Give you a break

This blog is on a break for good by far. All is well but I just don't have time enough to write and update. Also, I am more interested to write about something completely different nowdays but see if I'll start a new blog for that. Many thanks for my readers who followed my blog regardless extremely rare updates and too few photos.

Since I settled down and found a life in Melbourne there's no point for a travel blog. I would be more interested in writing of (my?) life in generally but at this stage it seems to me only when I'd have internet acces at home instead of net cafe or libruary. Thank you, sorry and cacth you later!

The Ugly Side Of Blue And White

It always rains too much
or not enough
It is too hot
or it is too cold
So fun to complain

If you are happy
for what you achieved
That is a synonyme
for arrogance

Winter comes every year
That's for sure
Yet it comes as surprise
every time
And so we'll hear from news:
again 100 car accidents

It's Finland that wins
when our athletes do
But only them
if they lose

To Eurovision Song Contest
we shouldn't attend
But we never give up
And so
the whole Europe
is laughing at us

Smile,
and everyone thinks you're crazy
Yet, if you really
need help
You must shoot someone,
and then you might get

We can have vodka
without having fun
You called the boss idiot?
It's ok
-you were just drunk

We have this beatiful thing
called equal-vality
Some just get more
And the others get less

I wrote this inspired by a conversation with a friend. He mentioned few things that are not best spots of hos culture and it made me think what's not so great about Finland and being Finnish. However, there's also many good things about Finland and being Finnish. Some of them I've only came to realize while living in Australia. But that's an another story.. ;)

It's Almost Sunday

Well not almost, it is Sunday. First I thought the right title would be 'Maybe Somewhere North' but since the album lauch party were on Wednesday and I'm writing about it only now the current title feels more legit.

What album launch party? Charles J Tan's second album called Maybe Somewhere North. Almost Sunday is also on the album (hence the title). And the it was good party, turned to great. I really like his music and he was awesome playing live. Nice bonus was that the few performes before Charles provided a positive surprise in the form of Emmy Bryce. I had never even her of her but she has a great voice and quite a bit of stage charisma as well.

Instead of describing Charle's music I'll let it speak for itself. Few of my favourite tracks from the album:

Almost Sunday and Maybe Somewhere North

For some reason his music brings to my mind Juha Tapio, a Finnish singer/songwriter. What do you think? In comparison here's one of Juha Tapio's songs and from link below you can find English translation for the lyrics (not made by, altoghough I had a quick read-through to make sure it's valid)

 The lyrics: http://lyricstranslate.com/en/kaksi-puuta-two-trees.html

Home sweet home

It's been said that your home is where your heart is. Pretty much true, I think. What if your heart is in two places at the same time? Do you then have two homes or two halves of home?

According to my own experience I would say two homes. At least that's how I feel. It is incredible how in just five months Melbourne has became my second home. I really love this city, even when myki doesn't always work and weather is changing about five times a day. This is simply where I belong.

Old tram in my new home town

Meanwhile Finland is in my thoughts and in my heart. Or not so much the country but the important people in there -my family and friends. Of course sometimes I found myself missing rye bread, salmiakki (a finnish candy, kind of salty liquorice thing) or snow. Even the home sickness have been visiting couple of times. But it always goes away really quickly and after that I feel like coming back only to visit. Not to stay.

Recently it's been a bit of a roller coaster between these two feelings. Funny thing is that some time ago I realized that when asked where I am from, I have been aswering "originally from Finland". Not saying straightforwardly that I'm from Melbourne, but neither just simply from Finland. (Just waiting for the day I hear myself saying I'm from Melbourne. :D) I know it'll stop as time passes by and I will be able to make up my mind. Until then I am gonna enjoy myself like I've done 'til now.

City Baths and Sauna on Swanston (St)

I found a love...

... in a hopeless place. A handsome aussie man, who will marry me and will live with me happily ever after? No, not that kind of love. It's something I still am waiting for. :D But I found something better instead. The love of God. And that God really does exist.

This happened in Sydney about four months backwards. As you have probably guessed by now, this is the change I have mentioned in this blog before. How did it all happen? I was walking on the street, saw the light from the sky and deep voice told me that God loves me? No, no fireworks and no drama or anything really amazing or unusual.

I just had recently thought a lot about the meaning of life and what will happen when we die. I just felt there's must be more to life than just to party etc and then one day would die and that would be the end. Although I enjoyed myself in Sydney, it all seemed so meaningless without greater purpose. Then one night I prayed pretty much (in Finnish) in these words "God if you really exist, give me a sign. The kind of, that I'll recognise."

