Before I forgot...First of all:HAPPY EASTER to everybody who celebrates it! God bless you all!!!!
First of all, we've got the return tickets to Indonesia. YAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYY!!!!!
Then I bought something from Huuto.Net (a kind of Finnish ebay). The seller sent it as a package which status I could check online. After days checking the status online, nothing changed. Suspicious, I told Arttu about it and he told me to go to the PO to check it out since the package was supposed to come in two days already. So I went there and they couldn't find it!!!!!!!!!! I contacted the seller (I had to practise my written Finnish as she's Finnish) and told her that I couldn't give her any feedback yet since I hadn't gotten the package yet. She was REALLY nice and she described the packaging she used (starry gift paper).
The PO guy told me to come again the next day and he'd try to find it. I asked Arttu to go there since if they did find it, the package would be 2.1 kgs. When I got back home, the package was there already. I asked Arttu if they had found it already when he got there, but he said he had to describe the packaging before they could find it. Apparently one of the guys who took the package to this PO forgot to register it online when it arrived. I'm SO glad that the seller used a special gift paper so that it was easy for the PO worker to find it HE HE HE HE HE...I'm SO glad the package was found!!!
Then the other day I also went to a new flea market and found a VERY friendly old Finnish guy. He started asking me questions and I could answer his questions. It was good practise even though I couldn't really understand every little word he was saying.
Then yesterday I decided to be brave enough to find myself a training place. As I've said before, after the course is done in June, we need to find a place for us to do some training. Anywhere in the city. At first I was thinking of ask the people in the bookstore, but I realized that the place was SO small and there were THREE people already in it. So I followed my gut feeling and went to a souvenir store instead. I had to practise my Finnish again hi hi hi hi...My heart was beating FAST, you know? But at least I managed to get myself a training place already. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYYYYYYYY!!!!! ;-D
What else? Ummm...oh yeah, this morning I checked my bank account since I had to pay for something online and realized that I got MORE student money than I thought I'd get. GEE...I sent 85% of the money already to my "untouchable" account (only for VERY urgent matters). At this rate, I'm VERY sure I'll soon be able to reach the amount of money before we used that account to buy the plane tickets to Indo. YAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAAYYY!!!!!!!! I felt like JUMPING up and down this morning, you know? It's SO AMAZING HUE HE HE HE HE HE HE...
I also received an email the other day from the police station that my residence permit would be ready in the beginning of April (had to extend my expired permit). I was beginning to worry a bit since it took MUCH longer than what they first told me. Phew!!! I don't wanna be separated with hubby againnnnn!!!!!!!!!
And today after the course was done, my Thai friend realized that my nose was runny, so she gave me a bottle of Chinese Thai-brand menthol oil to help me out. She's been such a giving person!!! I admire her for that! She even gave each of us an Easter ornament he he he he he...
Last Monday was my mom-in-law's birthday, so I sent her SMS since it was more practical that way he he he...In the SMS, I also told her that we'd go to Indonesia in October and that after that we'd try having a kid. She replied, saying that she also wanted to have another grandkid HE HE HE HE HE HE HE...I found some flower seeds in Lidl the other day, so I bought several packages. I hope she has never grown some of them yet. ;-D
Today I'm baking a cake for mom-in-law and Arttu since today's Arttu's birthday. I'll bring the cake tomorrow to Kelujärvi with us. As usual, it's chocolate cake since I LOVE chocolate HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...
So, you know why I chose that title for this post, right? I've met WONDERFUL, WONDERFUL people and I've got more than I need. Plus this weekend is a LONG weekend where I can rest HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO HO...
Okie dokie, everybody...let's just rest and relax this weekend he he he...
1. Residence Permit Extension
Yesterday as I was in my in-laws' house, I decided to check out the validity period of my residence permit. I had marked my mobile phone's calendar to remind me when I had to renew my residence permit. Turned out I had miscalculated the time. My residence permit is valid until March 6, 2008 and I remember that I read in Finland Forum for Expats that I had to apply for an extension of that residence permit about 6 weeks before the expiry date. I checked my calendar again in my mobile phone and realized that I'd have to do it NEXT WEEK!!!
So last night after we got back from my in-laws, I was busy filling in the forms again. Yeah, the price for marrying a foreigner. I have to fill in all the forms again just like last year and then I had to bring my marriage certificate again. Plus I also have to bring a new passport photo.
That means tomorrow I'm gonna be busy. Mondays is my exercise day with Billy Blanks and then I'll have to go to a photo studio to have my photo taken, then I'll go directly to the police station to submit all the forms, and then I probably have to buy more milk and grocery. Oh yeah...I also have to take some money from the ATM to pay for the residence permit extension in case they only take cash he he he...
