Happy Mayday Holiday

April is that challenging time of year for anyone who wasn't brought up here as a child, when summer is starting to happen all over Europe, but Finland can't quite seem to make it happen. Not yet.

Still, I shouldn't complain. Not too much anyway. After grey skies and almost torrential rain all day yesterday, we were treated to sunshine and blue skies his morning. And this was good news, because pretty much the whole of Finland is covered in a sea of streamers and balloons at the moment as we await the arrival of one of the biggest holidays of the year, Mayday, or Vappu.

More than Mayday though, this national holiday is the start of a change of attitude over here in Finland. People gradually start believing that summer really is going to happen some time soon. And as though they are daring it to appear, they start swimming in lakes, even though the water temperature is still only around plus five degrees.

Children are gradually (although never early enough in my book) allowed to stop wearing mittens and hats and twenty layers of clothing and feel a taste of real air instead.

Whereas the trees have been green for some time in the more southern parts of Europe, here the buds are just beginning to appear, and wherever you go people are talking about it. Facebook postings frequently feature pictures of flowers in woods or gardens, in an attempt to encourage the whole country to hang on in there for just a few more weeks. The summer WILL come again.

And May is the last month of the academic year. The schools break up at the end of the month for the summer holidays. Finnish people may have weather challenges, but they are not stupid. Whatever summer there is over here, they will make the most of it. Holidays are long - both from school and from work. There will be enough time to catch up with everything during the long dark months of winter.

Here in Somero we met in the town square this evening and the male voice choir entertained us while the bull statue was decorated for the occasion.

Tonight, all over the country, people will be dressing up, partying, dancing, celebrating, going to the sauna, swimming in lakes, blowing up balloons, getting drunk and enjoying Vappu.

May is one of the nicest months of the year over here. There's lots of light, the trees turn green, the ice cream kiosks open, the sun (usually) comes out and the schools eventually shut down. The summer is not quite here yet, but as the Finns keep telling each other at every opportunity, it's not far away anymore. Happy Mayday celebrations, wherever you may be.

Koski English Club

Just like most people, as we entered into the new year a few weeks ago, I hoped that this year would turn out to be better than the last.

Well, although we are still only in week seven, I am happy to say that 2015 has started well and has already included several positive surprises.

One of them has its roots in a conversation which happened last year. Koski is a small (but very pretty) municipality which is 25km away from Somero. I was told that there hadn't been any language courses or clubs there for several years, and I was asked if I would be prepared to start a Koski English group.

We had no idea whether anyone would be interested or whether anyone would come, but we decided to give it a go anyway.

To be honest, my expectations were not very high. Sometimes when you start a new course in Finland, the reality is that you walk into a classroom where no-one is speaking and everyone is sitting in silence. It can take time for people to start saying anything out loud. I half expected this to be the case in Koski, where I knew no-one and was starting from scratch.

As it turned out though, I could not have been more wrong. Fifteen people turned up to the English conversation club and everyone of them was friendly and chatty. I certainly didn't need to worry about any embarrassing silences!

Just a few weeks later these same people already feel like old friends. Koski English Club has been one of the great surprises of the new year and every Tuesday morning I know for sure that we will all end up laughing about something.

This week we talked about the difficulties Finns face in trying to pronounce English words. They asked about the differences between pronouncing God, guard, cod and card. They wanted to know how to say "vehicle" We talked about the uses of the words cupboard and closet - coming out of the closet and having skeletons in the cupboard.

One thing I know about learning languages is that it is much more likely to happen when you feel you are amongst friends - and particularly when you are able to laugh together. That is certainly the case in Koski, where I have found not only new friends but one of the biggest plusses of the year so far.

Where is the sun?

I am fairly sure that most people who have moved to Finland from somewhere else have their reservations about the Finnish winter. At least some of the time. I know I do.

Yes, it's true that we have four distinct seasons over here, and that is a good thing. And on the days when there is a snow-covered landscape and the sun is shining, the scenery looks stunning.  People ski, skate, sledge, build snowmen and rave about how beautiful it all is.

But there is none of that right now. The weather has been hovering around freezing in the south of Finland for the last two weeks.  Something is coming out of the sky almost all of the time, but it can't make up its mind whether it's rain, snow or sleet. Driving conditions are unpredictable, the roads are slippery and walking the dog is a challenge.