The next day I was in the park when a man came to talk to me. He asked me if know Jesus. I knew straight away that this was the sign I had been praying for. The man told me about the basics, how Jesus died on a cross for my sins, for the whole world's sin and was raise to life so that I could have personal relationship with God & eternal life.

I just wanted to share my story with anyone who reads this. From now on my blog is not gonna be about God only, but I will write about my life and do it from my Christian point of view. If you have any questions about my faith or anything, feel free to comment or shoot me an email (paivir78@gmail.com). I will try and do my very best to reply in a reasonable time frame. Sometimes I may have quite long break without having a chance to use internet, so I apologise if my reply takes more than a while. I promise to reply everyone.

Happy Easter my dear readers!

Ps. I decided to write my blog only in English, because it's so much easier than writing bilingual blog. Most of my Finnish readers understands English anyway.

Too long time no seen

Onpas taas ihan huomaamatta vierahtanyt liian pitka tovi viime postauksesta. Tyopaikanvaihdos, kampanmetsastys ja 6787 muuta tekosyyta ovat pitaneet minut aika hyvin kiireisena. Nykyaan oon siis feissari ChildFund Australialle. Jos joku olisi vuosi sitten minulle sanonut, etta tulen joskus olemaan feissari ja nauttimaan siita, olisin passittanut hanet psykologille alta aikayksikon. Koskaan ei pitaisi sanoa ei koskaan, tulipa taas kerran todettua. :D

Sosiaalinen elamanikaan ei aivan taysin ole kuollut, oon hengaillut kavereiden kanssa, osallistunut festreillekin, nahnyt vihdoinkin Les Miserables jne. Oli muuten upea nain elokuvana. Osa teista saattoi huomatakin, etta kirjoitin uusiksi profiiliesittelyni ja toisessa postauksessa kasittelen paremmin blogini muutosta, niin kuin aikoja sitten lupasin. Ajattelin, etta selkeampaa omistaa sille ihan oma postaus. Tallaista siis kuuluu tanne puolelle maailmaa.

Picture from funmag.org.

It's been way too long since my last posting here. Time just flies without me even noticing. Changing job, apartment hunting and 6787 other excuses have been keeping me quite busy. Now I'm a funraiser for ChildFund Australia. If someone would've told me a year ago that one I'd be a fundraiser and enjoying it, I would've sent that someone to psychologist very quickly. Never say never -proved true once again. :D

My social life haven't been completely dead either, I have been hanging out with friends, gone to festival and finally caucght Les Mis etc. It was a really good movie. Some of you may have noticed I wrote new introduction of myself for my profile and the other post I'll write, is going to be more closly about the change of my blog. Just like I promised ages ago. I though it would be more readable if it were it's own post. So that's how is life on this side of the world.

Cabbage Casserole and Kangaroo Steaks

Eli kaaliaatikkoa ja kengurupihveja. Tuossa muutama viikko takapaerin lauantaina oli taalla Australiapaiva (26.1.), joka on vahan kuin itsenaisyypaivan vastine. Jengi tosin ottaa sen taalla vahan rennommin kuin itsenaispaivan Suomessa. On konserttia, puistotapahtumaa ja tarkotuksena on ottaa rennosti, viettaa aikaa ystavien ja perheen kanssa, ehkapa kera hyvan ruoan ja juoman. Lauantai ei kuitenkaan ollut yleinen vapaapaiva, koska suurimmalla osalla se oli muutenkin vapaa. Mulla ei. Illalla kuitenkin kerkesin syoda ystavien kanssa ja hassunhauskasti toteutimme taman saksalaisessa ravintolassa. Hofbrauhouse ei sinansa ravintolana ollut ollenkaan hullumpi, mutta melkoinen valinta Australiapaivalle. :D No, se rentoutuminen ja ystavathan oli se tarkein juttu.

Sunnuntai ja maanantai (joka puolestaan oli kansallinen vapaapaiva) kuluivat rattoisasti aussiperheeni kanssa heidan "mokillaan". Parempi ilmaus olisi kakkosasunto. Siella sitten grillailtiin ja sain vihdoin maistaa kengurua. Oli muuten eri maukasta, melko riistaisa ja taytelainen maku. Hengailtiin, chillailtiin, ja kokkailtiin, lueskeltiin yms. Valilla on erittain tervetullutta olla tekematta mitaan. Mokilla myos oli perheen lisaksi sukua ja ystavia, etta ihan ei vallan paassyt erakoitumaan.

@ Hofbrauhouse with friends

A wiew nearby the cottage

Lamingtons made by my Aussie sister and me

Cabbage Casserole

Blueberry Pie (the bigger piece. The smaller cake is made by a family friend)

Mina kokkasin ison padallisen kaalilaatikkoa seurueelle. Kiitoksena siita, etta saan uuden aussiperheeni luona majailla. Jalkkariksi tein mustikkapiirakkaa, joka kerasi kasan kehuja ja katosi parempiin suihin hyvin nopeasti. Itse paaruokakin maistui hyvin, mutta mustikkapiirakka oli selkea voittaja.

