Looking Back...

Do you ever feel like time runs too fast? Like you just keep running from one place to another and don't even have time to think? I sure do. For the past few months. Hence my looong blogging silence...

Getting to the point I wanted to talk about today; evaluation of your goals.

For me it's important to stop from time to time, consider my goals and evaluate whether I'm going in the direction I want or not. So, looking back, I've been in Germany for 9 months now. So far I've done an internship and gotten a job in the field I wanted, which was my goal and biggest reason for moving to Berlin. I'm doing things I've never done before and learning a lot - which is amazing. I live by the belief that you should never stop learning new things, whatever they may be, sports, languages, etc., which leads me to my next target: fluent German.

Back in Finland I studied German in school for 8 years but going to university I decided to give it up for Spanish instead. A few months after coming here I decided to really work towards this goal and registered for night classes in German. Somehow with a lot of luck (and a good head for languages I guess), I made it into a B2.2 course - which kind of changed my life here. Besides learning German, I met amazing amazing people and had so much fun...

After the course finished,  I was weighing my options whether or not to do the next one. After all, 3 hours of intense German classes twice a week after work is quite a lot. However, after some consideration and talking with a few classmates I decided to go ahead and do it - after all, stopping at this point would have been a waste.

So, now I'm working my way through a C1.1 course, which is a whole lot more challenging and I actually have to put quite a lot more effort into it. As I mentioned earlier, I happen to learn languages quite fast but it only helps you until a certain point, then you really have to work for it and that's where I am now... But I am very slowly but surely working towards my goal!

Also, not to make it too easy on myself I'm casually trying to retrieve my rusty Spanish on the side... You gotta have some challenges in life to make it interesting, am I right?! ;)

Have a great weekend everyone! 
xx

Homesickness.

Homesickness.

Something that normally doesn't affect me that much really got me a while back. I've been in Berlin for over six months now and until a few weeks ago I wasn't home sick at all, quite on the contrary.

It hit me a few weeks ago when I took a weekend trip back home to pack up my beautiful apartment and surprise my friend for her bachelorette party. The weekend was great, I saw old friends, old collegues (yes, I went to have lunch at my old office...) and my family - for once we were all in the same country at once which doesn't happen so often!

On a side note, I love Scandinavian, minimalist homes with black and white, just in case you can't tell... ;) 

And the theme of the party was 80's aerobics. Seems like stating the obvious again! We were quite a sight, 20+ girls straight out of an 80's home aerobics video wandering around Helsinki with a jukebox...

Getting back to the point - returning home to Berlin on early Monday morning turned out to be tougher than I thought. First of all, busses and u-bahn's were late and I was running to get to work early. Returning home there were a few set-backs and I was emotionally and physically exhausted, missing Finland and most of all my people there.

Although I haven't been in Berlin THAT long yet, I've met really great people and made some very close friends. But I also have awesome people who I really love back home and going back made me think of them more than ever. Also, since I was in Helsinki only for the weekend, which was fully booked, I didn't get to see any friends from different cities.

But back in Berlin, for the first time since I came, I felt lonely, just empty. Like all 'my people' were back home. Which was not true at all, since I have found people in Berlin who I really care about - but of course I wasn't able to concentrate on that.

After a week of making myself - and some others around me miserable, I decided that it had to stop. I'm usually a happy person and feeling down all the time was killing me. Realizing the difference between what I could control - what I concentrate my energy on - and what I couldn't - not having my family and my old friends in Berlin - brought me back to reality. I could concentrate on the present again and make the best out of my time and I did.

It's been about a month now since then - no more serious homesickness, although I do miss people back home. But it's more about remembering the good times and looking forward to more good times to come.

Now, with the summer - new challenges - new experiences - I'm just super happy. It took a case of homesickness to see that - but now it's cristal clear.

Great weekend everyone!
xx

Spring, where are you?!

I want to share something with you that I've learned about the spring in Berlin. 

"April, April - der macht was er will."

Translation - April does what it wants. In regards to the weather. And oh, is this true or what.

