a Finnish twist: September 2012

So my last post was....SEVERAL weeks ago, so much for trying to keep up! In my defense I have been absurdly busy since then with hardly a moment to catch my breath!

Welsh forestry (just kidding!)

German Forestry

I've been back in Canada for a little over 3 weeks and I'm still stuck with Finland on my mind...But before I left Europe I certainly made the rounds...2 days in Edinburgh, Scotland...5 days in Bangor, Wales...transit through Switzerland....5 days in Freiburg, Germany...transit through Switzerland and Northern Germany...4 days in Skinnskatteberg, Sweden...1 night in Stockholm, 1 night on a boat somewhere between Stockholm and Helsinki, Finland...2 nights in Joensuu, Finland...2 nights in Mekrijärvi, Finland...and then a week at home in Joensuu...finally I set out across the Atlantic for my first return to Canada in 367 days...I may have stretched my visa a little!

Field school group! (or at least some of it)

Beautiful beeches

Here's something that I wrote a few months ago to a friend, but I feel that it summarizes a lot of things about my experience in Finland...All of my predictions from when I wrote that have held to be very true!

"I am thoroughly enjoying Finland; I know that it will be very hard to leave! I can't exactly say what it is that is here to fall in love with, but I know that you can understand! I have met a lot of other international students who certainly haven't developed the same attachment that I have. Maybe it's the forests and how they are valued by people here so much more than other places I have lived. Maybe it's the culture and the pride of this country...it is uniquely not European. The people know that their numbers are small, but are fiercely proud of their independence and stability. Although they won't vocalize their pride, it is strong (and invisible from the outside) in each one of my Finnish friends here. Speaking of friends, it never ceases to amaze me what a good friend a Finn is. I know that I will keep in touch with my friends here better than most others. And even if I don't communicate with them regularly, I know that they are still out there! Also, I think I may go through a serious withdrawal from Finnish saunas when I go back to Canada...how have I survived my life without them until now? It is also interesting how many similarities I am starting to see between Finland and Canada. As for the Finnish language...it still presents many challenges!! I'm still trying though!"

Swedish crayfish party

Well, now that I'm (almost) settled in Edmonton all I can see is a huge amount of work in front of me in the next 12 months. Then...if it all goes according to plan...I should be ready to hand in my theses (yes...2!) at the end of next summer!! I'm a little scared of what I have in front of me! Fortunately, I won't always be in school. I'll play hockey, and coach biathlon, and play in the Rockies, and enjoy some fine Canadian beer (seriously) that I have missed for the past year.

Here are some photos of my trip to Jasper that I took with Katharina a little over a week ago: