I forgot to write a post last Friday, but then again I had work last weekend. Anyway, last Friday marked my 6th year in Finland. A LOT has happened since I first moved here. Can't believe that in summer I'll have worked in my current workplace for 3 years already!!! Of course it doesn't really feel that way 'coz I work part-time, but still time flies so fast!!!
The first time I visited Finland, I chose March due to some reasons. The first one was 'coz I wanted to see snow, but I didn't want to experience the dead of winter 'coz I knew it'd be too rough on my body if I had to go out when it was way too cold. Besides, in March there's already plenty of sunlight to enjoy compared to the dead of winter. Secondly, I wanted to celebrate R2's birthday.
When I moved to Finland, I wanted to do it as fast as possible after our wedding in November, but alas...life had other plans for us. I was told to apply for my residence permit from Indonesia (my tourist visa application was denied), so I couldn't possibly know for sure when I'd be able to move to Finland. I was secretly hoping I could celebrate Arttu's birthday again and it did happen!!! The minute I got news that my residence permit was final already, I went to a travel agency to buy a one-way ticket to Finland. WOOOHHHOOOOOO!!!! :-D
glitter-graphics.com
R2 finally got a permanent job again after I moved to Finland, so that was such a HUGE relief at that time. For me personally, the first three years were mostly adjustment, adjustment, adjustment. Learning, learning, learning. Adapting, adapting, adapting, trying to find my place, getting lost and depressed in the process...I can't say I know everything there is to know about Finland (or at least this village) yet, but at least I've gotten used to the customs here. I can't tell you how thankful I am that I'm able to be an active part of society. Never in a million years did it ever cross my mind that I would be able to get a permanent job this fast (and in such a crazy way)!!! Do you know that statistics say that in average expats get proper jobs on their fourth year in Finland?
Over the years I've met SO MANY wonderful people who've helped me along the way...many of them aren't people I know in real life, but blogger friends, so I'm also very grateful for all the encouragement and support. For their open hearts and ears, for the time they spend reading my posts...and at different training places as well as my current workplace, I've also met so many lovely people who've given me verbal support, so for that I can only say THANK YOU ALL and GOD BLESS YOU!!!
On a slightly sad note, though, our baby dream has died, BUT after having decided to surrender to life without kids, I think we've healed leaps and bounds compared to the years when we were still trying to conceive, so I call that a HUGE progress (and our marriage is still intact HALLELUJAH)! :-D Although I'm realistic enough to know that I won't be 100% healed, but being 90-99% healed is MUCH better than being 50% healed he he he...
glitter-graphics.com
Anyway, when we first bought this house, we were still thinking about kids, so we have a spare bedroom. One lovely thing about having a spare bedroom is that whenever I have a very early shift after some days off (read: when I'd stay up late!!!), I can sleep in the other bedroom so that Arttu's snores won't bother me. His snores don't bother me on regular days, BUT if I'm so tensed about having to go to bed early (after having stayed up late for a few nights before then), it's harder to sleep without waking up over and over again because I'm afraid of not being able to get up in time for work, so my brain gets kinda worked up over the smallest noises (I set my mobile phone alarm to wake me up).
What else has happened? Well, my Dad has passed away, but I'm glad he didn't have to suffer long at all. Although it was hard on my family esp. that he was gone "too fast", but most people can't/don't exactly choose how they're gonna go anyway. And despite the fact that he's gone, our family has gotten bigger with the birth of my bro's first son (which R2 and I were luckily able to "witness" during our trip to Indo a few years ago) and then his second child is coming sometime this year, so it's exciting news!!! :-D
Anyway, today I just want to give THANKS to God for all the ups and downs I've experienced during the course of 6 years...thankful for this gift of life...This one's for you, My Lord!!! "Hatiku Percaya" or "My Heart Believes".
My brain must've been fried or something ha ha...it's just been too empty to write too much in this blog. Anyway, I've come to some realizations lately.
1. Either at the end of 1998 or the beginning of 1999, R2 and I first got to know each other through emails. Let's just say that it's the beginning of 1999. That means that this month is our 10th anniversary!!! COOL!!! It doesn't feel THAT long, though, especially since we were so far apart for over 8 years out of the 10 years...but still I'm SO GLAD that we met online!!! ;-D
2. Both my MIL and my mother have the same habit: doodling while talking on the phone. Either they create an abstract drawing or some type of drawing or just writing something, that's what they do. It's kinda cute.
Why? Because my MIL reminds me A LOT of my Mom. They're both the same height (more or less) and they LOVE flowers. They both LOVE feeding and cooking for their family. And they're both dealing with husbands that have some memory problems.
3. The more I learn about people, the more confused I become, the more questions coming out of my mind. And I also realize how VERY LIMITED our points of view are. Plus I realize how easy for us to say A, B, C about other people whereas we may as well have those A, B, C inside us.
4. After all this time, balance in life is one of the TOUGHEST lessons to learn. Phew!!!
Today marks our 2nd wedding anniversary. Gee, how time flies!!! Last night my MIL sent us an SMS to congratulate us. She said she almost forgot about it he he he...I guess she thought it was yesterday, not today! So she wasn't late at all! She also said that next time we visit her, she'll have a cake to celebrate it. YIIIIPPPIIIIIIIIIEEEEEEEE!!! I LOVE cakes! ;-D And I LOVE her!!!
Well, today I want to recount some of the blessings we've received ever since we got married.
1. My residence permit process took only 2,5 months (as opposed to the regular 3-4 months of processing) and we didn't even have to do ANY kind of interview.