It's cold, and the strong winds are making it feel colder. The photos I took yesterday in Helsinki looked bleak - like they have had the colour sucked out of them.

But on the positive side, it's February already. The days are getting longer all the time, Valentine's day is around the corner and spring will definitely arrive at some point or another.

Some may get excited about winter, but for my part I am looking forward to seeing crocuses, daffodils and sunshine. Until then I wish you all a warm and happy February, wherever you may be.

It's Easy Being an Adult

"Mummy" says Minttu when I pick her up from nursery, "can I sit in the front?"
"Yes OK."

Nisha makes her bed on the roof of the playhouse

"That's not fair!" complains Niko. "She sat in the front this morning."
"Did she?" I ask, not really concerned who sat in the front or when.
"Yes she did, so she shouldn't sit in the front again."
"Do we need to argue about this?" I ask.
"Yes." replies Niko. "She always gets to sit in the front. "It's not fair."
"Well let's just say that today is her turn. Tomorrow can be yours. OK?" (foolishly thinking for a moment that the issue is resolved).
Minttu climbs proudly into the front seat and Niko goes resignedly into the back. But it's not over.

"When can I sit in the front?" Luca suddenly chips in. "Why do the others always get to sit in the front and I never do?" Oh no.
"Is this really important?" I ask them, not understanding why we are having an argument before we have even got into the car.
"Yes." They all say. I get it. Being in the front of the car is important. Very.

At home we sit down at the kitchen table and I give them each a plate.
"But I wanted the pink one," says Minttu.
"Well I've got the pink one and you can't have it." Niko says defiantly.
"Why can't Minttu have the pink plate, Niko?"
"Because I want it."
"Can Minttu have it? She likes pink....."
"No."
"Niko, does it really matter what colour plate you have?"
"Yes." they all say.

Dinner finally over, we walk into the living room where the boys have spent the previous day creating a "house" out of sheets, pillows and duvets. I was forced to promise not to touch it and I have kept my word. When I was last in the house, their creation was exactly as they had left it. However, it no longer is.

"MUMMY!!! OUR HOUSE HAS COLLAPSED!!!"
"I haven't touched it!" I cry defensively. Because I really haven't.
"But it's fallen down!"
"It wasn't me," I assure them, feeling as though I've been accused of a serious crime. "How do you think it happened?"
And then I walk in to find the answer.
"Because the dog's sitting on the roof....."

There was me, thinking that it was adult problems that were the really difficult ones. Forms, bills, unemployment, health issues, taxes...the kind of thing we all have to deal with and wish we could forget. But today was a very good reminder, that life for us grown-ups is easy. It is SERIOUSLY hard when you are under seven. When you are small there's a problem around every corner, Sitting in the front, pink plates, dogs on your playhouse....you never know when the next challenge is going to occur. I'm going to bed this evening feeling relieved to be an adult. Let's just hope I can help my children resolve the challenges of tomorrow :)

Happy New Year

It's been a funny sort of holiday season. After all the shopping, decorating, wrapping, waiting and cooking, the whole family became ill just before Christmas. We spent the next few days taking turns to be sick in bed. My turn, typically, came on Christmas Eve. I managed to be at my worst at exactly the moment the children were discovering what father Christmas had brought them on Christmas morning.

(I have to be honest, it did also hurt a little bit when one of them asked me why I hadn't bought them any presents....!)

Christmas dinner was cancelled and we had to tell our invited friends not to come. And then, just like that, Christmas had happened and it was the new year. It was my first new year with Nisha the dog and also my first without either parent being here anymore Needless to say, it was a bit of an emotional evening and a few tears were cried.

At midnight there was a spectacular firework display all around where we live. Nisha and I watched from our front yard and she gave me my first hug of the year. Looking back, the highlight of the holiday season has without doubt been the many messages we have received from friends across the world. This year, more than ever before, each of those messages was treasured.

And so here we are again. the start of another year. I have my list of goals and wishes for the year ready. Some of them will be achieved and others probably won't. And actually that doesn't really matter.

What I have learnt over the past two years from people who are no longer with us, is that all that really matters is the time spent with the people you love.

So if you have people in your life that you love, spend time with them, make happy memories and make sure they know how you feel. At the end of the day that is the only resolution that is really worth sticking to.

Happy new year everyone, wherever you may be. Lots of love from Somero xx