I’m speaking Spinach

October 29, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 7 Comments

I’ve started Finnish lessons, which I love. The teacher is great and my classmates come from Canada, Spain, Venezuela, England, Nigeria, USA, Germany, Switzerland, Poland, Russia, Estonia, Nepal, India, Pakistan….who said Finland is not a diverse country?

Here’s a few things I’ve learnt about studying languages so far:

Finnish is not so difficult

Ha! Well the grammar is and we’re yet to really get into it, but the words are great. Lento (flight) + kone (machine) = lentokone (airplane). Jää (ice) + karhu (bear) = jääkarhu (polar bear). You get the idea. Which is why it wasn’t too difficult and felt so good to be able to answer my teacher when she asked me to say 65,493 (although it did take me a while)*.

It’s all relative

When learning weather words we used a map of the world and next to Sydney, Australia was an icon saying +10 degrees celcius. I of course used the adjective viileä (cool) but the correct answer was lämmin (warm). According to our textbook, “Etelä-Suomessa ei ole talvella aina pakkasta” (South-Finland is not alway freezing in winter). We must save the word pakkasta (freezing) for when it gets below -15.

Ravintola = Restaurant

Cowboys say ‘iii-ha-ha’

Finnish cats say ‘nau’, Finnish people say ‘oh-ho’ instead of ‘oops’ and Finnish cowboys say ‘iii-ha-ha!’

The brain is a filing cabinet

My theory on learning languages is that the brain is like a filing cabinet and each language goes in a different drawer. Somewhere in my brain is a drawer of high-school Japanese that is gathering dust, but if I had to open the drawer I could rifle through it and dust off some of what I learnt.

The thing is I am currently studying Finnish and Italian so when my brain doesn’t know a word in Finnish, it automatically goes down to the next ‘foreign language drawer’ and starts looking in the Italian drawer. Which makes me want to say things like “Minä olen uudesta seelannista ma abbiamo vissuto in Australia per dieci anni.” (I am from New Zealand (FINNISH) but we lived in Australia for ten years (ITALIAN)).

Finnish, Swedish, English

My filing cabinet needs a spring clean

My brain is getting a work out as my Italian class is conducted in Italian and it takes me a while to realise when the teacher has switched to Finnish, which is okay if I know the Finnish words she has used (“For homework do exercise…”).

With all this jumping between languages sometimes I go to tell people ‘I am learning Spanish’ – which is not true – and my mind quickly recalibrates and grabs hold of ‘Finnish’ which has led me at times to tell people ‘I am learning Spinach.’

I think I need to lie down.

* kuusikymmentäviisituhatta neljäsataayhdeksänkymmentäkolme

A slap in the ear? That will be €2

October 24, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 6 Comments

Finns love their coffee and with it they seem to love nothing more than a good korvapuusti. Known elsewhere as cinnamon rolls, the Finnish version is fairly unique in its look, ingredients and name. They are also reported to be the biggest, which for some people would make them the best.

Made with butter and cinnamon and topped with pearl sugar, these buns smell delicious as they come out of the oven and you will find them at any self-respecting cafe or supermarket.

Sometimes cardamom is added which lends an exotic spiciness to the mix. As someone (me) commented earlier this week, ‘Mmm, they taste like Christmas.’

Cafe Regatta do a wonderful korvapuusti and I’ve heard they can also be made with suklaa (chocolate). I’d like to have a lesson in making them as I’ve heard it’s not too difficult and I think they’d be a hit in New Zealand.

Korvapussti in English means a slap in the ear and there are a few theories as to how these buns got this name although no one seems too sure.

As a New Zealander though it’s fairly clear to me – a few too many slaps to the the ear and they will look like a doughy bun – a fact to which any All Black front rower can attest.

Keven Mealamu – All Black Hooker, cauliflower ears

Korvapuusti

Nightmares on Ice

October 20, 2014October 22, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 20 Comments

There are a few things that get lost in translation as I make my way through life in Finland. Like when I greet people in the street with, ‘Hey, how you going?’ and they think I say ‘Where are you going?’ which makes them uncomfortable as it is quite a nosy question and they start to explain, ‘Well, first I’m going to the post office and then….’

