Human beings are the only creatures on earth that allow their children to come back home.

When we stepped out of the plane in Helsinki K said : "It smells nature". It was a scent of home.

To be honest, I feel almost a bit ridiculous  for my behaviour. My first breakfast on Finnish territory was Karelian pies, rye bread and "viili" (google would translate it as processer sourmilk, but that sounds disgusting). It has only been three days and I have already excitedly eaten new potatoes with herring for dinner,  walked barefooted on the non-wholecarpet floor, played my Home-playlist on Spotify several times, walked through the silent city in the morning when the sun was rising, burned my arms (because I'm not used to the sun and this heat), visited the fleamarkets, attended the World Village festival and -the best thing - saw my lovely friends again.
Can't wait to come "home home" to my family and go to the sauna.

I have never been apart from Finland for this long. I should do it more often maybe, because it feels really good.

Travel is the university of life

..said the woman who picked us up when we hitchhiked from a small village in Connemara national park.

I will miss Dublin, Ireland and everybody and everything that made my life here. But I'm also ready to come home.

The worst sin towards our fellow creatures is not to hate them, but to be indifferent to them: that's the essence of inhumanity.

Quote by G. Bernard Shaw

Yesterday while waiting for the tram a stranger with ripped jeans and dirty fingers asked me if I have a lighter. I didn't, but I got the feeling that the question was just a way to start a conversation. 

He admired me for going to Trinity College, since he never had the chance to go to university. He also wasn't paying the ticket for the tram, since he had no money. He asked me where I was going and he said that he had no idea what he should do today. Maybe go and feed the pigeons.

Despite the socio-economic gap between us he wished me all the best for my remaining days in Dublin, and I really think he meant what he said.

This is what the camera captured this week.

Neon letters that really stick into your eyes.

This girl has been practising almost every weekend infront of my house. She has a competition in France coming up.

Abortion is finally about to become legal in Ireland.

Bucket list

Things to do before going back to Finland:

Eat at a Korean restaurant with flatmates

Have brunch at a nice café

Experience a Catholic worship
Take pictures of the beautiful doors of Dublin
Watch a Gaelic game
Hike in Connemara
Visit Aran Islands

Eat at Boojum

Visit the Prison

See the Botanic Garden
City Gallery on the North Side

Find some souvenirs

And one exam to write, but let's not think too much about that.

Lazy Monday

Of some reasons bank holidays are always on Mondays in this country. They actually have quite random days off in March, May, June, August and October. Usually people don't enjoy Mondays that much. I guess the Irish are not an exception.
Anyway, today I was jogging, washing clothes, cleaning up in the bedroom and being overall productive. After I had lunch I headed off for college to read and revise for the exams. To my surprise most buildings on campus were closed. Those that weren't closed were filled up with students. No free space, neither a free computer in sight. What do you do in these occasions? Get a bit annoyed, and some times pissed of and angry. But on the other hand you have a reason to sit in the sun and wonder if you should go back home. On the way home you have an ice cream and find a small, adorable museum about Dublin. People are enjoying each other and the sun in the park and nobody is in a hurry. You always have time to relax spontaneously and do the important things later on.

I was delighted to find surveys quoted in the Irish Independent on how laid-back Irish people actually are: "The Irish have been found to be more laid-back than many other nations.An international survey revealed the Irish languish at the top of the laid back league table for having the most people with three to five hours free time every day."

Believe the Irish: in the end everything will be sorted out in some way.

1,2,3.

The exam period has started and it's of course sunnier and warmer than ever before.
I felt quite prepared for my first exam, but there I was with about 1600 other students in a big hall not having a clue on how to express myself in English about Irish family policy.
After the second exam on welfare states I felt much more satisfied and relieved. Happily I walked to the beautiful blossoming St Sthephen's Green park and met up with some friends. With some balloons, serpentines, potato sallad melting in the sun and by forcing people to sing drinking songs I got a wonderful first of May. May bank holiday is on Monday in Ireland, but we chose to celebrate it the Vappu way.

One Guinness tonight.Two more exams to go. Three more weeks in Ireland.