About three weeks ago (Sat 26.1.) was Australia Day and I was working. Here is heaps of different events and concerts on that day. Since working the day the highlight for me was a dinner with friends. Especially they were friends I hadn't met for a good while. They had chosen Hofbrauhouse as for dinner place. It was a nice German restaurant although German restaraunt is a bit funny choice for Australia Day, don't you think? The most important thing was to have good time with friends and have a nice dinner, as we did so all good at the end. :)

Sunday and Monday was days off for me. Yes, I really had to days off in a row. We went to their summer cottage with my Aussie family. We simply chilled out, read books, hang out together, did nothing much and cooked -all that you should be doing at the summer cottage. My Aussie dad was kind enough to put some kangaroo on the grill when we had a barbeque and so I got finally to try it. It was delicious, the taste was rich and quite gamy. Besides the family, there was some family friends around as well.

I cooked a huge potful of Finnish Style Cabbage Casserole for all the people as to thank my Aussie family for all they have done for me. I also baked some Blueberry Pie as for dessert too, Finnish Style of course. everyone said to me it was delicious and they just demolished the pie. Cabbage casserole got some thanks too, but blueberry pie was the obvious winner.

About the home sickness

Se sai minut sittenkin. Koti-ikava. Tuossa pari viikkoa takaperin eraana iltana olin talo- ja lemmikkivahtina aussiperheeni talossa ja yhtena iltana mieleeni hiipi se paljon puhuttu koti-ikava. Mita se on? Itse ymmarran ja maarittelen koti-ikavan niin, etta samaan aikaan on ikava montaa ihmista kotipuolesta ja sen lisaksi asiaa tai asioita kotimaasta. Mina esimerkiksi pari viikkoa sitten ikavoin perheen ja ystavien lisaksi puuterilumessa kahlaamista ja kuulaan kirpeaa hamartyvaa talvi-iltaa. Taallahan oli tuona paivana ollut kevyet +41C.

Ikava, jota tunsin, ei kuitenkaan ollut millaan tavalla musertavaa tai raastavaa, pikemminkin haikeankaunista. Keitin itselleni kupin teeta. Sita siemaillessani mietin tata aihetta hiukan syvemmin Juha Tapion soidessa taustalla. Ymmarsin, ettei koti-ikava ole valttamatta huono asia, tai mitaan mista pitaisi yrittaa ja paasta yli mahdollisimman nopeasti. Se on paremminkin kuin hyva ystava, joka osoittaa, mika omassa kotimaassasi ja elamassasi siella on hyvaa ja arvokasta ja sitten lahtee tultuaan kuulluksi. Ensi kerrallakin, kun koti-ikava vierailee, aion toivottaa sen tervetulleeksi ja kuunnella mita silla on sanottavaa. En kuitenkaan lupaa tarjota sille teeta, vaan ehka jaakahvin. :P

This looks like the landscape I was missing

I got me after all. The home sickness. A couple of weeks ago I was a house watch and a pet sitter for my friend's family while they were over the holidays and in the one evening I started to feel slightly home sick. What actually is home sickness? What I consider as home sickness is when you're not only missing the important people of your life back home but also things or few. For example for me in that evening it meant missing my family, friends and also walking in the snow as fine as powder in the Finnish winter day just before the dawn. In here it had been +41C degrees during that day.

The feeling of home sickness wasn't the sort of tears you apart or hurts. It was more likely a bittersweet feeling. I made myself a cup of tea. Meanwhile sipping my tea and listening to Juha Tapio (a Finnish singer-songwriter) I thought more about the subject of feeling home sick. Then I realized home sickness isn't necessarily a bad thing at all or something you should try and get over it as quickly as possible. But it's rather like a good friend showing you what things in your home country and in your life back there are good and valuable and then leaves when she know she's been heard. So next time when the home sickness will visit me I'm gonna wish her (my home sickness is she, not he) welcome and listen what she has to say. I don't promise to make her some tea, I might offer her an iced coffee instead. :P

Times of Change

Aika paljon on ollut ja on meneillaan, paljon uutta ja muutoksia. Blogin kirjoittelu on jaanyt aivan liian vahalle, enimmakseen tyokiireiden ja internetin ulottumattomissa olemisen johdosta. Koen, etta on aika muutta myos blogia. Tasta eteenpain se tulee kertomaan enemman elamastani ja ajtuksistani taalla, kuin olemaan matkailublogi sanan perinteisessa merkityksessa. Silloin talloin aion silti sisallyttaa tanne ns. matkapostauksia. Tasta eteenpain blogi tulee (ehka muutamaa postausta lukuunottamatta) olemaan kaksikielinen silla haluan etta uudet ystavani pystyvat myos lukemaan tata.

