CAMPEONES!

Aaaaaand the best team won!! Gooooo SPAIN! they are the first ones who have won the EURO tournament two times in a row, without even mentioning the fact that they also won the World Cup between these two EURO tournaments, so, I guess there's no doubt which country is the dominating football country nowadays. Champions!! It just feels weird that the matches are now over. I waited for the tournament for so long and now it's over. Now I just have to start waiting for the World Cup (2014). But all I can say now;

¡VIVA ESPAÑA!

Fernando Torres & his kids = cutest thing ever!

All the pictures from weheartit.com

 What else what else. On Monday, nothing special. On Tuesday, shopping with J! I needed straight black pants for work and after all I found two of them and also new jeans.. And I was supposed to save some money...... I have to work my ass off so that I can compensate at least some of my shoppings.

Today was my first day at work after half a year. I got a job offer on Monday and I accepted it, it covers at least next two weeks, and if everything goes well and everyone is happy, I may continue working there also after that. This kind of long-term working period in a same place wasn't what I supposed when I applied for a job in a "labor renting company" because they usually offer just some individual shifts in different places (=their customer companies to whom they "deliver workers") when extra labor is needed. But better for me, of course I prefer this situation! Today and Saturday are my training days so that I would learn all the basic things I need to know; next week I'm gonna work 5 days; the week after that I will have 6 working days... That's a lot! But I liked the place, it's a cafeteria in a shopping center and I'm working there as a cafeteria waitress. There are many products offered; different coffees, teas, cold drinks, smoothies, alcohol products, sandwiches, paninis, foccaccias, pies, salads, cakes, croissants + other bakery goods, ice creams, ... I don't even know the whole selection yet. The distance from my home is not too bad and the other workers seemed nice. So I got a positive impression, but this was just the first day.

The negative thing is that I'm not in a good condition and the job is quite physical as I have to stand all the time and carry quite heavy trays of dishes, so my back hurts now! I also had to wake up at 5.30 this morning (I didn't sleep much because I kept on waking up as I was stressed whether I wake up on time or not) so I was quite exhausted after the shift. But now I can relax these two days before my next shifts. And I can't complain, I got a job very quickly (wouldn't have believed) and the field is just what I was hoping for. And somehow I like working again! Just a few days before I got this job offer I asked J what I'm gonna do these two months before I start studying again - and now I have my answer. Of course I want to relax too and enjoy the summer, and that's why I hope the weeks after the next two weeks won't be this full. I also want to have some free time. For example, we bought tickets to Oulu with J yesterday (we are going there at the beginning of August) so at least then I'm gonna be off from work for 5 days. And we also have a few other plans, in addition to the fact that I still want to go to the countryside!

And btw, yesterday I started to write about my apartment that I got back last Friday. I've got almost everything now organized here and I also took a few pictures. But when I started writing I realized that I can't get the pictures to my computer because the camera-computer cable is at J's. So I will write about it later then, with pictures.

But now I'm exhausted (it's 1.40am, why am I still here?!). Tomorrow's weather is supposed to be beautiful so we try to make up something nice to do with J. We have to enjoy these (rare) sunny&warm days as we finally have at least a few of them here in Finland. So, good night, enjoy your summer days!

UEFA EURO 2012 FINAL

¡VAMOS ESPAÑA!

random twaddling

So, on Wednesday night I came back to J's. It was time for a terrible match - Spain vs Portugal, I was nervous about it because I knew that Portuguese team is also strong. And yes, the match was 0 - 0 even after the extra time so it was solved through penalties. I couldn't watch it anymore, too thrilling! J got to watch the penalties for me while I went to wash my teeth & face and he had to come to knock on the door when the penalties were over. and SPAIN WON !!! happy happy happy! they are in the finals, defending their previous EM-victory! ¡VIVA ESPAÑA!

