My not so Portuguese neighbourhood

I live in the very heart of Lisbon, however my neighborhood is the least Portuguese place in town. Welcome to small India! Don't take me wrong, I really enjoy living here.

Not so many years ago, this centrally located neighborhood was one of the worst neighborhoods to live in. Even today, when I tell people where I live they look at me like Dory in Finding Nemo.

Moving to Martim Moniz almost a year ago made me like Lisbon. We used to live in Bairro Alto. Bairro Alto is THE place to party on the weekends with loads of tourist restaurants and small shops. Once I was told that there are 168 restaurants in Bairro Alto. Dude! The place is not that big.However, when we were living in Bairro Alto we realized that absolutely no Portuguese live in this neighborhood. Why? Because the houses are built 200 years ago, they are in bad condition, cold, not isolated, full of mold and the story goes on... Tourists and students usually occupy these houses.
Imagine going to bed on a Friday night before 2am? Sadly, you will not be able to sleep a wink.

Another sad reality of Bairro Alto was that me as a blonde was harrassed constantly. I was twice persecuted and touched inappropriately during daytime, plus the additional yelling things like I am an object. It really was nasty.  One day when I stepped out on the street in the morning I was offered "Hashish", "Cocaine" and other things I did not know of. I have never been the "try everything" kind of person, and therefore my bewildered expression and question, What is that? Resulted in confusion maximum... for both parties of the conversation.

Back to ...

... Martim Moniz, peace and quiet, Chinese restaurants (illegal and legal), Chinese pottery shops, Chinese food markets, Indian kiosks, Indian markets, Indian kebab, Indian restauarants. I am a foreigner too ...although my ethnicity is more of the Northern kind. I walk down the street in peace, with my head held up.



Ramiro

We also have the best rooftop bar, Topo, which plays funky music and have good drinks. Topo, overlooks a plaza where events of all sorts occur. A couple of weeks ago there was an Indian all women's event. It was beautiful to follow. During the summer, the plaza was full of small bars where people could have their drink in a chilled out atmosphere. Every Thursday we have a Kizomba party. The place is packed.

Best seafood place in Lisbon is Ramiro. If you like seafood, this is a MUST.


 

And I would also like to give attention to the homeless (yes they exist here too) who live outside of our house. Who kindly greet in the morning, may they be high on something or plainly drunk...

Bem-vindo!



Martim Moniz

Different personalities in different cultures

It is actually true. I was not sure whether to define it as, language-personality or culture-personality change. Language is part of culture and therefore I thought it was proper to define it as culture personality.

I noticed this personality change when I was living in Spain. First I thought it was the Alicante people and sun which had the impression on me, but moving to Lisbon and integrating myself to the culture proved my speculations right. I have several personalities (I am not schizophrenic), my personality changes with the culture.

The best part of all. I am Finnish-Swedish but do not feel comfortable with my Finnish-Swedish personality. I have always avoided being Finnish-Swedish. I always tell everybody what I am (now I sound like an animal..), but having to be among others alike and being in my respective personality feels awkward, like clothes that do not fit. However, being Finnish has always been the thing. I feel super comfortable in my personality. My way of being, speaking and acting suits my inner personality like a glove. I have other friends and also my sister, who are very much alike in this matter. Proud of their mother tongue and heritage, but not fitting into their Finnish-Swedish clothes.

American me 19 years old xD

My English personality was established way back when I was a teen. I had an Amercian boyfriend who thought me to speak English - in his way and manners. I learned how to be American, I imitated the way of talking, behavior and the girls in general. All did not suit me, but I created a personality. And there I was, my third personality established and I really liked it. Of course growing older and more mature made my personality less black and white, and Lil Wayne is not the God anymore.

Enjoying a morning hike at the beach in Spain

Moving to Spain thought the Spanish me to love life and myself. Having a wine here and there did not make a difference to my overly healthy lifestyle. Speaking in an easy sloppy manner, joder and all those other colorful expressions in Spanish I do not want to reveal here. The nicest thing is to escape to Spain to fulfill the role and personalty I have there. The more laid back me. It is like having a vacation from your other self as well, not only the 'normal life'.

Finally, who am I in Portuguese? In the beginning it seemed like I was going to be the Grumpy Cat of all times. I had a sarcastic comeback to everything and
nothing seemed to suit. It might have been also the pain of growing into a new personality. The last months have showed me that I might have almost grown into my new personality. Having moments to laugh from the bottom of your stomach, a real joy and having the possibility to understand and joke around with people in Portuguese. I think I am on the brink of establishing the Portuguese me and it seems to suit me just fine.

Desejo-lhe um bom fim de semana! :)

-Heidi

Visit to the emergency - Portuguese style

We were supposed to have a nice sunny Saturday, slow brekkie, thesis (uff), lunch and then off to the park to read our books (in Portuguese!!). However, Nik slit his finger with a knife. Fiskars knives are efficient - we know now.

