Helsinki 1997: “Normalcy” Shattered

From the archives: It turns out that I was blogging long before anyone had ever heard the term “blog.” Twenty years ago I worked in Helsinki, Finland for a summer with the Finnish National Agency for Education to fund my studies as an exchange student in Estonia. While living overseas I created an online travelogue to keep my family and friends apprised of my experiences. My life has changed a lot the two decades since. This reprise is providing me with a glimpse at who I was back then and the excuse to learn more about more recent developments in my temporary home, even if some of the opinions that I expressed back then may make me a little bit uncomfortable today. It is interesting to see how people grow and change.

June 16-22, 1997

If last week I began to think that there was something of a routine to living in Helsinki, this week served to blow that theory completely out of the water. In the past week, I have been fishing in the Baltic (caught nothing longer than my outstretched hand, but had a lot of fun anyway), seen a live Irish band in concert, become a regular bicycle rider again, and enjoyed the best party of the year here in Finland. It has been very eventful, there is no way that I can relate everything. However, here are a few of the highlights.

16 June 1997
Monday

The kids and I tried to go fishing. Unfortunately by the time we got there (four year old legs do not move very fast) it started raining. We beat the downpour back, but that was one very disappointed little kid.

Finally, I began my academics again tonight, digging out my Estonian language course, hoping to have something left for fall. It really is despicable how much I have already forgotten. Remembering will not be easy, all those cases! Oh well, if it was easy everyone would do it.

17 June 1997
Tuesday

Long day salvaged by a night out at Ale Pub with the CIMO gang. I met three Finnish guys and had a great talk. We carried on so long I had to run to catch the last bus home.

18 June 1997
Wednesday

The dry spell is over, I am a student again. I just put in my first full day of Estonian study. I really can’t feel any progress, but it feels good to be learning something again.

19 June 1997
Thursday

My best night out on Helsinki so far. Kind of a spontaneous get together occurred with the CIMO people at an Irish Pub, Molly Malone’s. Most everyone was there, a live Irish band and good conversation. A very fun night and it only cost me 16 marks. Riding a bike to town certainly saves a lot of money. I will definitely keep this up.

20-21 June 1997
Friday, Saturday
Midsummer!!

I enjoyed another Midsummer celebration. CIMO rented a boat club clubhouse in Espo and we had nearly 50-60 people together for the night. Of course we had a sauna, copious quantities of fermented liquids and dancing all night long. Just like it’s supposed to be.

However, one thing was decidedly different about this year from most years. The very dry weather here in Finland has resulted in severe fire danger. Thus open bonfires were banned throughout the country. The sole legal bonfires of the night occurred on islands. (I guess the thought was something along the lines of, “if they burn anything down, they only torch themselves.”) So we had to suffice with a small indoor fire in the fireplace. Nice touch, but not quite the same thing.

The other thing that marked this as a non traditional Midsummer celebration was the choice of music being sung. Of the 50-60 people there, only perhaps 10-15 were Finnish. Therefore when someone pulled out their guitar, it was English, German, and Spanish that was heard. The Finns tried to teach us some Finnish folk songs, but most people were so drunk they were having trouble with their own language, let alone trying to learn a new one.

22 June 1997
Sunday

A very nice day. After heading downtown for church services I bumped into some CIMO friends ended up going for a walk and seeing a lot of Helsinki. It was nice because it gave us a chance to get to know each other a lot better and was a lot more relaxed than our previous “I have to leave early to get up for work tomorrow” bar meetings.