So I shouldn’t have been surprised when I signed up for Adults Beginners Skating Lessons to find that actually, I had signed up for Adults Beginners Figure Skating Lessons. Because even though I emailed first and said I was an absolute beginner, there is no such thing as an absolute beginner on ice in Finland. Only one who hasn’t yet mastered the art of jumps and spins.

I went and bought a pair of skates before my first lesson because people don’t rent them here. In New Zealand it’s a bit like ten-pin bowling shoes – you go to the ice rink and hire a pair there. The first shop I went to had some lovely skates for beginners but unfortunately not in my size (big).

So I headed north to another skate shop where a lovely woman helped me find a pair that fit. Although they are not for absolute beginners, she explained, but for slightly advanced beginners. “Like for when you do jumps,” she said.

She showed me how to lace them up, which is quite a skill in itself, and then took my skates out the back to sharpen the blades. She also kitted me out with blade guards that I wear while making my way from the changing room to the ice and soft, furry covers to put on the blades after class to protect them and prevent rust.

It was immediately evident at my first lesson that I was way out of my depth. The only time I have been ice skating in my life was when I was 14 and a 17-year old guy from the butcher shop took me on a date to Paradice Ice Rink. We skated around holding hands to Thunderstruck by ACDC and for some reason I just haven’t recreated the scene since.

I am determined however to not sit at home all winter and read that there will be open-air ice skating rinks in Helsinki, including a big one near Rautatieasema (Central Station). One helpful comment on Trip Advisor was to remember that there are no sides – which for me means nothing to hold on to or to use to stop.

So while two groups of skaters move around me at class, skating backwards and pirouetting, I stick close to the wall and just aim to stand up and move forward. I am so out of my comfort zone. I’m quite tall and have never worn high-heels so balancing on two thin blades is really hard for me.

People glide by with encouraging smiles and give me thumbs up, much like you would if you saw a person of very limited mental capacity riding a bike for the first time. A few different people approached me after my first lesson with kind words and advice (get knee pads) and all of them asked me, with faces full of curiosity, “So, um, where are you from?”

The hardest part for me is managing my ego – it is so embarrassing to be so very bad at something while all around you people are doing it with ease. My main supporter, a man from India in the class, assures me that once I get the knack it will be just like moving over butter. Which would be great as I’m sure it would make for much softer landings.

In the meantime I just have to focus, manage my pride and stop myself from turning up to class in a t-shirt that says “I’m actually very good at swimming!”

A Visit to Alvar’s House

October 18, 2014October 18, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 6 Comments

Alvar Aalto is one of Finland’s best known designers and architects. Born in 1898, his works include buildings, furniture, glassware and lamps from a career that spanned decades until his death in 1976.

Alvar once said, “It is easier to build a grand opera or a city center than to build a personal house,” and you can visit his house in Munkkiniemi, 4km north-west of Helsinki city centre.

With his wife Aino, Alvar acquired the land and built the house in 1936. It was designed and used as a home and studio. The day we arrived to visit there was already a small group gathered on the footpath and taking photos of the garden.

Inside, Alvar’s work desk is still laid out as though he might arrive at any moment to start drawing up plans under the large windows that take maximum advantage of the natural light.

Alvar and Aino were involved in every part of the creation of their home – they designed not only the house but the furniture and fixtures that went inside. Aina also designed fabrics, some of which feature in the house and can still be bought.

Touring the house is fascinating as you realise that between them they designed the sofas, the lamps, the tables, the chairs, the glassware….even the bathroom basins! Alvar and Aino’s two children grew up in the house and their bedrooms are preserved as closely as possible to how they would have appeared during their childhoods.

The house has a lovely warm, calm feeling and features Japanese sliding doors and wall coverings. Aino passed away in 1949 and Alvar was remarried three years later to architect Elsa Mäkiniemi. She lived in the house until she died in 1994.

