т.н. Сега внезапно трябва да мисля за тях само в минало време. Това така ме обърква.
Мразя да губя неща, да се разделям с тях. Вкопчвам се в това, което съм заобичала. Знам, че не бива и не е здравословно. Ако някой има съвет как да се разделям достойно с неща и хора, моля да сподели.
Денят започва да расте от днес.
Summary for jyu people: Basically I'm saying how much I miss you all.
Мразя да губя неща, да се разделям с тях. Вкопчвам се в това, което съм заобичала. Знам, че не бива и не е здравословно. Ако някой има съвет как да се разделям достойно с неща и хора, моля да сподели.
Денят започва да расте от днес.
Summary for jyu people: Basically I'm saying how much I miss you all.
Валерио и Марина
Валерио и Марина заминаха вчера. Марина ще се върне за следващия семестър, Валерио не. С тях ходих на Film Narrative, единственият ми интересен курс тук. С всеки от тях беше удоволствие да си говориш.
Весела Коледа на двама ви, и музикална и фотографска (съответно) слава да ви застигне през новата година <3
Thursday, December 20, 2007
Мартин
Мартин замина в 7.30 сутринта с влака за Хелзинки. Мартин е третият човек, с когото се запознах в Юваскюла, на път за университета на втория ден. Оказа се един от най-милите и забавни хора, които познавам въобще.
Долу Мартин в естествената си среда :D
Tuesday, December 18, 2007
Monday, December 17, 2007
Време да си взема сбогом
It's time to leave. People are leaving next week. Every day goodbyes have to be said.
It turned out so easy to take someone to your heart, and hold them dear. So fast. And now i's time to part, yet agan, to tear them, to sever the ties, to bury this huddle of life in the graveyard of your past, sometimes well-kempt, sometimes forlorn.
If there is anything which can pick at my heart and bleed it, it's saying goodbye.
It turned out so easy to take someone to your heart, and hold them dear. So fast. And now i's time to part, yet agan, to tear them, to sever the ties, to bury this huddle of life in the graveyard of your past, sometimes well-kempt, sometimes forlorn.
If there is anything which can pick at my heart and bleed it, it's saying goodbye.
Thursday, December 13, 2007
Pikkujoulu
The ESN pre-Christmas party (or Pikkujoulu) took place last night in Lozzi (on campus) and then Kharma. Santa Claus was there (I sat on his knee :D My first time ever, at 25), I got a present, and gave one. There was punch with starfruit, porridge with cinnamon and berry sauce (Christmas porridge??), some games, some dancing, some heartache which I was the onfidante for, and a lot of alcohol brought in by the students. Some of us were properly dressed up, including suits and night gowns. I contributed to the celebretaion spirit with a pair of extremely cute angel earrings and a hairband with tiny jinging bells :o) And just before that Martin and I were in the church listeting to Christmas carols in Finnish sung by the congregation. It was all a festive affair.
Then we went to Kharma, most of us properly drunk already (but not me). It was alright there, save for the music, which was dull, there was some more games, as there was another Pikkujoulu going on there, and more and more alcohol, of course. I stayed sober the whole night. Since so many people are going home, there was ample hugging, kissing and crying. In the end I had to walk home of course, because Ewelina's bike's lock was frozen. A good evening overall, which would've been better if I had drunk more and if it wasn't the last one for all of us together.
Then we went to Kharma, most of us properly drunk already (but not me). It was alright there, save for the music, which was dull, there was some more games, as there was another Pikkujoulu going on there, and more and more alcohol, of course. I stayed sober the whole night. Since so many people are going home, there was ample hugging, kissing and crying. In the end I had to walk home of course, because Ewelina's bike's lock was frozen. A good evening overall, which would've been better if I had drunk more and if it wasn't the last one for all of us together.
Sunday, December 2, 2007
December
So many meanings in one month.My last weeks in Finland. My last days with the people I met here. The last parties, last walks in the town, last lectures, last common lunches in the university cafeterias, last dinners in pizzeria "Maria", last surges of longing.
My second Christmas away from my family - and first one away from friends, too. But closest to Santa Claus I've ever been!
My fisrt consiously-bought Christmas advent calender - Muumi-themed, of course (and yes, it is exactly the one in the picture. Cute, ain't it!). My first church Christmas carols evening (looking forward to it).
The shortest days and longest nights I've seen. Probably the coldst weather I've experienced, but still waiting for this one.
Hopefully a wonderful closure to a wonderful semester here. I love Finland by now. I liked it in the beginning, but I love it now. I wonder who wouldn't.
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