picture from http://affirmyourlife.blogspot.com/2011/06/change-quotations.html

I decided to chance my blog bilingual 'cause I want my new friends in here to be able to read this as well. Until now this blog has been pretty much a traveling blog but from now on it'll mostly be about my life and thoughts in general. Sometimes I  will still write posts about traveling as well. At the moment I'm in the middle of changes in my life, working six days a week and able to use internet quite occasionally but I'll try and to do my very best to keep this up to date.

Look forward 'cause that's where you wanna go

Ei hataa, luvassa ei ole mitaan elamanohjehuttua, vaan vihdoin se surffipostaus. Vaikkakin, tuo otsikkona toimiva surffikurssilla kuultu ohje ei ole hullumpi elamassa ylipaataan. Sita heti rikkoen aloitan uuden vuoden blogipostaukset vilkaisulla marraskuun alkuun. :D

Itse surffaamaan paaseminenkin oli minun kohdallani melkoinen matka. Olin varannut kahden paivan surffikurssin (n. 4h surffausta per paiva & illaksi kotiin). Ensimmaisena paivana loysin itseni kuitenkin 5 paivan surffileirilta ja eri firman vielapa, johtuen pienesta hassusta sekaannuksesta. No ei siina, sain siella jutella ja lounastaa mukavien uusien tuttavuuksien kanssa ja kun leiri oli saatu kayntiin, mina sain kyydin lahimmalle juna-asemalle. Matkalla takaisin Sydneyyn sain ihailla kauniita, meri-, kallio- ja metsamaisemia. Ihan jees reissu loppujen lopuksi.

Mojosurffilla (firma, jolta olin kurssini buukannut) onneksi ymmarsivat tilanteen ja siirsivat varaukseni kahdelle seuraavalla paivalle. No sitten raahauduttuani lahtopaikalle minulle selvisi, etta bussi oli taysi ja lahtenyt ilman minua. Jostain syysta eivat olleet tavoittaneet minua puhelimitse. Keskiviikko oli jo taynna kurssilaisia, joten kurssini siirtyi torstaille & perjantaille. Tassa vaiheessa rupesi hiukan ottamaan pattiin.

Torstaina sitten vihdoin paastiin itse asiaan -rannalle. Siella ensin turvaohjeet, alkulammittelyt, pikaiset kuivaharjoittelut ja ei kun aaltoja pain! Saa oli  (kuten kuvistakin nakyy) melko pilvinen ja satoikin valilla, mutta kastumaanhan me tultiin kuitenkin. Ja niinhan me kastuttiin. Hauskaa oli, kerran tai pari onnistuin seisomaankin surffilaudan paalla. Vaikein osuus oli paasta seisaalleen, sitten oli jo helpompaa pitaa tasapaino. Kovin montaa sormea ei tarvita laskettaessa surffilaudalla seisten viettamiani sekunteja, mutta tarkeintahan oli hauskanpito. Kiva bonus oli lounastauolla bongatut delffiinit, jotka polskivat ohi.

Perjantai koitti, enka malttanut odottaa surffaamista. Asiaa ei yhtaan auttanut, ettei 9.30 nakynyt bussista jalkeakaan, vaikka meidan olisi pitanyt olla sen sisalla matkalla rannalle. Minun lisaksi paikalla oli pari tyttoa. Sara ja Jade. He olivat soittamassa Mojosurffille kun saavuin paikalle. Tytot kertoivat minulle, etta bussi on hajonnut. Parin tunnin paasta sita voisi sitten odottaa saapuvaksi. Eipa tehnyt mieli hurrata kylla siina vaiheessa.

Tehtiin sitten Saran ja Jaden kanssa parhaamme, mita siina tilanteessa voitiin, tutustuttiin ja kahviteltiin. Vahan tankattiin ranskiksiakin kun lounasaika koitti ennen kuin paastiin matkaan. Kun bussi viimein saapui ja paastiin veteen, kaikki oli hyvin ja tuntui jopa odotuksen arvoiselta. Pysyin vahan paremmin pystyssakin. Mojosurff hyvitti turhan odotuksen kaikille antamalla yhden paivan ilmaiset kuvat. Kiitosta viela firmalle joustavuudesta, etta antoivat minulle ekan paivani kuvat ilmaiseksi, silla ekana paivana minusta oli paljon enemman kuvia.

 Tahdon surffata toistekin! :)