Yesterday I had a job interview. It went well (and fast) and I will know more on Monday when the person who interviewed me calls me. She tries to get me an interview straight from one café-chain (would be perfect for me, it's just what I wanted) where I would be (mainly) working then. She also asked me if I could do some restaurant-waitressing-assisting shifts during the summer and I said that I could. So, the situation we are planning here, is this: on July, I would do some restaurant assisting shifts in random restaurants that are in need of some extra workers and I would take a 4-day introduction period for the café-chain; on August, I would be working in those café-chain cafeterias quite a lot so that I would get into the job (there are many of those cafeterias in the metropolitan area of Helsinki and instead of having just one place, I would be working in different places, where&when needed); from September onward (when I continue studying) I would work in evening or weekend shifts, maybe 3-4 shifts/week if possible. For me that sounds good. But the only problem is that most of those cafeterias close already at 6pm or 7pm, so the evening shifts start quite early and I'm not sure how I'm gonna combine studying and working when the school starts. That's why my interviewer needs to talk first with the cafeteria-chain's recruitment person and get me an interview there, so that we can figure these things out. I hope everything goes well!

new jeans (Only) & new shoes (Puma) - and I wasn't supposed to go shopping anymore..

Later we went to the cinema with J, it has been a long time since I've been there because I didn't want to go to one in Spain as everything was dubbed in Spanish. We went to see Tim Burton's Dark Shadows, starred by Johnny Depp. It was weird but good! After the movie we came back to J's to see the match - Germany vs Italy. I had actually thought that Germany would "definitely" win but nooooo, Italy won 1 - 2. They seemed strong, so, a thrilling final coming up on Sunday: Spain - Italy! I'm nervous already........

Now I'm here blogging and J is still sleeping. I could start packing my stuff as today I'm moving towards Espoo again. Actually, I'm getting my own apartment back today!!! can't wait to be there again! First I will meet one friend, then I will go to my uncle and aunt's place to gather all my stuff in the luggage and bags, then J will come to help me move all the stuff from there to my apartment. So, tonight I'm sleeping in my own bed again, after almost 6 months <3

PS. Big big big congratulations to my cousin who got into the Faculty of Medicine! I'm so happy for you, I!

Midsummer & my first week back in Finland

So, I'm back in Finland now. Last Tuesday I checked out from the hotel in Barcelona, took a train to the airport, spent almost 100 euros in a duty free shop and caught my flight to Helsinki-Vantaa. The flight seemed to pass quickly and sooner than I realized, the airplane landed at the airport. My sister and J were there to meet me, it was so weird and my hands were shaking because I didn't know what to do or what to think about or anything. I was confused. We took a taxi to my uncle and aunt's home, there were some relatives, cake, coffee... I really felt that I had come home. I was confused but happy.

On Wednesday, I met some school friends - it was so good to see them! I've been missing my friends a lot. First we were hanging out and drinking in the Kaisaniemi park (in Helsinki) and after that we went to a terrace. I finally got the Somersby apple cider that I had craved and it was just as good as I remembered! On Thursday I met one of my oldest friends that I haven't seen in 8 months because she left already in October (?) to travel around Australia. I also went to get more clothes and stuff from "home" where I had left my luggage. To clarify, I've been living at J's because I haven't got my own apartment back yet.

On Friday, we took a train from Helsinki to Hämeenlinna, in order to go to our summer cottage to spend the midsummer in the countryside! The train was full and there was no room for 4 persons (me, J, my cousin and her boyfriend) to sit so we had to stand, but luckily it didn't take more than one hour and 15 minutes. My uncle came to get us from the train station and then we drove to Hauho. On Friday, the weather was (luckily) perfect so we could spend time outside. We were about 15 persons there then, so it was better that way (compared to Saturday & Sunday when the weather was not so good so the house was filled and it was quite tight there...). We also drove to a lake so that my cousin's daughter got to swim (and J had to go with her), we went to sauna (felt sooooo good after 6 months of no-sauna) and later we went to see the bonfire. Of course we also watched the Germany vs Greece match, drank and ate well. It was a good day.

front yard

the local pub had karaoke-nights on Friday & Saturday! too bad we didn't go there..

sauna drink :-)

Midsummer bonfire

On Saturday, as I already mentioned, the weather was a bit worse so we stayed mainly inside the house. Actually we didn't do anything so special, just hanged out there at the cottage. In the evening we went to sauna and watched the Spanish game - Spain vs France! I was a bit nervous because the French team is also quite strong but, after all, of course Spain won (even though I didn't have my shirt on or my flag with me there :|). ¡Viva España!