The weather was incredible the first week of April, temperatures soared up to 20°C and the sun was shining! Just like the Finnish summer! (When it's nice, I mean.) But sure enough the tables turned and the weather was right back to pretty s****, which lasted for a while, with rain, thunder, the works. And this Monday?

Snow.

Well, they say summer is just around the corner.

They say.

But I'm not complaining, could always be worse! At least we're seeing the light at the end of the tunnel that is the cold, weary, dark winter time, that lasts WAY too long every year. Can you tell that I'm a summer kid? ;)

Besides, everybody keeps telling me about summer in Berlin. No matter who I ask, it's supposed to be THE. Best. Thing. Ever. Well, I guess I'll just have to wait and see for myself...

I love the summer in Helsinki and I think it's (obviously) the best time to be in Helsinki since everything is green, everybody is outside and the sun is shining. Since the Finnish summer is an inspiration for all Finland jokes due to being so short (which it is) and cold (actually not unless you're really, really unlucky), us Finns have an unstoppable urge to be outside when the sun is out. Like the urge is so strong that you feel guilty for staying inside!

And just to give you an idea of what I mean;

http://www.memecenter.com/fun/3448651/summer-in-finland-is-disaster

https://cdn.meme.am/instances/62896264.jpg

Feeling an urge to visit Finland yet? You should!

However, recently I've noticed that Berliners are not so different - once the sun is out the streets are full, no matter how cold it is. Kind of feels like home. :)

Well, I don't know about you, but I'm SO ready for the summer!

Reconnecting with My Roots

I enjoy living abroad, encountering new experiences, learning new languages and meeting new people with interesting stories. However, sometimes I do get a little home sick and I want to talk Finnish and connect with Finnish people. You know, sometimes it's just fun to share your expat experiences and compare stories of culture shocks that you have encountered in the new country with people who know how things work back home.

Recently I discovered a perfect fix for the homesickness; Populus Café in Neukölln. It's owned by Finns and the best thing; you get to order in Finnish! And also chat with fellow Finns!

But oh my God... Talking at least two languages on a daily basis that are not Finnish and then trying to switch to my native language... Whoa... Not talking it for so long, my speech started out so slow, I forgot words... So embarrassing. Like trying to learn a new language again!

So, I guess the only solution is to go there more often. ;)

Also because the coffee is good and their filled sandwiches - absolutely delicious! 

Culture Shocks - Part 2

In January, shortly after moving here I wrote about culture shocks I've experienced here in Berlin. After writing the post I've encountered a few other interesting things that I'd like to share with you.

Women's parking

Spoiler alert, this is brilliant!

The other night when I once again hitched a ride to figure skating training from a friend, I noticed that the skating rink had a couple of parking spots for 'Ladies' parking. What, separate parking spots just for women? How are they different from normal ones, wider so we can actually hit them?! As you know, women drivers and all... Which I strongly disagree with!

But these spots are actually a great invention! They are always located near the entrance minimizing walking distance to increase safety and be convenient in case you are carrying heavy shopping bags, etc. I can totally understand minimizing the distance for safety since this particular rink is located in a little bit of an isolated, industrial area with very little traffic and a lot of dark, scary corners. Way to go Germany!

Feierabend

Which translates directly into 'party night'. But Germans have Feierabend every night after work?! I haven't see THAT many people drunk on the streets on a given week night... However, I discovered that this is just a term for the night after work.

I just wish someone would tell that to the crazy drunk outside our building every night...

GIANT Pillows

As I might have mentioned before, I've previously worked with home decór and am quite passionate about it... Being familiar with the standard bedlinen sizes in Finland and Eastern Europe, I was shocked to see the size of the pillows people have here!

Compared to the standard size of 50x60cm I'm used to, it seems crazy that the pillows here are usually 80x80cm... I mean how big are your heads?!

However I do have to admit they are quite comfortable for just laying around in bed (which I rarely do, if a few Sundays don't count) but for sleeping I prefer a pillow that fits my head, NOT my whole body!

Radio in the Bathroom

A while back I noticed a radio in the bathroom. Okay, someone might be storing the radio there because there is no room anywhere else? No, actually turns out people actually use it. I mean, if you shower for 10 minutes in the morning do you really need music?

