Somero English Club Summer Evening

After all the moaning about the long winter, (on my part that is), the Somero English Club met today for our last meeting before the summer break and we were lucky to be outside in the evening sunshine.

Maritta beat everyone at darts by a long way. The rest of us amateurs had no chance.

I hope that there will be several opportunities to meet over the summer, but in terms of the club we will start meeting again in the autumn and hope to have some new members with us. We are also starting up a new Somero Swedish Club, so if your Swedish skills have been getting a little rusty then you know where to come!

Here are some pics from the evening...

Esakallio Dance Magic

Kati and Jones

There was a special atmosphere last night at Esakallio. For those of you not from Finland, Esakallio is one of the three large dance venues here in Somero. Some people have even moved to live in Somero because of the great dancing possibilities and I can easily understand why.

Last night we were also joined by the lovely Kati Koivisto and Jones Kainulainen, who brought with them a bus full of dancers from Pori. They led the rumba lesson at the beginning of the evening, and by nine o'clock the place was already very busy. As I have mentioned before, Kati and Jones are a couple who obviously have a love of dance, but what is more tangible still is their enthusiasm for life. It would be impossible to go to one of their lessons and not feel better afterwards. I have already agreed with Kati that if I ever get married again, then she and Jones will come and give a dance lesson to all the guests at the wedding. That way we will be guaranteed a good party...

Jari Aaltonen dancing the rumba

"Lavatanssit" in Finland is a tradition which is special to Scandinavia and is a past time loved by many. Hundreds of people of all ages gather together in an atmosphere which is friendly and not full of drunk people, as was the case in the clubs I used to work in as a DJ. It is easy to go to these dances alone as you are guaranteed to be asked to dance and will have plenty of opportunities to meet and dance with new people.

Last night we were also entertained by the band Hurme and the duo Matti and Teppo, who have already been touring the dance circuit for many years. There are few houses in Finland without a Matti and Teppo cd somewhere on one of the shelves.

Having only known salsa myself before moving to Finland, I am now starting to become familiar with the waltz, tango, bugg, foxtrot and fusku as well as the sensual rumba which is my favourite after salsa. But even if you have never danced before in your life, you will quickly catch on (lots of men do the same steps all night...no matter what the music playing...) you will find plenty of people to dance with, make new friends and go home feeling rejuvenated. And it's definitely a more enjoyable way to exercise than a 5km run.

So, we still have the whole summer ahead of us and lots of dancing opportunities. Esakallio is open every Friday, and Ämyri every Saturday. I hope to see you there some time!

Finding the Positive

One of the lessons I learned very early on in life is that there is more than one way to look at everything. We don't always choose what happens to us, but we certainly choose how we look at it.

At university in St Andrews I was part of the debating society where we had to be able to argue on any topic, and we were not free to choose what side of the argument we were on. This was good training for finding out the plusses and minusses of all sorts of issues.

Later I trained as a lawyer where this became even more important. There are always two sides to every argument, and it is necessary to recognise and hear them both in order for justice to be done.

In life though, I have found the same technique a very useful tool in making life more enjoyable and challenges more bearable. There is a positive and negative side to almost everything. If we choose to focus on the negative then life can sometimes appear very bleak. But if you choose to focus on the positive, and actively take the time to look for it, then life can suddenly feel very different.

Sometimes this can be difficult of course, and with big losses it can often take time, but the exercise is always worth it in the end.

I was up late last night and would have loved to just lie in bed this morning, but Minttu had different ideas. She was ready to start singing at 6.30 this morning, and felt it necessary to wake everyone else up in the process. The choice is then mine. One choice is to be focus on being tired and annoyed that I can't stay in bed. This way the day will start badly.

Or else I can get up, take pictures of my gorgeous children and feel enormous gratitude that they are all healthy and happy and that today I have the chance to stay at home with them and play.

In court it is always good to have a balanced view of a case. But in life I choose to try and see things in a way which highlights the positive. And it least this morning it has worked. I don't feel tired anymore, but lucky to be here, lucky to have children and lucky to be alive.

Thought for the Day...

At lunch today I received a message from one of my closest friends, Tracey, who lives in the UK. She was on a training course and wanted to share with me what the presenter had just said as she thought I would like it.

"If you always do what you always do, you will always get what you always get." 

She was right. I liked it.

It's a simple thought, but one that might not have occurred to you before. The idea is no more complicated than it sounds.

In every complicated or challenging situation we all have different ways of reacting.  Some of these work, and others don't. But the same repeated behaviour pattern is likely to lead to the same results. So if you don't like the results...it might be worth looking at the behaviour that led to it. Same habits, same results. Is there maybe something you could change?