Then I guess I'll browse some boots in the stores as they're having some big discounts. The winter shoes I have are good and reliable, but I can't wear double thick socks as they get too tight for me. So I'll search for a pair of boots with a bigger size, but I'll buy them ONLY if the price is reasonable.
2. Money, Money, Money.
You know one funny thing about money? Before Arttu got a job and before I started blogging for money...I was SO grateful just to know that we had enough money to buy fruit occasionally and that we had enough money to pay for our monthly expenses.
Now that Arttu has a steady job already and I've started blogging for money, it seems that my WANT WANT WANT has reared its ugly head. I really have to control this since I begin to want to buy many things that aren't really important or urgent.
Well, I'm not trying to say that we can't enjoy life or that we shouldn't pamper ourselves every once in a while, especially if we do have the money. That's not it. It's just that I've realized it's SO EASY to let unimportant and non-urgent things look or sound important and urgent simply because we WANT those things. It's easy to let yourself be unhappy or disappointed when you don't get EXACTLY what you WANT. And it's easy to forget that even when you only have the VERY basic necessities in life, you CAN be happy and that newer, bigger, more sophisticated, more fashionable stuff can't bring happiness.
Anyway, I came across this article and I'd love to share it with you:
Here's the excerpt:Theologian Henri Nouwen says in his book The Return of the Prodigal Son that gratitude is more than a mere "thank you." It is a discipline to be practiced each day in a conscious way. The apostle Paul reminds us in his first letter to the Thessalonians, "Be joyful always; pray continually; give thanks in all circumstances, for this is God's will for you in Christ Jesus" (5:16-18).
Yesterday I was busy since right after I woke up, hubby urged me to eat as we were going to visit my father-in-law in the health centre. He's OK. It's just that my mother-in-law needed enough sleep so that she could heal her ankle well, but when he was home, he walked around the house during the night, so she couldn't sleep well. My mother-in-law spent some nights in her elder sister's house so that she wouldn't be alone in hers. She asked us to bring my father-in-law's mobile phone to the hospital so that they could contact each other.
It was the first time to go to that section in the health centre. Visitors are allowed to come starting from 1 pm to 7 pm. The place didn't smell like medicine like the most hospitals in Indonesia. I can't really describe the smell of the hospitals in Indo, but they have this distinct smell he he he he...Anyway, after asking where our father-in-law was to one of the nurses, we found him.
He was sitting in the common room, watching TV with the other patients. They were mostly elderly. His eyes lit up in recognition when he saw us he he he he...then we went to his room to talk as there were not enough seats for us in the common room. After all, it was a small health centre, not a full-fledged hospital. Even so, the place is so clean and everything looks new (unlike some hospitals in Indo where everything looks old).
We talked for a while...or should I say, Arttu talked to his Dad as I was trying to practice my listening skill HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...After about half an hour, we said goodbye to him and while walking out of his room, I was SO happy to see my mother-in-law coming towards us with her elder sister and husband. Thank GOODNESS her elder sister's husband is healthy and he can drive her around! ;-D My mother-in-law walked using one walking stick and then she and her elder sister hugged me.
I think my father-in-law's coming home either today or tomorrow. He said it was boring in the hospital and the food was lousy. Porridge, porridge, and porridge. I can imagine how bad it was. After all, at home he always enjoys his wife's delicious food he he he he...
Then as usual, my bladder was full, so I went to the toilet first as we were going to the supermarket afterwards. I was trying to find the light switch inside the HUGE toilet, but then it turned out the light was on automatically when I stepped into the room. COOL!!!! I've never seen that before he he he he...
Then before going to the supermarket (we were running out of milk), I asked Arttu to escort me to an ATM. Believe it or not, I've NEVER used an ATM before in this country. After all, I can almost always pay everything with my debit card (I have no credit card here as I have no income), except when I go to the flea markets or open markets. Funny thing is that the post office's card reader wouldn't read my card, so that was why I needed to get some cash. I'm going to send a package to my friend in Germany as she's coming to Indonesia in March. The package is for my family he he he he he...
Well, you know what? Turned out that when I inserted my debit card, the instruction came out in ENGLISH!!!! HURRAHHHHHH!!! I was SO HAPPY hi hi hi hi hi hi...I think when I first opened my account in the bank, I was grouped as an "international customer". VERY VERY COOL!!! Now if I ever need cash, I wouldn't feel afraid going to an ATM alone HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...
Anyway, on Saturday I also had a short conversation with my mother-in-law as Arttu was shovelling snow out in the yard. First of all she asked me if my brother had sent his wedding pics, and I said not yet. It was hard for me to explain to her that my brother used a professional photographer service, so the CD wasn't done yet. So I didn't even try to explain since I didn't know how to do it. Then I told her that he had sent me the honeymoon pics he he he he he...
