A new day coming! (Sunday 28.01.07)

I think the title of my writing is also a title of one of the Celine Dion's album. I hate her! Well, the flat I will move is owned by a two slovakian. The other lives next door with his canadian-french girl friend from Montreal. We had few beers yesterday evening for to celebrate that we wrote rental agreement. They seemed to very nice and I even tried some of my horrible french with them.

After having the beers I was waiting my trolley bus in Zilinsky. Three ugly girls belonging to a ethnic minorities came on to. To be honest I was a bit scared as they physically touched me and tried to examine my pockets. ”Massage” ”Where are you from?” ”Where are you going?” Who knows, they could even have knife in their pocket or then not. It could be also that they just had their fun of my expense. I had my 2 mobile phones, wallet and passport in them but because signing the rental agreement I have just passed by the deposit to my landlords. Luckily after five minutes me pushing them away and telling them to leave I had my peace.

Voimaa täynnä (Lauantai 27.01.07)

Eilisen lepuuttelun jälkeen oli mukava päästä vihdoinkin käsiksi kaupunkiin ja sosiaaliseen elämään töiden ulkopuolella. Kävin puistossa, jonka laidalla olevassa ”horaren:ssa” joimme teet emäntäni ja hänen tyttärensä kanssa. Sinne ajattelin viedä täällä vierailevat ystävänikin, kunhan kevät etenee ja luonto värjää itsensä vihreäksi. Pelailtiin kaikenlaisia sanapelejä kävellessämme.

Lupasin huomenna valmistaa suomalaisen aterian. Niinpä ryntäsin Tescoon ostamaan tykötarpeita. Inhoan kaupassa käyntiä ja etenkin ruokaostokset saattavat ajoittain aiheuttaa päänsärkyä. Bratislavan keskustan alakerran ruokapuoli lienee kamalin kauppa missä olen koskaan käynyt. Se on aina täynnä ihmisiä kuin suomalainen Citymarket, juuri ennen lanttulaatikon uuniin laittamista. Sen lisäksi käytäville ei mahdu kaksi ihmistä ostoskärryinensä kulkemaan rinnakkaan. Tällä kertaa en löytänyt jauhelihaa. N iinpä hermostoin ja päätin tehdä kana-herkkusieni kastikkeen pastalle ja kreikkalaisen salaatin. Näin siis jauhelihapullat ja pottumuusi jäivät etäiseksi haaveeksi. Se niistä suomalaisista erikoisuuksista ja minä kun olisin niin halunnut toimin Suomen ruokakulttuurin lähettiläänä. Kyllä minä vielä joskus näytän Tescolle ja teen ne lihapullat.

Today I am recharging myself (Friday 26.01.07)

Moving to another country is always tiresome. In the first days one would like to see everything but is usually obliged to do so many practical things. Buy new stuff, search one's way in new country, sending some documents and settling in is tiresome. That is because one know's that there is a whole new city for one to explore but all one can do is taking care these boring practical issues.

After work I came home. Took a nap. Spend some with my hosts. Went bed early and sleep late next day.

Huono omatunto (25.01.07)

Poden huonoa omaatuntoa...
....siitä, että työkaverini näkivät vaivaa löytääkseen majoituksen, jota en ottanut vastaan kuin viikoksi
....siitä, että majoittava yksinhuoltaja äiti ja hänen tyttärensä olivat kovin mukavia ja toivoivat minun jäävän
....siitä, etten pidä lapsista
....siitä, että vuokrasin asunnon, johon äärimmäisen harvalla slovakialaisella on varaa
....siitä, etten tiedä onko minullakaan siihen varaa
....siitä, että vuokraamani kämppä ei edistä paikallisten tapaamista
....siitä, että vuokraamani luukku ei edistä mahdollisuutta puhua slovakiaa asuintovereiden kanssa

-Miika-

First days in BA! (24th Jan 2007)

Finally I have arrived to Slovakia. I had great fun before that in Vienna before that thanks to Lisa and her mostly Finnish friends. Well, there were also few Austrians. I was lucky to have a chance to see Lisa before she'll leave to Mannheim in February to do her exchange studies.

First two days in Bratislava I did couchsurfing. It was awesome or actually my local host was great as anyone can be. He picked me up from the railway station, made me food, good coffee, showed the way to my work, answered to all my questions and finally give me a lift the place I'm staying now. Besides that he was working, had another couchsurfer from US, had flu and coughed quite a bit and was going to Italy within few days after my stay. I am so grateful.

At the moment I am living in boss's collegues flat. I will live here until the end of January. After that I hopefully find another solution -either flatshare or a studio. I have spend a whole day surfing in the internet and found nothing. I was offered that I can stay my whole stay in here but even though my room is great and location is good. My boss's collegue have a daughter and somewhat I feel awkward to come here late after some restaurant night.

In the work it had been at some point interesting and at some point quiet. On my third day we did a business trip to Vienna which was interesting. The office is located in a really nice spot in Stare Mesto close to many sightseeings and services. I share the office room with two collegues. Atmosphere in the officed seems to be good. It is not too uptight and my collegues are helpful and have also put some effort to find me a accommodation.

It seems that at the moment I have to go to internet cafes to use internet effectively. As I do not have connection at home and even though I have memory stick I can't move any files that I have done to my office computer as it is somewhat restricted. Of course using office computer to personal is a bit questionable anyway.

This week playlist: Nina Simone
Food: Sauerkraut aka Hapankaali

2 0 0 7

I decided to write in english for a change. Or it is already change to really write something to this blog. Within one week I'll be flying to Vienna from Helsinki. In Vienna I will meet one of my most beloved friends abroad, Lisa. I will definetely have a great weekend in Vienna under the guidance of Lisa. At least the last time almost two years ago with Marie and Lisa was really fabulous. there

Now I'm playing with my new and my first ever laptop. You know, always when one gets new electronics one finds an inner child. It's so much fun to download new programs and just to habituate fingers to these keyboards. I bought this mainly for finishing my still ongoing thesis-project and keep in touch while I'm abroad as it seems now that I'll spend my summer in Iceland doing my hopefully last summerjob there from May until the end of August.

I'm waiting my time in Slovakia. I have a chance to see many people "from the recent past". Ilka, Ildi, Liam, Lisa...Here I come! Maybe I'll do few new ones as well. Who knows! Of course it would have been nicer to leave from Finland after having more time to meet my Finnish friends, but luckily I can try to be this kind of virtual friend. :) LOL

Tomorrow I will see many friends as we are going to be part of the studio audience in live comedy called Läpiveto. I have seen only one episode of it from telly and it was only medium good but I hope that seeing actors live is such a situation that it hides some flaws instead of watching it from the square screen of television.

That's it for now!