slightly out of Japan ～ちょっとだけスオミ～

Warmer than Japan?

What the hell is happening in Finland? It's around 3 or 4 degree thesedays. Compared to the temperature of 2 years ago, ithe difference is around 20 degree. Actually, every road is definitely slipperly and of course lots of people are slipping down. Fortunately I didn't so far.

Oh well, I came back from the great holidays in Germany but got a cold instead. I suppose that's because I couldn't go sauna, seriously.

Ｔｒｅｅ

I got a Christmas tree in my room. It is the real one, which I cut out from forest in Jamsa. Well-decorated and quite beautiful.
Markus brought it yo my room and we ate out at a kebab restaurant in downtown. After that, I came back to my room and decorate and arranged the tree to some extent.
Then I went to a post office to get a mail from Jolija, who sent me the credit card I left at the hostel in Kaunas. I have to check that nobody use it or copied, though.
Then I went to the church in the very center of Jyvaskyla to see a Christmas concert of Jorma Hynninen, who is world famous baliton singer. It was amazing but I felt a bit sleepy, honestly.
We took a cup of coffee after that, and it was a bit more fun than the concert, honestly again.

Coming back to Finland and then

I came back to Finland the day before yesterday. THe trip was really nice and experience. Some troubles happened but as a whole, it was great.
Though it was so nice, I must admit I'm exausted a bit and I need a rest. In fact, I took a really deep breath and felt relieved when I came back to Finland and my room.
Anyway I can take a absolutely good rest. Imagine that spending Christmas in Finland! I was invited the Christmas dinner at my friendship family, Ritva & Touko's home. There're still a few days but I'm very looking forward to being there! I got a photostand and a small bell at Kaunas as a Christmas present for the family, and some CDs of Japanese music (such as m-flo, Dragon Ash, Orange Pekoe, Love Psychedelico) for Markus, the youngest son. I bought a gift wrap for them today at Jyvaskyla.

Exchange Bands at Jazz Bar

Last night was one of the best nights for me. I went to kinda presentation about Azelbaijan called "Experience Azelbaijan". Lots of people attended and it was really internationalized. Just seeing around from my seats, I could see students from Poland, Gemany, Palestine, Hangury, Tanzania, China, Finland, Azelbaijan, and Japan.
Same as the show at Jazz Bar which is in downtown. There are some bands of exchange students, so for example, they sung "Jingle Bell" in Portuguese, Czech and Finnish.
In addition, the bands were really really good. Very good at Improvisation!

Chrismas Market and Ice Hockey

With my Friendship family, we went to Pavilijoki, which is a kinda hall for some exhivisions such as Rally Party. Now there was a Chrismas Market. We walked through the hall and had a cup of coffee. Actually there was not only the goods for Chrismas but also books and toys were sold. And a joulupukki, which means St. Claus, or Father Christmas gave us sweets. He was so young and theseday joulupukki should be working at his office in Rovaniemi so he could be an assistant or something of him, I might add.

After that, we saw a game of a ice hockey. A team from Tampere v.s. Jyvaskyla. Though it was my first time to see an ice hockey and I even only know the very basic rule, it was really exciting! The game itself was really good but Jyvaskyla was beaten up. Shame!