2. R2 got a permanent job 3 months after I moved to Finland, exactly at the time when the apartment rent went up. HALLELUJAHHHH!!!!!
3. A full-time Finnish course started in Sodankylä for the first time ever!!! And that changed my life in many waysssss...especially as it meant that I'm more able to communicate with my beloved in-laws!
4. We were able to buy the plane tickets to Indonesia AND we still had enough money to pay for a short trip to Singapore. Never in our wildest dreams did we think that we could BOTH be going back to Indo SO SOON...never in our wildest dreams did we think that we could even have a honeymoon in Singapore!!!
5. We were able to witness the birth of Ken, my brother's baby, together at the hospital. WHOOOPPPPEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEE!!!
6. We have both supportive and loving parents and family who never meddle in our own affairs. What more can we ask for?
7. We have everything we need and more: a nice place to stay, food, warm clothes, love, health, happiness, serenity, peace of mind, harmony, caring friends (blogger and non-blogger alike), some savings for rainy days.
Thank you, Lord, for everything...give us both a heart that loves and gives like Yours...may Your love bind us forever so that we are always a unity.
Bonbon, I love you more than I ever loved you before...I'm GLAD that our marriage has been smooth so far, but I'm not afraid if there are storms ahead or rains and sleet, since I know that you're the one with all my heart and soul. You're the one who always makes me feel good about myself. You're the one who brings up the best in me...for that, I thank you.
Cheers to (hopefully) many more loving and caring and fun years aheadddddddddd!!!!!!
1. The Upcoming National Finnish Test
I haven't had time to write about the YKI test (the national Finnish test). The other week I found a practice test online, including the listening test recordings. The test is still FAR beyond my ability right now, but funny thing is that the realization just throws away any kind of pressure I have on myself.
I don't know about you...but for me, when I feel that I think I may be able to do something very well, but I'm not 100% sure yet, then the pressure I feel can be SO high, but then when I know it's WAY beyond myself and yet there's no harm done in trying to do it, then I feel FREE of burdens and I can just give it my best shot and enjoy the process even more. ;-D
2. Trip to Rovaniemi.
Tomorrow hubby and I are going to take my sis-in-law and nephews to Rovaniemi for their flight to Pori. If nothing comes up, we're going to look around a bit in Rovaniemi since I hadn't really gone anywhere there except to Santa Town he he he...I'm SO glad to have a thoughtful sis-in-law who wants to show me around he he he...
The only problem is that the eldest son, who's a teenager already, doesn't want to do that ha ha ha ha...The youngest one is still eager to do things with the adults, but the teenage one...well, you know how teenagers are HA HA HA HA HA...;-D
3. Meeting A Jerk:
Today I came home and decided to bake cheese/sandwich bread, so I went back to Lidl after I found out how much ham and cheese I should buy. At Lidl, I was doing my own business as usual without noticing anybody else much...when I was near the frozen veggies section, suddenly a guy who stood around 1 metre away on my left talked to me.
I thought he was confused about something and he needed help, but when I turned around and looked at him, he suddenly came closer and put out his hand and said, "Terve" (hi) softly. Since I disliked being rude at people, I put out my hand and replied, "Terve."
Then he started becoming more confident and he started talking to me in Finnish, though I didn't understand every little word he said since he talked softly and quickly, but I managed to get "Nippon". I assumed he thought I was a Japanese, so I said to him that I was an Indonesian girl.
He looked confused when I said that. It seemed he was looking for some words, so I just kept on browsing on the frozen veggies section. I thought he would back away, but instead he came closer again and he said something which I didn't really get, but I managed to hear "vaimo" (wife). Since I got more scared about him, I immediately said, "My husband is Finnish." He looked surprised and he was laughing and nodding and he backed away.
I THOUGHT he would go away for good, but you know what he did next? OUTRAGEOUS!!! He came back after walking a few steps away and he asked me for some MONEY!!!!!!!!!!! GRRRRRRRRRR!!!!! He looked PERFECTLY healthy and young and he was asking me for MONEY?!?!?!?!?! Unbelievable!!!
After having lived in Finland for more or less a year now (I just realized that tomorrow's my 1 year anniversary), I had never come across anyone like that except in bars when some guys got drunk, but then again in the bars I am never alone, so I feel safer. Oh well...quite an experience!!!
4. One Year Anniversary in Finland Tomorrow:
Speaking of my 1 year anniversary in Finland, it's a coincidence that tomorrow we're going to Rovaniemi to do some window shopping he he he...I've always wanted to go back there anyway. And we're going to look for my mom-in-law's birthday gift there, too. Her birthday is coming soon (3 days earlier than Arttu).
I should recharge my digicam so that I can bring it to Rovaniemi tomorrow he he he...
5. Baby Clothes.
I've been bidding for some baby clothes from a Finnish website. I want to bring many baby clothes to Indo for my brother's baby since it'll be MUCH cheaper to bring them there myself. Plus I don't know when I'll be able to go back there to bring the clothes, so I'm going to buy them in different sizes. I'm not going to buy the smallest sizes in case the baby's born big HA HA HA HA HA...
I can't afford buying new baby clothes for them, but I'm sure they won't mind getting second hand clothes. After all, babies grow so fast and it's better to have plenty of clothes to change, right? HE HE HE HE HE...Arttu has been shaking his head since I'm a bit obsessed about finding cute second-hand clothes online HA HA HA HA HA HA HA...
Okie dokie, better send this and then bake the bread and then blog-hop a bit he he he...Have a REFRESHING weekend, everybody!!!!