Apparently yes. I hear it saves time if you listen to the news while you shower. Hmm.

But it's cool I guess, properly waking up in the shower while listening to your favorite beats. I just need to get a tutorial from someone on how to connect it to my Spotify account so I can blast Särre's Hesan naiset for a throwback to last summer.

And after having written this I'm sure nobody will show me how it works just to be spared of having to wake up to Finnish music... :D

Well, that's about everything that comes to mind right now, although it seems like I do encounter funny situations on a daily basis!

On a slightly unrelated note, one thing (among many others) I absolutely love here, that you don't see much of where I come from, is the street art. The quality, the variety and the amount is amazing! You see something on almost every corner and they are real works of art usually.

Till next time! 

Change of Scenery for Easter

So I am finally feeling alive after the exhausting day yesterday. Somehow travelling really did a number on me; I was feeling dizzy all night... But anyways, I am now home in Switzerland and spending Easter here with family.

Well, this morning, to balance out all the Easter eggs I (already ate and) will be eating, I decided to go for a run and I have to say I definitely prefer running in Berlin. I mean here you have more nature and fresher air BUT in Berlin you can go for miles before finding the tiniest hill. Bern is a liiiitle different. And by a little I mean you're lucky if you have straight ground. So needless to say, it was a little bit of a struggle but I'm happy I made it through. Alive. Mostly.

Funny thing I've noticed here, passing total strangers on the street, they wish you good morning?! Yup, I'm definitely not in Berlin anymore... Bern has a really cute, cozy, small town feeling to it, which is nice to have once in a while.

But let's talk a little about prices here in Switzerland. After arriving here yesterday, we grabbed lunch to take away from my favorite veggie place here; Tibits. If it was Berlin, two normal sized lunch portions from the buffet could have maybe cost 15-20€ in total. But here, they amounted to 40€. Fourty. FOURTY Euros. Take away lunch from not even a fancy but a quite normal restaurant.

Yeah. Welcome to Switzerland!

I mean don't get me wrong I'm not complaining at all, Switzerland is an incredibly beautiful country and I love it here! I'm just trying to remember to hold on to my seat when I get the restaurant bill...

And talking about expensive, today we took a trip to Gstaad, which is a popular resort where the, let's say the more well-off, and the jet set like to spend their vacations. Apparently Elizabeth Taylor went there. And sponsored an artsy fountain.

This tiny, tiny town was really one of a kind, with only a couple of streets but despite the size, still had all the luxury brand shops like Louis Vuitton and Hermes. Have you ever even seen anybody in a Louis Vuitton shop, except for the security and the sales personnel? I haven't. But in Gstaad the shop was full. Like so full you couldn't fit in there. And it was a big shop. So I take it this is not going to be my Top 1 ski destination on a budget...

And yeah, umbrella weather. Here's to hoping tomorrow's forecast will hold and it won't rain!

Happy Easter!

Stereotypes about Finns

Since I had fun sharing the culture shocks I've encountered here in Berlin, I thought I would also share some stereotypes of Finnish people that I've encountered here in Berlin. Crazy to think that I've been here over two months already! Time flies when you're having fun, right? ;) Well, here it goes!

1. Does the snow ever melt?! 

Well, the number one thing people wonder about is if it's ever warm in Finland. I usually tell them no, if we're lucky the snow will melt for July. I guess this is what we get for being known for snow and cold winters.

But on a serious note, yes, the snow does melt. Usually. The summers, especially in Helsinki, are pretty great and it can get really hot, around 30 degrees if you're lucky.

It's funny how people expect that coming from such a cold country I won't mind the cold in Germany. Quite the opposite though; although it can get much, much colder in Finland, we have excellent insulation when it comes to housing and it's actually warm inside. Kind of necessary for survival when the temperatures can dip to -30 (or more in the north)... Here though, with so many old and sometimes not so recently renovated houses, the heating and insulation is not always on point. Case in point, the window in my room only has a single glass, so when it's cold outside, it's cold inside. Also, as I mentioned in January when I got here, the cold is different as it's more humid here, it just goes all the way to your bones...