The house was later purchased by the Alvar Aalto Society and they now keep it as a museum with a small shop.

Guided tours are given of the house and unless you are in a big group you can just turn up at the allocated times on the website. As with most things in Finland, opening hours are adjusted during the winter months so check before you come.

The garden was just beautiful when we visited, the house draped in curtains of red and gold leaves. I saw pictures of the house in winter and the warm space that Alvar and Aino created looks absolutely beautiful covered in snow.

The great thing about their work is that the house will appeal to lovers of architecture, furniture, and interior design alike. If you’re not already a fan I would suggest you might just find something you like when you visit Aalto House.

Alvar Aalto Museum

Nothing wrong with your herring!

October 13, 2014October 13, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 3 Comments

The Baltic Herring Festival is one of Finland’s oldest events and has been running in Market Square since 1743. This year from 5th -11th October the event was held for the 272nd time.

The festival is made up of stalls and boats that are moored close to the steps leading down to the water. Vendors sell their wares directly from the back of their boats and in some cases you can eat lunch onboard.

For sale was herring in an array of marinades and sauces. There were also delicious homemade pickled beetroots and gherkins on offer.

It seems most the vendors had travelled from the Åland Islands, an archipelago off the coast of Finland near Sweden.

The produce all seemed to come straight from the land and included crunchy fresh apples, sea buckthorn berry sauces and jars of honey.

The Åland Islands lie between Finland and Sweden. More than 90% of the population live on Fasta Åland and there are another 6,500 skerries and islands to the east, one of which shares a border with Sweden. In 1921 the League of Nations decided that Finland could retain sovereignty over the Åland Islands but they should be made an autonomous territory. Residents have therefore retained the right to keep using the Swedish language and their culture and local traditions are protected.

For those of us visiting the markets this means the vendors also brought with them the darkest rye bread I’ve ever seen, which is made with malt.

It has an almost sweet, raisiny taste and can be eaten just with butter.

It was a blustery day that we visited the markets, about five degrees and there was a very cold wind coming in off the Baltic Sea.

We eventually had to retreat into Old Market Hall for hot seafood soup and bread.

We ventured out again though after warming up and brought home rye bread, gherkins with chilli and punajuuri (beetroot) for dinner.

For me, herring is an acquired taste but with the markets having such a long tradition I suppose I’ve got all the time in the world to get used to it.

Åland Islands

Colours All Around Us

October 9, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 8 Comments

Finland has four very definite seasons and syksy (autumn) has surprised and stunned me with its vibrant colour displays.

We are very lucky in New Zealand to have a native bush reserve behind our house, but I realise now that it is made up of evergreens, that while beautiful, hardly change colour.

My walk home from Finnish class today was punctuated by trees sporting shades that match all the new words we have recently learnt – punainen (red), vihreä (green), keltainen (yellow), oranssi (orange) and ruskea (brown).

The walk around Töölönlahti is different each day as the trees start to drop the leaves we watched them grow only six months ago.

I find the beauty of the city right now is definitely helping me adapt to the cooler weather.

Today was a warm 12 degrees and so Miko and I stayed on after daycare to play with some friends in the leaves.

We used to always try to imagine how things will look once they are covered in snow. For now I’m just enjoying how they look painted for autumn.

Syksy in the Sauna

October 6, 2014October 6, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 9 Comments

With syksy (autumn) in full swing, the temperatures in Helsinki are dropping and the wind coming in off the Baltic Sea is more effective at waking you up than any cup of coffee you’ll ever have. Today’s temperature is forecast to be a ‘high’ of 8 degrees, but reportedly feels like 5.

It has become evident that with autumn days here being as chilly as the coldest days in Auckland, my ‘winter jacket’ is now my ‘autumn jacket’, as the mercury has a long way to drop yet. With no hot springs around and bath tubs very rare, I’ve had to find a new way to really warm up.