So off we went to the nearest hospital. Literally 200 meters from our house. It is not actually a hospital, referring to a building, but a massive complex. We figured that when we entered. It must have looked kind of funny, us running back and forth. Nik with his finger in the air. (It was plastered alright but bleeding heavily). After 10 minutes of searching we found the emergency.

The receptionist asked where were from. Then they started listing up countries they have agreements with; Sweden, Norway, Denmark, Estonia, Russia... apparently everything around Finland but not us. 168euro -said the lady. WHAAAAT!? We would have had this fixed for 70e in the private hospital. Not cool. Then we figured to show the European emergency card. That was cool, since the price of treatment suddenly dropped to 18e and an agreement with Finland was established.

We were rapidly redirected to the small surgeries area. There we had to wait almost two hours for treatment. Finger tingling and still bleeding. But this is Portugal. Wonder if it would have been faster if the finger would have been completely off?...

It was an interesting place, the Portuguese emergency. Casually sitting beside me was a lady who was keeping it calm and bleeding directly to the floor. Every 15 min a cleaning lady came and cleaned the mess up.. On my other side was a very friendly drug addict who seemed to have lost half of his nose and front teeth. He did not remember when this happened, but it might had been this week, he said. A nurse also casually asked him if he had taken drugs. Obviously he had. 67 mg of heroin, he declared. And still standing, asked the nurse. Well, you know me, he said. Another nurse pointed out to us that if I were to speak Finnish to him now he would understand it better than what the drug addict was trying to say. Lovely. We got in and out from the hospital in 4 hours. Fast in my opinion after hearing the horror stories of friends being wrongly treated and in the emergency room with an actual emergency for 6-12 hours.

We survived with three stitches and an adventure.
It's time to celebrate with sushi.

Bom fim de semana

-H

Portuguese manners for a beginner

Surprisingly, the Portuguese are like the Finns. Closed people who do not want to make too much noise. Note: Does not apply when drunk. On neither one.

Working in Portugal has been the closest thing to culture exposure. I also studied (still do) at the University of Lisbon. However, the kids and the culture are very international. No weird manners noted. However, at work I came across some funny manners (for a Finn).

The most recent learning experience is that you say Happy New Year to everybody, clients, colleagues, the cleaning ladies, the guard... Anybody you see during January who you have not seen yet. It goes like this: *muaks* *muaks* (cheek kisses), BOM ANO!!! Lovely, in Spanish it means *muaks* *muaks* GREAT ASS!!! Because I seem to have a dirty mind, I cannot see this one escaping my attention. It is correct, but I am kind of bilingual Portunhol (Spanish-Portuguese).

Regarding the cheek kisses, they are given to everybody you meet, may it be the first time or the hundredth. If you act Finnish (or basically any other not Southern country), you give the hand. This is kind of bad mannered because why wouldn't you want to kiss this person? Does he smell? You will be greeted with a sloppy-surprised hand. Cheek kisses. Always. Btw, don't kiss the actual cheek, kiss the air and make the *muaks* noise. If you kiss the cheek it is weird again. (This was for over eager kissers.) Funny story, when I was in Finland over the holidays I gave cheek kisses to everybody. OMG. Private Territory. Hand. Always. My bad.

However the most interesting thing is sharing. That is certainly not something we Finns like to do. Especially with alcohol. Anyways, you are obligated to ask if anyone wishes to have some of your food when you have food. (Does not necessarily apply during lunch hour, but should be offered anyways). Está servido? Are you served? Even if you had ONE nut in your hand, you shall ask!! Super badly mannered me who ate an almond and did not offer a taste to the five other people the same room. Once I ate yoghurt and then remembered, ohh I need to ask: Está servido? To my surprise the person tasted from my spoon. :D:D Never underestimate the situation.

I put a picture of food to reinforce the text. Its a Spanish omelette with a twist. 

Otherwise, the Portuguese are so alike us Finns. It would be weird to have a culture collision here. People are pretty straight forward and sincere. Could this be a small country thing?

Até próxima,
Heidi

I am home

It is always a treat to come back to Finland. Time makes memories golden and all that. SLAP. SLAP. SLAPPETISLAP. Love my friends and the near and dear that stand close and support. The rest is like someone SLAPPED you with a leather glove in the face. Putting the trouble aside, blaming its normal  in Finland... (us Finns like to put trouble into a box, lock it and pretend it never happened.)

I am moving on to food. A true love hate relationship. Eating has been a full day job. Having Christmas Dinner (or lunch) is like swimming in a pool of food with your mouth open. In my case, the heap of food goes in but not out. I am an authentic Moomin. The best cure is to go out for a run. In the end you run for your dear life to get home on time. I even outran my super tall boyfriend with legs like a gazelle. Sometimes occasion makes you Usain Bolt or anyone else fast... hätä ei lue lakia etc..

