Refinlandization

Very little activity in this category recently, I notice. In the last posting I had just got studded tires in my car. Well, at Easter it was time to change back to summer tires. Or all-season mud+snow tires as they officially are, at least in California. Back in January I also complained about the gas price of 1.06 euros per liter. Now it is 1.20 euros/l and rising. Fortunately I don't need to use car a lot, living very close to downtown and all its services, and a short walk from work.

Yes, Finland has turned green again. And I mean literally, not politically. Couple of weeks ago there was unusually warm period for that time of year. The temperature was at 25°C for several days and the nature took notice. Trees got leaves, grass got green and ladies got rid of unnecessary clothing. Finland in winter and summer is like two different countries, which I find very fascinating. Winter is not bad, but summer is definitely my favorite season. I never get tired of the overwhelming feeling of change when the summer takes over. Green trees everywhere, the smell of just mowed lawns, the singing of birds... Did I mention that green is one of my favorite colors?

Now I have studded tires under the car, and the lights comply with the European regulations. The car is not yet registered because of a VIN snafu, but more about that in the future.

Visiting a gas station is not a pleasant experience here. Gas costs currently about 1.06 euros per liter, which makes about $5 per gallon. Think about that, Americans, when you fill up your SUVs complaining about the terrible fuel prices of over $1.50 per gallon.

California has several problems, two of which are the air pollution and the budget deficit. Here, Arnold, let me give you a free advice for solving those particular problems: Increase the gas taxes. That will make people think about the fuel consumption of their cars and at the same time your state will get more tax revenue. And you won't need those complex average MPG regulations for car manufacturers.

Yes, I know it can never happen because it wouldn't please voters and corporations, which is more important for politicians than sensible and responsible decisions. How did they manage to do it in Europe?

After over two months, my car finally arrived in Finland. The car and everything inside seems to be intact. It was exciting to drive the car home from the shipping company's yard. American "all-season" tires aren't very good in this season. No traction at all.

To do: buy studded winter tires and wheels for them, install electric heaters for the engine and cabin, make sure that the engine coolant does not freeze in the temperatures possible in Finland (-40°C should do), get the car rust-protected, make the necessary changes in lights (parking lights in the front, fog light in the back).

This is the darkest time of the year, when the days are at their shortest. For example today the sunrise was at 9:44am and sunset at 3:04pm. In the last few weeks the weather was also very cloudy and foggy, and there was no snow, which made days even darker. The local newspaper reported one day that at noon there was something like 350 lux of light, while in the typical sunny autumn day there could be 50 000 lux.

Many people suffer from depression because of the lack of the daylight. I don't know I if suffer from that, but I have noticed that I tend to eat and sleep more. I crave for chocolate and anything with tons of calories.

This week there was a couple of sunny days, and some snowfall, so now it is much better. And in a couple of weeks the worst will be over and the days will start to get longer again.

Finnish people are the biggest coffee consumers in the world. We use about 11 kg of coffee per capita every year while the average in Europe is 5 kg. Ok, I don't contribute much to that, and only decaf, but the amount sounds unbelievable. Maybe it's the history, maybe we are still recovering from the coffee shortage in the second world war. Probably it is some sort of antidote to dark and cold winter.

Finnish coffee is stronger in taste than in most other countries. Especially compared to regular American coffee, which is like colored water compared to Finnish tar. Speaking of American coffee, Starbucks hasn't yet entered this corner of the world. But there are several Finnish or Scandinavian coffee shop chains grabbing the best spots, and people are increasingly paying the premium for their cappuccinos and lattes.

One drink expected to arrive in Europe next year is the bubble tea. Originally from Taiwan, I suppose, it is already very popular in California, especially among Asian-American girls. Unfortunately the population of Asian girls is not very big here, but I hope the bubble tea will make it here too.

I don't know how to watch TV any more. I used to have a ReplayTV which automatically recorded the shows I liked and I watched them whenever I had time. Now I still turn on the TV when I have time, but the shows I like are usually on at some other time. ReplayTV freed me from the schedule of the TV shows, and I don't want to fall back there any more.

Most of the popular American sitcoms and dramas are shown here too, for example Friends, Simpsons, Alias, 24, the Osbournes, to name a few. HBO shows, like the Sopranos, Six Feet Under and Sex and the City, are shown on the network TV, free and uncensored (as if there was something to censor in those).

Just recently they started showing Joe Millionaire (the first one). And as if that was not enough, there will be a Finnish version of it next spring. Oh, mercy.

Total darkness outside. I look through the bus window and all I see is my own reflection, my weary face looking back to me. After thirteen hours on plane and eight hours on airports, I'm now reaching the end of this journey. After four and half years I'm reaching the end of one phase in my life. But I'm too tired to think more about it.

The last couple of hours in my empty apartment were really miserable. I thought about the people I will miss and things I should have done. I walked around, opening doors and checking that I haven't forgot anything. And then I did it again. Fortunately I found something else to do, in the fridge. In a locker there I found an onion, and below the locker there was a huge stain of some gooey substance. I don't know what it was, but it didn't smell good. Cleaning it was a welcome distraction.

It's 1:10 AM when we reach Tampere, my home town and the final destination. While waiting for a taxi at the bus station, a drunken guy tells me that I look weary, asks where I'm coming from and leaves. Now this is Finland.

It feels weird to not give tip to the taxi driver. And yet he carries my bags to the front door at my parent's place. The key is hidden in the front porch.

Inside, I'm already eating rye bread when my parents come downstairs to welcome me. I haven't yet absorbed that I'm here permanently, that I don't have a return ticket in two weeks. It will take a long time.