2. Finnish people are quiet

The thing you should know about us Finns, we might be considered quiet, sometimes even socially awkward but this has all to do with our culture. We simply don't have the concept of small talk. Like, we don't talk pleasantries. We just don't. This cartoon pretty much sums up our ability of small talk. So if we have nothing 'real' to say, we don't say anything at all. So, if you ever manage to get a Finn to talk, you better be ready for a real conversation!

This one is partly true, I mean our culture is what it is but with more international influences and opportunities the younger generation is already shaking off this stereotype pretty well.

3. Finnish (and other Scandinavians) are good in English

This stereotype might actually be true, Finnish people do seem to talk pretty good English. Although they will deny it when confronted due to their (too) humble personality. One big reason for this is probably that we don't dub anything on TV, we watch everything in the original language which usually is English.

4. Finnish people are into home decór

Yes. Big time. And now I'm talking also for myself. This probably goes for all Scandinavians as we are pretty famous for our minimalist home decór and do have some pretty great brands, including some of my favorites, the Finnish Balmuir and the Danish bynord. Also, I used to work in home decór purchasing for a big retailer, which kind of fed my love for design.

5. Polar bears as pets

When I met my German friend (who might have helped lure me to this amazing city I now call home) she asked me whether I had a polar bear as a pet. Since, you know, the north, snow, polar bears. All these things go together, right? She's still joking about this on a weekly, sometimes daily basis. I still don't know whether she was kidding the first time and at this point I'm not sure I want to know the truth... But to clear this up, no, no polar bears in Finland. Although they would make cute pets. A little hard to maintain though but cute nonetheless.

To fundamentally understand the exotic nature of us Finns, be sure to check out Finnish Nightmares! I guarantee that every single one of these is true!

So that's it for today, I will be back with more if (when) I encounter more beliefs of Finns!

Roommate Hunting

As I already mentioned in the Culture Shocks post a while ago, WG living (living with roommates) is a BIG thing here in Berlin. I myself share a flat with four other people, although the headcount is usually closer to 7, even 8 at times... :D But as life happens, people move on and move out and this is unfortunately the situation right now as one (+1) flat mate is moving out.

So, what do you do when someone moves out? Apparently, you host castings for a new roommate. Castings... Like casting actors for a movie, right...? Not being so familiar with this system yet, I decided to stick around and see what goes down at these events. But first I should give a little background into the whole search process itself though.

As you find yourself in a situation of having to find another roommate for the flat, the first thing you do is choose where you want to advertise your free room. There are a couple of different forums where this can be done, WG-Gesucht probably being the most popular. Then, you write up an ad, telling a little bit about the room and the WG as well as all the roommates to give possible applicants an idea of what kind of person the roommates are looking for. Photos are good to be included as well (at least I would like to get a glimpse first to see what I'm applying for). Applicants then respond to the ads via e-mail or phone and if they are lucky they get invited to castings.

For our castings the roommates had invited several people over at different times to talk to them 1 on 1 (more like 1 on 5) for a better chance of getting to know the person rather than having 10 applicants just browsing around trying to make small talk. All the applicants were of course given a tour of the apartment after which we sat down for coffee (I was forced to change to water after a few cups or I would have been up for 2 days straight...) and a little chat.

It was interesting to hear complete strangers tell their life stories over a cup of Joe in the hopes that this will be their new home. Never having had the chance to choose your roommates before, it was interesting to notice what kind of reactions the thought of living with different people brought up in me and what factors affected my opinion of whether I wanted to share an apartment with this person. As it turns out it can be really tough finding a good fit for the apartment and it might even take several castings to find the right one...

I've noticed that it's a tough market out there for people looking for rooms due to the sheer amount of other applicants, so when applying your application really has to stand out of the crowd somehow. A friend did a social experiment for fun while looking for a room; she made more 'official' applications and the same number of funny applications, just winging it. Can you guess which one got more invites to castings? ;)

However, I recently discovered a cool app that just might revolutionize the flat hunt by making it easier and more personal from the get-go. With flatts, WG search is done via video; people looking for a roommate post a video on the app and applicants apply for the room via video as well. Is there any better way to let your awesome personality shine through?! Just imagine how much time you can save when looking for a roommate by not having to go through all the e-mail applications and sometimes several castings to get an idea of the applicant? You can just browse through video applications in the comfort of your home, in your jammies (!!) and see which one could fit the best!

