Archive for January, 2008

First Week in Helsinki

Tuesday, January 15th, 2008

My first week in Helsinki sees the gradual dissipation of the beginnings-panic. I have pretty much settled in, although th bulk of my belongings still sit in Tampere waiting to get hauled here. I have some cashflow problems because I didn’t supply my tax-card in time. That was 60% off my salary which was already only 3/4 of a pay since I started the 7th. My rent lease, however, began in 1. January. And I have to pay for the move as well… When I’m done with moving, I have to start thinking about how to buy more stuff into my illustrious apartment, currently all I have is a sofa (which unfolds into a bed) and a small self-made table.

No fear! I’ll manage. I’ll be spending one week in Riga as a part of my training, which should be interesting. I’m expecting conflicting schedules, missed dead-lines, un-announced meetings you need to attend to and so on. Just like in reality!

I’m almost done with adjusting to my new sleep schedule. I have found a working cycle-route to and fro my workplace (which is subject to change in few weeks) . The very nice aspect of all this is that the days are rapidly getting longer and temperature has been generally temperate.

First Day in Helsinki

Saturday, January 5th, 2008

My new life in Helsinki begins humbly. The bulk of my belongings still wait in Tampere to be moved. I took only what I could carry. That means sleeping on the floor and every now and then wondering why didn’t I bring this-and-that -thing with me.

I’m writing this in a cafe, it will be weeks before I get net connection to home. Money will be short for awhile too, so I have to resist all the urges that this city offers… I live in Kallio, a somewhat infamous former, now retiring working class homestead. It has slightly rowdy reputation, there are sex shops in every corner and if your thai-muscles ache you can get limbered up in several thai-massage-parlor. One of the streets even had a sign saying it was under polices technical supervision. I feel safer already.

I like the way Kallio looks though, it has that kind of charm that a place that has been as urban as you can get in Finland for closer to 70 years. My apartment is in one of those 70 year old buildings, it has plank floors and a very well equiped kitchen. If I ever come to possess more than one plate, I never have to wash it myself!