Helsinki 1997: Reality hits, hard.
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 2-8, 1997
I must admit that my second week here in Helsinki was a bit of a long one. I was never truly ready to pack it in, but there were a few times I was pretty darn close. The kids and I rubbed each other a bit, trying to feel each other out and test where each other stood. Luckily, everyone survived. I think that we have gotten through the hardest parts by now.
The other challenge I had to deal with was a little twinge of loneliness. My organization, CIMO had not yet had any activities and all of the people that I had previously known in Helsinki live far away from here and have lives of their own to lead. It was very difficult going through a three day string where my most in depth conversation was with a four old who doesn’t speak English. A couple of “Help me! I’ve got to talk to someone” telephone calls to my friends really helped to pull me through. I know there will still be moments and days, but fortunately now that CIMO has started to operate I think everything will go much better. No matter how hard it gets, at least I will have something to look forward to every couple of days. Its a relief like you cannot imagine.
However, I have never been one to dwell on the down stuff. This week had lots of good things as well. I did get to see a couple of friends and began running once again, something that has been glaringly absent from my schedule for most of the past year. Hopefully it will be able to continue. (I’ve got to be sick to think running is a good occaision, is masochism a genetic thing?) Also, the weather was simply gorgeous. Every day it was between 20-25 degrees with nary a cloud in the sky. The city absolutely came alive. There are street cafes everywhere and people outside enjoying every moment of it. Watching sailboats in the boat harbor was an incredible specatacle. Finland in summer truly is a beautiful place.
