Days 2 & 3

Day 2

I spent much of Wenesday hanging out with the little ones I'm looking after.  I took the older one to the park and we watched marimba players and seagulls (which we discovered do indeed look a lot like airplanes in the eyes of a two year old), and I lifted him up into the air after saying "3-2-1 blastoff" over and over again (built in work out).  Later on I went on a walk with the youngest.  I received a ridiculous amount of attention walking around with an adorable baby strapped to my front.  Granted I couldn't understand what anyone was saying but I could tell it had something to do with how cute she was.  

Day 3: Best day yet!

The jet lag is finally wearing off for everyone which is making life as a nanny very enjoyable.  Having a very sweet baby fall asleep on you 2-3 times a day is pretty much one of the best things ever.  As a result of everyone having more energy we were able to venture out to the harbor and the farmer's market.  The weather was gorgeous as the sun was shining but there was still a lovely cool sea breeze.  I tried some of the best strawberries of my life as we meandered through orange tented stalls.  It didn't seem long before it was time to head back to the apartment. 

After putting the baby down for a nap I ventured back out into Helsinki.  I took a rather long walk to the Sibelius Monument near the sea in yet another direction.  The monument was incredibly interesting to photograph despite the crowds of tourists who came not long after I arrived. 

It soon began to rain so I escaped into a cafe nearby called Cafe Regatta.  It is known for its cinnamon buns so of course I had to try one.  It was a perfect way to sit out the rain because it was cozy and full of locals inside.  I sat soaking in the language and drinking hot cocoa even though I couldn't understand anything. 

When the rain finally stopped I began hurrying back as I had already taken more time out than I had planned.  I headed back a slightly different way than I had before which looked like it might be quicker based on my map.  What happened next can only be described as an immensely happy accident.  All of a sudden amidst my haste I stopped at a small shop window with some truly stunning artwork inside.  (It's difficult to see the vibrant colors from the picture below)

I thought about moving on but decided I should go in for a closer look.  I must have sort of burst through the door out of excitement because a man came out from behind the curtain and said "I love how you confidently barged your way in here.  Most people sort of peek in very timidly."  He animatedly explained he was from the UK and gave me a very thorough explanation of the artwork done by his business partner, who is from Finland.  

In her master's program the artist re-created an old British game based on moral lessons for raising children but did so in a way which pushes people to think about stereotypes as the card game's artwork uses little to no color.  She is using art to approach the topic of diversity, in all aspects, but particularly as it relates to race.  The man, which if I remember correctly whose name was Robert, continued to explain another thought provoking game she had re-created and the rest of her work.  

The whole conversation he took time not only to tell me about his UK perspective and his experience with Finnish culture but he was also interested in hearing my American perspective.  He was quite clearly more thoroughly educated on global issues than I but was still eager to hear my young opinion.  When I was perhaps a bit critical of my country's issues with race he told me he sees hope in my generation.  When I explained I was a bit nervous approaching people here without knowing any of the Finnish language he told me "Be confident!" because English has a powerful way of describing things which is not always present in other languages.  He also said though people may be timid to use English here most everyone knows it, which I have since found very true.  After nearly an hour of thought provoking conversation I decided I really should be on my way.  Before I left the shop I asked if he would take a selfie with me.  He said, "ohhh I never take selfies." But he did oblige.

You can see the artist's work at this website: www.reettahiltunen.com

I spent the rest of the afternoon hanging out on the floor with the baby.  However, after dinner and bathtime I headed out one more time and made it to the beach. Even though it was nearly 9 when I got there the sun had not yet set and people were out playing volleyball.  There were unusual looking birds in and near the water.  They didn't scatter like ducks or geese as I walked by but sat peacefully.  The water was warm and I sat on a rock and enjoyed the evening sunlight before finally going home for the night. 

I'm sure more adventures are on the way!  Check back for more later.

First Impressions of Finland & How I Got Here

Last Wednesday I was watching a movie with my dad late one night.  I had been sitting on the couch contemplating exactly how I might spend the rest of my free time this summer when my good friend texted me to ask if I was interested in going to Finland on Sunday.  I replied "Yes!" within a few seconds of reading the text.  Then, I figured I should probably think about this more logically and ask some questions (mostly to make my mother happy).  The opportunity was essentially a traveling nanny position.  I would be helping take care of two small children while this family joined their father on a business trip to Finland.  Let me tell you, traveling with an infant and a toddler internationally is not for the faint of heart.  However, after two plane rides, an overwhelmingly long layover, a cramped car ride (my not so small bottom managed to squish in between two car seats in the back of a not so large European car somehow), and a wretched day of jet lag we survived.  

So here I am in Finland a handful of days after first hearing about this opportunity.  After a fairly relaxing and calm day full of watching Curious George, bathtime, and making lots of silly faces, I got to explore Helsinki for the first time tonight.  It stays light until nearly 11pm here so even though I didn't leave until 8, I still had some time to get out and see things.  

When I first stepped out onto the street I immediately heard seagulls calling out above me.  The streets of Helsinki have an antiquity about them despite the modernity of the city.  However, unlike the romantically messy and falling apart antiquity of Rome, Helsinki's antiquity is polished and regal.  The cobblestone streets while orderly, are full of trolley tracks winding up and around the city.  The colorful old buildings and the picturesque streets seemed to beckon me along urging me to explore further.  I discovered a beautiful park full of wonderful statues, a wharf with a beautifully intricate ship bobbing along, and bicycles parked along and in front of everything. 

In my wanderings I stumbled upon a massive building with enormously steep stairs.  It looked like a cathedral but I wasn't sure so I ran up the stairs to find out.  More so than the stairs the view from the top took my breath away.  In front of the doors there was a sign posted which read "This is a house of prayer and silence." This description struck me as interesting as it did not mention any particular religion (at least not in English).  There was a rather intimidating handle on the pair of heavy looking doors which I pulled as gently as I could so as not to disturb the silence I was sure to find.  Inside were towering undecorated domes, an ornate silver and gold organ, honorary statues of Martin Luther and his contemporaries, and a beautiful altarpiece.  The only sounds to be heard were the hushed foreign whispers of cathedral guides full of unfamiliar slips and slides of language echoing in the peaceful silence.  The whispers seemed to belong to the quiet but any other noise felt out of place.  It made me very intentional about my movements within the space.  I sat and prayed for awhile before signing the guest book and reading the brochure which had been translated into at least ten languages.  I learned that about 80% of people in Finland are Lutheran.  By the time I left the cathedral it was getting chilly and finally starting to get a bit darker so I decided to meander back towards our apartment.  

As I was carefully reading the directions and pictures I had put into my phone because I am notorious for being horrible with directions I also did some serious people watching.  I even came upon some musicians who were passionately playing popular tunes on marimba looking instruments.  Not far from there I found an ATM, which is always a good thing to locate when exploring a new country and a cafe still open.  I ordered a cappuccino and sat outside watching a bit of sunset peak through the overcast evening before finally going home for the night.  

As I sit here now reflecting on just a few short hours of experiences I am filled with wonder.  What are the strange ticking boxes on traffic lights for?  How is the traffic always so calm?  Why does everyone but me look relatively bundled up for cold weather? I can't wait to discover more questions as more adventures await. 

Check back for more stories later and in the meantime, check out this awesome song which just so happens to be called Helsinki.  

http://youtu.be/k0SU1gX_aas