Spring

En muistanut kevään olevan niin värikäs. En välttämättä koskaan ole edes nähnyt näin värikästä kevättä. Suomessa keväästä kertoo pajunkissat, sitten tulevat puiden pienet hiirenkorvat. Täällä taas tuntuu, että minut on pudotettu keskelle syksyn ruskaa.

Matkallani kotiin päin, näin paljon keltaista. En tiedä, mikä kasvi se on, mutta sitä on kaikkialla. Se hurmaa useimmilla pihoilla. Teiden varsilla. Valkoista on myös ympäriinsä. Puskat hohtavat valkoisissa kukissaan. Pidemmällä näkyy punaisen eri sävyjä. En ymmärrä. Miten maailma on yhtäkkiä niin täynnä väriä?

Aurinko lämmittää ja maalaa kaiken kultaiseksi. Se huutaa "tule ulos leikkimään", mutta aurinko on huijari. Kylmä tuuli muistuttaa, ettei vielä ole kesä. Se heittää mekon korviin ja kylmyys menee luihin asti. En osaa pukeutua tähän säähän.

Nurmikko on jo aivan vihreä ja lähes kaikissa puissa pieniä lehtiä. Kevät on niin hemmetin kaunis. Maailma on niin hemmetin kaunis.

Kunpa olisit täällä kanssani jakamassa tämän väriloiston.
--------------------------------------------------------------------
I failed to remember that spring was so full of colour. Haven't necessarily ever seen such a colourful Spring. In Finland, signs of Spring are catkins, after which leaves start to sprout in the trees. Here in Poland, it feels as if I've been deployed in the middle of Autumn and its foliage.

On my way home, I saw a lot of yellow. I do not know the plant, but it is everywhere. Enchanting in the gardens. On the side of the roads. White is also all around. Bushes glowing with their white flowers. In the distance, you see different shades of red. I cannot comprehend. How is the world suddenly so rich in colour?

Warmth of the Sun paints everything in gold. It cries "come out and play", but the Sun is a charlatan. The cold breeze reminds you it is still no Summer. It blows the skirt to your ears and the coldness strikes to your very core. I don't know how to dress for this weather.

The grass is entirely green and nearly every tree filled with small leaves. Spring is so damn beautiful. The world is so damn beautiful.

Wish you were here with me, to share these colours and their glory.

English translation by Riki. 

House full of people.

Jumittunut käsikoru ja järjetöntä naurua. Mitä jos kukaan ei olisi ollut kotona? Olisin varmaan maannut sohvalla jumissa, kunnes ensimmäinen pojista saapuu kotiin. Miten selkä voikaan olla niin jumissa, ettei kykene koskettamaan toista kylkeään? Kävely sattuu ja treenit ovat tauolla. Liikunta on rajoittunut kevyisiin kyykkyihin ja kävelyyn. Lenkkareilla. Kaikkialla vain ja ainoastaan lenkkareilla. Peilikuva muistuttaa Koreasta ja se huvittaa.

Talo täynnä ihmisiä. Rakkaita, ihania ihmisiä, jotka hymyilet rakastavasti. Humaltuneita keskusteluja, paljon halauksia ja tanssimista. Puolet heistä ei kuitenkaan kuulu kuvaan. Heidät on leikattu ja liimattu väärään kohtaan. He ovat osa jotakin, joka ei vielä ole minä. He ovat kotonani, joka ei vielä tunnu kodilta.

Minulla on oma sänky, oma vaatekaappi ja oma pieni nurkkaukseni. Tämä on koti, johon en ole vielä pesiytynyt kunnolla. On huomattavasti helpompaa rakentaa arki yhdessä toisen kanssa, kuin astua sisään toisten arkeen. Onneksi he kuitenkin yrittävät.
----------------------------------------------------------------
Bracelet stuck and uncontrollable laughter. What if no one would have been home? I would probably have been lying in the couch until one of the guys comes home. How is it possible that your back is so stiff you cannot even touch your left rib? Walking hurts and I'm having a break from exercise. All my moving has been limited to walking and light squats. With running shoes. Everywhere and only with running shoes. My reflection reminds me of Korea and I smile.

House full of people. Lovely people who smile at me with love. Drunken conversations, lots of hugs and dancing. Half the people do not fit the picture. They have been copy-pasted to the wrong place. They are part of something which is not me. Yet. They are in my house that does not feel like home.

I have my own bed, my own wardrobe and my own special corner. This is a home where I have not nested properly. It is much easier to build a life together with someone, rather than step inside of someone else's life. Luckily they try.

Little Master of Disaster is back.

I arrived few days ago and as always when moving to new place, I immediately had my nesting period. I have been making my new place to feel like home. I have reorganized kitchen cabinets, bought boxes to put my stuff in and some other stuff for home. I spend over 500 zlotys in IKEA. Finally I have my own corner of magic.

Last year I lived with my awesome roommate Annica in two bedroom apartment quite close to work (2 stops with train). We had amazing apartment which you can check here. This time I am living with three colleagues, Alex, Riki and Carl. Finally having my commune I have always dreamed of. All of the guys have their own rooms and I have own corner next to kitchen. I might make a video about this apartment later when it is clean and ready.

So what have I done during these past days?
I opened Polish bank account and it took only like 30 minutes. Registered my prepaid sim card from last summer and topped it up. I bought bigger trash can, cheese grater, new pans, scissors, dirty laundry baskets, new chopping boards.. I also started to grow basil and chives, hopefully they stay alive. And I also had Uber which end up having flat tire. Apparently Poland, me and cars don't mix up well.

I also found out there is one approval missing from my contract which means I didn't start working today. We will see when I really start!

Next adventure.

I think now it's time to announce the news.
I will be going to Poland again in 10 days. I finally got my flight tickets and my next adventure is starting soon.

And it also means that this blog will be updated again! Welcome back.

Creating a new me. / Kuinka Puola kasvattaa. Part 2

After I came back to Finland I felt two completely different things: belonging here and totally not belonging. Last time it felt like I have been dropped into middle of  the play, but no one remembered to tell me the lines. This time, I felt misplaced, but I had the lines. I have found the words.

I never thought I would fall in love with Gdansk, but lately I have been missing my other home. I miss Poland. I miss working at IT Service Desk, I miss the amazing sushi in Fusion Sushi. But most of all - I miss my awesome team and my international family.

"You can leave us physically, but not mentally." Having shots remotely with my guardian angels ! #shots #missyou #fridaynight #traditions

Kuva, jonka Mira Järvenpää (@mirraje) julkaisi 28. 10ta 2016 klo 11.58 PDT

Finnish version of sushi

I also miss Korea. I miss bibimbap, amazing parties. Long talks and nights out. I miss the tradition of eating together, flavored soju and the habit of pouring for other before yourself. I miss cat cafes and easy metro system.

Oh, the happiness! I'm so gonna go there again.. #cat #catcafe #happy #ilovemylife #purehappiness #exchangestudent #korea

Kuva, jonka Mira Järvenpää (@mirraje) julkaisi 14. 09ta 2015 klo 9.52 PDT

I miss almost every places I have been. I believe it's because part of me is still there. I belong nowhere and everywhere. It is a great privilege in this small planet. Re-launching yourself after coming home isn't easy. It is a long process, you could even say endless process. Life isn't finding yourself, it's creating yourself. Every new experience shapes you and makes you a newer version of you.

For me Small Planet Studio has been a great help with coping with the changes and the emotions. I believe I will be able to create the perfect life for me. That global life I want so badly. One step of it is visiting my other home in one month.