Myth of solo cinema

 Somebody you know goes alone to the movies on a Saturday night. Do you feel sad for the person for going all alone (sing: All by my seeelfff) OR do you respect this person for not being afraid of being alone? (this time I sing: I want to be all by my self).

I have always been an independent self-starter. I am not afraid of doing activities alone, it does not mean that I am alone. After all, I am alone in Lisbon. And guess what, it is marvelous.

It is odd to see how people react when someone is doing something alone. As this myth of going alone to the movies. GOD. When I told people I am going alone to the movies, I am met with the response ”That’s so courageous” or ”I wouldn´t be able” or ”I always wanted to, but do not have the guts.” And then people tend to think that the solo cinema rider is sad for being alone… Not true.

I actually have a greater experience when I see the movie alone, I actually focus…for once more on the movie than the popcorn…

From my perspective, going alone to the movies does prove a grade of maturity of not needing someone all the time. It is ok to be alone, as it is ok to go with friends or boyfriend. We do not need someone to hold our hand when we go to the bathroom either? (Correction, I have one friend who is an exception...) Nobody looks at you in a funny way for going alone to the movies. Nobody notices, nobody cares. If you care (do I look pathetic?), then someone cares and that´s you.

There are things in my ”bucket list” that I always wanted to do, but with age people have their own lives and therefore, I cannot expect to have companions in all that I do. (Note to the reader: isn´t it more pathetic to stay home alone and bored because you cannot do something alone?)

Being capable of doing things alone could be one of our Nordic features? I have so many friends who travel solo, and tell their experiences to be life changing. So why not. I am going to solo travel this fall, and I am expecting it to be the vacay trip to heaven on earth of my l-i-f-e.

What we miss the most when living abroad

The other day I asked myself a question. What do I miss the most from Finland? The first thought I had in mind was insane. On the top of my materialistic mind was dry shampoo. I sincerely asked myself whether I am going crazy or am I plainly materialistic. Dry shampoo? It’s not even a Finnish product, but Pirkka Dry shampoo is the thing I had in mind. Actually the Pirkka (white labeled) product is produced in Estonia. So there it is.

Digging deeper into the depths of the mind, I found some things interesting. If I really focus, I can smell the grass of Summer and hear the wind blow through the bed of reeds at my summer cottage. I can even hear the specific birds. I miss the Finnish Summer, I miss my summer cottage which is the greenest of places with its own private beach.  

 What else do I miss? Next thing in mind was the chewy and warm, oven fresh rye bread made by Kanniston Leipomo or ohra rieska (barley flatbread) perhaps?

As Finnish family bonds tend to be less close (not like Southern Europe), I do not miss to be close to my family. I do not need my friends less then 10km away and I do not miss Finland in itself. This plainly means that I am not ready to return to Finland. The things that I miss are material and experiences, which I have when I return for a visit. I load my batteries full of the things I like about Finland, and then return back to Portugal.

As last, I would like to point out that, I do not miss Portugal when I am away. And Portugal is not the place I will stay for the rest of my life. Perhaps I have a nomadic spirit. Many Finns live their lives abroad, switching countries every now and then. Why do we do this?

What is the thing you miss the most?

A traveling Heidi and crazy taxi drivers

Work has taken me several times to Germany and once to UK in the past weeks. There is one thing in common with all working trips (not only Bircher muesli and my incredible capability of finding it everywhere).

I have met some cray-ass-bem-louco taxi drivers. They seem to be more interested in your life than the regular hairdresser lady who seems to know everything about everyone on TV. Traveling by taxi is like a third degree interrogation or other weirdness.

I left on a Sunday afternoon to Germany to be in a meeting Monday morning. The Portuguese taxi driver is super talkative. “I hope you do not mind but, on the way to the airport I need to drop off things to my niece. Did I tell you my nieces are the cutest? So good looking?” Me thinking: Merlin´s beard, this one is crazy. So we went to drop off things somewhere to his super good looking niece, who btw, if you didn´t get it yet has got a twin. This additional new route took 20 min, and during that time I heard at least 10 times about his good looking niece(s) (the twins). I was also harassed to tell my nationality, rent price, house condition, workplace, studies etc… Not much lying to be done since he picked me up in front of my house.