Then she asked me if I had to go back to Indonesia. I misunderstood her at first. There is this one word in Finnish that can either mean "like" or "have to" and I thought she asked me if I would like to go back to Indonesia. So I replied that I would love to, but it would be expensive. Then she tried asking me the question again using a different word, and right then it dawned on me completely what she wanted to know HA HA HA HA HA HA...
Ahem...so I told her that I'd soon have to go to the police station to renew my residence permit (well, actually I said visa, but that didn't matter as she understood it). I guess she was worried that I would have to go back to Indonesia to do my paperwork he he he he...I could tell that she was glad that I could do it here in Sodankylä.
Oh yeah, almost forgot...after buying milk at the supermarket yesterday, Arttu said that he was craving for kebab...so we went to a nearby kebab resto to buy some. I was craving for pizza instead, so I ordered one. YUMMY YUMMY YUMMY!!! My pizza had kebab meat, pineapple, cheese, and reindeer toppings. Plus I added jalapeno chili at home. VERY VERY delicious HE HE HE HE HE HE...
Okie dokie, now I'm going to eat my pizza first before blog-hopping he he he...I'm STARVING after exercising he he he he...
1. Shaking my booty and belting my heart out when listening to love songs on Yahoo Messenger while cooking pancakes ha ha ha ha...It felt GOOOODDDD, babbbbyyyy!!! *grin*
2. Perfect timing for hubby to come home. Just a few seconds AFTER I finished making the last piece of pancake.
3. Hubby saying thank you after he finished eating a few pancakes with a big smile on his face HE HE HE HE...You're VERY WELCOME, Darling!!! ;-D
4. Tucking my hubby again on the sofa and seeing his eyes light up when I did that. AWWWWWWWWW........now I can imagine the joys of tucking up your own kids in bed HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...
5. My heart bursting out with emotions while listening to my fave love songs. Yeah, I'm a romantiiicccc, but I'm not a hopeless romantic, but it feels OOOHHHH SOOOOO GOOOOOOOOOODDDDD to listen to my fave love songs!!!!
6. Transferring money from Paypal (the money that I got from blogging for money) to my bank account. YEEEAAAHHH!!! After all, at the end of this month I have to pay €100 €120 (I just checked it and it's gone up!!!) to renew my residence permit HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE...God's providence is REALLY incredible HE HE HE HE HE HE HE HE...
Juliana tagged me to do this meme. Let's see what I have to say he he he...
~ Start Copy ~Rules :1. Copy from "Start Copy" until "End of Copy".2. Before "End of Copy", share your best memories of 2007 include your name and your URL blog.3. Share this tag to your friends.For me, the year 2007 had a lot of happiness (and hope for 2008). Happiness because i see my son, grow and grow day by day. I have a great husband. I met lots of new friends from around the world via blogging ^_^ - Juliana RW~000~
For me, the year 2007 is a year of BLESSINGS and LESSONS. First of all, after battling with bureaucracy for months, I finally got my residence permit so I could at last move to Finland to be with my hubby. Secondly, an evening Finnish course started at the right time and in the right place (6 months after I moved to Finland and it was near my house). Thirdly, I get to enjoy marital bliss with my hubby (WAY better than I thought it could be). Fourthly, hubby found a permanent job miraculously!!! Last but not least, I've also started earning some money online since last month plus I've got SO MANY friends around the world now. And my in-laws are VERY warm and welcoming and considerate. Plus my brother's just got married and his wedding was smooth. And my parents are healthy (Dad had a mini stroke not long after I moved to Finland, but now he's healthy again!).
THANK GOD for everything I've been given this year. THANK GOD for every miracle He's performed in my life, for every door He's opened.
Moving to Finland also means challenges. You can read a list of lessons I've learnt and re-learnt since I moved to Finland here and you'll see why I said this year is a year of lessons. - Amel
~ End of Copy ~
I'm tagging:
Max
Fish Without Bicycle
Blur Ting
Michelle
Written on March 29, 2007
It all started with a friendship that changed into a relationship that got me this far. Not many people would understand us. Gladly my parents (especially my Mom) always support me in everything I believe in. Even my belief in our relationship varied from time to time as we braved the storms. The doubts stopped bothering me the second I decided that Arttu was the man I'd marry, the man I'd commit my whole self to eternally no matter what. Was it scary? The process of thinking whether he was the one or not was the most agitating and long one. Why? I had to think of LOTS of things, not just him and me, but the fact that I'd have to start from zero again and leave everything behind for us. However, once I decided that I would commit to him, I didn't look back and I just marched forward...with him beside me. No more doubts. The point of no return.