Pretty neat, huh? 

Culture Shocks

Even though Germany, also being a European country is quite similar to my home, Finland, there have been some situations that have left me speechless. Therefore I thought it would be fun to do a post about some culture shocks I have experienced here in Berlin.

So, here it goes!

Min/Bicycle as a Measurement of Distance

Since I arrived here, I've noticed that the most common way to measure distance in Berlin is in minutes by bicycle. Apparently driving a bike is THE best way to get around, although the public transportation seems to function perfectly well... I guess I will have to go bike shopping as soon as the weather gets warmer!

WG Living

I've discovered that Wohngemeinschaft or a 'Shared Flat' is the most common way to live among Berliners between ages 20-30. Coming from Finland where the only time I've had room mates is the time I studied in Tampere, it was a surprise that even people who have already entered the working life are living in WGs.

As there are different kinds of people, there are different styles of WG living as well. In some WGs the room mates are just that, room mates that you might bump into in the kitchen or on your way out the door. Most often though, flat mates will become your friends that you might enjoy cooking and a glass of wine with from time to time while still having a life and friends of your own outside the apartment.

Although living with four(!) flat mates was quite a change for me after living on my own in a one bedroom apartment, I do have to admit that I actually quite like this lifestyle. Having people around you and (almost) always someone to talk to and joke around with is pretty nice. And also the fact that my flat mates are pretty cool is a big plus. :)

Fire in the Kitchen

Okay, you are going to laugh at me for this one. I have never lived in a house with a gas stove. Or that uses mainly gas for heating. So, on my second day here I was sitting in the kitchen and I noticed a big box on the wall next to the stove. Out of nowhere, it started making noise and WHAT? A fire lit in there...?!

So there I was sitting in the kitchen looking at the fire wondering what the h*** was going on. I had to text my friend at work; 'Is it normal that there is a fire in the kitchen...?' To this day she likes to laugh at this one...

Payment

As it comes to paying, I've had some real learning to do. Back in Finland, I would never have any cash on me since you can pay for everything and everywhere with a card. Okay, well almost everywhere. In Berlin I've discovered that you need to have cash on you at all times. For instance at smaller grocery stores you CAN'T pay with a card for purchases under 5€. This I learned the hard way. I still get mini heart attacks from time to time (the other day at the Turkish grocery store) when I'm not sure they take cards and yet again I failed to remember to carry cash...

Also, as it turns out, Visa, one of the most common credit cards is not widely accepted here... Also learned this the hard way while trying to get a train ticket at the station.

No Makeup Makeup

I have noticed that a lot of girls here seem to be fans of the no makeup makeup. Either this or everybody just has perfect skin. For those not familiar with this, it's a very subtle makeup where you can't necessary tell if one is wearing any. Lately I've been pretty much rocking this look while running errands and well, running around the city!

Eco Living

As far as I can tell, observing as an outsider, I have noted that people here make more ecological choices e.g. taking your own canvas bags to the super market instead of buying the plastic bags (people do this in Finland as well but maaybe not to this extent). Also, recycling and making ecological choices in terms of purchasing food and clothing are big things as far as I can tell. There are Bio (organic) Supermarkets everywhere!

Upcycling, recycling materials into something of higher quality or value, also seems to be a dominant trend here as I ran into two upcycling stores within one walk around the district of Prenzlauer Berg.

Vegan Movement

The Vegan Movement has increased its popularity in Finland, especially Helsinki but here it's on a totally different scale. There are a lot of vegan restaurants around and vegan choices are also often mentioned in the menus at other non-vegan restaurants.

Hausschuhe

Or house shoes. So shoes, slippers, any piece of footwear you wear inside. Not all Germans have grown up with house shoes though but from what I have seen and experienced here and also from living abroad before, they are popular.

Krass!