In Germany I had an a**hole of a taxi driver. Because I was young and traveling by taxi to a nice hotel means that I MUST HAVE a lot of money. So the interrogation was about my monetary situation. Which is not good btw, student + loans + working in Portugal. The driver wanted me to pay him 20e of tip!?!?! After the whole rude questioning before. No way. Fight fight fight. FYI I am not paying 20e tip to a butt hole who assumes I am rich for travelling alone on a Sunday by cab for work. The taxi driver seemed to be mad at me for some reason. I did not know I had a thick wallet and was related to the King of Sweden… good to know when the bills arrive.

In the UK I was met by a cab driver who started asking questions one nanosecond after I got in the cab. I was picked up at an office building in the middle of industrial city suburbs – aka nowhere. “So? Were you on an interview?” Me: ? “Did it go well? It looks like it because your interviewer is waving to you outside?” Me: ????? I didn´t even have time to answer. After the questioning-vomit-attack ended, I replied horrified. “I am here for work.” The driver: “OOOOOOH. So you are not from the UK, where are you coming from?” Me: “Portugal” …and that’s how the fun started. I do not look Portuguese, I do not sound like one… How come I come from there, where do I work, live, eat, sleep, first time in the UK?, future plans?, weddings?? When I rushed out from this horrible questioning session the driver sticks his head out of the cab window to scream from the bottom of his lungs. 18 POUND TO THE AIRPORT TODAY, CALL MEEEEEEEEE. Over my dead body.

Arriving back to Lisbon, I got to know some Chinese people who are married and own a kebab place. Yes. I was involved again in a weird situation when the taxi driver decided to meet up with old friends when I was on board.

Next time I will take an Uber. Does not matter how illegal it is. They simply ask if the music is ok and if I want to have WIFI and stay the hell quiet. My Finnish personality cannot take more. Silence and space please.

I met Scandinavians

I was super duper excited to meet people from the North a while a go, when I participated in a business meeting abroad. Excitement overload - reunite with the blondes.

Long story short. I was astonished of the way people behaved. The Nordic people claim that the Southern people are slow and nothing works. Man, this was proven wrong. Back to it soon..

Just because it makes my mouth water.
SOON

The Nordics covered Norway, Denmark, Finland and Sweden. Basically Scandinavia, though Finland is technically not part of it, but anyways. It was a jolly presentation where the Scandinavian were shown pictures of their countries and they had to explain what was in the images... Danish sausage wagon, Swedish midsummer party, Finnish Karelian pastry and Norwegian 17 May. It was funny.

Then the Finns claimed to be very silent people (as we all know) and all other Nordic countries nodded approvingly.  In the end the Finns spoke a-l-o-t. The other Scandinavians nodded or grumped in answer.


Throughout the event the Scandinavians were complaining about EVERYTHING. The attitude was cannot, never-ever, in my life would I?, uuuuf, puuuuf, how?, the laws.. This was something that went on for half a day.. The respective part of the day was supposed to be 1 hour to move on to real life issues.

I do not wonder why people use wrinkle cream like crazy in the cold North after frowning so much with the eyebrows. So many problems...
Everyone else seemed to see a challenge, something you solve and continue on with life. Something so small it does not even matter. But no...

In group works, the Scandinavians had nothing to say. Nope. Or maybe something... one thing, after encouragement.

To summarize it up, the Nordics were pulled to each other like magnets. They were speaking only among each other. They did not see challenges, only problems existed... and a possible soon death of all the stress they were showing.

I am not political at all. But honestly, all Northern people in the meeting were old, wearing dark and dull clothes and not happy at all. Where are all the new, young innovative people? I am in Portugal because Finland did not give me a chance regarding a resumé & academic corresponding employment. Would you believe? I have a higher living standard and job in Portugal. Holy moly.

The Swiss Little Heidi..
..whom I always hear about  

Why I wrote this text was to prove that something is happening. With me. Either I am integrating to Portugal, or I am actually seeing the world in other eyes.


Grande finale; I let everyone stare at me when I presented myself from Portugal. HEHE. I revealed my cover later causing an utter confusion. :DD


My name is German, I do not speak German. I am from Finland, but my mother tongue is Swedish. I live in Portugal, I am younger than you would ever hire a person in the North for a corresponding job and I am fluent in Portuguese. VOITTO. I have succeeded with my international mission.





