Merry Christmas! FROM FINLAND!
Dec. 24th, 2011 02:59 pmIn Finnish: Hyvää Joulua!
We just got back from Hanna's grandparents' place, where, in true grandparent style, we were plied with all sorts of delicious Finnish Christmas food (I took pictures of every dish - all will be up on DUTCH MY LIFE once I have access to my laptop again). We had rice porridge (delicous!) and fruit stew, pulla (little balls of sweetbread), jouluutorttu (flaky pastries filled with plum jam), taatelikakku (date cake) and rahkapulla (cream-filled sweetbread with lemon and raisins). I also learned how to say "thank you" - kiitos.
Hanna's family was there: her siblings came with their children (adroable!). Her whole family is apparetly coming over to her house tonight, so I will get to meet even more Finnish people (and fail to communicate, due to the language barrier - but I have developed he general strategy of thanking everyone copiously and smiling all the time - seems to have worked so far...)
Can't really believe it's actually Christmas, though! I donät know where the time went! But last night, we decorated the Christmas tree, and today, we laid out the presents under it (literally a mountian of them - feels just like home!). I hope Hanna and her family like the gifts I brought- I'm thankful that the Gluhwein survived the trip here.
Suffice to say, life is quite exciting at the moment, and I feel so lucky and blessed to be able to celebrate Christmas with Hanna and her family - not that I don't miss mine, but seriously, this is something special! :D
HYVÄÄ JOULUA TO EVERYONE :D
We just got back from Hanna's grandparents' place, where, in true grandparent style, we were plied with all sorts of delicious Finnish Christmas food (I took pictures of every dish - all will be up on DUTCH MY LIFE once I have access to my laptop again). We had rice porridge (delicous!) and fruit stew, pulla (little balls of sweetbread), jouluutorttu (flaky pastries filled with plum jam), taatelikakku (date cake) and rahkapulla (cream-filled sweetbread with lemon and raisins). I also learned how to say "thank you" - kiitos.
Hanna's family was there: her siblings came with their children (adroable!). Her whole family is apparetly coming over to her house tonight, so I will get to meet even more Finnish people (and fail to communicate, due to the language barrier - but I have developed he general strategy of thanking everyone copiously and smiling all the time - seems to have worked so far...)
Can't really believe it's actually Christmas, though! I donät know where the time went! But last night, we decorated the Christmas tree, and today, we laid out the presents under it (literally a mountian of them - feels just like home!). I hope Hanna and her family like the gifts I brought- I'm thankful that the Gluhwein survived the trip here.
Suffice to say, life is quite exciting at the moment, and I feel so lucky and blessed to be able to celebrate Christmas with Hanna and her family - not that I don't miss mine, but seriously, this is something special! :D
HYVÄÄ JOULUA TO EVERYONE :D
I'M IN FINLAND
Dec. 23rd, 2011 12:50 pmYeah, no big deal, just spending Christmas in another country :D Blogging for the next week or so will all take place on LJ, since my laptop is in Groningen, and I am in a place called Lohja. (I have no idea where it is; I need to google it.)
Got in last night, and was picked up from the airport by Hanna and her mum, who seems like a lovely lady (actually, all of Hanna's family seem exceedlngly nice and friendly, so I'm really happy to be here.)
Random: THERE IS A SAUNA IN HANNA'S HOUSE, WTF. AMAZE. I hope we'll get to use it later.
This afternoon, we're apparently going to visit Hanna's grandparents, as well as the Lohja town centre. I will probably be plied with all sorts of Finnish food - EXCITE!
I wish I could be coherent enough to write a proper holiday post, but I just have ALL THE FEELINGS, as usual. :D Our ride is here now, so I've got to go EXPLORE FINLAND.
Got in last night, and was picked up from the airport by Hanna and her mum, who seems like a lovely lady (actually, all of Hanna's family seem exceedlngly nice and friendly, so I'm really happy to be here.)
Random: THERE IS A SAUNA IN HANNA'S HOUSE, WTF. AMAZE. I hope we'll get to use it later.
This afternoon, we're apparently going to visit Hanna's grandparents, as well as the Lohja town centre. I will probably be plied with all sorts of Finnish food - EXCITE!
I wish I could be coherent enough to write a proper holiday post, but I just have ALL THE FEELINGS, as usual. :D Our ride is here now, so I've got to go EXPLORE FINLAND.