I sat and thought about this as I enjoyed a halloumi salad. I thought of several things I could try to change, but also some things I definitely want to keep the same.

I'm having the same halloumi salad tomorrow. It was delicious. And I'm keeping the same friends. They're the best. I'll keep dancing, writing, taking photos and telling important people that I love them...and then I'll work on the things that need to change.  Because if you always do what you always do, you will always get what you always get. Thanks Tracey....

A hug

If there is one thing I know for sure, it's that most of us need a hug from time to time. This evening is one of my times. So if you're also feeling like that this evening, then at least I can tell you that you are not alone. 

When I'm feeling this way I often take my camera and go and look for something to take a picture of. It's not the picture that's the most important thing, it's telling yourself to look for it. 

Today I didn't have to go further than our own back garden to take these. Obviously the fact that Somero is now green instead of white is something worth celebrating in itself, but I also liked the fact that these leaves are evidence of new life coming after a long, hard winter. 

If you're also needing a hug this evening, you'll know exactly what I mean. Hopefully these pictures will do for you what they did for me, which is to remind you of summer, new life and hope. If there's someone there to give you that hug....jump at it, but if not, then I'm sending one from here. Wishing you all a happy tomorrow.

Tears, Laughter and Cameron's birthday

Enjoying the sun on Nummijärvi lake

Cameron is twelve today

It was a weekend full of emotion. Sadness at the funeral of a very close and much-loved friend who left this world two weeks ago. 

Hope, laughter and friendship with visitors to our new home on Saturday and then some peaceful moments with a kindred spirit in the sunshine by the Nummijärvi lake yesterday.

And today Cameron turns twelve. Less than two weeks until the schools break up for the summer holidays. Where has the time gone?

I guess it's all a reminder that when one thing ends, something else begins, and that we should all try to create as many happy memories as we can while we still have the chance to do so.   Wishing you all a week full of good things!

My Street

When I was a little girl I used to sit and wonder when I would find a place that felt like home. At that time my parents and I lived in a small flat in the middle of London. I remember there being a lot of cars, a lot of people and many tall blocks of flats. All the front doors were the same.  There was a lot of concrete, only the occasional tree and most of the time there were piles of rubbish in the street. I didn't feel as though I belonged there.

The street where we now live

I left London at the age of seventeen and have never really missed it. To many people London is a town full of excitement and opportunity. But it was never home to me.

For years and years I travelled all over the place, first as a disc jockey, then as a student and then a lawyer. In between I also taught English, lived in many places, married more than once and had seven children. I met many interesting people and saw many beautiful places. I have spent time with people who have more money than I could ever imagine having myself and have also shared experiences with people who in material terms have almost nothing, but were rich in other ways. I am lucky. I have seen a lot and I have learned a lot. Every experience has been an enriching one.

Despite all of those experiences though, it took many, many years before I found a place where I felt I belonged. I kept hoping that one day I would arrive somewhere and just know that this place was home. Finally that day has arrived. Ten years ago I would never have believed that I would come back to settle in Finland, but right now it feels like the most natural thing in the world.

I stumbled across Somero almost by accident a few years ago and came to live here in 2011. Now, finally, after last year's changes to our family, the children and I have our own house. For the first time in my life, I know where I belong. It is here.

There are still lots of questions I hope to have answered one day, but at least this is one which I no longer have to worry about. I have found my home, and for that I will always be grateful. Whatever challenges you face during the day, it is always a comfort to know that when evening comes you can escape to the security of a place you feel you belong. In our case, it was a long time coming, but it was definitely worth the wait.

It's May at Last...

After torrential rain yesterday, the sun decided to make an appearance today to mark the arrival of May. I can hardly believe that with the snow only just having melted, the schools will be finishing for the summer holidays in only four weeks time.  Not that I'm complaining though.

The May Day bank holiday (vappu in Finnish) is one of the biggest celebrations of the year in Finland. There is a lot of partying on the last day of April and today there were picnics and barbeques all over the country as people welcomed what they consider to be the start of the summer season. 

It is also a chance for those who have graduated from the equivalent of sixth form (lukio) to wear the white hats they are presented with at the graduation ceremony.

In Somero, as well as the traditional parties, the day is also marked by the male choir singing in Kiiruu Park at ten in the morning. The choir was conducted by Olli Salomäenpää who was also celebrating his birthday and had the pleasure of being sung to by everyone in the park to mark the occasion. 

One thing is for certain in Somero. We may have long winters here (especially this year) - but Somero people know how to make the most of the spring and summer. The town is coming to life again and people are outdoors as much as possible.  

Happy May Day, wherever in the world you may be. The summer is almost here!