Popular among younger people, this short, quirky word still continues to puzzle me. The word has probably more meanings than a dictionary. It can mean something very, very good, cool, awesome or something very bad, awful and surprising and literally EVERYTHING in between. I'm still trying to figure out how to use this correctly in a sentence!























This is it so far, I will continue to observe the sometimes quirky habits of the Berliners and report back to you! Haha, I bet the habits of Finnish people are probably at least as weird to foreigners!

Tschau!

Monday's Colors

Since Mondays can be difficult and this time a year is pretty grey, I wanted to see some color today. So what's the best place to see lots of color in Berlin?

The East Side! And Kreuzberg, previously very popular among artists, hippies and immigrants. Walking around Kreuzberg was the perfect way to re-energize and take in the feel of the city.

Come to think of it, I wouldn't mind living in this neighorhood. ;)

Hope everyone is having a great day!

Daily Dose of Lost

I have a confession to make. I'm a bit of an exercise junkie.

Exercising is something that always puts me in a good mood no matter what. So if you happen to catch me in a VERY rare moment of cranky, you know why!

I like to get in some kind of exercise daily and lately I haven't been getting my daily dose due to not feeling my best. The thing that has kept is sane the past weeks are long walks. Which are actually a great way to get to know a new city as well!

Usually, my walks follow the pattern of; 'Oh look, cool building! Ohhh what a nice park, I'll take a look! Uuuh what a cute street, I'll walk down here!' And ending up in; 'Ummmm... Where am I and how did I get here...?'

Now, not having a German number yet means no Internet. So how do I find my way home, keeping in mind my terrible sense of direction? (You can spin me around twice and I will have no idea where I am...)

The answer is THE Best. App. Ever. MAPS.ME.

Perfect for people like me while travelling! The app was recommended to me by a friend and it has been a lifesaver, seriously. You can download the maps you need of specific cities when you are online and then use them when offline. And they are incredibly detailed, showing shops, restaurants, museums,... the more you zoom in.

Now, don't get me wrong, I think wandering the streets and getting lost is the best way to discover a new city BUT it's also nice to find your way home at some point!

I hope this helps any fellow travellers with not-so-good (awful) sense of direction! 

So What Now?

So, I've been here for a couple of days now... What have I been up to?

Well, drinking a whole lot of green tea with ginger and lemon since I've been feeling a little under the weather. It's been freezing outside and well, occasionally inside as well. But I guess I have it a lot better than my friend, who got her window broken during New Year's. Nice thing to come home to, someone having shot a firework through your window...

They say that Berlin feels like war during New Year's and well, I kind of believe that now. And the neighbor's window was apparently broken as well, so I guess it can't be a coincidence...

I've been walking around the neighborhood a lot and it's really beautiful with all the snow. I can't wait to get better and explore the rest of the city!

Just had to stop by the cutest bakery next door for a delicious latte (can't get enough of latte's)!

But now it's time to get back to business. ;)

Later!

Greetings from the North Pole!

Sorry for the long silence but it's been A LOT for the past couple of days! 

After spending an amazing long weekend in Barcelona filled with laughter, fun times and walking (oh, so much walking) at last I arrived to my (I guess you would say 'final') destination in Berlin on Sunday. I will do a post about my favorite spots in Barcelona later. ;)

Back to Sunday and Berlin, I was lucky enough to be picked up at the airport by my awesome friend. It's been a little challenging travelling around with my whole life (my arm is still sore from carrying my bags in the subway in Barcelona since they DID NOT have an elevator).  And it was SO freezing!! Must just feel worse after getting used to the warm(er) weather in Barcelona. After settling in to my new home (temporary as it may be) we freshened up a little and met some friends for dinner at this Asian place with the best food and the nicest waitress ever! There are so many good looking Asian places, I just want to try everything! 

So far I have been busy figuring my stuff out and today I took a little walk around the neighborhood and got some supplies from Tiger. You see a pattern going on here? I might like mint in home decór and other things... 

Well, it was horribly cold, I would say colder than in Finland but I heard it's been about -20ºC there, so I won't. Still, the cold felt different, like in New York one February when it goes straight to your bones and you just can't shake it off.

Crazy that is has only been three days but I really feel like home here already. :)

Later!