Sunday was a rainy day. I hadn't slept well and I was already ready to head back to Helsinki. We still spent the day there, and finally we took a train back to Helsinki before 6pm. We came to J's place and watched the Italy vs England match.

last night's view from J's balcony

Today I have no special plans, I'm just gonna get some more clothes and stuff from "home". I think I've now realized that I'm seriously back in Finland and I'm not going back to Valencia anymore. It's confusing but that's just how it is. But I think everything still feels a bit weird mainly because of the fact that I haven't got my apartment back yet so I haven't been able to unpack or settle down. I will move back to my own apartment - my real home - in a week and I think it will stabilize the situation. I also have a job interview on Thursday...! So, it's time to get back to reality.

my last days in Valencia!

I'm sorry about not-posting again! My situation is just such that I have only a few days left in Valencia and thus I've had so many things going on and my thoughts are somewhere else so I haven't been able to concentrate on posting. Okay I've been working on one post but it's not ready yet to be published.

Soooo, what's going on? I don't know where to start. WELL. My favorite topic these days - football! Last Friday was a good day. It was finally time for UEFA Euro 2012 opening! I spent the day on the beach with my friends (it has been so hot in here that there's not much else you can do but go there) and after that, we went to a pub/bar which was reserved (by some Polish people) just for football. I seriously didn't know that there are so many Polish persons in Valencia! The place was mainly reserved for them, because as you may know, Poland (and Ukraine) is the host country of the tournament and the opening match was Poland - Greece. I went there with my Polish friends and I think there were only a few not-Polish persons (including me). The atmosphere was aaaaawesome!! Everyone was in a good mood and the noise that came out of the place, well.... haha! The ambiance was maintained even though the game ended 1 - 1. After the match, the night included Finnish drinks, wine, shots, chupitos, botellón, a nightclub..... I seriously had a lot of fun that night. I was happy. (Well, the next day, I wasn't that happy anymore...)

On Sunday it was finally time for Spain to play: Spain - Italy. Once again, we spent the day on the beach (although it was terrible, the temperature went over the top and I almost fainted because I didn't drink enough). After the beach, I took a shower, put the Spain-shirt on and headed to a pub with some friends! I felt like one of the Spanish people with that shirt because all the people on the streets were yelling "YEAAAAA VAMOS ESPAÑAAAA" or "TOORRREEEESSS!" (my shirt is nr 9 - Torres ;-)) when I passed them, haha! I think it was a good and interesting match even though it ended 1 - 1. Of course Spain could have scored a few more times but....

Poland - Russia

Okay the last things about football: On Tuesday I was watching the Poland - Russia Match again among the Polish people in the same bar as last Friday; the ambiance was again amazing and I think there were even more Polish people (if it's possible) this time than last time. Yesterday, in turn, I was with German people in a German pub, watching the Netherlands - German match. Of course people were cheering for Germany but the surprising part here is that they weren't as intense and cheerful as the Polish people cheering for Poland! Everyone was drinking beer (surprise surprise) but as I hate beer, I took wine (I wouldn't have guessed a few years ago that one day I would seriously be into red wine...) and I got maybe the biggest glass of wine I've ever had! It was the same size as my head :D After the game we still went to the 100 Montaditos. Today, it's time for Spanish match again! First, I need to go to the university to print a few papers, then to the beach with some friends and then to see the match! Too many things to do, when am I gonna pack the rest of my stuff?!