Luckily we have moved to a country where sauna culture reigns supreme. Pronounced sow-na, sauna is one of the very few Finnish words to be incorporated unchanged into the English language. Finland is home to 5.3 million people and 3.3 million saunas and we are lucky enough to have one in our apartment. You could safely say that every home and summer cottage has one and if our apartment didn’t have its own, it is highly likely there would be a communal one downstairs that we could book or use during the allocated times for men and women.

Our sauna measures just over 2m x 1.6m and is so well insulated that even when switched off the temperature sits at just below 30 degrees. It has three levels of seating and can fit 2 or 3 people quite comfortably. It is heated by an electric heater, or kiuas, that takes about 20-30 minutes to reach 80 degrees. On top of the heater sit sauna rocks and amongst them is a little Saunatonttu – or sauna elf we were given as a gift. In Finnish lore he is to be respected and will not tolerate behaviour such as eating, arguing or sleeping in the sauna. There is an old Finnish saying, “saunassa ollaan kuin kirkossa,” – one should behave in the sauna as in church.

Contrary to everything we were taught as children in New Zealand, not only is it okay to throw water on the heater, it is encouraged. The steam that comes off the rocks is called loyly – a word that can be traced back to having a similar meaning to spirit, life or soul. Each sauna’s loyly is unique and it really gets the sauna experience started by instantly raising the temperature in the room.

To enhance circulation we have a long-handled brush that we can scrub ourselves with, or we take turns hitting each other with the vasta – a purpose-made bunch of birch branches bound together and available at all good sauna supply stores. There are sauna specialty shops around the place and the big name stores like Stockmann and Antilla will always have a sauna supply section within the homewares department.

We were also given a range of sauna fragrances, which we add to the water that we throw on the stones. This range includes Eukalyptus (eucalyptus), Koivu (birch), Savusauna (smoke sauna) and Terva (tar). These oils do more than just fragrance the room though – they really add to the cleansing experience and are beneficial in the same way aromatherapy or steam inhalations are. In fact, the sauna used to be where women would give birth and the dead were washed before burial, as it is often the cleanest room in the house.

There is so much more to say about sauna and sauna cutlure here in Finland and with winter approaching I’ll be doing loads of research! The heaters in our building haven’t been turned on yet so if the temperatures keep dropping and the wifi’s good enough I might have to make my next post from there!

Health Benefits of Sauna Fragrances

Finnish Sauna

Why Finland Loves Sauna

Where’s the wine? Ask the Alko

September 24, 2014September 24, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 6 Comments

Despite being at different ends of the globe, New Zealand and Finland have a few things in common – one of them being a strong drinking culture. There are subtle differences in the approach and underlying reasons for this love of drinking, but one that stands out is how people in Finland obtain their alcohol.

Like Finnish supermarkets, those in New Zealand sell beer – but they also sell wine. In fact, they often have tastings where you can sip on a (plastic) glass of wine while you shop. In Finland however, the supermarkets can’t sell anything that contains more than 4.7% alcohol.

So while Finnish supermarkets have vast selections of beer and cider, you won’t find anything stronger. Cans are also sold individually if you desire, which is a bit different to how it is generally sold in New Zealand.

Anything with a higher alcohol content is sold at Alko stores, which are owned wholly by the Finnish government. There are 350 stores around Finland and while their website says 90% of Finns live within 10km of a store, they can be surprisingly hard to find.

Being a monopoly, prices are standard across all Alko stores – and so is the selection, although some stores will stock a bigger range than others. If there’s a quantity or item you want for a special occasion you can order it in (although most Finns will go to Estonia or Russia for cheap booze and bring it back by the car load for a wedding).

In Alko stores, wines are sorted by country, in alphabetical order. There’s often a good range of organic wines and lots of spirits, including Finnish vodkas. Finns aren’t traditionally big wine drinkers, but the biggest selling items in the last quarter were white wines and red wines, followed by vodka and spirits.