Even after we both made the decision to commit ourselves to each other, it didn't get any easier. We had to endure another separation after the wedding and honeymoon. The hardest part of it was that we didn't know how long the separation would take. My patience was wearing thin every now and then. Bitterness started to creep in as more and more storms hurled us, knocked us unconscious (well, at least there were times I wished I was knocked unconscious so I wouldn't have to feel a thing), whereas our waiting period seemed to be endless still. First we had trouble communicating as the internet connection between Asia and Europe was cut off by the hurricane in Taiwan. Secondly, my visa application was rejected, I was told to apply for a residence permit and it could take 3-4 months before I got the result. Even then (after all that waiting), there was no guarantee that I would definitely get the permit.
No light still at the end of the dark tunnel. Another tougher part of the waiting period was that we were half a world apart. I tried to think positive by starting to pack my suitcase, yet it still felt like a crazy thing to do still as I had no ticket yet in my hand. He tried to think positive by starting to prepare everything he could to welcome me there. We were both suffering but we couldn't really comfort each other in a realistic way. What a torment! My heart was with him, yet my body was trapped in Indonesia! I wish we'd never experience such a period again!
Then after trying (unsuccessfully) to be patient, we finally got the BRIGHT BEAM of light at the end of the tunnel. It was SO unexpected that we thought we were dreaming! I got a call from Finnish Embassy in Jakarta. I thought they'd call me for interview, but then the receptionist said that I got the permit already (in just 2 months!!!). HALLELUJAH!!!!!!!!!!! I went numb for several minutes, then I started sending smses to Arttu and my closest friends (who'd all been praying for me and trying to comfort me whenever I felt as though I were in hell - God bless them all!!!) and then I started crying. Then I hurried to the train station to buy some train tickets for the next day as I had promised the Embassy's receptionist that I would come by the next day to get the permit.
Once Mom and I got back from Jakarta by train, I went to my trusted travel agency and bought the plane ticket for the next week. So I was busy preparing to move to Finland that I had no time to absorb the reality of it. I didn't really feel like moving THAT far even when each passing hour drew me closer to Arttu. It all felt so surreal.
Then came the day of the long journey to get to Arttu. I still didn't feel as though I was about to move half a world away. What did I feel? Nothing much. I began to think, "What should I be feeling now? Shouldn't I feel something? Chaos?" I still had no time to think yet after I said goodbye to my teary-eyed family and relatives who escorted me (May God bless them!!!) as the queue in front of KLM check-in desks was UNBELIEVABLE that they opened an emergency check-in desk to help quicken the process! I had queued already since around 5 pm, yet I could only get in the waiting lounge at around 6.30 pm (my flight left at 7.10 pm). And there was no empty seat left, so I had to stand the rest of the time!
And then on the plane I was jammed between two foreigners, so I couldn't do anything much. Only then I started to absorb some bits of reality. I started panicking a bit, wondering if I'd ever settle down and enjoy living in Finland when I knew the weather could be BITING cold (this is actually not true since in reality, I don't REALLY know how cold it can be when the temperature hits -20'C or even worse!!!), etc. etc, etc. But anyway, I told myself not to think and just to believe in the mercy of God that had helped me and Arttu got that far. God knows we could have gone insane during the waiting period, yet He gave us a MIRACLE!!!
Then finally I landed in Rovaniemi and Arttu came and hugged me there. I was still too tired to absorb things. The long leg of flight was the hardest one. I almost wished the plane could have flown faster. You see, our seats were near the "kitchen" and for some reason whenever they prepared meal for us, I caught a whiff of weird smell that made me feel nauseous. The food itself always tasted okay, but my stomach just couldn't handle that weird smell. When the plane was nearing Schiphol airport, I was seriously about to puke. Thank goodness I managed to hold it and do it in the airport's toilet. Phew!!!
Anyway, back to the topic. Now I've only been here two weeks. The first week felt weird. Still sort of unreal. I felt more like a tourist. However, entering the second week, I began to feel that this was truly my home. This is the beginning of the new journey. I know it won't be easy. I feel like a little child again, learning to do everything new. There was some frustration at the beginning (especially when dealing with bureaucracy), yet gladly Arttu's been so patient and supportive. Now I know why God didn't send me here alone (unlike for example Jul). Jul has the capacity to jump into new circles easily and she has the courage to do it, too. She LOVES socializing. Besides, she'd lived alone for quite some time, whereas I had never really left my safe nest at home.
Oh, by the way, now I know at least one reason why God only let me move to Finland 2 weeks ago. A few days after moving here, the days became SO sunny, especially now. Spring has come and it's helped me SO MUCH to learn to love this country. I know that I'll have to deal with the worst kind of weather later on, but for now, the sunny weather's like God's whisper of hope in my ear that He knows what I need to survive here...and that's all that matters for now.
P.S. Oh yeah, other than that, the hospitality and warmth of my in-laws have also helped me feel at home (even though I can't communicate with them yet as they can't speak English too well). Arttu's Mom REALLY reminds me of my own Mom, and his aunt reminds me of my aunt, too!!! ^__________________________^