Netherlands - Germany

Yep, packing. I started a few days go. I'm gonna leave some stuff behind because I know I'm not gonna need those anymore so what's the point in dragging them to Finland (as if they would fit into my suitcases anyway..). Here you can have a hint about the situation:

the red one is that full already and i still have A LOT of clothes to be packed....

those I'm gonna leave behind.... no room for them :(

Well, what else... Tomorrow I still have to visit the International Relations Head Office to get one signature. I also have to get the rest of my stuff packed, clean up my room (including washing the floors, windows, everything.... noooo) and there's one match I would like to see: Sweden - England. But let's see about it then. I would also like to go and say goodbyes to my friends as many of them are gathering to a nearby plaza for botellon again. But I can't go out and party anymore, because on Saturday morning, we are leaving at 9am etc for the riding trip! That's a good way to finish my stay in Valencia. We are gonna be there 'til the afternoon and I seriously hope we are gonna be back on time because I have a ticket for a bus that leaves at 6pm to Barcelona. So, I have to have all my stuff packed by Saturday morning, because there won't be much time between the return from the horse trip and the departure of the bus. I'm excited about the riding trip but at the same time I'm a bit stressed about the timetables. But I'm sure that will be a good day, forecasts show over 30 degrees and sunshine. In addition to the riding route, we will have a picnic there afterwards. The place is called "Parque Natural de Sierra Calderona" and I've heard that it's a biiiig area and perfect for spending time.

Aaaa I almost forgot - school stuff! Haha, no post without mentioning the university. I had my last exam on Monday (English for business). I've already got the results of two courses - French and Marketing and now I'm just nervously waiting for the Spanish economy results....! The grade for the French course was much much higher than I expected, seriously, the level must have been low if I got that good grade with my performance (I didn't even answer to all the questions). But I don't complain, I'm just more than happy that I don't have to think about French language anymore! And marketing, well I did quite a lot for the course during the spring and I got an excellent grade for that too! It was also better than I thought but I'm so content with it, because I did actually put quite a lot of effort on that course. So I've got two excellent grades now, and I'm actually quite positive about passing the Spanish economy course - I seriously hope so because I've never put so much effort on one course and I honestly did everything I could. We are supposed to get the results before next Tuesday..!

on Sunday, the beach was FULL of people

Okay, I will finish now, this post is already too long for anyone to read! Finally, I just have to say that I can't realize the fact that I'll be in Finland in less than a week. It just doesn't seem real! But first, I still have my little vacation in Barcelona. I promise I will enjoy those last days of my Spanish life, because when I return to Finland, I guess I can't afford traveling for a while... Well, that's all for now, I guess the next post will come from Barcelona!

BTW I finally changed the header/banner/heading-picture, I'm not sure if I like it or not but it stays there for a while now, until I'm active enough to work on it. What do you think about it?

exams & goodbyes + random stuff

...and heat. But now I seriously don't wanna complain about that because in two weeks, I have to adjust to huge temperature difference. So, I need to seize the last times of this heat before going to Finland (= to freeze..).

These two weeks have been more or less confusing and mixed. I have been quite stressed... okay, stressed as h*ll. that's why it's so weird now that I don't actually have almost anything to stress about. The situation is unfamiliar :D Well I still have one exam left, English for business, but there's not much to study for it. Of course I'm also a bit nervous about passing my exams or not - waiting for the results - but there's nothing I can do but wait. So let's wait.

the last day of studying for Spanish economy... well, no-one can say that i haven't tried!

Tuesday was a weird day. I've told you about the Spanish economy course, the one that was far too difficult for me because I don't have the basic economic knowledge for that. I've been afraid of that exam for this whole spring and Tuesday was the day. Seriously, on Monday evening and Tuesday morning before the exam, i was so nervous. so so so nervous.. but I did my best in the exam and if it's not enough, at least I can honestly say that I tried my best and I did everything I could. But the feeling after the exam? Empty. I didn't know how to feel, what to do or what to think. The thing I had been nervous about for many many weeks was over. that was so weird! I came home and I didn't know what to do because I didn't have anything to study or write notes about. I just sit in my room, staring at my computer and thinking "what should i do?". Then, I packed my stuff, put on some sun spray and took a bike to the beach. Ahh how relaxing is was, just to lie on the beach and not stressing about any exams. The water was warm and the waves were high. That's what I call freedom.