The weather has been something between October and February, but certainly not December. On the 25th we decided to have one of our famous food melting (please come out I don't want to be like Moomin forever) jogs. It was 0 degrees, and so the water had frozen. It was like scating on the driveway and all the way to the grawel road ( hiekkatie). I must have looked like Olaf from Frozen...
Putting the swollen me aside. Has any woman (or man) ever had the trouble of butt freezing when running? I must have a good lot of wobbly for my butt to freeze during the jog... and it continued frozen throughout the afternoon and our museum visit with one of these nearest and dearest friends. Darn butt, please do not fall off.

Helsingin Kaupungin Museo ( Helsinki City Museum (I guess)) has got the coolest exhibition, it's about old Helsinki through photos, smell and VR glasses. Too awesome. Not even nerdy. And it is for free, gratis, no pay. Wooppidoo.

The time has come for the last journey of this Finland visit. It's time to visit Tampere and spend New Years at a "friend like a sister's" cottage. Best of all, meet her 6 month old son. This is going to be a "One to remember" New Years.

Ps. Last year we did not see the fireworks, we did not eat the grapes (Spanish style), we did spend it with friends but the afterparty sucked. I wandered in the bushes after rolling in backwards (classy lady) and passed out in the taxi. None of this this year. Promise.

Happy New Year Folks

The weather forecast in Lisbon: Ice Age

When you have nothing to say but there is the risk of an awkward silence, we usually speak about the weather. It is THE topic. No matter where you are.

It is sunny, it is cold, it looks like it´s going to rain, uff the cold. As I have had a radio silence the past weeks, I will take up the challenge of “the weather”. But I have a good reason.

In Finland it never occurred to me that I could freeze to death. In Portugal my life is a constant struggle not to turn into a deep frozen fish stick. In the North, the cold gives you a slap in the face. Wearing enough clothes will help you. Meanwhile in Portugal; stockings, jeans, socks, stocking long sleeve shirt, jumper, jacket, hat and gloves. I will survive! And the chill is on your bones. It´s like freezing from inside out, not outside in. The digital pharmacy sign tells you it´s +9! LIES

Yesterday, happily walking home at night dressed as a look-a-like Michelin man it started raining. FOGO (crap or something similar). There I was, soaking wet.

It does not make my dramatic life brighter at all, not having proper isolation or heating system at home. Going to bed is quite ok, it is cold but the battery and fleece pajama warms you up. However, if your blanket falls down and reveals some body part at night, you instantly wake up and cover yourself before you need an amputation. In the morning you prepare to run from the bedroom to the bathroom. Run? It´s so cold you might freeze on the way. Btw, the bathroom seat is no treat either. You butt might deep freeze on the rim.

The cherry topping: People laugh at my fight against the cold. Would you believe it? They mock me for being “over sensitive”. If you read in Iltalehti about a Finn who was found frozen in Lisbon, it was me.

 

 

A São Martinho get together

Last Friday we celebrated São Martinho at work. In general, the Portuguese are very settle celebrators. At least in Lisbon. I have heard that in other parts of Portugal, especially the North, the people go all festive on certain days. But Lisbon, tsirp tsirp (it's a cricket).

When I lived in Spain some years ago, I could not wrap my mind around how many church parties there could be. Honestly, every week there was a parade in some part of the city where people were dressed as in the 1800th Century dragging a huge cross around. And then eventually becoming completely and utterly wasted. First church, then drink.

The Lisbon experience has been different. On Halloween (Dia das Bruxas) people were dragged into the party. The festivity was showed into their partyless lives. But São Martinho is another story.

São Martinho is celebrated 11.11. There is a legend to tell the story, involving a beggar a cloak and good weather. The rest I already forgot... and to be honest, when I asked around nobody knew. People are just interested in castanhas, Jeropiga e Agua-pé. That is; chestnut, alcoholic beverage and other alcoholic beverage. Its the theme of the day. Eat roasted chestnuts and alcohol for the mix of flavors.
To be honest it has got something to do with trying out 'new wine' and summer of São Martinho, which means a come back summer for a couple of days. Which is true, the sun is shining from a clear blue sky currently.

Back to the Friday party. We organized a chestnut-man to come roast chestnuts outside of the office building. The chestnuts were wrapped in company branded paper and the service was paid by the company. It was a nice event. Anybody wanting to have roasted chestnuts could come get some. Nice marketing initiative, I must say...

If you come to Lisbon, there's roasted chestnuts in every corner of the city until March when the strawberry season starts. (Roughly estimated.) Try them, so goooood and full of nutrients.

Have a lovely Sunday ya'll.