1. Where am I this week?

Jämsa! Finland, not in the sticks, just a town, in-between Tampere and Jyväskylä. It’s about three hours by train from Helsinki, and I know that because I’m gonna be taking the train in a couple of days to go to Vietnam!! Finland during winter is quite something and I’ll take the chance to leave gladly.

2. What are my surroundings like?

Cold and white. Cars parked outside with a little cable plugged into a little outlet so they don’t freeze once it’s like −30. Lots of snow, looking like the meringues I made the other day.

3. What’s the weather or vibe today?

-35 outside. Yippee! What’s more to say? It’s a bit gloomy when the sun’s not out.

4. What did I actually do today (or most days)?

Most days, I just spend studying drawing and going on a walk, regardless of the temperature. There’s two shops really close by: S market and K market, and there’s also a lidl, which is a bit further away. I went on a walk there a couple of days ago because that’s near the train station as I soon need to get out of this place and head down south.

To be honest, the past couple of days, I’ve been just eating as much as I can from the fridge and from the freezer, scoffing away so as little goes to waste as possible. I think I’m going to  have some onion rings the night before the trip, and if I don’t eat all of them, I’m gonna bring them with me to the airport as desperate as that sounds. I’m making some sandwiches right now, using up a huge block of cheese and random bits and bobs, chief amongst them being green olives and salami that can’t seem to be used up!

I have also been eating yoghurt whilst watching the winter Olympics – all the sports are really cool, I love watching the final stretch and the team/person reaction to their placement.

5. How am I getting around?

Walking around, there’s not much of a choice unless I bring over my bike with winter tires around here. Although there are buses to go to different parts of Jamsa and Jamasankoski, which is north, I have meant to walk that, but it’s so cold like sure, I can do 10000 steps a day when its bitterly cold, but at one point you’re just walking endlessly in the snow with no goal, the latter half of the trip im often just wondering why? Why am I doing this? I have three layers of trousers on but that still doesn’t fully resolve the freezing derriere issue that crops up in the wind. By three layers I mean thermal leggings, jogging bottoms and then a pair of good old trousers on top, like hiking trousers, the ones you can get in prisma.

6. Is daily life here easy or exhausting?

I mean, I wake up quite late +-9 AM as waking up at 6 AM in the dark with no appointment or fixed task feels wrong, It’s just a bit sad. I balance it out by studying until midnight.

7. What routine am I starting to fall into?

I’m posting my daily art videos every day at 7 PM. Studying every day, going on a walk every day, making the most of it!

8. Did I talk to anyone interesting this week?

I haven’t really talked to anyone, I suppose, as the most conversation I get is saying “Thank you” at the counter. If anything, when I purchase something, I say kiitos (thank you)

9. How do people here treat strangers?

Avoid eye contact and avoid being in the same aisle if one can help it.

10. Any small interaction that stuck with me?

Nothing, to be honest.

11. What annoyed me or went wrong?

Trying not to slip when crossing the road and having to shuffle around like a penguin. Also, I bought some yoghurt yesterday that tasted dreadful, and that was quite disappointing. Seeing shrinkflation in stores, products becoming miniscule.

12. What surprised me in a good way?

The light pollution. It isn’t actually as bad as I thought it would be, because I’m stepping out, let’s say it’s 7/8pm and I look up and I can see stars above me in Lieksa it can be a similar time and it’s orange, almost like a sunset – you can’t see anything.

13. Something that would feel normal to locals but strange to me?

Just how bitterly cold it gets. Sometimes, the inside of your nose starts freezing, also, also if I physically cannot wear my fingerless gloves outside for more than 3 minutes, that means it is truly very nippy.

14. Do I feel like I’ve settled in?

I don’t mind this place. It’s just so dreadfully boring. It really is! Walking around cul-de-sacs at 6 PM or something that’s cool, but only briefly.


15. Did this place remind me of somewhere else I’ve lived?

This town doesn’t really remind me of any other place I’ve lived in. It’s just its own distinct thing that I can’t put in a box with anything else.

16. What emotions have been strongest this week?

Generally, the vibe has been “let’s not look out of a window because it will make me sad.”

17. Best small moment of the week?

Just seeing the stars in the night sky.

18. Something beautiful or oddly memorable?

Once again, the stars, the moonlight.

19. Food discovery / place discovery / random win?

Getting 100% on a Microsoft practice test?

20. Am I starting to like this place more or less?

I’m used to this place, but that doesn’t make it tolerable to live here. I wouldn’t be able to live here for like long-term. No way and she says, no, like knowing I’m gonna be in front over like 2 or 3 days like that’s fine like that is OK don’t expect any more.

21. What am I curious to explore next?

Walking around different parts of town, seeing the church. Maybe going to the lake frozen like, yeah, just walking around a little bit during for night. I don’t like going out during the day. It feels like I’m like just standing out because it’s so white. It just feels so bright and official, and at night. It’s all fine because it’s all dark, it doesn’t feel like a spotlight anymore.

22. One sentence to sum up this week?

Yippee! it’s almost over! But also, you know what, I’m just trying to avoid thinking about anything about any pick up the future. I just not just you know what I’m doing today what I’m studying day. What I’m baking cooking whatever today Russell learn packet enough. It is just avoiding.