And Tuesday evening was about the second word in the heading - goodbyes. It was the last night in Valencia for one of my friends. At 10pm I met some friends and we headed towards the beach with drinks and some snacks. It was a bit windy on the beach but it didn't matter - we had so much fun. I was tired (because I hadn't been able to sleep well the previous night due to the exam) but I still just wanted to stay there, to seize the last moments with some of the best persons I've got to know during the spring. Well I still have time to see most of them - but those were the last moments I could spend with the one who was leaving. She was actually the first person I got to know better at the beginning of the spring. She was the first foreign person in Valencia that I could call "a friend". Along the spring she has been in the Spanish economy classes with me, witnessing my frustration and helping me. That night I tried not to think about the fact that I seriously don't know when I'm gonna see her again. But when we were walking home after 3am and it was the time to say goodbyes, it was hard to avoid thinking about that. I honestly hate goodbyes, especially if the situation is such that you can't be sure about the next time you see each other. Thank god we have all the facebooks and systems nowadays so we're able to keep in touch... And I will definitely go to Poland one day, it's not so far away from Finland!

hahah the most exciting swing ive ever tried!

as you can see, formulas are coming to the town!

After Tuesday, these two days have been more or less the same. I've been lying (= almost sleeping) on the beach, swimming in the warm sea, enjoying the sun, not-enjoying a young boy who - well - "harassed" me and well. just relaxing!

Yesterday I sent a job application and today they called me to set up an interview, for the next week after I go back to Finland. I'm quite happy! So, if they're content with me, I will most likely get some working shifts already in July. And the firm is a "labor-renting-firm" that delivers workers to their customer companies. And for workers that means that they offer them shifts in various firms (my field would be hotels, restaurants and events - mainly catering and waitressing) and then the workers can either accept to do the shift or turn down the offer. I decided to send an application to that firm because of the flexibility and variability of the shifts and the fact that I'm able to decide myself how much I want to work and which kind of shifts I want to take. And that kind of job is also quite easy to combine with the studies. So, I hope that the interview goes well!

University campus

Tomorrow is a big day as it's finally time for UEFA EURO 2012 TOURNAMENT! I've bee waiting for it for a long time so I'm excited about the fact that the day is finally here!

VAMOS ESPAÑA!

from weheartit.com

Mother's Day

First of all, happy Mother's Day to all the mothers - your "job" may be the most important in the world, don't forget that :-) And that's why you're more than allowed to enjoy this day, this is only for you!

According to the Internet, the water is around +17 degrees, and yes, I went there and it WAS warm!

For me, this day hasn't been special in any way. I thought I would spend all the weekend on the beach, and yes, I was there yesterday, but as I - surprise surprise - managed to get my nose sunburned (it hurts!), I didn't go there today because I seriously couldn't expose my face (mainly nose) to the sun anymore.. So now I'm just waiting for the lovely moment when my skin starts to peel off from my nose.. f*ck. So today, just cleaning and school work for me (at least that was the intention, now that I think about it I feel like I haven't got anything done).

the temperature was over +30 degrees. No wonder why the beach was filled with people!

I also saw CLOUDS when I left. Haven't seen them in a while.

A few facts have hit me quite hard lately. The first one is that there are two weeks of actual school left. Yay for that, but also booooo for that because it means that there are many tasks and projects to be finished. Stress! After these two weeks, it's time for exams (I already feel the anxiety and the whole new level of stress coming).

Another fact is that UEFA EURO 2012 is getting closer, day by day (26 days left)! I've already spotted some fan stuff in the stores, such as Spanish flags, caps, horns, scarfs, bags.. I haven't yet decided which items I will buy ;-) Luckily I'll have almost all of my exams before the opening kick off so then I can fully concentrate on the matches! Unfortunately I'm not staying here long enough to witness the victory of Spain, but I'm sure I can celebrate it in Finland too :-)

weheartit.com

The third fact is that my return to Finland is also getting closer, day by day. I don't know what to think about it. Okay, I can't even tell you how much I wait to see all the people I'm missing so much, but at the same time I'm distressed because I don't feel that I'm ready to leave quite yet. Am I gonna be ready in five weeks? I don't know, but then it's time to go. Ready or not. That's confusing.. Five weeks?

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