Good Night or Good Morning!
(Whenever you are reading my post).

Até já

How living abroad made me patriotic

My personal pride of being Finnish (and recognizing other Finns abroad with a “Moi”) has increased from floor level through the roof. It´s hilarious. When we lived in Finland we couldn´t wait to move abroad. Get away from this tiny country, which is not “in” or even considered to be on the world map.

So, (ha-ha) we moved to Portugal. An even tinier country (geographically), which is as unknown as Finland. Portugal is in the shadow of Spain (but working hard to place itself on the mental world map of people) and good old Finland is kind of shadowed by Scandinavia and Russia. Is Finland even part of Scandinavia? I would say yes. But technically it´s not. And ok, Portugal is known as a football country, but theres so much more into it.

So what has happened? Well basically being a Finn in Portugal makes you stand out, a lot. At least if you get incorporated in groups of people who are only Portuguese. Taking an example, every official company event or business trip, I do get recognized for not being Portuguese. I stand out as a parrot among pigeons. All eyes on me. Standing out makes me different, and I like to feed the fact with my personal pride of the country I am from.

But how do you mean patriotic? I have been asked “tell me about Finland, what is your home like”. I usually skip the part of gray, cold, depressing, expensive, no jobs … it´s kind of rude and comparable to shooting yourself in the leg. Why would I dig a hole? So I tell them. It’s the country of a thousand lakes. The summer is warm and the people are nice. The nature is close, its green and you can walk around in it. The forest is a place where you can find peace and breathe fresh air. During winter the snow hangs on tree branches. White reflects light illuminating the air. The air you breathe is cold in the lungs like a menthol gum, your cheeks and nose turn red... Then I get homesick.

Moreover, I was asked to bring “salminakki” to work for Halloween because it´s black. And what was the name of that good Finnish chocolate fizer (fazer)? And you have that really good food, carne de reno (poronpaisti). They know, I am so proud.

I also think the Finnish ruisleipa is the best thing on earth. And Finnish candy is not even comparable to other countries. I always have a stash of remix at home.

Thank God I am going home for Christmas for reality therapy. Then I will happily return to my second home, Lisbon.

 

 

Terveisin,
Heidi

Ericeira state of mind

We escaped Lisbon this weekend. Its funny how we have been in Portugal for almost 1,5 years and we have literally been nowhere... There's no time, no resources, too expensive, too lazy etcetera. Its easy to come up with reasons.

However, this particular weekend some Finnish friends were at Ericeira. And we took a crazy leap of faith. Omg the risks associated with a change in normal routine.. going to Ericeira... A true jump in the unknown. Not. Just a bunch of reasons. 


We travelled by bus (and through every single village on the way sighh) to Ericeira. It took us two hours, and the roads were small. I tried to enjoy the scenery, but had this nice cold sweat feeling and felt the blood escape my face.. I haven't been car sick since I was a child. Nevertheless, the air conditioning was state of art. Can you sense the sarcasm? It was raining outside, and the air inside the bus was extremely humid... and the windows were so dim it was impossible to see outside. I felt like a dying fly, or at least could relate to one.




I loved my girlfriend duty this weekend. Be supportive. The guys went surfing, although the weather was not optimal. According to our two pro surfers. (Who had surfed as many times as you can count with two hands) As girlfriends, we had to be close by, so we took chairs to the beach front and sat in the sun. Occasionally you would have to wave from the chair or do a thumbs-up to show that you were watching. Otherwise it was great time spent gossiping and speaking about life and realities. Optimal. Something I have been missing. On surfing round two (guys new attempt to go in the water) we moved up to the beach restaurant. The sun was better there. Wine time.

At night there was laughter, telling of crazy stories and eating good food. And the wine. Wine time.

Ericeira is a good place for surfers, and supportive girlfriends (in case they don't surf). It is small, cozy, friendly, there's nature, good food.. I wish to return. The relaxation was maximum. The feeling of sitting and just being there, having fresh air. It is irreplaceable. Namaste.

Sometimes you can have a full week of holiday in less than 24 hours. Enjoy the Sunday folks!