The Alko website claims that 80% of Finns are happy with the current arrangements, however the Opposition Party in Finland has called for taxes on alcohol to be dropped, saying Finns live in a prohibition era. They claim the government’s involvement in alcohol sales leaves the main population punished for the drinking problems of a few, without the underlying reasons people drink being addressed.

In the meantime, I’m missing the great range of Australian and New Zealand wines back home, but am learning a bit about European ones – at more affordable prices. And while you can’t just pick up a bottle of red with your groceries, perhaps the time it has taken for me to find the nearest Alko will save me from becoming one.

Come wash with me

September 19, 2014September 19, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 8 Comments

We brought one big rug amongst our household things to Finland and apart from the occasional vacuum it doesn’t get a whole lot of attention. If we are going to have an authentic Finnish experience however, it seems we will have to beat it.

A communal rug beater in an apartment block in Lappeenranta

Most Finnish homes are not carpeted and instead are furnished with a few rugs of various sizes. Effective heating removes the need for carpet and there seems to be a commonly held belief that carpets are unhygienic.

So outside most apartment buildings and homes you will find a structure for hanging rugs while you beat them. This seems to be something of a summer ritual, however I have read accounts of people laying rugs out in the snow to harden them up before beating them.

Traditionally, washing rugs has been something of an event down by the lakes and waterways of Finland. Many places still have large areas set up solely for this purpose.

As people have started introducing chemical detergents into their washing routines the effect on waterways has been considered and water is now often diverted away from the main outlets. People are also encouraged to use natural products.

Although there was only one man out the day we walked past this area, the laundering of rugs can be quite a social event, with many tubs set up for washing and soaking. There is also a large wringer used to help speed up drying.

And what better way to relax and enjoy the summer sun than to take a dip yourself while your rug dries? (In the lake that is, not the tubs).

Fafa’s for falafel

September 16, 2014September 17, 2014 / Mel_inHelsinki / 10 Comments

I had a job in Sydney that covered Bankstown and Fairfield Local Government Areas. 55% people in Bankstown and 70% people in Fairfield speak a language other than English at home, with Arabic and Assyrian / Aramaic among the top three languages. So as far as Middle Eastern food goes, we have been pretty spoilt.

Our first foray into Middle Eastern food in Helsinki was unfortunately disappointing. Three dry falafels served on rice with lettuce, tomato and a very plain hummus left us in despair. To make things worse, it was served with a drizzle of tomato pasta sauce which left Jonathan feeling like he’d had meatballs for dinner (not great for a vegetarian).

Enter Fafa’s – a small chain of eat-in or takeaway food stores in Helsinki, serving delicious stuffed pita. We were so happy when we saw the menu, which includes a great range of vegetarian options and extra chilli sauce.

I’ve yet to find my favourite Fafa’s pita, but have so far enjoyed the goats cheese pita and the fried eggplant too. The hot chips are cut in a handy scoop shape and Miko often enjoys a hummus plate with a boiled egg.

The food is fresh, the chilli sauce is good but I do think the other sauces could do with a bit more bite. The best sauce I’ve had in Finland so far was baba ganoush made fresh by a Kurdish woman at Hietalahdenkauppahalli. With winter coming there’s no need to be shy with that lemon and garlic!

So we’re very happy to have found Fafa’s – although I’m still looking for that meal that serves garlicky jajik, lemony hummus and smoky baba ganoush alongside dolmades, with baklava for dessert. If you know of a good place for fresh, flavoursome Middle Eastern food in Helsinki (and I don’t mean a kebab with fries) – please, let me know!

Fafa’s – Kamppi, Kallio and Iso Roobertinkatu

Hey Helsinki

A New Zealand girl in Finland

Author: Mel_inHelsinki

I’m speaking Spinach

A slap in the ear? That will be €2

Nightmares on Ice

A Visit to Alvar’s House

Nothing wrong with your herring!

Colours All Around Us

Syksy in the Sauna

Where’s the wine? Ask the Alko

Come wash with me

Fafa’s for falafel

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